"So we come down to caveat emptor" - Amen.
With all the faults of internet auctions, I can't imagine finding the variety of items available without them. How would someone in a small town obtain the perfect piece from halfway around the world, say 30 years ago? I would guess it was a slow, expensive road with plenty of dead ends.
I haven't had a chance to really drill into this site, but another forum about left-handed guitars has a section devoted to Ebay listings. Both to advertise personal items and to discuss BS listings.
Members are quick to point out all issues - from outright scams, non-original parts as well as great deals on any interesting lefty listing. This is in addition to the sites own "marketplace" section, where many high end trades take place. The admin simply asks for a 1-5% "donation".
Sort of apples and oranges, but it has become a trustworthy marketplace and a great resource regarding online auctions. With glass, maybe there's just too much to tackle.
Re: Tx - would you generally offer up items in the "marketplace" here first, or go straight to Ebay?