Carp Fishing Reels & Online Auction Sites
~ The Good, the bad, and the Ugly deals ~
By Luke Rudd ~ Carp-Fishing-Reels.Com
Ebay and other online auction sites have seen massive growth in their online presence since their inception in the mid-1990s. These auction sites now sell products in almost all sectors and the fishing tackle industry is no exception. Initially this market consisted of mainly second hand or reconditioned items but now brand new fishing tackle and reels, often at incredible prices, are a major presence and account for a large amount of these online auctions.
Brilliant you might think, well when you get yourself a bargain it is, and there are great deals to be had from trustworthy sellers who care about their business reputation. However, you wouldn’t be the first person to think they’ve got a super deal only to discover a couple of fishing trips later that it’s not all you expected. In this article I look to present some key factors to consider when purchasing Carp Reels and other tackle through online auctions. There are several aspects when shopping for fishing reels in online auctions that must be considered; these first two factors are main issues to avoid:
- Do not put yourself into a bidding war where you end up paying overprice for an item and breaking your budget. Make the decision beforehand on how much you are willing to pay and stick to your guns! If you don’t win the auction because another bidder goes over your budget don’t worry. The number of products constantly circulating auction sites means the same item or at least a very similar one will no doubt become available again very soon.
- Secondly, if you are browsing an auction site and you come across a brand new fishing reel at an incredible price or a deal too good to be true, it probably is. Although there are super deals available, scam attempts are abundant on auction sites, and should not be underestimated. Always check the feedback and scores of a seller, and as a general rule, do not purchase from people who haven’t gained positive feedback and a seller profile.
The product description on all items, whether it’s carp reels or any other tackle, requires proper examination. Don’t skim read the text and get drawn into the pictures of those stunning carp reels, study the product description! Some sellers are very coy in their product descriptions in order to cleverly mislead buyers or miss out crucial information that could harm a sale. If you notice anything remiss about the description, ask questions, send a message to the seller, and ensure you know exactly what you are buying.
Unfortunately there are times where you can end up with a bad deal from an auction site through no fault of the seller. This is one of the reasons why I now believe purchasing through official shops is a safer option. Unforeseen issues are generally easier and require less effort to resolve through official retailers and shops. Furthering this guarantees (such as the 5 year guarantee on Okuma reels), that would have come as standard if purchased from an official shop, might not when the same items are purchased through auction sites. Buyers may not realise or even be aware that a standard guarantee was available if they’d purchased the item from an official shop, stressing the importance of research. Many new carp reels sold at online auctions for fantastic prices are quite possibly graded goods or seconds, in the same way that retailers at events such as Tacklefest are able to sell these seconds for a great price. This can result in a super bargain, but these items can also be a liability, which can be a worry when the item doesn’t come with a guarantee.
Another main issue with buying second hand carp reels on auction sites is that anglers treat their fishing tackle, particularly reels, with different levels of care and respect. Some anglers take real pride storing their carp reels properly in designated cases, as well as servicing them to keep the mechanisms clean and in good condition. On the other hand there are anglers who treat their carp reels less respectfully which will ultimately affect the internal mechanism and consequently the durability of the reel. Fishing reels can suffer damage very easily and have their lifetime dramatically shortened; a drop in the water for example, especially saltwater, if not treated can result in a serious impact on the reels performance. There really is nothing worse than your carp reel packing in at that crucial moment while attempting to land a monster carp, and I can sympathise with anyone who’s had this happen.
After a lifetime of fishing, and purchasing fishing reels from auction sites and official retailers, my advice is to buy new from official stores, get the guarantee if available, and hope that the extra money spent will pay off with a carp reel that will work for five years and not break down at two. Plus there really is nothing better than breaking in and christening a new reel with its first monster fish!
Regards
Luke Rudd from: Carp Fishing Reels
