I have collected for 18 months. Bid and won my first auctions on e-bay last summer. The whole concept(sending M/Os to strangers and hoping they shipped what you expected) made me nervous for months prior. But once you do it and all turns out well, then you are on your way to another source for HLs.

Several suggestions, when you check the sellers feedback, also check their other auctions. If you see other collectibles you can be fairly sure that they are dealers and doing auctions as a part of business, ie reliable.

Check several sources for the going prices of the HLs you are interested in bidding on. Check completed e-bay auctions for those pieces. Check the price lists of the secondary market HL dealers that post lists online. Do a search on the forums marketplace to see what people were asking for a particular HL. In other words have a ball-park price range before you start bidding.

By the way I have purchased at least fifteen HLs thru E-bay. All well except one that arrived damaged, was returned and I received refund including my return shipping costs.

I see it as one more source for my HLs, my local dealers and the marketplace forum are the others. Secondary dealers if the prices are right. Good luck and have fun finding your HLs!

Donna