i have sold 2 stands on ebay, and bought one. both buyers were satisfied, and i was real happy with the api bowhunter that i bought. CHECK THE SELLER RATING! if people have had a bad experience, they will post it.

Josh 24:15

I've never bought a stand on e-bay but I've bought a lot of things and generally you too many problems if the seller has a good and lengthy history of positive feedback. Sometimes even the best sounding sellers can burn you though, I got burned on a transaction last year on a christmas gift and the seller had a great rating. I now will only pay through paypal, if they will only accept cash or a money order I'll pass on the deal.

One thing to keep in mind to is the shipping they charge you. Especially on an item as bulky as a treestand you need to make sure they don't overcharge you on shipping. Sometimes they will post how much they charge, other times they will just say "buyer pays shipping costs". I'd find out where they are shipping from and check on the UPS website what the shipping charge should be. I've had people trying to charge me more than twice the actual postage before.

I have bought and sold several items on EBAY with no problems so far. Check the seller's feedback and ratings. As a matter of fact a large successful pro shop in my area is now selling brand new Summit stands at good prices. I know the shop well and all items they sell is brand new factory items in the box! Most of the advertised new stands are from dealers and some are not online only sellers, just as in my example above. Coincidentally, I recently purchased a stand from the classified section here and was completely satisfied.

I do have one rule of thumb whether buying anything used or new on EBAY, I feel more at ease buying from a seller who includes pictures of the item. It all boils down to knowing the item you are interested in, checking and emailing the seller with questions, and knowing what the item sells for locally.

I wouldn't be afraid of a stand bought thru ebay. If the seller has a good rating then I say go for it. I purhcased a Mathews Q2 a month ago and saved myself a couple of hundred dollars. The bow was as advertised. I couldn't have been happier. Just my opinion.