Buying a bow off eBay?
 

I've been really wanting to get into bowhunting and have been looking all around for a good starter bow. I noticed eBay is quite a bit cheaper then most places. I've heard both good and bad about buying bows off eBay. Has anyone bought a bow off eBay?

Ive done it and will do it again. Buy from a long time seller with a good rating and you will be fine.

I bought my latest bow off of ebay...I paid approx. $100 less than I would if I went to a big retail outdoor chain...I would definitely buy again on ebay.

Unless you are pretty good with bow equipment and can do your own work.... I would opt to buy local where they offer good service. Just my 2 cents worth.

Also check out archery talk. I purchased my last three from there. Hope it's ok to mention another forum on here...if not I apologize. As long as you know what you want and have good communication with the seller, you should be fine. Just my opinion.

I have purchased a lot of fairly expensive items off Ebay including bows. Like the previous posters stated - if you see something you're interested in, check the seller's feedback. Another thing is to pay via Paypal. Your purchase is protected from fraud.
Just FYI, I've even purchased bows that did not quite fit but took it to my local shop for the correct draw length modules, paid the difference and still made out enough to get a rest or sight or other accessory and more. But do your homework before you bid to be sure the model you're looking at can be altered it not your fit.

Ive had good luck so far. 3 bows I think

I have made several purchases from sellers on EBay, crossbows, compound bow, arrows, trail cameras and trail camera lock boxes to name a few. Some sellers have good descriptions while others do not. First I check the feedback percentage by the sellers name on the article listed. I will pick 98% and higher. One can go in and actually check their personal feed back from buyers. If I need more information as an example: what would be the approximate shipping fee to my postal code, do you ship internationally as I am from Canada. Some list shipping to the lower 48 only. If I would like an item bad enough I will email them to see if they will ship else where, stating I am willing to pay their asking price, pay shipping once I get a quote, import fees and duty. I will only make purchases using PayPal which protects both the seller and myself as a buyer. When I receive an item I always notify the seller (feedback) what condition it was received in, how satisfied with their service and the service of the mail carrier they used. I will not ask the seller to sell outside of EBay as doing so will get both of us banned. All the best.

Have bought from both options mentioned so far - both were good purchases. I will say if you buy from someone @ AT you will most likely get a lot more info. FYI - best time to buy would be AFTER Christmas!

With your apparent knowledge or lack of (being new) I would suggest NOT buying off Ebay or any mail order place. A good local shop can measure you for draw length and see what draw weight you can handle effectively. These and other factors are a reason to not get something from EBay.

Consider that if buying from a local shop you might be spending more money from the git-go, but will have personalized service and usually a free bow setup at the very least.

Buy a bow somewhere else and you can expect to pay for setup and followup service. In the end you probably end up paying about the same.

Buy a bow that you find out doesn't suit or fit you and you end up paying a lot more.

A BIG ditto to that! I bought my first bow off the 'net and regretted it because I didn't know what to look for. Go to a local pro and get started right!!

If you know EXACTLY what you're looking for, then Ebay is great. I've bought bows, rests, sights, arrows, releases, and a ton of other stuff from them. The deals are freaking fabulous compared to the local archery shops.

Ebay is better if you're specifically looking for a brand, model, year, draw weight, draw length, etc. and you have all the details and specs figured out for you as a shooter. They have such a variety and selection, that you can find damn near any bow you want, with all the specs you're looking for. That way it won't cost much for your local pro shop to do a few tweaks needed to make it perfect for you.

Just make sure you only buy from a seller with a great rating and a ton of sales. And pay attention to what they charge the shipping costs... some sellers try to screw you that way. I was looking at arrows recently, for a great price, but then I saw they wanted $35 for shipping. Just read carefully.

I wouldn't buy my first bow off eBay....go to dicks or somewhere like that and they will set you up right.

I've also bought my bow off eBay, and it saved me a pretty penny. I don't see anything wrong with it. The bow I bought is used, but it's in perfect condition, so why not? I decided to find a new hobby besides stargazing and space exploration and was sure that eBay would help me.