# Ultra cheap 3tb hard drive



## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

I can't vouch for the eBay seller but it's cheap! I have used the PC version of these as Tivo drives as they had Sata 3 WD green drives inside them. This is the same as the WD My Book Essentials that I posted a month or two ago that Staples had on closeout for $51.50. The only difference I can find is that these are formatted for Mac's while the My Book Essential is formatted for Windows PC's. (Western Digital states these can be re-formatted for Windows use).

For $17.99 shipped, I'm taking a chance and bought one. Buyer beware as it's a low feedback seller from China, I'm taking the chance since it's though eBay that in the worse case I can mostly likely get my money back if there is some type of scam going on.

As when I posting this, there are only 3 more available and the seller only allows one purchase every 10 hours or I would have bought two of them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Dig...External_Hard_Disk_Drives&hash=item3f357f316e


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## Cybernut (Oct 1, 2013)

I strongly suspect this is a scam...just like this guy (http://www.ebay.com/usr/bestprice0070?_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2754) who sold several brand-new SlingBoxes at $100 off...it was too good to be true...and so it was. He had a normal selling record until suddenly he sold 20 or so SlingBoxes for heavily discounted prices...none of which were received the buyers. He was eventually kicked off of eBay but I think he took the money and ran. eBay did refund the money to me and other buyers under their protection guarantee but I suspect eBay suffered some loss on this seller. I would feel esp. wary about your hard drive seller...his account seems to have been dormant for a very long time and he suddenly woke up and became active selling a drive for a fantastic price. The last feedback for him was in 2006, 8 years ago. He then suddenly wakes up now and sells ridiculously low priced hard drives...that just doesn't add up. I wouldn't touch this seller or this sale with a stick. Do report back here if you actually do get the drive and it checks out okay...I'd be surprised if you do...but for your sake I hope I am wrong.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

It might well be, with as aggressive as eBay is against ripoff artists it will be interesting to find out, ten years ago I would have never sent any money to a China seller like this. In a possible defense of the seller, the seller might have a inside access to the real product as most people don't realize how inflated the average retail prices are compared to what the real cost is.

It has been a long time since I got ripped off from a eBay seller so it it's about time, for the selling price that might well be the angle.


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## L David Matheny (Jan 29, 2011)

Cybernut said:


> I strongly suspect this is a scam...just like this guy (http://www.ebay.com/usr/bestprice0070?_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2754) who sold several brand-new SlingBoxes at $100 off...it was too good to be true...and so it was. He had a normal selling record until suddenly he sold 20 or so SlingBoxes for heavily discounted prices...none of which were received the buyers. He was eventually kicked off of eBay but I think he took the money and ran. eBay did refund the money to me and other buyers under their protection guarantee but I suspect eBay suffered some loss on this seller. I would feel esp. wary about your hard drive seller...his account seems to have been dormant for a very long time and he suddenly woke up and became active selling a drive for a fantastic price. The last feedback for him was in 2006, 8 years ago. He then suddenly wakes up now and sells ridiculously low priced hard drives...that just doesn't add up. I wouldn't touch this seller or this sale with a stick. Do report back here if you actually do get the drive and it checks out okay...I'd be surprised if you do...but for your sake I hope I am wrong.


I would suspect that in both those cases someone hacked into the eBay account of a member who was long dormant and thus unlikely to report any suspicious activity to eBay. It's quite possible that the person who originally set up the account still isn't aware of the problem. Use strong passwords.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

It might well be a scam, I will reply back when I know more, I found it unusual that the seller wouldn't allow more than one purchase, if it was a scam I would think the thief would welcome as many purchases as possible. 

It might also be a fake Western digital drive too, China is known for their counterfeit merchandise. 

But then again, this might just be a seller who came across a shipment of drives and had no investment or cost with it and is just getting rid of them, who knows. With all the fees that eBay has hit me with as a seller, I will get my money back if it's fake and I won't feel the least bad if eBay has to cover it, they are as bad if not worse than the small time scam sellers on eBay.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

It doesn't look good, I just recieved a message from eBay stating 


> We're writing to let you know that we've removed an item you recently won: 271480467822 - Western Digital My Book Studio 3 TB,External (WDBYCC0030HBK-NESN) Hard Drive
> 
> Since you've already paid for this item, you don't need to do anything else. If your item hasn't arrived yet, it should arrive soon.


Anyone else every receive a message like this? With being a eBay member for almost 20 years, I have never seen anything like this before. Why would they remove an auction AFTER it ended?


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## mcluvin (Apr 29, 2014)

eboydog said:


> It doesn't look good, I just recieved a message from eBay stating
> 
> Anyone else every receive a message like this? With being a eBay member for almost 20 years, I have never seen anything like this before. Why would they remove an auction AFTER it ended?


You sure that message really came from Ebay? Doesn't sound like something Ebay would send to me.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

mcluvin said:


> You sure that message really came from Ebay? Doesn't sound like something Ebay would send to me.


It came from eBay, if you go to the link for the auction, you will find its gone. Since then the eBay account for that seller has been removed too so it appears I will have to wait the designated time and file the report with eBay to get my $17 back. I will be surprised if I do actually receive anything but who knows? I sent a message to the seller before the account was removed but now the account is gone I won't get a reply.

Does anyone know the time limit for filing a grievance or whatever it's called for a buyer who doesn't receive the bought item? I know they make you wait a certain time but there is also a limit to how long you can wait as otherwise if you wait too long, you can't receive the money back.

I haven't had a bad experience buying for a long time, I think it was 2002 I bought a couple used laptop hard drives from a seller and after paying and receiving them, the seller contacted directly offering me a great deal on more used drives (outside of eBay of course). I fell for it and lost $50 as it wasn't a eBay transaction as the scammer used eBay to find victims. It didn't end up too bad as I did trace the kid down to his home address and as I understood he did have criminal charges files against him, turned out he was a 16 year old kid and his parents weren't very happy to find out what their son was doing to make extra money!

Today things have become more complicated, all I know about this eBay seller is the area in China his account was located when it was created, rather difficult to call him up and find out what's going on.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

Is the ebay message viewable on ebay.com when logged into your account?

It's common for Amazon / Ebay to cancel listings for problem sellers.
It's also common for sellers to cancel accounts run off with payment.

Figuring out which one of those, depends on whether Ebay sent the message and whether your credit card was charged / refunded.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

telemark said:


> Is the ebay message viewable on ebay.com when logged into your account?


Yes, the message I recieved came from eBay and is listed in my account msgs. Now I have in fact recieved a message like this in the past but it was for a legally questionable item that was a retail counterfeit merchandise which came from China, despite the nature of the message, I did receive the item in question in that case so I beginning to speculate that this too might be a similer situation. I did notice that the picture of the auction didn't match the upc code listed in the title and description.

It's just unusual that unless you participated in the auction there is no nothing to show that the auction or the particular eBay seller account even existed, I don't understand the reason for eBay to remove all traces of it short of them covering up some type of account hacking that would put eBay in a negitive light.

I have seen auctions ended due to copyright or content violations such as someone trying to sell something that eBay didn't allow but to remove all listing history and the related account is different. I know since eBay started their "it's safe to buy on eBay" PR campaign, they are more concerned with their public image than they are with the sellers or buyers. As complicated and fee ridden program they have now for sellers, they have driven the average seller out of business and it not worth the hassle if you aren't a high volume seller or have a high priced item to sell, it was much better back in the day when you weren't forced to accept PayPal, you could list a few items and might even make money. It never sat well with me that when eBay bought PayPal and continued to this day to hit the seller with double fees, one for the auction and one for the payment while almost technically requiring PayPal for payments. It one hell of racket they have going.

Oh well, I guess I will file a claim and get my money back. I suspect that that despite that with eBay putting the hammer down on, they will tell me I need to wait longer for it to arrive before they reimburse me at least I know that was the way it used to be.

Now if i do in fact receive a new Western Digital 3tb drive for $17 in a few weeks, I will come back and rub it in....


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

Did you receive the item for the previous canceled auction?

I don't know ebay's intricacies, but the online retail world is going through a reaction to counterfeiting, most from China. It's pretty awful with some manufacturers assuming anything below MSRP is a counter-fit, and even starting lawsuits under the assumption.

Amazon and Ebay are caught in the crossfire with constant canceling listings, products, and accounts.

I haven't tried it, but if I want cheap Chinese import electronics, Alibaba is suppose to be able to do that. http://www.alibaba.com


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

telemark said:


> Did you receive the item for the previous canceled auction?
> 
> I don't know ebay's intricacies, but the online retail world is going through a reaction to counter-fitting, most from China. It's pretty awful with some manufacturers assuming anything below MSRP is a counter-fit, and even starting lawsuits under the assumption.
> 
> ...


I did but you know for the life of me I can't recall what it was! It was something cheap, I love going though some of the eBay China wares as they have some really different things esp electronics and I'm a sucker for the cool "you can't buy that in the United States". I have a USB powered desk refrigerator that I want to get more as a novelty as it holds only two cans of soda....

I remember a RF wireless video transmitter I bought a long time back from a China seller, it used a tunable standard TV analog frequency (channels 2 though12!) and was so powerful that everyone within 200 yards of my house could tune into it. I stopped using it for fear of the Fcc coming down on me. Darn thing was only $35! Needless to say those type of electronic are not as easy to get hold of.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

I know what you mean. 

I've gotten strange convertors years before they were available in the US and the prices are often better even when they do arrive here.

Shipping from China is cheaper than within the US for some reason, I'm still trying to figure that one out.

I saw a USB fridge once, I think it only held 1 can though.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

Maybe alibaba is now for businesses.

http://www.aliexpress.com/
is the consumer version / trying to be, ebay competitor.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

Haven't received the drive, filed a claim with ebay and did receive my money back. Guess it was too good to be true.


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## Cybernut (Oct 1, 2013)

Sorry to hear that eboydog. I expected as much.


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## rwisdom (May 29, 2014)

eboydog

What are you asking for your Tivo Roamio's?

Ray


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

telemark said:


> ...Shipping from China is cheaper than within the US for some reason, I'm still trying to figure that one out.
> ...


We can guess that the Chinese post office gets a deal on reciprocal International USPS rates being that China owns most of the US.

Even with the shipping, I'm amazed when you can get some item for $2. Somebody still has to process your order, pack and ship. They're worth the $0.50 an a hour they get.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

MikeAndrews said:


> We can guess that the Chinese post office gets a deal on reciprocal International USPS rates being that China owns most of the US.
> 
> Even with the shipping, I'm amazed when you can get some item for $2. Somebody still has to process your order, pack and ship. They're worth the $0.50 an a hour they get.


I just purchased (from E-Bay) a digital temp monitor for $1.66 inc free shipping from China, seller asked me not to tell E-Bay that I did not receive the item until at least 40 days have passed, may be a scam but for $1.66 I not up at night over this item. PayPal charges me $0.30 + 2.9% for each transaction I make, so this seller net is less than $1.35???.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

lessd said:


> I just purchased (from E-Bay) a digital temp monitor for $1.66 inc free shipping from China, seller asked me not to tell E-Bay that I did not receive the item until at least 40 days have passed, may be a scam but for $1.66 I not up at night over this item. PayPal charges me $0.30 + 2.9% for each transaction I make, so this seller net is less than $1.35???.


It's not a scam. It just can take 6 weeks for shipping.

I've bought many things direct from China and I've always received it.

Think a SINGLE cable adapter for $1.69.

Now I wonder if the China post packages go by container by sea. Ya suppose the trip takes a week?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

MikeAndrews said:


> It's not a scam. It just can take 6 weeks for shipping.
> 
> I've bought many things direct from China and I've always received it.
> 
> ...


Just got my item today (took 19 days from the order) and came with two button batters that I would have to pay more for in the USA, item works great!! for $1.66 + free shipping, don't know how they do it.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

You want a 3TB Hitachi 7200RPM drive for $155?
They have ONE.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/HGST/0F12450R/


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

Most people don't' realize that most USA consumer items have terrible markups, now that everything is made in China, they make a killing on the popular name brand products while the "too cheap to understand why" items are simply marketing conditioning.

As the old PSA anti-drug commercials stated: "Give the first products away for free and see who ever comes back". China retailers are the same as street drug dealers.

The day will come when China will either cut the United States off or raise the prices so high that only the extreme wealthy will be able to afford them, it's not any different in the how the United States broke down the iron curtain and "won" the cold war. Its wasn't just massive military spending, it was westernizing the eastern european nations with our McDonald restaurants, pop music and Levi jeans, you train the younger generation in the way you want to lead them. 

The only difference was that the United States did this accidentally in late 70's & early 80's due to unorganized capitalism while China is doing this now under a very orchestrated plan and supervision of their communist leaders who understand how the Soviet Union fell and are have learned from the United State nonviolent Coup D'eTat of the former USSR.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

eboydog said:


> Most people don't' realize that most USA consumer items have terrible markups, now that everything is made in China, they make a killing on the popular name brand products while the "too cheap to understand why" items are simply marketing conditioning.
> 
> As the old PSA anti-drug commercials stated: "Give the first products away for free and see who ever comes back". China retailers are the same as street drug dealers.
> 
> ...


While blue jeans and the Beatles played a big part in ending the USSR, it was government (theirs, not ours) subsidies that let Japan destroy the US television manufacturing business by underpricing, with the Japanese government protecting their manufacturers from actually taking a loss to do so.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

unitron said:


> While blue jeans and the Beatles played a big part in ending the USSR, it was government (theirs, not ours) subsidies that let Japan destroy the US television manufacturing business by underpricing, with the Japanese government protecting their manufacturers from actually taking a loss to do so.


Oh yes, it was a matter of east versus west in who could spend the most on programs that didn't help their country, United States balanced out on top due to the steel and commercial manufacture capibilities it had left over from WWII. I dare you to go shopping and find any consumer goods that is still manufactured in the United States as the same you describe of Japan is the same that east Asia countries are doing now.

One of two things is going to happen, followed by the other, the Chinese workers are going to organize and depand higher wages and better living conditions which will drive consumers goods up to never imaged highs or the US dollar exchange rate is going to crash to unheard to never seen lows; either way depending on which happens first, its going to make the 1930's depression look like a a walk in park on a sunny day.

Short of groceries, start checking off all the itemes you buy at Walmart and start thinking were you might buy all those China made goods when they aren't available. Heck we ship recycled paper to China, the united states doesn't produce batteries any more since the last lead smelter plant was closed, the majority of iron and steel used to build buildings is no longer made in the united states, the toilet paper you buy isn't made in the united states!.

People talk about the fear of China buying the United States but its all ready happened as if China stops running cargo ships across the pacific, the only people in the united states who won't feel pain will be the Amish and the rest of the country will be put back into the 1850's era of fledgling pre-industrialization era were if you can't make it yourself, you will do without.

It's not a good thing when one country depends on another for all it consumer goods, That is why Japan started their invasion of other eastern Asian countries in the late 1930's when they came to the realization that they didn't have the means to support their way of life and economy. The last two world wars were based on economy turmoil and the next will not be any different.

But hey, as long as my my Roamio Plus works, I will be fine.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

So how do you really feel about it. 

Of it did not help the US that we helped retool that factories in Japan and Europe after WWII so they were making things with better equipment than we had at home.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

> Now I wonder if the China post packages go by container by sea. 

I believe the two cheapest transports are container ship and rail.

> But hey, as long as my my Roamio Plus works, I will be fine. 

Sounds like we're in trouble then.


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