Clubcard Vouchers = Deals in 2.50 Denominations ONLY

Just a quick point - I have noticed that many other sellers who have Tesco Clubcard vouchers up for auction are putting the amount you would get in Deals as exactly 4 x the coupons face value (e.g. 16.50 coupons = 66 Dealx vouchers). This is only the case if the amount you have is an exact multiple of 2.50 (e.g. 20 coupons DOES = 80), as Tesco only convert coupons to deals in full 2.50 denominations.

Therefore in the example above, for 16.50 worth of coupons you would receive 60 worth of Deals coupons and the remaining 1.50 would be credited back on to your clubcard.

I hope this helps! :-)

Bye, bye Psoriasis... Read carefully !!!

REVIEW OF "Bye, Bye Psoriasis..." AND RELATED PRODUCTS

Flat Nappies - A Simple Guide

With so many different nappy types on the market it can be confusing when choosing which is right for you. Here is our simple guide to Flat Nappies. For morecomprehensive advice on which nappy is right for you,see ourChoosing Real Nappies - A Simple Guide.

Flat nappies are the most basic nappies and will usually require some folding. This category includes the traditional terry square, muslins, and the more modern prefold nappy. These nappies wash very easily and are the quickest nappy of all to dry. They are extremely economical, with a birth to potty kit, including wraps costing from 60.00 for terries and 150.00 for prefolds. Thats around a 600.00 saving compared to using disposables and because they are so durable, they can be used on more than one child - often being used for the whole family (including cousins). Flat nappies are usually used as part of a two part system so a seperate wrap is rquired, however, they are just as useful for stuffing pocket nappies and using to boost other systems.

Traditional FoldingBoth terries and prefolds can be folded in the traditional way (as your granny did) and fastened with a nappy nippa (quicket and safer than pinning). Folding can take some practice, but after a few changes it will become second nature. Traditional folding is very useful for very young and breastfed babies as containment is good.

Pad Folding:Alternatively terries and prefolds can be simply folded into a pad and held in place with a snug fitting wrap. This is a modern way of using flat nappies and is particularly popular in the US. Pad folding is quick and easy and suits parents who may not have the patience for more complicated folding. It is important that you choose a good quality gussetted wrap (i.e Prorap or Junior Joy Finn wrap) as this will make sure the nappy stays in place and will help to prevent leaks and improve containment.

COUNTERFEIT ITEMS

Please hit the 'YES' button if you think it is high time Ebay banned sellers from countries, which do not adhere to international copyright law, such as China. I have been requesting that Ebay do this, for ages, but they do not seem to mind. These people are blatantly selling fake everything, ripping off buyers and harming the business of people selling legitimate items. They also continuously spam sellers, with offers of ridiculously cheap 'genuine' items, which are not remotely genuine. Whilst this is not devastating, it is very irritating! It is obvious that Ebay are not going to listen to little old me, but if hundreds, maybe thousands of you display your support for my campaign, to clean upthis particularly 'dirty' area of ebay, then maybe they will do something. Thanks for taking the trouble to read this. Regards

Romanian XBOX 360 /PSP /I-pod Scam

Some people are offering 60 xbox 360s for sale, people i have delt with come under a french ebay name, upon closer inspection they inform you that the units come from romania and he is a electronics dealer called Pierrewho works for a guy called Mr enache he will also have 100% postive feedback. The signs that this is a scam is that they will not complete the trade through ebay and will only accept payment via bank transfer or western union.If you pay them he'll say they've been dispatched by UPS but he will not give you a tracking number. He will then claim that he has dispatched too many and thatUPS are holding them. They will then ask you to pay for the extra that they have sent. Regardless what you do they will not send you any Xboxs it is a complete scam and it is appearing on ebay in various different countries avoid at all cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GUIDE DELETED

This article no longer exists. I would delete this page but eBay currently doesn't allow that.

~Postage and Packaging - What is acceptable?~

Having been a member of ebay for a few years now I've taken part in a lot of transactions so I like to think Ican estimate postage costs pretty well. I have had the misfortune of dealing with a few sellers who don't really know exactly how much to charge so they just take a guess. I've seen all sorts of prices for postage on here, some have underestimated (I once bought something from a seller who paid a LOT more postage than they'd estimated - they hadn't been using ebay long so I sent them the difference! Yes I know some people wouldn't have done but I do like to think that I am honest) and some have overestimated by a LOT!

Postage

I was browsing one day and noticed a skirt I really liked...cheap starting price but postage was 7.65...I wasn't really sure why as it was a linen type material so really light. I read the sellers whole listing to find out if there was any indication as to why (The seller could have lived in a very remote area with no post office - so could have to drive to another village or arrange collection etc). I didn't find anything so I asked the seller. The response that came back was rather short but to the point, It was stated that packaging for the item would cost 3.60 and the rest was for 1st class postage and if I wasn't happy then I wasn't to bid. This was a fair comment and I accepted it.

It does annoy me sometimes that a seller misjudges postage and packaging...and I know there are some people out there who do make extra money on their postage. I have always found that by working out p

Europa X-stream Crusader Classic 125 cc

Bought crusader package bike,helmet,tax jacket ,gloves........bike arrived in 6 days.......but had to phone them loads of times and every time was told tax,plates and gloves arrive in couple days.........then they dont.........you phone again and then they say dvla hold up........But they advertise and state things like....why not receive bike ready on road!, we pre register bikes etc etc etc............so basically they are selling /auctioning something they don't actually have .............and to make things worse they give u feedback like..............you agreed to hold ups etc..........You have no choice.......do they notify you when you win auction of any hold ups? NO! When did i get tax,gloves and plates? 3 weeks later......i had that two glorious weeks in july off work on holiday looking at a gleaming new bike in my garage and couldn't use it...what a waste of my time...i should have bought a bike locally and went to dvla and got docs. and tax while i waited!.......they had cheek to give me bad feedback.......for what paying immediately after auction! and then phoning them because they couldnt deliver what they were promising in the auction! and even worse they asked me to withdraw bad feedback (by email and by phone) or i would not get any support with bike...........meaning my 6 month warranty means nothing! so be very aware if your expecting fast delivery of an on road bike.!!!

abusive

recently ebay member reecebecca purchased an item from me, my methods of payment were paypal only, they email to say there account isnt working can they send postal order which i agreed. payment was sent and item sent out by special delivary and tracking number sent, buyer didnt sign for item so it was sent back to royal mail and R/M said card was put through door but reecebecca says different and insisted that I had not sent item out, over the course of the week I recieved several abusive

Hey there !!!

Here is a list of ebay Shorthand / Abreviations ;

BN-Brand New
BNIB-Brand New In Box
BNWT-Brand New With Tags
BNWOT-Brand New With Out Tags
Ud-Used
FVF: FINAL VALUE FEE - THE FEE WHICH EBAY TAKES FROM YOUR SELLING TOTAL
TOS: TERMS OF SERVICE- THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USING THE EBAY SITE
ARTIFICIAL/SHILL BIDDING: THE ACT OF USING ANOTHER ACCOUNT OR FRIENDS OR FAMILY TO ARTIFICIALLY RAISE THE BIDS ON AN ITEM
MIB- MINT IN BOX
MC- MINT CONDITION
EX CON- EXCELLENT CONDITION
NR- NO RESERVE
TFL- THANKS FOR LOOKING
NPB- NONE PAYING BUYER/BIDDER - BIDDER DID NOT PAY FOR THE ITEM
NPS- NONE PERFORMING SELLER - SELLER DID NOT SELL THE ITEM
ABSTW- ABSOLUTE TIME-WASTER
EX SERV- EXCELLENT SERVICE
HR - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
HTDWA- HOPE TO DEAL WITH AGAIN
TYFYC- THANKYOU FOR YOUR CUSTOM

CHECK OUT MY OTHER GUIDES FOR COOL FEEDBACK COMMENTS AND COOL ANIMATIONS!!!

THANKS

(

one true saxon-army marsh parka-be wary!!!

hi lads,we all love our clothes,dont we?whats the perfect coat for us lads i hear u say?a vintage si,a mig-how about an ots marsh parka?

as we know the lads at goodnorth have been producing a copy of an army parka now and its an exact replica more or less except for the material id say and the obvious ots branding-heres where the problem arises lads!!

you've no doubt seen the ads for them on here with ots,cp in the title......well i won one last week and received it the other day,i nearly ripped the packaging in two,i was like a kid on xmas morning......until i realised there wasnt any labels identifiying this monster as an ots product-surely some mistake i thot-maybe its a "grey"one with the labels taken out,i got in touch with the seller(who shall remain nameless) and was told maybe id misunderstood the ad!!

yeah!!very common mistake when the ad has ots in the title and mentions mille miglia in the description(dont know why that ones in there but hey!)

in my humble opinion the coats description was misleading so please check lads if you're bidding on a genuine ots or a genuine army surplus(which is what i got!!it should never have been placed in the ots or cp section but in the army/military section instead-please ask the seller for full details of the coat before bidding as im out of pocket nearly 90 cos of a cleverly constructed ad

see enclosed pic for whats not an ots marsh parka but may have ots/cp in the title

happy hunting and keep it fake free and honest lads

Postage and Packaging Costs

Hi, I thought i would try and stick up for a few sellers in the war of words over postage and packaging with this guide. Im not a big seller but ido read people's feedback while wondering around ebay and often see negative feedback left for people because of problems with the costs associated with postage and packaging.

You always find feedback saying "They charged me 8 but it only cost 4 to send". This maybe so but the seller creates the cost of postagewith their discretion based on the cost of things such as the the postage, packaging, petrol to the post office, time out of their day and even to recoup some of their ebay fees.

The buyer then looks at the postage cost and it is their choice whether to pay this amount or not so they cannot then moan that they are getting over charged.

For instance i sell a few video games and i always charge a flat fee of 2.50 in my auction. It only costs me 70p to send a game in the first class post but with another 65p for a package, 1 for petrol and (free service) time out of my day equals 2.35. Add this to the fact that between ebay and paypal you lose 10% of yoursale then sellers get quite a hard deal, especially when they are competing to sell items at the lowest cost.

To me once the buyer has decided to pay the money as stated in the auction then that is it and they should have no argument.

CHILDRENS BALLET SHOES

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF BALLET SHOES AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN

I HOPE THIS GUIDE WILL BE HELPFUL.

PLAYWEAR/ DRESSING-UP: THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS SIZE. MOST E-BAYERS SELLING BALLET SHOES SHOULD BE ABLE TOADVISE YOU - REMEMBER TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE FOR DRESSING UP, YOU CAN THEN ALLOW FOR A SIZE BIGGER FOR GROWING ROOM.

CLASS WEAR : ONLY ALLOW FOR A HALF SIZE GROWING ROOM AT THE MOST. THIS ENABLES THE TEACHER TO SEE IF THE CHILD IS STRETCHING THEIR FOOT PROPERLY. nb PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER BEFORE PURCHASING - DO THEY PREFER SATIN OR LEATHER? - IS CANVAS ALLOWED?

Although it has become popular for children to wear SPLIT-SOLE in class, some teachers will not allow them to be worn. It is inadvisable to wear split-sole for class work as the arch of the foot is not excersised in the same way, so they do not help with strengthening the feet.

EXAMS : SHOES SHOULD FIT LIKE A GLOVE AGAIN CHECK WITH THE TEACHER IF THEY PREFER SATIN OR LEATHER? NOT USUALLY SPLIT-SOLE.

FESTIVALS, COMPETITIONS

warning - wedding dress

i purchased a wedding dress of e-bay from a china company, the dress that was on for sale was absoulutly georgous, it was ivory very sliming looking and with the medievil looking sleeves with a small train that what looked like gathered at the back of the dress. it looked beautiful, but when i eventually recieved "something" it was defineltly not the same as the picture as you might have seen. so i got in contact with the seller and overall i have changed my mind with all the hassle. i have to send it back and and pay the P

British Crown Coins (Five Shilllings, 25 Pence, 5)

Information about British Crown CoinsThe Crown StoryFirst Ever CrownThe world's first crown sized coin was issued in about 1484 at Joachimsthal in Bohemia, using silver from local mines including Annaberg, Schneeberg, and Altenberg. Joachimstal is now in the west of the Czech Republic, in the Erzgebirge (ore mountains), close to the German border. The Czech name is Jachymov. It should not be confused with the other Joachimsthal near Berlin in Germany. (Thanks M.S.)The coins became known as Joachimstalers, and shortened to Thalers, which in turn became dollars.Collector's ChoiceBecause the crown is the largest silver coin issued during most reigns, it is often the first choice for collectors. Large format coins make it easier to appreciate the artistry of the engraver, and silver is an attractive metal which takes a good impression from the dies, but without being as expensive as many gold coins. Crowns were often struck in sufficient quantities to enable them to be purchased today at reasonable prices.EtymologyThe name crown comes from the French gold couronne, the denier la couronne, issued by Philip of Valois about 1339, which featured as its obverse design, a large crown; and the cu la couronne issued by Charles VI of France about 1384, which had a shield surmounted by a crown.The first crown (that of the double rose) of Henry VIII had a reverse similar design to the "ecu d'or au soleil", a shield topped by a large crown, and for its obverse, had a double rose also topped by a large crown."Crown" had become the common English name for the French cu, and for other European coins of similar value.The First British Crowns Were GoldThe Crown first appeared as a British coin denomination in 1544 under Henry VIII. This was a gold coin with a value of five shillings.Perhaps we should count as a crown, two other slightly earlier coins of Henry VIII. The "Crown of the Rose" was issued in 1526, at the strange sounding value of 4s.6d (four shillings and sixpence). Its reverse design was a rose. It was intended to compete with the French cu au soleil. It was not popular, and was discontinued within a few months, and replaced with another coin known as the "Crown of the Rose", with a value of five shillings. The reverse design was a Tudor double rose. This coin is historically interesting in being the first British gold coin to be made from gold of "only" 22 carat, rather than the previous standard of 23 carat. 22 carat is, of course, the standard now used for all British gold coins.Gold crowns continued to be issued until 1662 under Charles II, when all the previous denominations of gold coins were replaced by milled guineas.The First British Silver CrownThe first silver crown was produced in 1551 under Edward VI. It was one of the first British coins to bear a date, which was in Arabic numerals. Since then the silver crown has always been the largest regularly issued British silver coin.From 1551, crowns were issued in both gold and silver, until the gold crown was discontinued after 1662.
1658 Over 1657 Overdate Crown of Oliver Cromwell

PRINCE OF PERSIA REVELATIONS : Review

PRINCE OF PERSIA teammanaged tobring a PSP compatible edition, which was a good news for POP community and a big sucess for team itself.

POP REVELATIONS is a good game butONLY if you have played Warrior Within.

There are about 20 new stages (nonefrom Two Thrones). Few of them are fine but some are very hard. The reason of being hard is very limited screen for such a game. Thengames own Bird's Eye view function doesn't work properly at some point which makes it harder for player to decide which way to continue.

Price also makes some unexpected moves through out the game, one example is Price should hang at the edge of any object but in some cases he fells down.

Games graphics is very good, but lighting isvery poor. Although some dark effects are required to create the inviroment, but some places are too dark to see in very little lighting around you.

Game also gets stuck and you have to start from the begining of that stage/last saved point.

I and other POP community members hope there will be better PSP edition in market very soon without these faults and problems.

Gary Numan fake autographs

There has been an increasing number of fake Gary Numan autographs surfacing recently, often from America, though not always.
Numan's signature is very distinctive, neat and consistent. It hasn't actually changed since he first became famous (the only example being seen in the note on the inner sleeve of The Pleasure Principle where the 'G' is a little more flamboyant).
Often these counterfeit autographs are childishly poor and easy to spot. For an example of the genuine signature, do a search for the 1981 Numan album titled 'Dance'. On the sleeve design, the titles were written by Gary himself and so the 'Gary Numan' at the top of the cover is actually his signature. It rarely differs in appearance.
Recent fake items have included a Your Fascination single (laughably poor), Telekon and Replicas (also very easy to tell). Don't be conned. The artist himself would be appalled particularly given his willingness at all times to give autographs. The vast majority of auto's you will find are genuine and come from reputable sellers who respect their prospective customers and would not knowingly rip them off, but be careful and remember 'Dance' ! )
Good luck.

Supersport and Superbike Road Legal Tyre Guide

This is a basic guide for someone who is unsure which tyres to fit to their sportsbike, but is looking to improve handling performance in certain conditions or is meerly looking to save money on the purchase cost of new tyres but need information on the compromise they may have to deal with.

This guide is compiled from 7 years of sportsbike riding on the road and 3years of trackdays. My ability has improved so I can only rate tyres as I remember them at the time. Some tyres are only rated on the front or rear if I havn't tried both. Just because a front or rear tyre performed well or badly does not mean that the pairing will necessarily perform the same although it should be safe to assume it will be in the same ballpark. I havn't included much track information because I am usually testing for races and use race tyres.

Tyres are listed in order of preference, first to last. Tyres listed in the avoid catagories are listed from best to very worst.

Wet Front Tyres for road use.

Dunlop D207RR, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Avon AM22, Metzeler MEZ1 Race, Michelin Pilot Sport, Bridgestone BT020.

Front Tyres to avoid useing in the wet.

Dunlop D207, Bridgestone BT010, Bridgestone BT012, Bridgestone BT50, Dunlop D221.

Wet Rear Tyres for road use.

Dunlop D207RR, Michelin Pilot Sport, Metzeler Sportec M1, Michelin Hi-Sport, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Bridgestone BT020, Bridgestone BT56, Avon ST23.

Rear Tyres to avoid useing in the wet.

Dunlop D207, Bridgestone BT57, Bridgestone BT012, Bridgestone BT50, Dunlop D221, Dunlop D208, Michelin Pilot Race (hard compound).

Wet Front Tyres for track use

Dunlop D207RR, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Avon AM22, Bridgestone BT020.

Avoid Bridgestone BT012.

Wet Rear Tyres for track use

Dunlop D207RR,Dunlop D207GP, Metzeler Sportec M1, Metzeler MEZ3 Race

Avoid Bridgestone BT012.

Dry Front tyres for road use.

Dunlop D208RR, Dunlop D207RR, Avon AM22, Metzeler MEZ1 Race, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Michelin Pilot Sport, Bridgestone BT020, Metzeler MEZ4,Dunlop D207, Dunlop D221, Bridgestone BT50.

Fronts to avoid even in the dry.

Bridgestone BT010, Bridgestone BT014, Bridgestone BT012

Dry Rear tyres for road use.

Dunlop D208RR, Metzeler Sportec M1, Dunlop D208, Dunlop D207RR, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Michelin Pilot Sport, Michelin Hi-Sport, Bridgestone BT020, Metzeler MEZ4, Bridgestone BT56, Dunlop D221, Bridgestone BT57, Avon ST23.

Rears to avoid even in the dry.

Dunlop D207, Bridgestone BT014, Bridgestone BT012, Bridgestone BT50, Michelin Pilot Race (hard compound).

Dry Fronts ideal for track use.

Dunlop D207RR, Avon AM22, Metzeler MEZ3 Race, Bridgestone BT020.

Avoid Dunlop D207 and Bridgestone BT012.

Dry Rears ideal for track use.

Michelin Pilot Race (hard compound), Dunlop D207RR, Dunlop D207GP, Metzeler Sportec M1, Metzeler MEZ3 Race.

Avoid Dunlop D207 and Bridgestone BT012.

Hope this guide helps, listed are only tyres that I have personaly used hence why tyres like D208RR's are not listed for track use because I havn't tried them on a track.

The Michelin Pilot Sport and Metzeler MEZ3 Race are the best all round pairs that I have used that will last on the road. The Dunlop D207RR's are ace tyres but will wear quicker. Bridgestone BT020's are great on lower powered machinery and are the choice for mileage, although rear grip is found wanting for fast scratching or track use. It is so far the best type of tyre for confidence and feel I have used and the one most people are least likley to crash on, ideal for novice or born agains.

Sold out perfumes !

Do not believe when the seller says that the perfume is out of stock at shops, it maybe sold out in the actual shop but try online to see if they still have it.

I recently donea search for Jade Goody's perfume SHH and found that most sellers were stating that the perfume had sold out and "rare", hard to get a hold of ..

I checked The perfume Shop online and found that i could order a bottle for 19.99 rather than paying the 30 or more that seems to be the price on e-bay after bidding.

This has happened before remember that sellers are wanting you to pay as much as possible for maximum profit to them and cost to you.

If a perfume is as stated "out of stock" on e-bay do a search and see if you can get it at an online shop, you never know you might be getting it cheaper...a lot cheaper

BEWARE of the CHINESE/THAILAND ebay auctions!!!!!!

Hi, my friend recently bought a sony psp from china ,and did not recieve his item.It cost him $196 in total

LCD TV

If you are buying off ebay consider the following:

1. Is it real?

2. Does the seller have any proof? IE Genuine photo and not a copied one!!!

3. Search other similar listings and make sure you are not getting ripped off.

4. Do not buy if you are not too sure.

5. Check it out with the seller before you buy.

6. How long has the seller been a ebay member.

Hope you found my guide helpful.

Johnnyclayton

Feedback and Postage

Well i thought if you left people neutral feedback its sort of like saying "well i'm not totally happy, could have been better. Well you would be wrong, on two occasions i did this, and on the last occasion, well its hard to believe. I bought a keyless remote for my Ford from la-auto-specialities [the fact it does'nt work is'nt the best part and the instructions to program it were never included as stated] and although i paid immediately after the sale ie: same day, he waited 10 days till posting it, if your a business on e-bay i think thats a bit long, maybe its not. So i left a neutral: "V.slow postage,no instructions[stated were inc] no answer to e-mail, goods ok". Hardly a scathing statement you would think, imagine my suprise when i saw this big red negative: "DO NOT SELL TO-Very dishonest and definitely not a good person-should be ashamed" so dont sell to me because i pay immediately, and i just looked in the mirror, and i cant see too much to be ashamed about. Then i get a follow up about 5 minutes later which reads : "Follow-up by la-auto-specialties: unreasonable and lied-item went intntl

Regimental Cap Badges and Medals Cards (Collectables)

Regimental Cap Badgesand Army Medals On Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

I've been collecting and selling trade cards, cigarette cards and related collectablesfor over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.

Cigarette cards were issued during an important time in the history of mankind, 1870s-1930s. They documented two of the most destructive wars, WWI and WWII. Many cigarette card sets were issued on the regimental cap badges and military medals that exceptionally brave servicemen received.

I've listed a small selection of regimental cap badges and military medals cigarette cards below and have included scans of a sample card from each set and as many card titles as possible.

Name Of Set:Badges and Flags of British Regiments (Green Back)
Manufacturer: John Player and Sons
Issue Year: 1903
Card Number: 50
Card Titles: 1st Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, 2nd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoon Guards, 5th Lancers, 6th Dragoons, 10th Royal Hussars, 12th Lancers, 14th Hussars, 16th Lancers, 17th Lancers, 21st Lancers, Royal Artillery, Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scotts Guards, Irish Guards, East Kent Regiment - The Buffs, Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Fusiliers, Norfolk Regiment, Lincolnshire Regiment, Devonshire Regiment, Royal Irish Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, East Surrey Regiment, Hampshire Regiment, Welsh Regiment, Royal Highlanders, Essex Regiment, Notts and Derbyshire Regiment, Nothamptonshire Regiment, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Shropshire Regiment, Middlesex Regiment, Manchester Regiment, Highland Light Infantry, Seaforth Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Connaught Rangers, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Leinster Regiment, Royal Munster Fusiliers, and Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

Name Of Set: Badges and Flags of British Regiments (Brown Back, Numbered)
Manufacturer: John Player and Sons
Issue Year: 1904
Card Number: 50
Card Titles: Middlesex Regiment, Welsh Regiment, Manchester Regiment, 12th Lancers, Royal Horse Guards, Royal Munster Fusiliers, Scots Guards, Highland Light Infantry, Leinster Regiment Royal Canadians, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Fusiliers The Elegant Extracts, 14th Hussars, Hampshire Regiment, East Surrey Regiment, East Kent Regiment, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, 6th Dragoons, Royal Highlanders, South Wales Borderers, 10th Royal Hussars, 4th Dragoon Guards, 5th Lancers, Lincolnshire Regiment, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Coldstream Guards, 21st Lancers, Essex Regiment, Royal Irish Regiment, Northumberland Fusiliers, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Shropshire Light Infantry, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Notts and Derbyshire Regiment, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Connaught Rangers, 17th Lancers, 16th Lancers, Norfolk Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders, Royal Artillery, Devonshire Regiment, Grenadier Guards, 1st Life Guards, Irish Guards, Gordon Highlanders, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 2nd Dragoon Guards, and Northamptonshire Regiment.

Name Of Set: Medals
Manufacturer: WD and HO Wills
Issue Year: 1906
Card Number: 50
Card Titles: Sinde 1843, Order of Merit India, Carnatic 1780-84, Transvaal War - Queen Victoria, Gibraltar 1793-83, Nepal 1814-1816, India 1799-1826, Sutlej Campaign 1845-1846, Seringapatam 1799, Egypt 1801, Trafalgar 1805, Maida 1806, Mauritius 1809-10, Java 1811, Albuhera 1811, Maharajpoor 1843, Vittoria 1813, Penisular 1793-1814, Distinguished Conduct 1814, Waterloo 1815, First Burmese War 1824-6, Navy 1793-1840, Jellalabad 1842, Cabul 1842Afghanistan, Punjab 1848-9, Kaffir 1850-3, Baltic 1854-5, Crimea 1854-6, Victoria Cross, Indian Mutiny 1857-8, China 1857-60, Distinguished Conduct in the Field 1862, Abyssinia 1867-8, West of India and Guzerat 1778-84, Ashantee 1874, Zulu War 1877-9, Zulu Wars, Afghanistan 1878-79-80, Kabul - Kandahar Star 1880, Khedive's Star 1882, Royal Red Cross, Egypt 1894, NW Canada 1885, Distinguished Service Order, Matabeleland 1893, Chitral Expedition India 1895, Ashanti 1895-6, Soudan 1896, Rhodesia 1896 and Mashonaland 1897, Khartoum 1898-9, and Transvaal War - King Edwar VII.

Name Of Set: Orders of Chivalry
Manufacturer: Ogdens
Issue Year: 1907
Card Number: 50
Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: British Medals and Decorations, Series 2 (Steel Blue Back)
Manufacturer: Taddy

Magic and Puzzle Cigarette Card Guide (Collectables)

Magic Tricksand PuzzleCigarette Cards (Collectables)

I've been collecting and selling trading cards, cigarette cards and related collectables for over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.

During a time when there was no television or computers, and even books were still quite expensive, people had to find other ways to amuse themselves. Not too long ago many people were still superstitious and labelled anything strange and unusual as magic. Tobacco companies identified a gap in the market and realised that the average, information-starved person hungered for knowledge about the strange world around them. From 1870s-1930s, tobacco companies issued cigarette cards in packets of cigarettes on numerous topics. One of those topics was magic tricks and puzzles.

I've listed a small selection of magic trick and puzzle cigarette cards. I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and I've tried to list as many card titles as possible.

Name Of Set: Tricks and Puzzles (Black Back)
Manufacturer: Gallaher
Issue Year: 1933
Card Number: 100
Card Titles: A trick with a clothes brush, The three-square puzzle, Self luminous steam, The three dozen match puzzle, Two Square match puzzle, A coin problem, Making a pack of cards spring from one hand to another, A fancy flourish, To put ale and water in a glass without mixing them, A puzzle with a match,Making a basket, Match box trick, How to make a paper tree, Indestructible match box, Atraction and replusion, Bottle and straw, A good game for two, To change the contents of two glasses without using a third, Subtraction puzzle, How to breakglass in any direction, The resin grapes, Onion juice as a sympathetic ink, The cross puzzle,Communication of thought, The nine puzzle, The marked penny, The Garrison Puzzle, The square puzzle, Balancing penny, A simple trick, Park drive match tick, The acrobatic card, Bottle and penny trick, To balance one ball on another, The moat puzzle, On line puzzle, How to make smoke rings with a box, To tie a knot in a hand-kerchief without letting either end go, The Three-coin trick, The 6-square puzzle, To separate oil from water, The four into three square puzzle, To pick up a sixpenny piece from a saucer of water without wetting your fingers, The shot rabbit, To draw a design upon a piece of paper, The match trick, Cigarette paper trick,Joke with a match, The revolving penny, Squeezing the shilling, Removing the Domine, The wine bottle puzzle, How to hear guns of an imaginary fleet firing, Fun with a threepenny bit, How to plung a piece of white paper into an inkpot filled with ink without blackening it...

Name Of Set: Tricks

Old Boy Scout Cigarette Cards Guide (Collectables)

Boy Scout Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

I've been collecting and selling trade cards, cigarette cards and related collectables for over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.

Robert Baden-Powell started the scout movement in 1907. He developed the idea from his experiences with the British Army in South Africa. The Boy Scout program was created to improve the self-reliance, initiative and courage of youths. The movement grew rapidly and became the world's largest youth organisation. A few years after the movement emerged, cigarette card issuers identified its popularity and began producing sets of Boy Scout cards.

It would be impractical to list every Boy Scout set issued and so I've listed small selection of mainly the more unusual and rare card sets that I've come across in my six years of dealing on eBay. I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and tried to include all card titles.

Name Of Set: Boy Scouts, A Series
Manufacturer: WA

British Building and Architecture Cigarette Card Guide

British Buildingand Architecture On Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

I've been collecting and selling trading cards, cigarette cards and related collectablesfor over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.

Tobacco manufacturers issued sets of cigarette cards on a vast array of topics from the 1870s-1930s. A number of sets captured the beauty of old British architecture in full colour: cathedrals, ancient castles, public houses, manors and the progress of modern architecture. Many British buildings were immortalised on these beautiful, encyclopaedic gems prior to the ruthless WW2 bombing.

I've listed small selection of architecture related cigarette card sets below. I've provided scans of a sample card from each set and tried to include all card titles.

Name Of Set: Interesting Buildings
Manufacturer: Hignett
Issue Year: 1905
Card Number: 50
Card Titles: -

Name Of Set: Old English Inns
Manufacturer: Richard Lloyd and Sons
Issue Year: 1923
Card Number: 25
Card Titles: The King's Arms at Malmesbury, Ye Old Chequers Inn at Tonbridge in Kent, Bull and Victoria Hotel at Dartford in Kent, The Royal Anchor at Liphook in Hants, The Star Inn at Alfriston in Sussex, Ye Old Ostrich Inne at Colnbrook in Buckinghamshire, The King's Head at Chigwell, Angel Hotel at Grantham, The Anchor Hotel at Ripley, Feathers Hotel at Ledbury, Ye Old George Inn at Southwark, The Old Boar's Head at Bishop's Stortford, The George or Pilgrim's Inn at Glastonbury, The Spaniards at Hampstead Heath, Feathers' Hotel at Ludlow, Golden Cross Hotel at Oxford, The Leather Bottle Pubsat Cobham in Kent, The Lygon Arms Pub at Broadway in Worcestershire, Spread Eagle Hotel in Midhurst, The Bell Hotel at Tewkesbury, The Old George Hotel at Salisbury, Ye Old Hotel at Hurley in Berks, The George Inn Near Bath, Ye Old King's Head Hotel at Aylesbury, and Crown Inn at Amersham.

Name Of Set: Architectural Beauties
Manufacturer: John Player and Sons
Issue Year: 1927
Card Number: 25
Card Titles: Roman Baths in Bristol, Great Hall at Brisol University, Crypt at Canterbury Cathedral, The Weavers Cottage at Canterbury, Cormac's Chapel at Cashel, Market Cross at Chichester, Doorway of Clonfert Cathedral, Cathedral and Castle in Durham, West Front in Exeter Cathedral, Guildhall in Exeter, Hereford Cathedral, South Door at Kilpeck Church, Lincoln Cathedral, Lamb Building in London, Bridge and Welsh Gate at Monmouth, Merton College at Oxford, Oriel College at Oxford, Mermaid Inn at Rye, Saxon Tower at Sompting Church, South Aisle at Tintern Abbey, Waltham Abbey, Waterstone House in Dorset, An Old Corner in Wells, Cloisters at Westminster Abbey, and Westminster Hall.

Name Of Set: Beautiful Homes
Manufacturer: WD and HO Wills
Issue Year: 1930
Card Number: 25
Card Titles: Audley End - Essex, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire, Bolsover Castle - Derbyshire, Callendar House - Stirlingshire, Castle Howard - Yorkshire, Chatsworth House - Derbyshire, Chequers - Buckinghamshire, Cliveden - Bucks, Clumber Park - Nottinghamshire, Compton Wynyates - Warwickshire, Haddon Hall - Derbyshire, Harewood House - Yorkshire, Hatfield House - Hertfordshire, Ingestre - Staffordshire, Kedleston - Derbyshire, Knebworth Manor House - Hertfordshire, Knole - Kent, Knowsley - Lancashire, Longleat - Wiltshire, Newstead Abbey - Nottinghamshire, Oxburgh Hall - Norfolk, Penhurst Place - Kent, Powis Castle - Montgomery, Wilton House - Salisbury, and Stoneleigh Abbey - Warwickshire.

Name Of Set: Modern Architecture
Manufacturer: WD and HO Wills
Issue Year: 1931
Card Number: 25
Card Titles: The Admiralty Arch in Charing Cross, Australia House in the Strand, Britannic House in Moorgate, Broadcasting House in Portland Place, The Kingsway Entrance at Bush House in Aldwych, Imperial Chemical House at Millbank, Liberty's East India House in Regent Street, Lloyd's in Leadenhall Street, The County Hall in London, The St. Mary Axe Entrance to the P

LG U990 Viewty

The LG Viewty KU990 might sound like it's a digital photo frame but
it's actually LG's latest camera phone that features an impressive
5-megapixel camera with autofocus and xenon flash.

Not only can this handset brag about its camera, but it should also
be very proud of its lovely large touchscreen, which lets you view
images easily. On top of this, it has the ability to upload videos
directly to YouTube and to shoot video at 120 frames per second, which
allows you to slow it down and watch it in slow-motion, as seen in the
clip below. This feature's ideal for shooting fast-moving sports
footage.

Design
Many camera phones take good pictures but don't look that great
themselves -- fortunately the LG KU990 Viewty is not an ugly camera
phone. In fact, I can go so far as to say it's one of the best-looking
camera phones I have had the pleasure of Owning so far.

In line with LG's latest and greatest handsets, the KU990 has an
understated design that feels functional but also exudes a certain
amount of class. It feels light but not plasticky and looks more like a
high-end handset than the cheap LG phones I've had in the past.

Similar to the Apple's Iphone,
the KU990 features a large touchscreen with three mechanical keys at
the bottom, the end and send call keys, and the cancel key. While the
touchscreen is prone to fingerprints and scratches, it is very
attractive.Positioned at the top-left section of the back of the handset is the
KU990's star feature, a 5-megapixel camera. Next to the camera is xenon flash and
autofocus lightAround the side of the camera is an interesting rocker disc that you
can push up and down to scroll through menu options, adjust the volume
during calls and zoom in and out in camera mode, among other things.
It's an interesting concept but not always easy to press.On the right side of the KU990 are two dedicated camera keys and a
switch to change modes. The mode switch is a little tough to change at
times but the shutter key is well-sized and very easy to press, which
isn't always the case on camera phones.Overall this is one tidy phone which will continue to amaze and attract, all that is needed is when selling, to watch out for those dastardly Western Union scammers.Best of luck and thank you for reading my Guide.

pamper 1234 police are aware

hi i have been swandled out of 68.98 by bank tranfer to this pamper 1234 for ghd hair straightners ,i won and paid for them on the 20th oct and have been told a pack of lies so much so that i complained to ebay and was informed that i best get the police involved ,now i have had to chase up this ebayer scammer through my bank details at the time of transaction and find out that this person is in high wycombe so i have informed the police and he is well known to them so now leave it there hands ,i am very upset about this as i am a single parent and cant afford to loose this money and now my daughter will go without what she was after (ghds ) please all ebayers BEWARE of scammers with this type of product ,i will be reluctant to use ebay again after this happening to me

royal mail / post office charges

ever had a red/white note through your door from the royal mail?

upon reading it, it says, 'you were out blah blah come and pick it up from the sorting office?

so after a couple of days you take time off work ( a very quick 30mins) and drive in poor traffic to reach the said sorting depot only to find there is indeed an item waiting for you and as youve won something off ebay you are eager to collect and unwrap like a child at xmas expecting for the detained package to be that very same item, you watched it all week and expertly timmed a sneaky bid with 8 sec to go and bedazzled all the other bidders with your keyboard dexterity and 'POW' you won it, paid for it and now..... want it

but wait ..... whats this... the unhelpful noob behind the glass at the sorting depot says there is a charge of 1.06 because the item is too big/over weight for the price thats on the stamp/label?

not your fault you say, you paid what was asked and any mistake made is surely someones elses problem.... either way the onlyway to get the item is to pay the extra and be damned. reluctantly you pay it as this item means something.

or is it all cloak and dagger trick?

this has happened 3 times to me since July and i suspect foul play. so much so that i took the last parcel which had a 98p label on it (one of those printed white labels they put on your items once its been weighed at the local post office) still complete with all its wrapping etc and got my local post master to weigh it and quote the cost of posting it..... guess what... 98p he said,so why the extra cost at the sorting depot?

dodgey scales? a quick pound here and there into the posties xmas booze fund? a desperate royal mail eager to screw us all for a little bit more? im not sure.., what do you think?

i mentioned similar things on my next visit to the sorting office only to be met be a blank stare and the threat of if i refused to pay in future then the item would be returned to whence it came. how dare i question the might of a national institution etc all this brought looks of spite from the other slacker/loafers in the back room. so i filled out a complaint form, but im still waiting a reply

in a nutshell, if the sending post office charge the wrong price to the seller then i pay, if the price is correct to the weight on their charges is correct, i pay. if i want the goods i fought so hard to get, i still pay, another 30 mins of my life wasted and ive done nothing wrong... i still pay

catch 22. i cant win and there seems to be nothing i can do about it.... anyone else had similar goings - on?

How to choose the shower that's best for you.

Showers fall into three main categories: Mixer, Power and Electric. To help you decide which is right for your individual requirements we've put together this simple guide

MIXER

Mixer showers draw from both the hot and cold water supplies and usually provide higher flow rates than electric showers. Ideal for homes with readily available hot water Pumps are available separately to upgrade existing mixer showers if a power boost is desired.

POWER

The ultimate in exhilarating shower performance.

Power showers are similar to mixer showers in that they draw from both hot and cold water supplies, but they also have the added benefit of an integral pump to boost flow rate.

Dirty Tricks By CheatingSellers must be Stopped ! ! ! !

Its about time ebay got some new policies to stop these dirty tricks that other ebay sellers are doing.

Its usually by small time sellers or sellers struggling to get the sales.

Its the old time trick of get rid of your competition, to be more successfull yourself.

Most successfull ebay sellers like ourselves know it take time and alot of work to gain a good strong feedback and more importantly to gain the trust of the buyers, in many cases it takes alot to gain regular return customers and this is the secret to success.

This week we received another dirty trick from a seller and how it works is simple ! ! !

These cheating sellers open a new ebay account and start buying from there competition, but dont pay. Instead they then go on the leave negative feedback in many cases claiming scams, non receipt of goods ect basically anything to turn away potential buyers.

Now this is strictly against ebay policy and any victim can file for feedback removal the problem is ebay dont check out the buyer properly and the feedback remains but whats worse is that these cheating sellers get away with it and always do it again.

Surely its time that ebay did something to stop this, new ebay members should be made to go through somekind of ebay dispute if they have a problem before been able to leave feedback this will stop these cheats. If this continues this market place will become full of false feedbacks and inturn normal buyers would buy from unsafe smaller sellers instead of professional experienced sellers and in turn more buyers will fall pray to scam sellers.

If you agree that something should be done to make ebay a safer place please vote now ! ! !

Princess-Jewellery's Rainbow Bracelet (L2)

Princess Jewellery's Guide to Making a Rainbow Crystal Bracelet.Difficulty level: Level 2 - Quick

TENTASTIC!! HAVE COST ME MONEY

I ordered a tent from tentatsic in good faith on the understanding it was at that time in stock (as per ad).

Due to our Holiday the 24/48 hrs delivery seemed good. 10 days later several emails by us (none returned by seller) no tent. We then decided to buy another one from another seller who did as they said provided 24 hr delivery. Tentasic was informed prior and after purchasing the new tent.

I then filed a claim through paypal and this is when i received contact from them via paypal.I was informed that to receive a refund i must first provide five star ve feedback (proof can be emailed).

I refused to do this as the service i received was very poor and was confident that paypal would refund (how stupid of me!). I again informed them that only a refund would do as too long had passed and it was nolonger needed.

Four days later i received a dispatch email. I emailed the seller stating that i would not be signing for the delivery as i had advised them several times that i had canceled the order because they had taken so long (which i did and the seller recieved the item back).

Tentasic inturn put the tracking information into paypal and paypal refused the claim. After several calls to them they understood and reopened the dispute.

Again my claim was turned down because the seller sent the item. I explained that this is not what i had signed up for, i brought in good faith. After looking on the internet i have read alot about paypal going in the sellers favor. There are several websites (paypalsucks) explaining about the detail in the small print.

I was told by paypal to take out a ccj against the seller. I have since taken advise elsewhere and got my bank to reverse the charge as a fraud transaction.

How many of this sellers ve feedback ratings are truly -ve?

How many people are still like me waiting to get their money back?

I have sent proof to ebay of their feedback threats and they are still trading?!?

Paypal protection does not count for anything it is just luck if it goes in your favor they do not have to give you your money back read the small print.

Shark tooth

Please be sure to check out the types of shark tooth on sale everywhere. Some times these can bereplicas and there are a good number that are similar 100% to the true once. But much of are genuine. Always ask before buying (therefore before it's too late)

Vintage Valve Amps

Vintage Guitar Valve AmpsOver the years and due probably to some kind of cognitive disorder I have bought, sold, owned, swapped and broken many old valve guitar and bass amplifiers. I am not qualified in any way to dispense advice on the trading of these marvellous pieces of technology but I have never let my lack of expertise stand in the way of my desire to inflict my opinions on the world and I don't intend to start now. Years ago in the mists of time, (the late sixties to be exact). The Fender Company, having been taken over by massive corporate giant CBS and having gone mad as a result, decided to launch a range of guitar , bass and pa amps using the marvellous new solid state transistor technology that was sweeping the world and miniaturising radios all over the place.These amps (the 'Solid State' series) were launched in 1967 and were universally regarded as utter crap. It began to dawn on people that big glowing glass tubes full of hot wires and no air made guitars sound lovely. Valves became the universal standard for guitar heaven. Back in the here and now the valve mystique is alive and well and many old amps turn up regularly on eBay with many wild claims being made for their fabulousness by people asking vast sums of money and saying they won't take paypal because it's part of a global conspiracy or something.So how does the average guitar slave know what's what?Here are a few pointers for the confused, some headings to think about.1. OriginalityA lot of valve amps on eBay are old, dating from the sixties, seventies or eighties and the less something old has been mucked about with the more it is worth. Replaced anything detracts from the resale value despite what anyone claims about how much better it is now. To be worth top dollar it has to be exactly as it was when it left the factory, even if someone has fitted a much more expensive speaker or upgraded the transformers or put in a master volume or whatever they've done, and however much they go on about how great it is, it's not original and therefore not worth as much 2. Brand.Old Marshall, Fender, Vox, Hiwatt , Ampeg and Orange amps are worth more than any other types of amp. Sound city, Carlsbro, Wem, Simms-Watt, Traynor, Burman, Matamp, Selmer , Kelly, Vamp, Gibson, Laney or any other make (and there were many) are worth less because famous people weren't seen playing them as much. They are nearly always as good (and even better in some cases) as the more famous brands but they're not worth as much despite this and despite the fabulous claims made by sellers. The sellers are right , the Carlsbro does sound as good as a Marshall, the Simms Watt is up there with the Orange amp, the Sound City is sort of Hi Wattish but that makes no difference. Someone asking 495 for a Carlsbro valve PA head is a deluded twerp.3. Condition.Pre 1964 ish valve amps tend to be hand wired and what that means is the repairs are much less easy to spot. It is unlikely that a regularly gigged valve amp has never gone wrong in forty odd years but people will claim this. Originality is key. Transformers blow up. The most likely way of covering up a replaced part on an ebay ad is for the seller to go on about the bits they know are original and claim ignorance about the new ones. Original valves aren't as marvellous as some people would have us believe. Millions of valves were made and it's not hard to get new old stock valves which precisely match what was put in at the factory. Don't get over excited. On the outside good condition should mean good.condition. Unlike a guitar where playing wear can indicate a fab instrument worth playing, wear and tear on an amp indicates drunkenness and van doors that weren't closed properly.4. AgeGenerally the older the worth morer. Many companies went a bit mad in the late seventies and eighties and some bizarre things were made. Red knob Fenders, fender 75, valvestate Marshalls, Vox lead series, the list goes on. They are all interesting but a Fender 'the Twin' is not the same as a Blackface twin reverb from the early sixties is it?5.Cabinets4x12 speaker cabs were among the most abused rock and roll items in the sixties seventies and eighties, manufacturers never saw coming the gruelling road duty that they would have to put up with, and many guitarists delighted in painting ,customising and urinating on their cabinets which they hated anyway as they were so heavy. So unlike amps original good condition cabinets from the past can be worth a goodly sum. There's loads of good nick sound city heads out there but I've never seen a really pristine 4x12 cabinet from that manufacturer. A Vox V125 head is not uncommon but the matching 2x12 ported cab is almost as rare as a good Dr Who episode with David Tennant in it. A Selmer cab matched with the right treble and bass 50 watt amp can fetch huge sums. Marshall made the sturdiest cabs and thus old Marshall cabinets are more common , also knackered ones are easier to restore as spares are still available and almost indistinguishable from the originals. Thus they're worth a bit, but not the daft sums sometimes asked. 5.SoundIt's on eBay isn't it? So you can't really judge that can you? The sound of an amp is a thing of mystery and imagination. In a past life I made records for major labels and a very experienced producer once said to me that in his experience the guitar sound happened between the string and the plectrum. If you've never found the right sound for you, you've not been practising hard enough. A claim that an amp sounds great is as meaningless as a salesman's smile. Valves behave differently to transistors when overdriven and that's the secret of their sound. But in my experience what is really different and great is when the whole amp is turned up loud. A 100 watt eighties valve amp with the master volume low with the pre amp gain up high is not the same as a twenty watt amp up full fighting for its life and bleeding out of its ears. This is why little seventies 6watt fender champs go for upwards of 300. In addition most valve amps post '67 had a silicon rectifier in the power supply section which behaved very differently to the valve rectifiers found in older models. Some people claim the valve rectifier effect is the valve sound and whether this is true or whether it is more valve fairydustification is a moot point but when someone is building up the mystique of their partridge transformers and mullard el34's to try to prize 600 quid out of you for a sound city concord combo it's worth bearing in mind. Many of the classic amps are now being reissued , a new Fender deluxe sixty five hand wired with valve rectifier and valve tremolo and valve reverb and everything is only 700. Does a sixties one sound 2000 better do you think? 6.Provenance and investment potentialI am old and stupid and may well pay 5000 for Dave Gilmour's Wem 4x12 that he left in abbey road, or 10,000 for Peter Green's custom Orange 50 watt head, but my eighteen year old son doesn't know who they are and cares less . Beware provenance as a selling point. Jimmy Hendrix's Flying Vee or Marc Bolans 59 Gold Top are one thing but a broken Selmer amp that Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch once knocked over after misjudging a complicated dance routine is another kettle of fish altogether. Amps are interchangeable, guitars are not. Amps of the famous are not worth as much as some would have you believe.7. Design and build quality.One of the great things about Vox and Marshall is that they never really arsed about with their design , an eighties Vox looks not unlike a sixties Vox, the same with a Marshall, even Fender who made some spectacular design blunders always more or less kept the concept intact. Carlsbro however went mad in the 70's rebadging lovely amps with dreadful pictures of rock stars and big shouty writing. Bad design is not worth as much money. There were also a lot of cheap rubbish amps made in the sixties or kit type amps you could buy in the Exchange and Mart these may be sixties but cheap then is cheap now and they're probably broken anyway. This is the end of my rant for now, if you'd like to complain please email me. There are pictures of some amps i have loved and further uninformed speculative comments on my website

Beanbag : A Buying Guide

Hop, skip, jump and crash-land onto your new beanbag! Well, you might let the kids do that on a cheap beanbag, but not on your brand new real leather bag!

Beanbags come in all shapes and size, but in essence, are somewhere to sit and relax. Whether it is the kids watching TV, or you curled up with the latest hot romantic novel, a bean bag is ideal.

BEANBAGS FOR CHILDRENExpect to have these heavily abused. Your bag needs to be strong enough to withstand your kids and the brats from next door pounding it and all squashing on it together.

Here, it is important to look for a bag which is strong and is going to last more than a couple of weeks. Kid will love to sit in their bean bag and eat sticky food, so consider a bag with a zip off cover for easy washing.

Avoid the very cheap end of the market and look for something which will last.

BEANBAG FOR ADULTSSerious adult bean bags are furniture in their own right. You can make a real fashion statement with a high quality suede or real leather bean bag.

Watch for imitation leather, often called faux leather, as this is often just PVC.

Bags need to be well filled to take the weight of an adult and those at the higher end of the market should do just that. Inside, the beans should be sealed in an inner bag, meaning that if the outer is cloth, that it can be removed for washing.

Taking care of a top quality bean bag will give you years of comfortable enjoyment.Suggested searches: beanbags-suede bean bags - leather beanbags - adult beanbag

Guide by Nigel Peacock from Buchanan Europe. Bean bags from our eBay shop.

Purchasing Reborn From USA - Buyer Be Warned

There has been a recent increase in the ammount of reborns being listed in the USA on Ebay.co.uk which are due to both the new ebay features and also American reborners realising the large amount of interest since the 'Fake Baby' documentary in the UK which was aired on channel Four.

Although the US dollar $ to GBP currency rate makes purchasing a doll from the USA seem much more appealing many US sellers are failing to inform UK bidders the consequences they may face when purchasing from America. United Kingdom customs when importing items from the US,takes into account the cost of items before sending them to their UK addresses. Americans must state the value of the item within the parcel when shipping internationally and once UK customs recieve the parcel they know the value inside, they thenuse this figure to work out your costs ofImport Tax andDuty which isapproximatelyone third of the cost of the item, you will then also be charged a handling fee, (approx 7.50 from Royal mail and 13 from Parcel Force).

For example, if you purchase a doll from the USA which costs $200 $40 postage, using an approximate currency conversion at the moment (currency rates do fluctuate) this is approx 100 20 postage. When customs recieve your parcel they will then charge approx 1/3 of the 100 which is around 33, then for example if you have your parcel delivered by Royal Mail you will have their handling charge. This means that instead of your doll costing 120, you will in actual fact be charged around 40.50 before customs will release your parcel and allow you to have it. This totals a doll to nearer the 160.50 mark. The import tax varies from parcel to parcel and item to item, but this is an average for reborn dolls, although from personal experience the costs can vary dramatically. For example I ordered a kit from the USA worth 30 and was charged 13 before I was allowed to take it home.

You will know if you have been charged customs fees because your parcel will not be delivered, instead you will have a card posted informing you of how much you owe. You will have to take this card to your nearest sorting office (this will be specified on your card) along with photographic ID in order to pay the fees before your parcel is released, or you can pay these fees over the phone with a bank card and arrange a re-delivery.

Although the costs here are approximate I cannot work out individually how much each parcel you recieve to the USA will be, this is entirely down to whoever marks down your costs when it is being held at customs. I feel it is important to inform UK buyers of this as many are unaware until they get stung with a huge fee, US buyers state in their listing that customs fees are theresponsiblity of the buyer (which they are) but fail to mention what these are, or how expensive they can be. With such a huge increase in listings from the USA both in kits and in reborn dolls I think prospective buyers should be educated on the costs of customs when importing items from anywhere in the world. Items imported from other places within the EU are not subject to customs fees. Occasionally an item will slip through customs without a charge being made, this would make you fortunate but do not expect this to happen as you could be in for a shock. When buying from the USA or other parts of the world, alway estimate the possible costs of import tax and duty fees into the total cost of the item as it will more than likely have a hefty charge on top of what you orginally pay, if your item slips through the net then that is a bonus and leaves you with more pennies left over to spend on your precious new little one!

I hope this guide has been helpful for anyone planning to purchase from the USA.

Buying Gold , silver and platinum jewellery on ebay

It is illegal for any trader to sell or describe a precious metal as gold, silver or platinum unless it is hallmarked. Gold articles weighing less than 1 gram, silver articles weighing less than 7.78 grams and platinum articles weighing less than half a gram are exempt from hallmarking.

Sky Satellite Installation Guide (Freesat too!)

Hi All,This is a very simple guide to installing a Satellite Dish in the UK.The items shown are for a standard Sky Box, but replace the LNB with a Quad and the cable with 'twin' cable for Sky Items required:-1. 43/48cm Sky Minidish LNB 2. 75ohm Coaxial Cable 3. Sky receiver (anything will do; Grundig, Amstrad, Pace, Sony or Thomson) as long as it has a Sky logo on it.4. SCART Lead5. TV !!!You can also get a "FreeSat" card from Sky for a one-off 20 fee by calling 08706 061 111. This card will enable you to view Ch.4, Ch.5 and Sky3 - all the other free channels can be viewed without a card.Steps:-1. Where to place your dish?Point your dish approximately SSE (28.2E of South to be precise) - See our 'Shop' for links to our blog that details how to do this with Google Maps2. Run the cableEnsure that you use a wall plate or loop the cable down a couple of inches where it comes into the wall. This stops rain running down the cable and into your house!3. Terminate the cable at both ends with screw-on F connectors and trim off the waste afterwards4. Plug into the back of your Sky Box, and connect the SCART Lead to your TV (Ensure that you use the SCART output that is labled 'TV' on the back of the receiver - it is not always the bottom one!)5. Alignment.Once you have it all connected, you should see this on your TV:-You should move the dish around (up / down, left and right) by a few millimetres at a time until you see this:-

Note: Network ID 0002 and Stream 07D4 are the correct ones - any other value indicate the WRONG satellite is being pointed at! There are many in the same area of the sky!!!

Remember - don't move the dish too quickly, you need to give the receiver a few seconds to try and lock in.Our full PDF guides can be downloaded from our Blog that is linked to from our Shop (ebay doesn't allow external links here)I hope this helps you all out.

Regards,

Shelley

Why a close coupled toilet cistern leaks?

Aproblem many people encounter is that, the first time they flush a newly fitted close coupled toilet cistern, it leaks. This is such a common problem and 99% of the time the answer is the same. The cistern needs to be fitted at exactly 90 DEGREES to the toilet pan. This allows the large rubber ring washer, or doughnut as it is called, to be squashed flat between the two parts of the toilet. If the cistern is leaning over, evena little, one side of the doughnut lifts and, with a lot of water pressure, the leak is exposed.

If necessary box out the back of the cistern wall to make sure the unit is square.

The close coupling kit below shows the doughnut and the fixing bracket underneath. Make sure, having sat the doughnut on square, that you tighten the bracket nuts equally otherwise you will get the same problem.

FIAT PUNTO ELECTRIC STEERING

Here,s a quick guide for anybody out there suffering steering faults with the mk 2 and 3 Puntos.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN-If your steering light comes on,most likely your steering will become very stiff,you will still be able to drive your car home or to your local garage,it will just be harder to steer,especially at low speeds,sometimes switching the ignition of and then restarting may clear the faults for a short while,TAKE CARE.

First we'll look at the easy faults to rectify'

1. BATTERY-Make sure your battery is in good condition,a weak battery will most likely cause a steering failure.

2. ALTERNATOR-The electric steering requires a lot of power so any fault in the battery or alternator will cause a steering failure,get them checked.

3. SPEEDO SENSOR-This is a small device on your gearbox which transmits your speed to your speedometer,your steering ecu needs to know how fast you're going,so any fault here will also cause a steering failure,your speedo may still work even if the sensor is faulty,models with abs will pick the speed up through the abs sensors,diagnostic equipment will be required to check this.

4. BAD CONNECTIONS-Puntos can suffer from bad connections onto the steering ecu,which is located on the steering column itself,remove the lower steering column cover and a small metal plate,and clean all connections with electrical contact cleaner and refit,you may still need to have the faults removed from the ecu at your local dealer.

NOW TO THE MORE SERIOUS FAULTS AND REPAIRS,I HAVE LISTED THESE IN THE MOST COMMON OCURRING ORDER.

1. MOTOR TORQUE AND STEERING POSTION SENSORS-These are built into your steering column and cannot be changed,it will require you to change the steering column,here you have two options,you can either purchase a complete column with the motor and ecu,or Fiat now do the parts available separately,although prices are expensive and complete columns are available for not much more money.It may make common sense to fit the complete column and then you know everything is new,this is quite an easy task for any one with any experience and you will not need to have your car put on a diagnostic machine afterwards,as the ecu will be brand new and clear of any errors.Take care when removing airbags,the advise is to disconnect the battery a half hour before you start and reconnect only when you have finished.

2. ELECTRIC MOTOR-Not as common as the above fault,the motor is very easy to change,and is available from Fiat separately for about 170,or you may find a second hand one.Ensure that it is your motor that is faulty by having the car checked on diagnostic equipment,again you may swap the complete column for peace of mind.

3. STEERING ECU-With over 10 years of experience on the Punto i have never had a faulty ecu,so don't be tempted to swap it just to try it,most likely you'll be wasting your money.

AND THATS ABOUT IT-remember there are different columns fitted to different models,so ensure you get the right one,always supply the seller or supplier with your chassis number to be sure,the PUNTO SPEEDGEAR(auto) has a one of column fitted to it,don.t attempt to fit a column of a standard Punto,these are more expensive than standard columns and it may pay you to fit the parts which are available separately from Fiat.

Early Football Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

History Of Association Football (Soccer) On Cigarette Cards (Collectables)

I've been collecting and selling collectors cards, cigarette cards and related collectablesfor over twenty years. Before you read this guide please subscribe to my card collecting newsletters for updates on rare cards and tips on buying by Clicking Here, thank you.

The rules of modern association football were establishedin the 1860s inthe public schools ofEngland. Prominent soccer players and teams were vividly portrayed on cigarette cards from the late 19th century through to just before WWII. Association football's popularity snowballed throughout the world and demand for early soccer memorabilia is increasing rapidly. It would be impractical to list every soccer set issued andso I'velisted a selectionof the more unusual and rare soccer card sets that I've come across in my six years of trading on eBay. I've provided colour scans of a sample card from each set and where possible, I've tried to include the names of players and their respective football teams.

Soccer Card Sets

Name Of Set: Famous Footballers
Manufacturer: Ogdens
Issue Year: 1908
Card Number: 50
Names of Players: A. Bridgett - Sunderland FC, W. Meredith - Manchester United FC, W. George - Aston Villa FC, T.H. Crawshaw - Sheffield Wednesday FC, W. Foulke - Bradford FC, W. Wedlock - Bristol City FC, J.D. Taylor - Everton FC, A. Dunkley - Blackpool FC, R. Crompton, Blackburn FC, R.M. Owen - Swansea FC, J. Lewis - Bristol Rovers FC, J. Pennington - West Brom FC, A. Griffiths - Nottingham County FC, R. Morris - Grimsby Town FC, W.A. Silto - Barnsley FC, A. Shepherd - Bolton FC, J. Ashcroft - Woolwich Arsenal FC, E. Needham - Sheffield United FC, D. Cunliffe - New Brompton, G.R. Hilsdon - Chelsea FC, W. Beats - Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, J. Conlin - Manchester City, C.M. Veitch - Newcastle United FC, R.M. Hawkes - Luton Town FC, P. McBride - Preston NE FC, A. Smith - Bristol Rovers FC, A. Common - Middlesborough FC, H. Robinson - Birmingham FC, A.G. Raisbeck - Liverpool, L.R. Roose - Stoke City FC, G. Clawley - Southampton FC, J. Raeside - Bury FC, H. Smith - Reading FC, T. Baddeley - Wolves FC, B. Warren - Derby County FC, H. Bromage - Leeds City FC, W. Bull - Tottenham Hotspurs FC, A. Cartlidge - Bristol Rovers FC, E.G.D. Wright - Hull City FC and J.W. Sutcliffe - Plymouth Argyle FC.

Name Of Set: Football Club Colours
Manufacturer: Ogdens
Issue Year: 1906
Card Number: 51
Names of Clubs: Reading FC,Bristol Rovers FC,Notts County FC,Southampton FC,New Brompton FC,Brentford FC,Sunderland FC,Derby County FC,Fulham FC,Swindon FC,Sheffield United FC,Everton FC,Aston Villa FC,Queen's Park Rangers FC,Northampton RFC,Middlesbrough FC,Lutton Town FC,Woolwich Arsenal FC,Watford FC,Bristol Rugby FC,Gloucester RFC,Richmond RFC,Wolverhampton Wanderers FC,Notts Forest FC,Tottenham Hotspur FC,Newcastle United FC,Blackburn Rovers FC,Swansea RFC,Devonport Albion RFC,Blackheath RFC,Cardiff AFC,Stoke FC, Newport RFC,Bury FC,Sheffield Wednesday FC,Portsmouth FC,Man U FC,Bolton Wanderers FC,Manchester FC,Bristol City FC,Exeter RFC,Millwall Athletic FC,Preston North End FC,Northampton Town FC,Birmingham FC,Brighton and Hove FC,West Ham United FC, Plymouth Argyle FC,Liverpool FC,Penarth RFC andSouth African Captain.

Name Of Set: Footballers (Colour)
Manufacturer: WA

DECIDE WHETHER YOU LIKE A SELLER PROTECT YOURSELF

Although there are many good sellers on ebay, it is all too easy to get
ripped off by an untrustworthy seller (especially more recently).

Here are a few quick

Europatrading - Excellent value for me

I won an X-dirt 200cc bike from Europatrading in an ebay auction. I paid a grand total of 530 including delivery registration and tax!! They were slow to deliver but the bike that arrived was extremely good value for the very little money that I paid. It is clear that some people have had unfortunate experiences BUT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!! Anyone expecting first class support, rapid turnaround on parts etc should really spend the extra 2000 and buy a Honda, Suxuki or Kawasaki. I did my homework before buying so I knew exactly what I was getting - a cheap Chinese motorcycle which would probably not be very well put together or finished. However, spares are plentiful and cheap (the X-dirt 200cc is just another version of the ubiquitous GY series and parts for GY125 and GY200 fit fine) and the bike is easy to work on. I have done several hundred miles on mine so far with no problems. It does 75mph (after a front spocket change) and looks quite good. I only wanted it as a cheap runabout and I am more than satisfied.

With regard to Europatrading - they are obviously a small company working on very small profit margins so it is hardly surprising if they aren't as efficient as one might hope for. However they were very polite and helpful when I contacted them by phone ove a couple of details and I was very pleased overall with the service that I got.

I would not recommend ANY very low-cost chinese motorcycle to a complete novice. For a start it will need some assembly as it will arrive in parts a crate without clear instructions. Putting the front wheel on the wrong-way round for example, could easily lead to brake and speedometer cables binding or breaking. Then there is the simple fact that, as it is cheaply made, it is likely that some parts will need replacement from time-to-time. Anyone who lacks mechanical knowledge or aptitude is likely to have diffculties. However, even if I have to spend as much as I paid for it in replacement parts over the next few years I will still have got a bargain compared with the 2500 or so I would have needed to spend to buy a quality Japanese equivalent so I am perfectly happy.

Get a good photo of your costume jewellery

When you want tosell costume jewellery on eBay it helps to have a good picture.

The quickest and most convenient way to do this is with a digital camera. There are many available on the market, however as a rule of thumb, the higher the number of megapixels, the better the quality picture. To capture the best detail in your jewellery it also helps to have a 'close up' setting on the camera. The use of a flash is not always necessary but it depends on the light available.

My best tip...

For good all round lighting of your object, place it on white paper on the bottom of a white bath (without the water)! Switch on the bathroom light. You may find that this is enough to illuminate your jewellery as the light will bounce off the sides of the bath. You might not need to use the flash. Just make sure your shadow doesn't cover the item. This is especially useful in the winter, in bad weather or at night, when there is not enough natural light.

Use the cropping tool on eBay's picture service to make your object look even closer.

update::

an even better tip....

If you notice my listings have really big pictures, this is because I use a site called Auctiva to host them...it is really simple to use and is completely free. Supersizing and multiple pictures can cost a lot on eBay. Auctiva is free, you just pay the basic listing fee plus any upgrades like 'gallery'. Check them out..follow the links on my auction pages.

Molton Brown FAKE ZIAO ZIAO

Hi there, Just read the warnings about FAKE Molton Brown.

I to have fallen snare to purchasing FAKE Ziao Ziao Hairwash- 300ML.

As soon as it arrived, I thought it looked different from another original bottle I had in the bathroom.

The writing, lid and colour are all very different from an originalbottle, the tell tale sign for me was when I smelt it, Absolutely GROSS!!!

It was as if someone had just filled the bottle with muck.

I emailed the seller straight away, as I have felt cheated, they did respond straight away telling me that it was origianl and was just old hotel stock.

I didn't believe them, but felt it was there word against mine, what could I do about it, (It was my 1st purchase on EBAY)

So BEWARE!! These people don't care if they sell you fakes, just more money for them.

Always check the feedback of a seller. Just be extra careful and benefit from genuine sellers letting you know, what to look out for.

Don't be caught out like me.

misleading information

I would like to bring to your attention a little scenario that happend to me the other day.I saw a lip stick advertised for auction on e-bay ,the seller had an ebay store so I had a little look in the store and found I could buy 6 clinique lip sticks for 19.99 plus p/p good bargain as I thought ,these lipsticks were being given to my family members as part of there birthday gifts.

so I paid for and received 6 lipsticks they came fairly quick and I was pleased untill I opened them and found that 3 of them were actually testers so I e-mailed the seller asking her to send me 3 silver cases and guess what (no can do) as she say's she advertised these 3 lipsticks as having plastic tops (not once did she call them testers)and to me all lipsticks have plastic tops most of them are compleatly plastic.they weren't even colours that I could wear myself .so it turned out to be an expensive buy as they are utterly useless I told the seller this .and I posted the TESTERS back to her this morning.so beware incase your the next mug to purchase them.

talk about read and check the small print

LIGHTERLIFE - A USER GUIDE

Hi there,
I am 5 weeks into the lighter life programme and have so far lost 2 stone sohere's my guide up to now ...
What is Lighterlife
Lighterlife is a very low calorie diet which is only suitable for people with at least 3 stone to loose and a BMI of 29 or more.
You need to be signed off by a doctor to make sure you are well enough to take part in the diet, and be checked by your doctor every 4 weeks
How does the diet work ?
The programme is based on food replacements, lots of water, peer support and counselling which aims to transform your relationship with food.
1. FOOD REPLACEMENT
You will achieve significant weight loss by putting your body into 'ketosis' a state where you start to burn your own fat reserves.
If you think of yourself as a fridge freezer, the fridge is filled with the food you eat each day and the freezer is your fat reserves. Your body prefers to fuel itself from the fridge and only dips into the freezer when it has to. When you empty your fridge by stopping eating conventianal food your body is forced to use its fat reserves and this is when youreally start loosing the weight.
It takes most people about 3-4 days on the diet to get into this state.
For the first 100 days of the programme you abstain fromALL food, sounds scary but you really do have to make a commitment.
Instead of your usual diet you will have 4 total 'foodpacks' which contain everything your body needs and at least 4 litres of water per day
The foodpacks come in the following flavours .....
MilkHotshakes...Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Raspberry, Caramel and Banana
Soups ....... Thai Chilli, Chicken, Mushroom, Vegatable
Bars (available from week 2 onward) ........Lemon, Cranberry, Toffee, Peanut Crunch, Fruit(only 1 per day)
You can mix and match the packs ...............eg: Chicken and Mushroom soup, Chocolate and St Clements makes chocolate orange,
You can do different things with the packs ........................... eg make the Thai Chilli into a thick paste, paint onto to a plate and microwave for 3 mins to make a popodom, or mix up the vanilla with some good quality coffee to make a cappucino.
You can serve in different ways ................. eg chocolate can be a cool iced milkshake, a hot chocolate at bedtime, achocolate mouse, or a really thick cake mix which you can put into aramakin and microwave into a muffin !
but you may have no more than 4 foodpacks per day
2. DRINKS
You must drink at least 4 litres of water per day, If you are planning on going on this diet then start upping the amount of water you are drinking in preparation as soon as possible. 4 litres sounds a lot but think of water as yourally in this!! ... it fends off hunger, helps with the detox and your skinwill look fabulous so measure it out and get drinking !
Your water can be tap, mineral, spring, still, or sparking but NO slices of lemon, lime etc
You can have it as black coffee with tablet sweetner (eg hermastea, saccarine) butNOT spoonable sweetener (eg canderel)
You can have it as any leaf tea (english breakfast, assam etc), or herbal tea (peppermint, nettle) butNOT fruit tea (eg blackcurrent) or flower teas (eg camomile) and NO lemon NO milk
To make the water more palateable you canalso purchase ...
Water flavourings........................ Fruits of the Forest (a blackcurrent type), St Clemants (a citrus mix) and Savoury (like veg stock cube)
3. PEER SUPPORT
You will be put into a same sex group of 8-10 people all at the same staege in the diet who will meet once a week for aweigh in, video and a group councelling session based on the video.
The videos take the form of a pacy weekly magazine show with women recounting their experiences of the programme, perhaps a medical talk, a counceller challenging negative thoughts,a suggested exercisefor the week, a clothing or style guru offering advice etc
There are lotsof freebies given out normally associated with the video, an excercise ball, a shaker maker, a resistance band, a hessien bag to keep your food packs in, a pedometre etc.
The weigh ins are private and not everyone will share how much they have lost, it is not a competitive environment and everyone is very supportive of each other, no-one is forced to speak or divulge anything that they do not want to and confidentality is expected and observed. Food talk is not allowed !.
In addition to these sessions there is normally a pop in session where you can get additional support, swop foodpacks and get weighed more often if you need to.
4. COUNSELLING
The group counselling is normally based around the video, there are two main techniques both of which are effective in making you question why you turn to food,the type of food you turn to and the effects.
There is quite a bit of talking about your relationship with others including your parents but no-one is forced to divulge anything that they would rather not.
Confidentiality is observed.
What happens at the end of the diet ?
After the initial 100 days you gradually re-introduce food and immediately put on up tohalf astone as you come out of ketosis .... however by staying on for the 'management programme' it is very possible to keep the weight off for ever !

If you have found this guide helpful please vote ....

buying Subbuteo teams

In recent years Subbuteo has become very collectable and as such it has become haven for the unscrupulous repainter.If buying the more modern lightweight teams then on the whole you are fairly safe. These teams are machine painted and as their value is small compared to heavyweight teams, it is highly unlikely that you will buy a fake item.Earlier lightweight teams were hand painted but again as the value is low compared to heavyweights you shouldn't have any worries.Now the problem, heavyweight teams......there are over 300 to collect some of which are very hard to find.In over 50 years of collecting and dealing I've never even seen some of these rare teams, yet some sellers are selling ten or so of these rare teams every week! As many of the con artists don't know the hobby, they paint teams up which never existed as heavyweights!I could name these repainters but I won't, there are Subbuteo sites and messageboards where you can find out about these criminals.Beware of blurred photos, poor descriptions etc, check feedback, most repainters have private feedback to avoid being exposed.If you should purchase a team there are easy checks you can make to see if your team is legit.Bases ( including lettering should be the same colour/shade and have the same size writing of the word "Subbuteo".Check the boots, is brown painted over black or vice versa?, check the bar the players stand on, again look for a different colour on the bar to the boot colour.Check the skin tone is uniform on all players, check the areas under arms and on players sides, these are sometimes missed by repainters.There should be no paint on the base top, players were painted on sprues originally and not in their bases. Look for paint over the top of the original glue fixing the player to its base, a sure sign of repainting. Watch for missing paint on the front of boots, the sign a player has been rebased.Compare to other teams in your collection, see if the shades match.Colours such as green and yellow are very hard to match by repainters.Lastly don't be conned by the "correct ref number on box" con,anyone can do this on a pc, the number should have the correct font and the label should be the same colour as the box. A box in aged condition will not have a bright white label!Finally if you get a dodgy team contact the seller and ask for a refund. If it is not forthcoming put in a dispute claim wih Paypal / Ebay and advise your local trading standards officer.Repainting common teams and selling them as rare items is obtaining money by deception and a criminal offence. Don't be frightened to report these people who are spoiling a great British institution.J

Bestway Lay-Z-Spa Heater / Pump Failure

Another case, it seems, of a Bestway spa heater failing. My case does not seem as extreme as some others I have read, but thought I would share it anyway.

I bought my Lay-Z-Spa in December 2006 as a Christmas present to myself. I installed it outside on my patio, and used it very successfully for a few months, turning it off occasionally when the weather was bad (mainly to save electricity!) and always cleaning it out and replacing the filter when I heated it up again. I packed it up for a couple of months whilst I was on holiday, then re-inflated and filled it again around April 2007.

It occasionally struggled to heat the water to the set temperature, but I found that the chemical balance was out which had led to high debris in the water, in turn resulting in a blocked filter. Cleaning the pump and replacing the filter cured the problem and it was soon up to temperature again. A spell of bad weather then prompted me to turn it off for a couple of months.

Then, just after Christmas 2007 I came to re-heat the spa from cold, only to find it was not heating the water AT ALL. I did my usual cleaning out and filter replacement routine, but it made no difference. This was particularly annoying as it was now 5 days outside the 12 month warranty period. I emailed Bestway, who gave me a checklist to try, but it was all fairly obvious and I'd tried everything on it already. I requested a free pump replacement (the heater element is not a replaceable item), but was told (predictably) that the 12 month warranty MEANT 12 months, and 5 days meant me having to pay for the new pump.

By this time I was dealing with Carol at Bestway and, to be fair, she was nothing but professional and efficient. I found it best to be polite but firm, and after a couple of phone calls Carol has offered a 33% discount off the price of the pump. Seeing as I only paid 250 for the spa in the first place, compared to some websites selling them for 500 or more, I will probably pay the 100, especially as the new 'improved' pump will have a 12 month warranty.

I mentioned the long list of complainants I have discovered on Ebay and Amazon, and was told that most failures will be the result of people not following the installation and maintenance instructions properly. This may well be true in a lot of cases, but I still feel there is a design fault with the pump. Let's hope the new pump lasts!

Remote Key Fob Volvo V70 post 2000

I recently purchased a remote key fob for my 2001 V70 through eBay.On going to my local Volvo dealer I was informed that this could not be programmed to my vehicle although it was the correct version of the fob. This is the 4function fob with a yellow button on bottom left.Alternative is new keys and fobs with software upgrade all costing about 350 . I contacted one of the eBay sellers of programmes for this asking if he/she could guarantee that their programme would work on my vehicle.I did not receive a reply. I would think that the same applies to other similar post 2000/2001 volvos. I do know however that it is possible to reprogramme pre 2001 V70's fairly easily.

Saying Hello to Kitty =^..^=

=^..^= It all started back in the 1970s with a cutelittle purse in Japan. It was a plastic purse, one of many produced bya modest, family-ownedcompany, and it was decorated with a little cat's face. The cat purses sold like hot cakes, Sanrio realised they were on to a winner, Kitty acquired a body, two legs and two arms (possibly inspired somewhat by Snoopy of Peanuts), learned to walk upright, and to dress in a neat blue pinafore frock...anda legendwas born.

=^..^= Kitty'sthirty odd years have seen many career changes.She attends sporadically a kindergarten-level school. She has also worked as a nurse, a princess, a ballerina, a honey bee, a geishaand a waitress. At times (presumably in between each of her nine lives) she has also been known to appear as an angel, complete with wings and sometimes a magic wand.

=^..^= Improbably, Kitty's official biographies reveal her to be an all-English gal, er... cat. And herpersonal life is anything but uncomplicated. She lives in Londonwith her parents and her twin sister Mimmy (pron. MiMi). And she has been married around a dozentimes (at least). All to the same purrson, er... kitten, mind you. The lucky kitten,each time has been Dear Daniel. Kitty and Daniel clearly lovebeing married -so much so,that they are connoiseurs of weddings. They have made a point of getting married according to the customs (and dressed up in the authentic costumes) of every nation in which Hello Kitty is revered. This includes several weddings in China.Instead of mundane wedding photographs, the images of these sumptious occassions are preserved and commemoratedin the collectable Kitty and Daniel pairs of wedding dolls issued in the Far East. Occasionally these treasures come up for sale on eBay.

=^..^= But it isn't all romance for the happy couple. As megastars, theKittens have their careers and images to think of, and as such, whenever they return fromone of their numerous honeymoons, Kitty goes back home to her folks, while Daniel returns to his lonelybatchelor pad, and a life of monastic continence. This is not because theyhad beenrowing. As perennial stars the thirty-something kittensmust remain perennially young andkittenish,and their agents have apparently determined that cozy married domestikitty is not cool enough an image.

=^..^= The same obtained when the patter of tiny paws began to be heard in the Kitty residence a year or so ago, and Kittybegan to bephotographed in the company of a tiny kitten named Charmmy. Kitty's publicists were swift to point out that the baby kitten had been adopted, and was not the natural child, er... kitten of the Queen and King of Cute. Given the strong family resemblance, this news came as something as a surprise - but then this is showbiz.

=^..^= Most things in life are now available in Hello Kitty versions, from designer handbags, to lipsticks, to toasters, to TVs, tolaptops, to toilet seat covers. There is surely something for everyone and in this way all can share in the joy and cuteness that is Hello Kitty.

FAKE KAREN MILLEN - PART THREE PAYPAL CLAIMS

THIS IS A VERY SHORT GUIDE TO GIVE YOU SOME INFO ON WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WITH A FAKE KAREN MILLEN ITEM!

I HAVE RECEIVED MANY EMAILS FROM BUYERS ON WHAT TO DO - FIRSTLY CONTACT YOUR SELLER AND ASK FOR A REFUND - MANY SELLERS DONT WANT NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND WILL ISSUE YOU A REFUND IF ASKED POLITELY

IF YOUR SELLER REFUSES TO CO-OPERATE, THEN YOU MAY NEED TO ENTER A PAYPAL CLAIM.

WHEN YOU START A CLAIM, YOU ARE ASKED TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEMS; MY ADVICE ISNOT TO STATE THAT YOU THINK YOURITEM IS FAKE.

PAYPAL WILL ASK YOU TO PROVIDE WRITTEN PROOF WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME , GENERALLY 10 DAYS, TO CONFIRM THAT THE ITEM IS NOT GENUINE.

KAREN MILLEN WILL NOT HELP YOU OUT IN ANY WAY HERE.

BELOW, I HAVE TYPED OUT A RESPONSE RECEIVED FROM KAREN MILLEN HEAD OFFICE, WHICH DETAILS EXACTLY WHERE THEY STAND ON THIS

Dear xxxxxThank you for your email.Please be advised that regrettably we are unable toconfirm theauthenticity of garments that are advertised as Karen Millen andpurchased on eBay.Any queries regarding items purchased on eBay should be directed to eBaythemselves.Please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to help you anyfurther. Kind regardsS***** P*****-D****Karen Millen

Its just overwound: NO, IT IS NOT!!!!

Its only "overwound".

There are only two things that really annoy me here in "eBay land"; sellers who rip buyers off for post and packing and people who say the clock (or watch) they are selling is "overwound". I am not a clock maker or repairer, but Ihave beena collector for many, many years, thanks to several clock maker friends. I have also learned a great deal about horology from them.

The first time I took a clock to one of them and told them that it was "overwound", I nearly got my head bitten off! It is, apparently, virtually impossible to overwind a clock (or watch) that was made within the last 250 years or so. If a clock has the main spring wound tight, the clock (or watch) has a problem. It could be "gummed up" through years of hanging on the wall, sitting on the mantel piece or standing up the corner. The oil, what little there would be, may have solidified. "Lung cancer" is another complaint that will cause an item of horology to fail! Nicotine makes the movement very sticky and can cause all sorts of faults,most of whichcould beintermittant. It could have had a squirt of WD40, or as a friend once did with his clock, he gave it a few drips of oil from the dipstick of his diesel Ford Orion! On the more expensive side, it could need new bushes and pinions or a new wheel made and replaced. If it is a pendulum clock, it may simply be the case that it needs setting up. OR, it may be totally worn out! Quite often, a clean and service will put the piece back in working order. Whatever the case may be, if it is not working, it has a fault. Being "overwound" it NOT a fault.

It "just needs a service"

Some people when they advertise a clock (or watch) here on eBay, say in the item description"it just needs a service" or "it would benefit from a service" or "we strongly recommend that you have it serviced". OK, we would all benefit from a good service!! If you read this in the item description, alarm bells should start ringing!! The first thing you must ask yourself is WHY DO THEY SAY IT NEEDS A SERVICE? When sellers say that, it is fairly safe to assume that the timpiece has a fault or problem. You say to yourself "no problem" and buy the item. So you take your clock (or watch) to your local clock repair man for a service. Assuming that it just needs cleaning and some fresh horological oil applied in the correct places, you could come away with your timepiece working perfectly for as little as 40.00-50.00. If it needs a bush or two, or a pivot or two, or both, your bill will soon be in excess of 100.00. If the piece is worth 3,000 and you got it for 2,000, it won't be an expensive repair. BUT, if the piece is worth 150.00 and you paid 90.00 for it, you are in trouble! Of course, you could always take it to your "next door neighbour's grandad's friend" who "mends clocks" He may get it working for a tenner. He may not be able to fix it at all and make it worse. Or, you may never see it again! These are things that need to be considered when somebody says "it just needs a service".

I cannot say if it works because "I don't have a key"

When you read this in the item description, the alarm bells should be getting louder!!The very first thing to do is to check the seller's feedback. If they sell clocks and watches on a regular basis, theyWILL have the means to wind it up to test it. It is always advisable to assume that the clock or watch is a total "non-worker" if it is sold untested and without a key. Another classic is " I don't want totouch it in case I "overwind" it. An even better one is "I don't know how to wind it up". Whatever the reason quoted in the item description, it pays to assume that you will have to spend over 100.00 on it. If, after you have brought it and have taken delivery, you wind it up and it works, you have got a bargain. If, on the other hand it doesn't work, you have got to spend some money!!

Buyer beware!!

Before you bid for what seems a bargain, take into account the cost of repairs. A very basic service could be 40.00-50.00. Some quality clock repairers will charge you an inspection fee, in case you don't have the work carried out. After all, time is money! Your purchase that is just "overwound" or "just needs a service" could end up costing you a lot of money to put back into working order. You then have to ask yourself the question IS IT WORTH IT?

Buying a clock (or watch) on eBay

When you are looking for a quality timepiece here in good old eBay land, consider the following points:

ALWAYS check the sellers feedback to see if they sell clocks or watches on a regular basis. If they do, you will be able to see in their feedback what sort of items that they sell and see the reputation they have gained.I could name several good sellers here on eBay, but Iwon't do that! If they don't sell clocks and watches on a regular basis, there is a chance that they are totally genuine and you may get a bargain. Or you may just buy what is known as AJS, (all junk and scrap)!!!!!!!!!!

IF POSSIBLE,buy a clock or watch that has been serviced. Quite often, a seller will offer a guarantee for a period of maybe three or six months, especially if they have carried out any servicing or repairs themselves. These items may cost a bit more to purchase, but will be well worth it in the long run. You will also find that it will arrive beautifully wrapped and will come complete with any setting up instructions that the seller feels that you may need.

BEWARE OF FAKES! There are many fake and reproduction clocks offered for sale here on eBay. The classic being the "English dial clock". These are known to most people as "station" or "school" or "office" clocks. If you see "LONDON 6472" on the bottom left hand corner of a fusee movement, the clock is a reproduction.Carriage clocks are another popular clock for the "fakers". If you are considering buying something along these lines, may I suggest you read an excellent guide written by "England 5" on the subject of spotting a "fake"?

INSURANCE! Antique clocks are NOT insurable by anyone other than carriers like Abbey Antiques, who specialise in the transportation of antique clocks. The Royal Mail or any of the other carrier services avaliable DO NOT insure antique clocks. You should bear this in mind if a seller wants to charge you extra for insurance. NEVER pay for something that does not exist!!

Summary.

This guide is aimed at helping buyers and sellers on eBay that sell clocks and watches. If it helps prevent a buyer from being conned or ripped off, my time spent writing this guide will have been wothwhile. Itwill, hopefully,also encourage sellers to check their items more thoroughly before listing them for sale.

Read the item description VERY carefully and buy wisely!