Mine was cuttings.  I trusted this person.  Not a fig forum member, but I bit!  I won some Italian Red LOL cuttings.  So they were slimy when they arrived, and I let it go.  My BAD.  Should have nailed the seller that sold them to me.  Didn't.  But can't blame the seller for a stupid buyer (me).

But after that, I don't even look at Ebay.  I post here or Garden Web Fig forum if I really want something.  Burned bad on Ebay.

I did purchase legitimate cuttings on ebay from members here.  It's the ones that registered today or last week you need to watch.

Suz

I only was burned once on ebay and that was a long time ago on an orchid I really wanted.  The listing appeared to be for an awarded plant but was really for a seedling of similar breeding.  The plant was worth maybe $8 but I think I paid $50,

I really check listing much closer these days.  There are a few ebay members I would trust but there plants seem to go for way more than I am willing to spend right now which tells me I'm not the only one doing research. 

Unless you fall into that category of "seriously stupid,"  you will be careful with your cash.  I have purchased figs from Ebay from members here, but if the price goes too high, I back off.  Hey!!  You do know you can get that variety for free if you are sweet here on the forum. Just be Kind!  Figs will flow.

I am an Ebay shopper, but not for figs. 

Suzi

You should never let a  bad ebay seller get away with ripping you off, all you do is allow them to do it the next person. If you get ripped off then you owe it to yourself and all the other ebay buyers to take the right corrective action so that the seller can't do it to the next person.

Once I bought Goji berry twigs for 6 bucks each... I think they are pomegranates.  ugh... that was it for me... I'm never buying anything from eBay...unless I know the person in person.

I think we have all been ripped off, but nice to know you are not alone!
Suzi

I left bad feed back and made sure the other bidders knew what they were bidding on.  For most fig trees $30 is my limit so I have not won too many of the recent auctions.  I can afford to be patient.

Ebay is not the problem really.
Its the choice of sellers you make.

You are buying plant stock from hobbyists
and are expecting professional results/product,
not going to happen.

You know that even from professional nurseries, there is a percentage of bad ones.
That number grows exponentially when you buy from hobbyists.

Although many are enthusiastic growers,
most lack proper skills to produce good products.
Bad enough buying an annual in a situation like this,
far worse buying tree stock in this scenario.

Would you buy a gold bullion coin from JoeBlow4421 on ebay,
or buy one for a few dollars more on ebay from a well known dealer of gold bullion with thousands of positive feedback.
You guys are choosing joeblow  then complaining you got screwed.

Its like walking up to a hot dog cart, order,
and expecting a steak dinner instead of a hotdog.

Use common sense, buy from reputable growers. There are many people that would rather buy figs from sellers rather than wait for freebies. I trust a handful of ebay sellers and stay away from red flags.

Agree.  Often with orchids I use ebay just because a older cultivar has gone out of fashion or someone is selling a division.  I normally don't expect wonderful but I dislike it when sellers are deliberately misleading.  That being said I've only been burned once and it wasn't a fig.