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Awesome US Ebay sellers.
posted by another_amanda on Sat, 2009-08-15 03:52
I've bought all of my bento supplies on Ebay, so I'd love to share the sellers I used, because I had absolutely fantastic experiences with them. These are all located in the US, which was a high priority for me since it meant lower shipping. I was also very pleased with the prices of all the individual items I purchased.
Bento Mama is my first and favorite. The website says that the shipping for each additional item is $1, but since I bought little items that could fit in the box along with the bento, there was no extra charge. I was really happy about that since most other Ebay sellers would charge that extra dollar "on principle."
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Bento-Mama__W0QQ_armrsZ1
Jstuffsale was my second bento store. Again, my supplies shipped quickly with reasonable prices, and I also received a free oshibori with my first purchase. The "I hope you are pleased with your purchase" e-mail was personal and polite. I liked that touch. I also thought the prices here were great.
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/JstuffSale-dotcom__W0QQ_armrsZ1
I bought a gift for a friend at Bento Obento. The price and shipping were good, and it was sent with a free sauce container shaped like a piggy (I'm a sucker for cute stuff like that). The "$5 bento bargain bin" is also great for bento-ing on a budget.
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Bento-Obento-Shop__W0QQ_armrsZ1
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Before you buy from Bento Obento, just be aware that many of her items, especially those in the bargain category, are dollar store quality. Actually, a lot of her things I have seen in the Target $1 bins or at Dollar Tree, and the rest are from Daiso or Ichiban Kan, which are basically Japanese $1+ stores. Daiso and Ichiban Kan only have U.S. locations on the west coast, so if you see something cute that isn't available to you locally, then by all means go ahead and buy if you like the price. But before you do, check your local Dollar Tree or whatever dollar store you have. I have seen many items that sell in packs of 2 or 3 for $1 in the Dollar Tree (often in the baby aisle) split up into separate orders in her"bargain bin" for $3 or $4 or $5 plus shipping. And they are very clearly dollar store quality once you see them in person- I didn't even want them for $1. I would feel totally ripped off if I bought that stuff from her. The stuff that comes from Daiso or Ichiban Kan is nicer quality than most American dollar stores carry (most of their plastic bento boxes are $2 or $3), so if she has them at a decent price and you can't find better, you might be happy with the purchase.
An example item that I see in the Target $1 bins EVERY TIME I go into the store, just occasionally in different patterns, is this little snack box she is trying to sell for $5. Even for $1 it is not very good quality, and it is small and not remotely water-tight so you could really only use it for a toddler's dry cereal snack. http://cgi.ebay.com/Disney-Princess-Pink-Bento-Box-/260602854225?pt=LH_D... If I paid $8.50 for this (including shipping) I would be demanding my money back in full and for her to pay return shipping. It is THAT bad for the price.
I'm not trying to be totally negative about this and say NEVER order from her. She is probably a good ebayer in regards to communication, shipping, etc. Just be very, very careful and research what is out there and what it actually costs, or you may be less than impressed with what you get.
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