I am looking at getting an ipod mini 4gb but the differences in prices are qyite staggering. In a retail shop I have been asked $250. In an internet cyber shop I can get them for $185, if I go to Ebay and check out the ipods the range there is from $100 to $145. Has anybody bought any ipods from Ebay? What is the feedback?

I never bought an iPod from eBay (nor will I ever), but you should have no problems getting it from eBay. Just make sure the seller has lots of good feedback (usually you will be buying from power sellers). Most, if not all, will have return policies if it's defective.

Like you said, the prices are staggering (for any of the iPods there). I look into other alternative MP3 players.

Thank you for your suggestin. I had a look a Ebay yesterday and there was a member from China selling ipods for $45 each. No trackrecord of feedbacks, and wanted the payment in postal money order. Highly suspicious I though. Any suggestions for other types of MP3 players?

Stay away from that seller. From China and at only $45 sounds too good to be true. Try to pay only by credit card also just in case there are some conflicts in the transaction.

I assume you want a hard drive based MP3 player right? I haven't tried many out myself but check out the ones from Archos. I have an old model of it and it's not as pretty, or as small, as the iPod but works great. It's a 20GB Archos Jukebox Recorder. If you want to go small, there is the Archos gmini. I think those play movies as well as play songs. Another hard drive MP3 player which might interest you is the Creative Zen Touch. Should be small enough and has a simple interface.

If you want other types of MP3 players (like flash based ones), I highly recommend getting the Creative Muvo. I got the one where you can record your own speech, listen to the radio, record the songs from the radio, play MP3s and use it as a data storage device. It's very small and easy to use.

For reviews on these products, I suggest going to Epinions and type in the product name.

I would definately not buy anything on ebay, because personally, i want the product to be new, and not touched or anything. As for ipods, I would just buy the mini at apple.com and get a free engraving. I bought my ipod a couple years ago, the 3rd generation 20 gig ipod at apple.com for 400$. Now, the 20 gig ipod is around 300$. However, i like the old ones because its all touch activated, where as in the recent versions, with the exception of click-wheel, are push buttons.

Just go to the Apple store and check the prices there. I believe a 4gb Mini costs about $200 retail, so anything above that is a ripoff. If you're a student, they're offering a free iPod Mini with the purchase of any Mac computer. I just bought a new Powerbook, and along with it I got a blue iPod mini for free (essentially, even though I had to pay for it initially and will get a rebate cheque in the mail sometime in the future).

All in all, I love my iPod, and wouldn't dream of owning another brand of MP3 player.

I wouldn't suggest an Ipod at all, I've heard nothing but bad feedback on them since they came out, go to the apple site they have multiple complaints on every player they have, and they also give you negative if any at all feedback when you contact them with a problem.

Ughhh, I would never buy an ipod from Ebay there is just some things you should not buy from there. I really think you would be better off getting it from the Apple store or some onter place that specializes in ipods. Hey and if you are a student the Apple store does give you a discount, plus you can get the same discount on their online store as well plus you don't pay shiping either.

I am interested in finding out why there is such a bad reaction to Ebay. There was a time when articles sold there were second hand but my understanding is that now a days most electronic gadgets including ipods are brand new on the original box with a full manufacturers guarantee. It seems to me that Ebay cuts all all the expensive middle men and the need for the consumer to pay for the luxury of the main street shops and instead offers the product direct from the manufacturer to the consumer. Is it more to do with the traders operating in Ebay? Are there too many rip off artists operating in Ebay? Or has Ebay a low reputation in the Marketplace. I am from New Zealand, Ebay has a very good reputation here.

Mac Review Zone looks like a good place for price comparisons. In fact, I'm bookmarking this one.

Cnet Shopper

Just two places that list prices for iPods with price comparisons.

As for eBay, there have been problems with sellers who were less than honest in their descriptions of items where buyers have been cheated.

When it comes to something electronic and you might want the manufacturer to stand by their warranty, buy it from a reputable business.

There are too many horror stories of items purchased from eBay and the buyer has no recourse when the item stops working after a few days. There may be perfectly honest sellers on ebay, but as the expression goes, one bad apple spoils the whold barrel.

Many resellers online have used or demo units, which have been refurbed and come with a warranty. One of my favorite places, Small Dog Electronics gives detailed information on their used/demo units as well as explaining any warranty that would come with them.

It pays to shop around.

Hope you find an iPod in your price range that works great. My big sister gave me one!

Think I could talk her into buying me a new powerbook?