I have never bought a machine online and had it shipped. I'm afraid it would be destroyed when it arrived. Actually I buy very little online. I tend to just do without, if I can't find it locally. My husband on the other hand buys online a lot and if I really need something I can't get locally, I have him get it. Doesn't happen often. I find Ebay to be a problem with prices. People locally go on e-bay and see the price someone is asking for something and they immediately think that is what it is worth or the going price (and oh by the way, they always focus on the one that is listed for the most amount of money). People don't realize that they don't actually sell at that price. Anyway, ebay prices are being taken into consideration at the local thrift stores and garage sales all the time. I had a guy that went into the thrift store I go into a lot and asked them about a sewing machine. So they called me and put him on the phone. He had a white treadle machine and someone told him it is old and worth $450 and that he could get that easily on ebay. Usually when I am someplace and I see what something is worth on ebay, I just keep on walking. Someone could ask a million dollars for something, it doesn't mean it will ever sell for that or that it is worth it. Oh well..........