I agree, and I think the biggest reason for this is that ebay sellers typically have lots of pictures of their items, allowing you to gauge the condition of the figure. I got burned quite a few times in the late 90's buying tfs off of internet sites that simply used c8, c9, etc, to gauge their items. I would get "c8" figures with horribly worn stickers, chrome wear, etc.
Wile I do use eBay quite a bit, I find for older stuff such as G1's I usually hit up at conventions, primarily at TransformersCon and Botcon since I'm in attendance every year. Pretty much the bulk of my older stuff over the past couple of years have come from these two sources. Only real exceptions in the past year or so have been Star Saber and Victory Leo, one of which I picked up on eBay and the other from a store in Japan that specializes in vintage Japanese toys.
Conventions are the best bet, then Ebay. Besides, at conventions you get to meet lots of cool people!
I'm not a big fan of ebay anymore. I've had better luck buying from other members on forums and there are a few local stores that deal in old toys and the prices are much better than what I'd pay on ebay.
Ebay is my most convenient option and has the best selection. However, there's a vintage toy shop about 30 minutes from me that usually provides much better prices, provided I have the patience to wait for what I want to show up there, plus, I get to inspect the items first hand before I buy. I would also recommend BBTS, as I have gotten a few good deals there in the past few years.
I got probably 85% of my G1 collection off ebay. Just be patient and wait for the good deals to come around.
Well, I'd say eBay is a great place to find TF figures but not the best place in terms of price. eBay is the universe's flea market so it has every imaginable TF figure. Prices tend to be higher then you would pay through dealers or chat/forum/boards/newgroups. So if you want a place to find it quick then hit eBay. If you want a good deal, visit boards.
I would say that ebay definitely has the most quantity of older toys, it's weeding through them to find a good deal that you have to go through. My recent one was a MISB Star Convoy reissue for like $45 shipped.
Conventions might be better, but what if that person can't attend all the conventions? I say ebay is the best if you want to find that particular TF fast.
That's my plan for this year. I'm really hoping for a great haul at Botcon this year. I think ebay is good. But there is a lot counterfeit toys up there and it’s a buyer’s beware market