I agree with Brian, but you are probably going to get a wide range of responses. If it is china kits you are interested in, (and
@zoly99sask, and others) is also someone to ask. . . it is better to order straight from ZHL, CAF, Trident and others.
eBay always makes me cringe as I have seen many modelers get kits that the seller robbed the manual and other very important parts out of and then sold it. I have seen it first hand here on SOS where someone bought from eBay and they would up with asking for help for manuals, plans, instructions. The manufacture NEVER has the plans online and even rarely the manual.
I am not trying to be crass about it, but this hobby is not like buying a printer and then going to like HP support and downloading the manual and drivers. It does not work this way.
so, ok, I will answer your question. My first (completed) wooden ship was the Colonial Schooner Sultana from Model Expo which is a Model Shipways Brand (
www.modelexpo-online.com) and if I remember I paid around $69 for it. It is relatively easy as it is a solid hull. My next kit was from OcCre (
www.occre.com) and it was the Santisima Trinidad and I bought it from hobbyinc and I think it was around $800. ( I might be wrong about the hobbyinc as I cannot remember). The last kit that I built was the San Felipe and I bought it from Cornwall Model Boats (
https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/ ). It was about $800 as well. None of these were bought from eBay.
ZHL China Kits is at
https://www.zhlmodel.com/
CAF Model is at
https://cafmodel.com/
European kits are now pale in comparison to the two China manufacturers that I mention. I am not sure if I will ever buy a Euro kit again. I strongly advise again the Panart San Felipe. I might buy from OcCre again.
Model Expo online is also a safe bet too to buy from. There is nothing wrong with their products (that is the
Model Shipways Brand) is what I am referring to.