>
> Hi all:
>
> Recently I expressed my opinion that setting high reserves on eBay, having no
> one meet the reserve price and then soliciting unsuccessful bidders was poor
> ethics. I had a hunch that certain companies/sole proprieters were doing this
> as standard operating procedure. Here is an example of such by the so-called
> Pittsburg Camera Exchange (a.k.a. Bernies Photo), who doubiously claims to
> have the largest stock of used camera equipment. Note that my unsuccessful
> high bid was $92.00, with 19 bids submitted:
> ******
> Thank you for bidding on this item. The reserve on this item was $155.00.
> If you are interested in the item at this price, please send us your zip
> code so that we may figure out the cost of S&H to your home or business.
>
> We will reserve this item until you have had a chance to refuse it, before
> offering it to the next highest bidder.
>
> Thank you for your consideration,
> ***end***
>
> Gary Reese
> Las Vegas, NV
This does not look very good. I have bought items in the past that did
not meet reserve, but in those cases the seller offered me the item at
my bid. (In another case, I would not have done so, had the seller offered,
because he cheated by offering the item for sale separately on rec.photo.
marketplace, at an unrealistic price, WHILE the ebay bidding was still
going on, with no indication on either forum of the offers on the other.
This was after I had placed my last bid. I was hoping that he would get
caught by getting a buy on both forums.) Likewise I have offered an item
to a high bidder that did not meet reserve (he was very close, though).
If eBay loses a fee on that, it's their own fault for setting the fee
structure the way they have.
I've pretty well stopped watching eBay. Since I buy more than sell, I'm
not ready to pay above-Keh prices for way-sub-Keh service and guarantees.
I'm halfway considering selling all my OM caps and all those pristine vinyl
cylinder lens cases in the closet to finance a 35-80, though :)
Paul Farrar
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|