>In a message dated 98-08-24 12:39:33 EDT, you write:
>
><<
> 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 >>
>
>
>Comes to mind that perhaps they have the largest inventory of used equipment
>because they have the highest prices and just can't unload this stuff.
>
>Methinks that the occasional individual who is having trouble deciding whether
>or not to part with a particular piece of equipment might have a problem
>selling below a certain point. His/her prerogative. However, for a company
>or individual to make a practice of setting reserves higher than the going
>rate does seem to me to be somehow deceptive.
>
A couple of thoughts:
I would be willing to bet that each person who bid receives the same letter
from the dealer. They are probably all told that they are the high bidder
and if someone beats you to it by the time you reply they will send you a
"sorry" letter saying that they held it for for 2 days or 2 hours and when
you did not reply they offered it to the next one.
Would it be farfetched to have eBay receive "financial support" from
dealers who run this little game on their site?
Winsor
Winsor Crosby
Long Beach, California
mailto:wincros@xxxxxxxxxxx
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