[Classicrendezvous] Re: huckstering vs. ebay

(Example: Racing:Wayne Stetina)

Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 11:53:23 -0500
From: "Roy H. Drinkwater" <roydrink@mac.com>
To: classic list <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <3A212DA1.AA394782@penn.com>
Subject: [Classicrendezvous] Re: huckstering vs. ebay

As someone who wouldn't be riding more than one bike if it wasn't for ebay, I do like Curtis Anthony's offer for a discount to list members. Also first offers as Lou Deeter and many others post before going to ebay are positive too.

HOWVER:

The main problem with offering parts on the CR list, (and ibob, touring, tandem, fixed gear, framebuilding, & other lists I don't know about) or rec.bicycles.marketplace is that first come, first served is great if you're first, but normal (or abnormal) life says I have other things to do, like ride (of course), see my family, work, sleep, & walk the dog rather than be scanning the lists continually.

Classic Rendezvous is the only list I get "real time" (not digest form), and it's still frustrating to log on in the evening, get 20, 30, or more messages for that day, find something neat, only to read a few minutes later that, "It's spoken (sic) for", when I didn't have a chance for it. It's even worse in digest form when the index at the top has it for sale, then sold...;<(

As a buyer, I've purchased an item off one of the lists for 2/3's less than I've seen it on ebay, but it was a massive stroke of luck. I would rather have the time to scan ebay, decide on my limit, think about it, and then choose to bid or not, rather than seeing it listed and then sold in less than 5 minutes (my time).

As for the seller, I would rather have them make more than they thought they could (or less, but still selling the item), however still making money and staying in the market, rather than getting frustrated and/or broke and leaving the marketplace.

Therefore I find the mention of ebay items on the Classic Rendezvous important

1. To point out something one has for sale without overloading the list.

2. To point out something someone else has for sale that others would be interested in.

3. To ask about unusual or rare items one has seen on ebay.

4. To indicate "problems (let's leave it at that)" or "howlers" one has seen on ebay.

Roy H. Drinkwater
Lititz, PA