eBay methods, (was Re: [CR]false advertising)

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

From: "KCTOMMY" <KCTOMMY@email.msn.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, "Monkeyman" <monkey37@bluemarble.net>
References: <l03130301b6a0bac20acc@[128.111.201.65]>
Subject: eBay methods, (was Re: [CR]false advertising)
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2001 01:22:30 -0600



----- Original Message -----
From: Monkeyman
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 1:39 PM
Subject: [CR]false advertising



> >I think the really stupid ebay auctions are those in
> >which the bidder misrepresants the item, exagerating
> >rarity, condition, importance, etc. Such auctions can
> >be seen daily.
>
> I've actually written to two different sellers who are selling Chorus stuff
> as Record and in nice terms explained the difference and where they can
> follow up on my information. No replies or changes in the ads. This kind
> of behavior just pisses me off (sorry for the srong language). Only a
> month ago I started using ebay to buy things, or try at least, and found
> yes it's a sellers market but sometimes it's the only place you can find
> things. This week I've been looking at things on ebay a little deeper and
> found that over half of the things I look at are misrepresented in some
> way, and if not represented the sellers will use key words that have
> nothing to do with the item being sold. Try a search for campy and see how
> many things aren't. Add this to the fact that I fell into the trap of
> overbidding on something I really didn't want, it may be time to remove my
> profile and stick to buying from friends and listmembers.
>
> Let's hear some things about why we should support Ebay, or what good deals
> someone got?
>
> enjoy,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
>
>

Well, caveat emptor strongly applies, as well as trying to get to know who your buying from. I no longer buy for more than $20 unless the seller has a strong history of satisfied customers on his eBay feedback page. No doubt I miss some good bargains from honest sellers whose only sin is to be new to eBay. Also, ask questions. I've gotten BS replies from guys so I knew they didn't know bikes. And some stuff was sold "as is" and I didn't ask enough questions, so I took my lumps. You can almost tell the honest guys, they li st every flaw and them some, because they don't want bad feedback.

On the other hand, I've gotten some great stuff for good prices that are hard to find anywhere else. Tried to buy Ultra six freewheels lately? I've got two frames still spaced 120mm, and it helps a lot to have six cogs back there. I've gotten two new in the box suntours for $10 and $17 dollars.

Dumbest "caught up in the excitement" buy: $39 for a set of Mavic skewers. Nothing wrong with them, but $39?!? What was I thinking? Also paid $80 for a pair of SPD pedals that my LBS sells for $50. Check before bidding!

Greatest hits: NOS Cirrus 7 touring frame for $130 (all 531 by Tom Teesdale, rides great) practically new Campy Chorus cranks for $40 (allowing me to shift my 175 mm NR arms from the Marinonni to my (now almost all) NR Raleigh Pro), $300 for a 700 series Trek bike with all Campy NR (mutated through trades into keeping the components for the Raleigh Pro and swaping the frame for the PX 10 rat bike), NOS campy clamp on NR shifters for $12 (now on the Raleigh International).

The one that got away: Sub 2,000 mile Atala Record, all NR early 70's for $350. I didn't ask my questions early enough and the auction ended before I bid, with the bike unsold. I tried to contact the seller for a direct purchase but never heard back from him. Oh well.

Tom Adams in Kansas City