Re: [CR]eBay Machinations

(Example: History:Norris Lockley)

Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 11:50:47 -0500
From: "Chris Beyer" <beyerc@mail.volvo.com>
To: "Roy H. Drinkwater" <roydrink@mac.com>
Cc: classic list <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]eBay Machinations
References: <001901c185f8$4d754840$984ffea9@laptop3> <3C1E09A5.3964DD45@mail.volvo.com> <a05100300b843c6cb99cb@[192.168.1.1]>


Roy, et al:

There were no pictures on the original posting. The more I think about this, the sleazier I think it is: if I were the high bidder, and had met the reserve, I'd consider the seller obligated to sell to me at my bid price. The fact that the item (a CLB-2 centerpull brakest, by the way) did in fact meet reserve, and I was not the high bidder, means the seller apparently set his reserve to low and was trolling for a higher offer.

Chris Beyer Cold 'n Dank Bloomfield, NJ

"Roy H. Drinkwater" wrote:
> Well, checking ebay rules, it doesn't say that the seller
> can't contact bidders about the particular auction, like for giving
> information & answering questions. However under the User Agreement:
>
> >5.5 Manipulation. Neither you, bidders nor sellers may manipulate
> >the price of any item nor may you interfere with other user's
> >listings or auctions.
> >
>
> I don't know if a seller asking bidders to pay more is
> unethical or manipulative, but it's pretty pathetic. If he asked you
> to purchase something else, that's spamming and against the rules.
>
> Roy "pedantic" Drinkwater
> Lititz "rain - 40's", PA
>
> p.s. are there pictures in the original listing, or are these
> additional pictures?
>
> Chris asked:
>
> >I received the following (somwhat edited to protect the guilty) from the
> >seller of an item for which I was not the high bidder. Isn't this unethical,
> >as well as a no-no per eBay?
> >
> > > Hello,
> >>
> >> Although the reserve has been met, I hate to sell these unique brakes for
> >> $61.
> >> Attached are photos of the actual set for sale.
> >>
> >> Thanks for bidding.