I agree with the original post. Many sellers on ebay advertise bikes and components to make a quick buck without fully disclosing hidden problems, costs, or information. E CAVEAT EMPTOR because the seller is often not willing to further look at the auction item or prehaps is not knowledgeable about what they are selling. I believe a cycle jumble is a better place to purchase parts because you can see and touch the merchandise, not view a pic and trust the seller's representation in an online auction.
While it may be fair for the seller to "test the market" of component prices by raising its price, it is patently unfair and unethical to misrepresent a product and make a sale based on the buyers lack of information. I am reminded of a Ebay sale that heralded a 1976 TA 3-pin crankset as a rare 1960s Rene Herse crankset. Not that I am aware of!
The bottom line is that people go to cycle jumbles and online auctions for varying reasons. Some like to take a chance on what the seller claims is true about an item and other buyers prefer to trust their own knowledge. In the end, buyers try to obtain real or hidden value through these sales to satisfy their needs. Hidden problems or nasty surprises from sellers do not satisfy buyer needs and lead to mistrust for future purchases and transactions. In the end, we are all looking to make a great deal...
Regards, Steve Neago
> << mostly dealers trying to make a fast buck? >>
>
> I'm always curious why when someone is selling something someone else
wants
> the buyer feels that they're being taken advantage of.
>
> Pay the price, negotiate a better one or walk away!
>
> People have a right to ask what they'd like, you have a right not to buy.
>
> It's business.
>
> Ted Williams
> Oaklandale