2/28/03 5:24 PMclassicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org
charlie young wrote:
>
> Oh boy, have a look at this auction:
>
> Make Money Buying and selling Bikes on Ebay!!
>
> http://ebay.com/
>
> I wonder if it has helpful hints like:
>
> (1) Breaking up is easy to do - why you should dismantle a
> bike and sell it bit by bit to maximize profits.
>
> (2) Why fuzzy pictures can be your best friend.
>
> (3) Call 'em all Super Record, the rubes won't know the
> difference.
This is kinda airing dirty laundry but its on the safe side of harmless. I won a raleigh gaspipe frame from this cat on ebay a whiles back. Sent paypal payment within an hour of the auction end (after he invoiced me with the shipping total). As it was only $25 or so i din't fret then after a week or so i was thinkin' whats doin' with my proposed beater bike for round town use as id picked up some parts to build it up. Emailed, and then again, and then contacted ebay to let them know that he kinda dissappeared and then checked out his personal info to get his tel # and so on.
I called him and he was very apologetic and claimed to have 'puter problems and lost all his info and ensured me that he would have it shipped a.s.a.p. I didn't mention that in that whole time (10 days, as many emails and allerting ebay that i havent had a response after sending payment) that he had been actively listing ebay auctions for "Make Money Buying and selling Bikes on Ebay!!" as well as small triumph bits AND also bidding on stuff. i wasn't pissed but more scratching my head at how incredulous this chap must be. Hilarious !!!
Another week passes and still no frame - so i again call him and play "whats up". He responded that UPS had an accident and the frame was being shipped back to him and that he would re-imburse me not only the whole amount i sent but $5 more. Which he did promptly and he left positive feedback for me saying "UPS ate his frame, I refunded the money, he paid fast AAA+++".
Ive never scratched my head post ebay so much. I just figured some peep's are just strange and i kinda lost out a little as i have a few bits that i planned to use left over but it aint gonna kill me.
But ..... the cracker of the story is that he signs his emails off with PhD !!!! I not saying he ain't - but he wasnt super savvy when it comes to telling a tall story. I checked, but alas the frame was never offered again mysteriously. Im still tryin' to figure out how he was making money selling bikes on ebay - as far as im concerned he would be the last person to know.
I wasnt burnt - but was very befuddled. Maybe he gave me a free lesson?
ciao,
ben kamen (no PhD) NYC