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ebaY's "Mr Helpful"

Started by Sargeguy, May 11, 2009, 09:33:57 PM

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Greg G.

Quote from: gpo706 on October 02, 2010, 04:27:55 PM
Do you think maybe Mr "Helpful" is a ruse by the seller to pretend they know little, then have someone (or themselves) post a detailed description to boost the listing?

Just a thought...

No, because the same thing has been going on with various other phones and sellers on ebay for some time.  There have been cases where the seller, after being contacted by "Mr. Helpful", ended the bidding and relisted it at a substantially higher starting price.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Dan/Panther

I have long felt like Brinybay, But had to capitulate due to pressure from others.
I agree, if the seller doesn't take the time to research, they deserve to get less, and all Mr. Helpful does is drive up prices.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Wallphone

Here is another one from Mr. Helpful.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140458462778 <   ( dead link 02-15-21 )

I tried to help a seller one time and he told me to buzz off. He had a wooden wall phone for sale that was obviously one of those radios that was manufactured to look like a wall phone. I told him that the buyer is going to be angry that he is misleading them. He told me to mind my own business. The radio/phone went for $120. The buyer gave him a negative feedback when he found out that he was deceived. That made my day. I haven't tried to help anyone since.

bingster

In Briny's example, Mr. Helpful was Mr. Encyclopedic.  Holy cow.

I don't think this sort of thing is a seller's ploy. Rather I think it's somebody who knows something and loves nothing more than letting other people in on that fact.  He's probably more of a show-off than anything else.
= DARRIN =



deedubya3800

#79
You know, I just noticed this very thing a few minutes ago. I found it rather irritating. It is the seller's responsibility to research what they're selling, not some random putz who's not interested in buying it. It completely ruins the buyer's chance of getting a good deal. Items that are misidentified, poorly described, or misspelled are a buyer's best friend if they know how to find them. If a seller doesn't know what they've got, then they don't deserve full price. I'm not saying that the seller is the enemy, but if someone would be happy taking $40 for an item they don't know is worth $200, don't help them out!

I don't help sellers out unless they're friends, and I don't publicize active listings unless it benefits me or someone I know. I also try to be very careful what questions I ask, because since they can post the answer on the page for everyone else to see, it could give away key information that I'm trying to use to my advantage.

Adam

Perhaps you could surreptitiously find out who this is by using the seller contact feature after the auctions have closed and telling the seller you have additional helpful info for Mr. Helpful and could they please tell you his eBay handle?  If you do this enough times, maybe a seller will eventually tell you.

Obviously, Mr. Helpful is a collector and thinks eBay is an informational forum.  If you tell him he's ruining it for other collectors, maybe he'll stop.
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

Jim Stettler

Quote from: deedubya3800 on October 02, 2010, 09:32:00 PM


I don't help sellers out unless they're friends, and I don't publicize active listings unless it benefits me or someone I know. I also try to be very careful what questions I ask, because since they can post the answer on the page for everyone else to see, it could give away key information that I'm trying to use to my advantage.

AMEN!!!
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dave F

Mr. Helpful has cost me money several times on eBay, and has caused some other items to be priced out of my range.  From what I have been reading on the Forum, nobody has yet identified him/her.  Let's hope that when he/she is ultimately unmasked, the do-gooder doesn't turn out to be somebody we all know and respect.  That would ruin everybody's day.

Memo to Mr. Helpful: Get a life.

Greg G.

Quote from: Dave F on October 02, 2010, 11:10:35 PM
Mr. Helpful has cost me money several times on eBay, and has caused some other items to be priced out of my range.  From what I have been reading on the Forum, nobody has yet identified him/her.  Let's hope that when he/she is ultimately unmasked, the do-gooder doesn't turn out to be somebody we all know and respect.  That would ruin everybody's day.

Memo to Mr. Helpful: Get a life.

It could very possibly be more than one person who does this.  I'll give them this much, they probably mean well and just haven't stopped to think that what they're doing is rather pointless and not appreciated by buyers.  If I did find out who it was, I wouldn't "out" them publicly, only ask that they stop meddling with ebay phone sales.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

gpo706

I've done the Mr Helpful stuff a few times, but only to correct mistakes, not give an appraisal of any detail, for example one of my regular sellers had some un-numbered dial card inserts as being from the Scottish Highlands, whereas they were from the Borders, just a bit of info to correct his listing, it was altered overnight, and with thanks from the seller.

Whereas another seller of badges advertised one what they thought was from my local transportation system, when I informed them it was never a badge they had issued and unfortunately I didn't know what its provenance was, they emailed me back to thank me for my information and changed the listing.

Since then the same type of badge has appeared about 6 more times with the same, first innaccurate description, obviously the same seller, so I gave up...
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

LarryInMichigan

Once or twice, I contacted a seller to inform them that what they were selling wasn't anywhere near what they were asking for it.  I occasionally wonder if I should contact a seller to obtain more information about an item, such as the date on the bottom, or a picture of the back, etc..  I am afraid that the seller's response will trigger some high bids and leave me out.  I have therefore bought some items on scant listing information on a gamble.

Could it possibly be that ebay is behind the "Mr. Helpful" messages?  It would certainly be in their financial interest to raise bid levels.  It could be similar to the underhanded tactics the Microsoft has used, having people pose as ordinary customers on forums, praising Microsoft's products and bashing the competitions'

Larry

Dan/Panther

When I bought the proto or field trial 500, I was on pins and needles for a week fearing someone was going to ask for better photos, or ask the right question, I didn't even hint at it until the item was secured.
Mr. Helpful is most likely a well established collector that forgets what it was like to get a bargain when they started out, he/she most likely forgets, that there are newbies out here, looking for the same type bargains, there comments are probably made on phones they have long lost collecting interest in, they think; "why would someone want that phone anyhow, I'M so over that phase."
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Greg G.

Quote from: Wallphone on October 02, 2010, 08:12:09 PM
Here is another one from Mr. Helpful.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140458462778 <
I tried to help a seller one time and he told me to buzz off. He had a wooden wall phone for sale that was obviously one of those radios that was manufactured to look like a wall phone. I told him that the buyer is going to be angry that he is misleading them. He told me to mind my own business. The radio/phone went for $120. The buyer gave him a negative feedback when he found out that he was deceived. That made my day. I haven't tried to help anyone since.

This same seller has other phones, and Mr. H sent an almost verbatim blurb to them as in the example I gave:  http://tinyurl.com/293f9bx   ( dead link 02-15-21 )
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Dennis Markham


LarryInMichigan

Where is Mr Helpful when you need him?  Someone please send him to http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-phone-/250706167974 or some of the other items this seller has listed.

Larry