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Info to eBay sellers

Started by HarrySmith, June 22, 2010, 03:34:08 PM

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McHeath

It's interesting that someone out there is always chiming in on these sales and giving out scads of "helpful" info which usually results in driving the price up.  Not sure what the motivation is there, perhaps to brag or boast about their phone knowledge, or some sort of nice guys/gals always help out less knowledgeable people idea.   

It's not all that hard to learn a few things about old phones before you sell one, just like all collected items.  If the seller is not going to put out the leg work to do that then that's their problem in my mind, no one is obligated to jump in and "help" them.

Saw this supposed auction site the other day where if a person put in a last second bid, the infamous sniping, then the timer automatically added another 30 seconds so that anyone else who wanted to could then bid.  I think the site was scam however, but the idea was interesting.  I've never been fond of E-bay's method, which is partly sour grapes on my part as I've been sniped a lot of times out of a phone I wanted.  I should learn how to play that game better, but I've not.  I also realize that a lot of good deals happen with the sniping method, and the idea of adding more time when any last second bids are placed would make the auctions perhaps more costly as they would then be real auctions. 


Dennis Markham

#16
"Scott" paid nearly $700 for a yellow soft plastic phone?

The phone in this listing has a replacement dial/bezel.  First note the thin opening where the finger stop goes through the bezel.  Then look at the photo of the network.  The dial wires are the newer thin, plastic covered wires---a #9 dial.  With the change in the dial I'd be willing to bet this phone has an ABS housing too.  The handset does look like soft plastic.

Now that seller's thinking he's going to cash in on this phone.  Perhaps "Scott" primed the pump, so to speak.

I saw what did look like a soft plastic yellow set sell for just over $40 recently on one of the on-line auction sites...It may have been Etsy.  I wished I had bid on it.

JorgeAmely

Dennis:

Now we know that his first name is Scott.
Jorge

Greg G.

Quote from: mariepr on June 22, 2010, 06:37:56 PM
...  But what of buyers who email sellers with totally false information? 

Same as stealing, in my book. 

Quote from: mariepr on June 22, 2010, 06:37:56 PM

The other component to this argument is the plea for a Buy-it-Now when it was not initially offered.  I'm supposed to have some consideration for fellow collectors by keeping mum on the value of phones sold by naive sellers.  But where's the reciprocal consideration?  Are buyers not shutting out fellow collectors by negotiating an early end to the auction?  Just about all of us have been on the wrong end of that situation.  You think you have until Saturday night to bid but - poof!  Member X has called the seller and negotiated an abrupt end two days early.

I thought it was against ebay rules to ask for an exclusive "buy-it-now" or "make offer" for the purpose of circumventing the auction, or even a completely off-ebay sell like that?  I have seen items where the seller even posted the question from a buyer who wanted to buy-it-now on an auction that didn't offer it.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

mariepr

Ebay does allow a seller to abruptly end an auction early and sell to the then-highest bidder provided the transaction is completed on ebay. 

While I cannot know the motivation on why others choose to be "helpful", I do so to discourage the handful of dishonest collectors who lie outright. A couple of years ago the same collector club member negotiated early ends to auctions - after substantially misrepresenting the values - on a #1 dial and on an A-1.  In both cases I was a bidder - as were several other collectors who got cheated along with the seller by Mr. G. 

Last year there was a funny auction on a couple of beat-up A1 bodies where the seller "outed" all his questioners by including their ebay handles in his response.  (e.g. "Thank you nyantiquephone...")  My personal favorite was the request for a buy it now for $70. 

There is one piece of advice that a seller can take without having any "expert" knowledge of phones: Getting flooded with pleas for a Buy It Now means that  the buyer knows it will cost a lot more to Buy it Later. 

Dennis Markham

Jorge, I think on the listed question, the seller replied to the questioner, referring to him as "Scott".

Dan/Panther

Check the auction Mr.Helpful chimed in.
D/P

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

McHeath

QuoteQ:    Though you have a nice phone, it has been refurbished. you can tell my the dial number plate. it is not vintage for the 1957 era of the phone, most likely the shell has been replaced with hard plastic version, and the handset as well.A more realistic price would be in the 30 to 50 dollar range. Mr. Helpful   Jun-27-10
A:    Thanks for the info. I will post it on the listing.

Gee he even signs himself as "Mr. Helpful".  Can't get any more helpful than that.