principals in online selling? (was: IMSAI 8080)

From: Van Burnham <van_at_wired.com>
Date: Sat Jun 20 13:26:07 1998

Jim...

I agree with you completely...however evil ebay may be, at least it is a
structured enviornment with rules and etiquette that is regulated. I am so
sick of so-called "informal" auctions. How do I know that the seller is
quoting actual bids? Recently, in a so-called "silent" email auction...I
bid $275 for a non-working Odyssey 1 (IMHO a very fair and reasonably high
bid) only to receive the sellers reply that had been forwarded to ALL
participating bidders stating that in fact that I was the high bidder, the
amount I bid, and asked that counter bids should be made in $5
increments...I was livid! Isn't the whole point of a silent auction that
the bids _remain_ closed and the item simply goes to the highest bidder? Am
I crazy?

I am of the opinion that some of these characters are scrounging around
ebay and newsgroups soliciting bidders just to get out of paying the
commission...then they invent these rediculous auction scenarios. I think
there should be some sort of formal boycott.

Looking forward...

van


(snip)
>What really scrapes my oxide is an approach that I am starting to see more
>often in postings in and newsgroups. (it has happened to me twice now in
>the last month)
>
>Someone posts an item with an asking price. I respond to the message with
>a counter offer. The seller responds with a counter-counter offer that I
>find acceptable. I respond to the message with my acceptance and provide
>shipping details. The seller then responded back indicating that he has
>received a higher offer and that the unit has been sold without so much as
>an opportunity for further response.
>
>Now, maybe it is just me... But from my view when responded with a counter
>to my offer, we were in the midst of transacting a deal and I should have
>'right of first refusal' until the point that either we make the deal or I
>decide I don't want it.
>
>I don't appreciate multi-thread dealing going on without being informed.
>And it was not like there were any extended delays between these messages.
>The entire series of exchanges occurred over less than 24 hours. Very
>similar for the second occurrance I mentioned above...
>
>BTW: a HERO-2000 auction just closed on eBay for $4027.78... (sheesh!)
>
>-jim (the obviously overly idealistic one...)

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Received on Sat Jun 20 1998 - 13:26:07 BST

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