> I was just thinking (sorry won't happen again) that maybe what is behind
> much of the antieBay sentiment, and denial of the market prices eBay tends
> to set, is guilt over paying so little for items from other sources. If an
> item routinely sells for $3000 on eBay and you get one just to haul it away
> from some poor unsuspecting person, didn't you steal from them?
Well... No!
Are you feeling guilty if you win an Altair auction at USD 10 ?
Or are you feeling better when you buy an egg at a delicatessen
store for USD 2.- instead of a quater at a farmers barn ?
The prices on eBay, and maybe some other locations are ridiculus
high when compared to the price at the orgin. I doubt that most
are sold by the original owner. It's a bit like in the vintage
car business - a '61 Beetle may be offered on an auction (or from
a dealer) in good condition at 5000 USD - or you may catch a bad
one also at 5000, since you don't have the time to wait for one
(A difference in here is that due the more established used /
vintage car bussiness, most companies are specialized to sell
good or well restored cars, while in the vintage computer area
still prices are made regardless of the condition). Or you may
muy the named Beetle for just 500 USD in superior condition from
the original owner. So is this a theft ?
And even more, when you buy a well restored, almost like new
car you still pay only said 5000 USD, although the owner did
pour in USD 7000 just for the restauration...
After all, I hope we reach soon a level like in the vintage car
business, where you get at least an average chance to pay only
what's worth, and where a market value is established - at the
moment we are far from that.
Gruss
H.
P.S.: Just for the Beetle fans among us (*w* Ethan), the number
5000 is not related to any real value, just a number for
example purpose.
--
VCF Europa 2.0 am 28./29. April 2001 in Muenchen
http://www.vintage.org/vcfe
http://www.homecomputer.de/vcfe
Received on Wed May 10 2000 - 15:01:04 BST