|
|
|
Top Banana
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/11/2008 12:55:36 PM
Posts: 314,
Visits: 383
|
|
If this makes any sense... you know the Banana phone that sold for like $8,000 or the broken rubber band that went for $2500...
Look closely at the listings. Often in very small print it will say something to the affect of, "this auction is for the item listed, anything you receive in addition to this item listed is my gift to you."
In other words, something else is being sold, and the buyers tend to know what it is. Furthermore, notice that most of the people that regularly sell goofy items have high feedback scores.
|
|
|
|
|
Witch Doctor
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/22/2008 9:40:29 AM
Posts: 36,
Visits: 34
|
|
In other words, something else is being sold, and the buyers tend to know what it is. Furthermore, notice that most of the people that regularly sell goofy items have high feedback scores.
So you're saying this is how they sell illegal/prohibited items? How does the buyer know what's really for sale?
---------------------
I go ape over eBay!
|
|
|
|
|
Top Banana
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/11/2008 12:55:36 PM
Posts: 314,
Visits: 383
|
|
That's a good question Mr. Jiggs. I have no clue what's being sold, or how the buyers would know what it is. Perhaps it's illegal or prohibited items, or maybe it's just a game that rich folks like to play.
My wife noticed these auctions before I did, and when I really studied them I saw that most had some kind of line in it about a "gift item" or something of that nature. One was for some Oreos that was up to like $5,000 and in the listing it said; "If you're very smart, you can find out what the gift item is by reviewing clues provided to you in this listing."
Someone drops 5 or 6k on the item, then leaves glowing positive feedback, "EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED! OMG THANKS SO MUCH!"
Beats me, but I do know that he wasn't buying oreos.
Other examples of live auctions by item #
280111016848
200105562825
|
|
|
|
|
Auction Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/8/2008 2:31:35 PM
Posts: 65,
Visits: 56
|
|
I know people have sold stuff like cd's for $500 and included concert tickets as "freebies" but of course, it's the tix that were really being sold. Does anyone know if ebay is cracking down on these or has a way to ferret them out? Do they care?
--------------------------
Handygirl, loves buying/selling clothes and tools
|
|
|
|
|
Top Banana
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/11/2008 12:55:36 PM
Posts: 314,
Visits: 383
|
|
I doubt they really care. Both the buyers and the sellers seem happy, and ebay seems to be making a killing on fees for items that sell for the prices some of these things do. So long as everyone involved is happy and nobody is complaining, ebay isn't going to do anything.
If I ran the site I would ban that kind of stuff. One of the rules would be that the auction has to be very clear about what is being sold/given/traded. It might be (as in your example) concert tickets. On the other hand it could be drugs, chemical weapons, or human remains. I wouldn't want to assist something like that.
|
|
|
|
|
Witch Doctor
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/21/2008 12:13:32 PM
Posts: 40,
Visits: 25
|
|
If I ran the site I would ban that kind of stuff. One of the rules would be that the auction has to be very clear about what is being sold/given/traded.
How would you ban that though... if it says "Can of Coke bidding starts at $500  " then how do you know what someone will or will not pay? If someone pays that money and the seller ships them something illegal instead, well at that point they are probably breaking postal regs and laws in numerous jurisdictions...that's probably how ebay views it anyway.
----------------------
Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes. --Thoreau
|
|
|
|
|
Top Banana
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/11/2008 12:55:36 PM
Posts: 314,
Visits: 383
|
|
If someone ships something that isn't listed in the auction, there isn't much I'd be able to do about it.
But what I'm talking about are these auctions where they do state that something else is included. "Whatever else you get from this auction is my gift to you." Remove listings that have that.
Then, when you have listings where it's just a coke can with no other hint of another item, nobody will bid $500 on it.
|
|
|
|
|
Auction Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/8/2008 2:31:35 PM
Posts: 65,
Visits: 56
|
|
Then, when you have listings where it's just a coke can with no other hint of another item, nobody will bid $500 on it.
But then you're preventing people from getting what they really want! And that's not what eBay is about! 
--------------------------
Handygirl, loves buying/selling clothes and tools
|
|
|
|
