ebay Rip Off

dadgummit wrote in post #15789921
Isn't that a redundant term?

I think you are thinking of ebay and scam.

Myduc1098 wrote in post #15788156
Someone is selling the 24-70L Version I, UU date code for $1750 on my local CL, so I sent an amail asking why the asking price is so high? Seller replied "I am testing the water because I know there are lot of naive people out there" Wow! what a jerk!

i mean is it really that bad? i'd say most of us are looking for the naive seller...some old lady that inherited a bunch of L glass, and has no clue the value of it all...

Myduc1098 wrote in post #15788156
Someone is selling the 24-70L Version I, UU date code for $1750 on my local CL, so I sent an amail asking why the asking price is so high? Seller replied "I am testing the water because I know there are lot of naive people out there" Wow! what a jerk!

Caveat emptor - Buyer Beware...

He can ask whatever he wants for it...it's not his fault if someone is willing to over pay for it without first checking prices....it's up to the buyer to do their due diligence...morally wrong maybe....but "jerk" might be a bit strong...
I used to see that all the time on ebay....people paying more for a used item then I could get a new one for...simply because they were to lazy to check prices....
Now I wonder if you had countered with a more reasonable price if he would not have accepted...you didnt say if the price was listed as "firm"

Myduc1098 wrote in post #15788156
Someone is selling the 24-70L Version I, UU date code for $1750 on my local CL, so I sent an amail asking why the asking price is so high? Seller replied "I am testing the water because I know there are lot of naive people out there" Wow! what a jerk!

Hey, at least he's honest. Would you have preferred an answer that you and he both knew was BS? Like perhaps that the dye in the red ring was made with unicorn blood?

As a buyer, I always try to pay as little as possible for something. As a seller, I always try to get as much as possible for something. It's the natural tug-o-war in business. I don't begrudge anyone who does the same thing I do.

cdifoto wrote in post #15791385
Hey, at least he's honest. Would you have preferred an answer that you and he both knew was BS? Like perhaps that the dye in the red ring was made with unicorn blood?

As a buyer, I always try to pay as little as possible for something. As a seller, I always try to get as much as possible for something. It's the natural tug-o-war in business. I don't begrudge anyone who does the same thing I do.

That was my thought. I mean, it's kind of uncool, but at least he's honest.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #15801722
That was my thought. I mean, it's kind of uncool, but at least he's honest.

An honest crook? I doubt that.

Ron Bailey wrote in post #15802356
An honest crook? I doubt that.

But he's not a crook. Well, merely charging a lot more than the market average does not make one a crook. He may be in other ways though, like being willing to declare customs packages as a gift.

I found a tripod on EBay last night I've been looking for. Mentioned it to my wife and she unloaded on me with the "are you crazy? Have you forgotten the last two things you bought there? And now you want to spend hundreds on something where the seller has zero feedback. Tell me what it is and I will ring RRS up tomorrow and order the damn thing for you."

I think this is a win/win.

Ron Bailey wrote in post #15802356
An honest crook? I doubt that.

Please explain his crookedness. He set a price. He's upfront about it. There is no law against setting high prices. If there were, the CEOs of places like Macy's would be in prison.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #15805271
Please explain his crookedness. He set a price. He's upfront about it. There is no law against setting high prices. If there were, the CEOs of places like Macy's would be in prison.

So will all airline CEO's. Next time you fly, ask the people around you on how much they pay for their seat. Airline routinely sell the same ticket any price they want as long as someone buys it.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #15805271
Please explain his crookedness. He set a price. He's upfront about it. There is no law against setting high prices. If there were, the CEOs of places like Macy's would be in prison.

Declaring a customs package as a gift is crooked. Knowingly charging an insane amount of money for something hoping to snare an innocent (naive) person is crooked in my book. Pretty simple. I don't deal with people who think this type of business is OK as I would imagine they are crooked also.

rick_reno wrote in post #15803402
I found a tripod on EBay last night I've been looking for. Mentioned it to my wife and she unloaded on me with the "are you crazy? Have you forgotten the last two things you bought there? And now you want to spend hundreds on something where the seller has zero feedback. Tell me what it is and I will ring RRS up tomorrow and order the damn thing for you."

I think this is a win/win.

Great technique!

Ron Bailey wrote in post #15806421
Declaring a customs package as a gift is crooked. Knowingly charging an insane amount of money for something hoping to snare an innocent (naive) person is crooked in my book. Pretty simple. I don't deal with people who think this type of business is OK as I would imagine they are crooked also.

Well then by your logic, anyone who turns a profit is crooked since "an insane amount of money" is arbitrary.

How much am I allowed to charge for a portrait session? Obviously you're ignoring costs of doing business since you don't have a clue what the seller of that lens paid for it. Ignore mine too. How much am I allowed to charge before you'll call me a crook?

cdifoto wrote in post #15806651
Well then by your logic, anyone who turns a profit is crooked since "an insane amount of money" is arbitrary.

How much am I allowed to charge for a portrait session? Obviously you're ignoring costs of doing business since you don't have a clue what the seller of that lens paid for it. Ignore mine too. How much am I allowed to charge before you'll call me a crook?

Don't get your panties in a wad, it's just common sense. When you knowingly are charging an obscene amount of money for something in hopes of snaring an innocent (naive) person, that's being crooked. When you are making a great profit without purposefully going after the innocent (naive) person to clip him of his money, that's just good old capitalism and I'm all for it.

You can charge whatever you want for whatever you want, no one cares. When you target the innocent (naive) person then your intent is to defraud him of his money. It's all in the intent. If you want to charge $1,000,000 for a portrait session be my guest. I doubt you'll have any takers. I'm not ignoring anything, just the opposite. If you (and I mean you, personally) have the intent to defraud an innocent (naive) person then yes, I would think you are a crook.

Edit: I forgot to add that it does not matter what you pay for anything, what matters is what the market will bear. You can pay $10,000,000 for a piece of paper but I doubt you'll sell it for that.

Ron Bailey wrote in post #15810421
Don't get your panties in a wad, it's just common sense. When you knowingly are charging an obscene amount of money for something in hopes of snaring an innocent (naive) person, that's being crooked. When you are making a great profit without purposefully going after the innocent (naive) person to clip him of his money, that's just good old capitalism and I'm all for it.

You can charge whatever you want for whatever you want, no one cares. When you target the innocent (naive) person then your intent is to defraud him of his money. It's all in the intent. If you want to charge $1,000,000 for a portrait session be my guest. I doubt you'll have any takers. I'm not ignoring anything, just the opposite. If you (and I mean you, personally) have the intent to defraud an innocent (naive) person then yes, I would think you are a crook.

Edit: I forgot to add that it does not matter what you pay for anything, what matters is what the market will bear. You can pay $10,000,000 for a piece of paper but I doubt you'll sell it for that.

So then you're actually okay with this eBay seller? I mean, I wouldn't classify tossing something up on eBay as "purposefully going after the innocent (naive) person to clip him of his money." No one's being targeted here.