Actually, I have been BUYING stuff on E-bay for over two years, so I
wouldn't actually say that I have been "watching from the sidelines". If it
was just one or two people "conspiring" together to stay out of the bidding,
it probably wouldn't have been taken sooooooooo seriously by me and others.
The fact that a steady stream of contestants seemed to be joining this
gameshow was what alerted me to a potential problem. I have absolutely
nothing against anyone who started or participated in this venture, I was
just begining to wonder if they had really thought it through and considered
the point of view of those who pay time and money to sell items on
E-bay...many of them list members. How many of those same sellers would sit
quietly if they knew that dozens (and eventually hundreds) of serious
Spridget enthusiasts like themselves had formed a cartel and agreed that
only one of the bunch would actually bid on an item. In fact, would it also
be OK if I go ahead and notify everyone bidding on your item (who isn't
already involved in the bid fixing) that the item they are after is way
overpriced, and that I can sell them the same part for $20 less? If this is
also OK with list members, then let me know the next time you have something
up for sale and I will keep watch and participate in your auction from the
sidelines. For those who feel I am blowing this way out of proportion, you
should be the first ones to step up and contact me as your auction begins.
And believe me, my sheds are FULL of Spridget parts, and I could undercut
you almost every time.
For those who think it is the "gentlemanly" thing to do to step aside
and allow another enthusiast to win the bid, you again aren't looking at the
big picture. Aren't the people selling the items usually gentlemen and
Spridget enthusiasts as well? Don't you owe them the same courtesy? In
addition, I never stated that people would be "pressured" to stay away from
bidding, but the fact that everyone was giving out their user names could in
some way provide "pressure", either real or conceived. That person knows
that although it is a part that he really needs for his car, he will stay
away from the bidding because he doesn't want to go against the rest of the
group. If you don't think that this could happen, then I would like to move
to your Utopia world, as it certainly is better than the one I live in. I
could then relax and consider the other, more important things in life.
Cheers!
Stefan
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Weeks <lists@woozy.com>
To: Stefan Roundy <stefanr@bealenet.com>; spridgets@autox.team.net
<spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: 10 December, 1999 11:51 AM
Subject: RE: E-bay
>I think you are taking this waaaaayyyyy to seriously. Nobody is trying to
>fix bids or start a spridget cartel on ebay. No one suggested "pressuring"
>members to stay away either. The original suggestion was about common
>courtesy and stepping aside when your friend has bid on something that they
>may need. That's what gentlemen do. Was a time when people were like that,
>but you don't see too much of that now in the days of too many lawyers and
>too much litigation.....
>
>People on this list give parts and their time and advice to each other for
>free. I've had people do that for me. I've had people come over to my
>driveway to help me rebuild an engine or lend me tools that I didn't have.
I
>believe the original suggestion was made in this spirit. All we were saying
>was; if you see your friend bidding on something you may be interested in,
>think twice before just impulsively jumping in. At real auctions you can
see
>the bidders' faces and you might step aside if your mate is bidding on
>something. Why should this be any different?
>
>Btw, I buy and sell a lot of stuff on ebay, so I feel I may have a little
>better grasp on this than someone who by their own admission has only
>watched from the sidelines.
>
>Relax, there are certainly more important things in life.
>
>Robert
>http://www.woozy.com/midget
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
>[mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Stefan Roundy
>Sent: Friday, December 10, 1999 2:35 PM
>To: spridgets@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: E-bay
>
>
>I feel the same way. I wonder if these folks will be so keen to keep the
>bidders away when it is their item they are trying to sell? Maybe they
>should start another list of Spridget members who would bid against each
>other, but only when another enthusiast has placed a spare part up for
>auction. When large corporations get caught fixing bids, someone usually
>goes to jail. I've never sold anything on E-bay and don't know if I ever
>will, but should the opportunity ever arise it would be nice to know that
>there isn't a club with hundreds of members either asking, or pressuring
>other members to keep away. What's wrong with a free market...let the chips
>fall where they may. If someone wants to pay $100 for a $20 part, who
>cares??? If someone needs something for their car and can't afford what
>others are bidding, let him post his request on a bulletin board, or ask
>those on this list for a reasonable example. It surely isn't right to
>interfere with commerce in order to try to "steal" the part. I'd be
>interested to hear if others feel my comments are out of line.
>Cheers!
>Stefan
>-----Original Message-----
>From: type79@ix.netcom.com <type79@ix.netcom.com>
>To: Brad Fornal <toyman@htcomp.net>
>Cc: David Ramsey <dwramsey@worldnet.att.net>; spridgets@autox.team.net
><spridgets@autox.team.net>
>Date: 10 December, 1999 10:13 AM
>Subject: Re: E-bay
>
>
>>Brad,
>>Good observation.
>>I have not responded to this thread (ugghh) for several reasons:
>>1) If I don't really want something, I don't bid on it in the first place.
>>2) I view this as a form of bid manipulation.
>>3) The items are going to be bid to their max anyway, regardless of
whether
>or not some Spridget Listers exchange secret handshakes. There ARE other
>registered ebay users not on this list just as interested in these items.
>>
>>Jay Fishbein
>>
>>
>>Brad Fornal wrote:
>>
>>> Well mine is Toyman*htcomp. I have noticed that Jay has not offered up
>his ebay name, or maybe I missed it. Must be a privacy thing :-)
><BG> Brad
>>>
>>> David Ramsey wrote:
>>>
>>> > Here I was just getting ready to put my rebuilt Lucas tach-drive
>generator with the tach drive on E-bay so I could send me and my sprite to
>Hawaii and retire. If anybody wants it I'll let it go for $5000, but I was
>hoping to get really big bucks for it. As to my bidding name "I forget".
>>> > Crash
>
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