Ethics/Morality of misrepresenting eBay auctions

[eeTHr]

cnbarr---

I highlighted that quote from MysticColby, to put it in an already opened reply box. I have no idea why your name got on it. :?:

I was just trying to be brief with some thoughts.



Another factor in markup is called "Value Added." There are several types of value which can be added to a purchased product when reselling. Some examples are time, location, quantity, form, and transaction method.

Time: If someone has a product which is immediately available, it has more value to the buyer if nobody else has the same product ready to sell or ship.

Location: If someone has the same product available locally, when others are far away and require large shipping charges plus maybe import tariffs, then the local product itself has more value to the buyer.

Quantity: If a seller makes the product available in small quantities, it is of more value to a buyer who doesn't require large amounts, than is the same product in larger quantities.

Form: If the product is somehow improved to better suit the buyers needs, then it is of more value to the buyer.

Transaction method: If it is easier for the buyer to deal with one source, rather than "jump through hoops" with other sellers, that adds value to the product itself. This can also include the seller's reputation and warranty, plus before- and after-sales support.

...Just more things to think about concerning real value.



To sum up my opinion on the subject eBay items, I feel that there is obviously something wrong there---because so many people think that the value is simply not even close to being there, and that the seller should certainly know that. When there are too many complaints, something isn't right somewhere.

 

[MysticColby]

eeTHr and cnbarr, I was confused by that confusion as well

ebay should really let us post comments on other people's auctions. these comments would be visible to other potential bidders.
I could see how it might be abused, but I'd bet it would do more good for preventing scammers and deceivers than backfire on honest people.

 

[patnor1011]

I do not agree.
Sellers are punished enough. Mainly not being able to give negative to dishonest buyers. Try to start selling and you will see how many are out there. I do have about 200 people on my block buyer list where I had negative experience when they tried to scam or just rob me. Do you know how many times I dealt with buyers who wanted steal from me? Do this or that or I will leave negative and such? Even now and then someone try to tell me they got empty CD and want money back. I have to ask them to send me that empty CD back so I can refund them. And guess what? Not one bothered to do so even that I offered them refund extra postage they will pay for mailing me my CD back. I had to start sign my CD to make sure they return me correct one. :lol:
You do want to comment on other people auctions even that you are not willing to buy? Who we are some Moral certification Authority?
I hope you meant that as joke.
There is mechanism in place on eBay where you can report fake or misleading auctions and if eBay will not take it down so be it, it is just you or your conscience which disagree with what is listed.

 

[Calg5]

I fully agree with Patnor's comments on the previous post. I have also dealt with unreasonable buyers on e-bay. About a year ago I listed some ceramic chips for gold recovery and stated very clearly that the chips were unsoldered from various boards and that there was still some residual solder on the pins. The successful buyer messaged me that it was my responsibiltiy to clean up the pins as he wanted to sell the chips as collectibles. Sometimes you can make things fool proof but you cannot make them idiot proof. He refused to pay when I told him that I would not do that.

 

[eeTHr]

For every business, there is a percentage of customers who are "professional complainers." I started referring to each of them as "Nota Customer," and decided that if they were not a customer, then why deal with them?

My best guess is they think that everyone is out to cheat them, so it's only fair that they cheat everyone they can, and/or that the "really smart" people cheat as much as they can as a way of life, so they want to be "really smart," too.

As was said above, they come up with some really nutty reasons why you should give them free stuff!

 

[MysticColby]

yeah, you're probably right on the comment thing.

browsing reddit, thought this was perfect for this discussion:
http://imgur.com/yoZHh

 

[Geo]

just to keep balance in the discussion, i would like to comment. if a seller accurately describes what they are selling and the buyer assumes it to be something its not is one thing. we are talking about deception and misleading descriptions. if i were to melt a bunch of gold plated jewelry (or pins) and pour a bar, i could without regret list it as gold bearing scrap. if i add in the listing that gold content was unknown, so much the better, it tends to peak the imagination of people to try and find out what it contains and drive the bids up. to alter the true appearance by shining or polishing and casting in a yellow light or down right coating it with gold or even gold paint is deception. this is what sticks in my side. any member here thats been on the forum awhile and done any reading would see right through it for what it truly is.

 

[etack]

to alter the true appearance by shining or polishing and casting in a yellow light or down right coating it with gold or even gold paint is deception. this is what sticks in my side. any member here thats been on the forum awhile and done any reading would see right through it for what it truly is.

That is what bothered me the most too.

Eric

 

[patnor1011]

This is where my comment apply. Educate yourself.
No matter how much of light or polishing will go in, one educated person will know that even polished brass will be looking like gold. And if you will see that they are from melted pins you know what is on the table.
I was the same and went out on car boot sales buying cutlery for what they asked. I just saw hallmarks so I assumed they are silver. I was happy thinking I do have pile of silver bought for half price.
Then I got book with hallmarks and went on to find out how old are some of my treasured forks and spoons only to find out that they were silver plated. Should I be angry on sellers? They told me yes, they are silver... Technically they were silver (plated). Always read the fine print. Just watch ads for easy fast cash loans when in need, they are so professional and tempting. Then stop screen when fine print appears only to see that they charge something like 3574% APR.

What is misrepresenting? I think we need to see that from both view. OP looks at it from buyers point of view. If you buy you want it cheaper. If you sell you want to sell for more. Trade will take place only when both parties will be happy.
I would say it is only matter of time till sellers of these gold drops will slowly disappear. It will be the same as with 1grain bars, gold plated mini coins, gold flakes... Every of those had a sort of a boom when not enough people were educated and when more people found out what it is they stopped buying. Yeah there will be occasional few going for that stuff but you cant save everyone. As it was mentioned some people just need to get burned to make them to start thinking, same as happened to me with silver plated cutlery.
Remember one thing also. You can say your view, present your moral values - show others who you are. You can NOT force others to accept your values or beliefs. That would be just wrong. To say that someone is wrong or crook just because you do not agree with what he do - you can present your opinion to others but you can NOT force others to accept it as standard.
Most of you know what happened with my eBook. It is something little bit different from this situation but even that I was able to prove it was my work which I gave out here for free that person claimed it was his work. He is still selling that and practically stealing. What is my point in mentioning this? Quite a few people told me that world is like that, people are bad and I should learn to live with that.
So instead of looking for what is living in accordance to our moral standard we should focus on matter at hand which is refining. Forum grows and with more members there is more competition in scrap collecting, selling or refining and tension is growing. It seems to me that people started to jump on each other for every reason they can, just to show how better they are than all the others.
This is not Ethics/Morality forum and for funny eBay auction we have appropriate thread.
Discussing this is enormous waste of time and space.

 

[patnor1011]

yeah, you're probably right on the comment thing.

browsing reddit, thought this was perfect for this discussion:
http://imgur.com/yoZHh

Not really. Here is seller point of view or how some people might view this and how different it may be from your view.
She was not awesome for no reason.
You were not educated buyer and bid way too much for something which was clearly not worth that much. You liked them but she felt that even sending you two of them, will leave her with profit. Do not fool yourself that she gave you something extra out of her pocket.
Another thing worth to think about is that this might be seller advertisement. She did that to see positive feedback and to have somebody to do free advertising for her for long time.
She also protected herself as you might meet with somebody or find on internet or somewhere that they are being sold for fraction of what you paid and become angry.
Do not take me wrong, but this is common practice with sellers. I sell something as buy it now for 3.99 and I listed few of the same for 1.99
You know what happened? I had quite few of people who instead of educate themselves or investigate a bit just bid like mad and I sold few for over 10$ even that I had the same thing listed for 3.99
I just protected myself from their anger as they will turn anger towards me instead of thinking how ^$£&%$ they were so I sent them something extra or refunded a bit of price. It was not any bleeding heart action, I was not sorry for them as it was their laziness or %^$(& or call it however you want - I was just protecting myself as people tend to blame others even for their own mistakes. :lol:

 

[maynman1751]

So instead of looking for what is living in accordance to our moral standard we should focus on matter at hand which is refining. Forum grows and with more members there is more competition in scrap collecting, selling or refining and tension is growing. It seems to me that people started to jump on each other for every reason they can, just to show how better they are than all the others.
This is not Ethics/Morality forum and for funny eBay auction we have appropriate thread.
Discussing this is enormous waste of time and space.

 

[Palladium]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d04POZtvKNQ[/youtube]

 

[qst42know]

The ultimate misrepresentation.

Where's the link for his e-book? :roll: :lol:

 

[Geo]

an obvious paid advertisement by Shor international.

 

[jimdoc]

He is probably the new Shor technical support guy.

Jim

 

[acpeacemaker]

That is obviously a man that drinks his solutions.

 

[etack]

an obvious paid advertisement by Shor international.

If it is they should rethink their spokesperson. watch his other videos. :lol: :lol: :lol:

He is probably the new Shor technical support guy.

Jim

You e-mail him questions and he puts it in his thought cavity for awhile then the answer comes to him in his portable one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ter2AF8fiI&list=UUuFBe_iXIGtcvTvBTzoLz-w&index=8&feature=plcp

That is obviously a man that drinks his solutions.

With his non toxic sub zero :lol: :lol:

this is what make Youtube great.

Eric

 

[maynman1751]

I think this guy has been in the mushrooms! :lol: :roll:

 

[butcher]

Wow non-toxic HCl and nitric acid to make aqua regia, so you will not have toxic chemicals in your house.
Shor’s poor-mans fertilizer, and the plastic bucket is only going to cost him around $595.00
He still has a few things to learn.
Just wait until he learns he can go to the feed store and buy this fertilizer, a heck of a lot cheaper.

 

[ericrm]

this post has giving me an idea

i will post an item on ebay will those rules: i will not cheat on the picture(i will show the item the way it is),i will not lie about the item(i will not use word to trick poeple like : buy this solid gold bracelet (when solid mean the construction and not the metal composition.....i think you understand) , i will not educate(steve already sell dvd for that)
we will see the result in a week

sounds good? your comment will be apreciated

the result: i got one bite but i lost money on my item didnt get high enuf... of course nobody will complaint that i got ripped off by a buyer who new the value and didnt offer me an decent price ouside ebay :lol:

on the other hand i have calculate my last 16 buy on ebay and 6 of them was not a describe or defective... 1/3 of product wasent worth to buy... it made me realise that IM also buying crap over ebay without knowing it real value... :roll: