Re: [Leica] Ebay -- fact or fiction!

["Bryan Caldwell" <bcaldwell@softcom.net>]

Be careful! Offering to sell something that you don't own or haven't been
given the power to sell as an agent for the real owner could land you in a
world of trouble. In most jurisdictions, I believe that posting an item for
bids on EBay is considered a binding offer to sell at the highest bid (or
the highest bid if a reserve price is met when the auction is a reserve
auction). If there is a high bidder and you can't deliver the item, the
bidder would likely have cause for legal action against you if they chose to
pursue it. Not to mention that federal authorities are already monitoring
internet auction sights for sellers who take bids on items that they really
don't have for sale.

EBay is not perfect, but there are good deals there for those who are
careful and do their homework. There are many LUG members, including myself,
who have gotten very good deals on EBay (I picked up a beautiful, late-model
Leitz 1C with extras for $240). But to discuss or suggests schemes where
sellers offer items for sale that they don't own and don't yet have the
power to sell is likely criminal and undermines the entire purpose of a site
like EBay. It's nothing short of an attempt to scam prospective buyers.


Bryan


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 7:35 PM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Ebay -- fact or fiction!


> What if the store sells it before you get a chance to buy it ;-)
>
> ----------
>
> Here's a thought.   Who don't you visit your neighborhood used leica
> dealer, see what they have for sale.   List the stuff on ebay (but don't
> buy it yet), setting a reserve at the best price you can get at the
dealer,
> and then, if and only if, the stuff sells on ebay, actually buy the stuff
> from the store and ship it yourself to the eBay buyer.
>
> Dan C.
>
>
>