To LUGNET HomepageTo LUGNET News HomepageTo LUGNET Guide Homepage
 Help on Searching
 
Post new message to lugnet.market.auctionOpen lugnet.market.auction in your NNTP NewsreaderTo LUGNET News Traffic PageSign In (Members)
 Marketplace / Auctions / 639
  CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
Ok, is it just me, or does the e-bay style of auction actually encourage "unfair"(1) bidding practises? On about 2/3 of the auctions I've participated in, or followed, there has been a similar flow to the bids. Several people bid on it in the first (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.market.auction, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
James Brown ranted (or is it raved?): (...) Yes. (...) Not only that, but they all seem to end past midnight my time which means that people who work probably won't be up to compete in the sniping. (...) I like it when they answer their own (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
Yes, eBay's style of auctioning is perceived as unfair by many people (including me). Many other people don't see it as unfair. The bottom line seems to be that you can either play by eBay's rules, possibly hoping for something better; or you can (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
James Brown wrote in message ... (...) Sorry for clipping all that, but they are fairly common problems with eBay. We've basically exhausted this topic on RTL, although you do have very valid points. The late bidding thing gets into a lot of human (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Ah, a firm, solid agreement! (now, if only I could figure out which part of the sentence he was responding too...) Pet peeve: people who answer 'a or b' questions with yes. (...) been (...) I've noticed that part too, but I'm perfectly willing (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Peeve: people who ask a or b questions. (...) Hey, M:tG was still alive last time I checked. I should hope so, I've still got some :) Jasper (26 years ago, 9-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Well...to be fair, eBay /does/ have that 'bidding gnome' thing. The idea is that you tell it the maximum you want to pay for the set, and it does the bidding for you so you don't have to watch it. This is why the final bid is usually only the (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
Jeff Johnston wrote in message <36C0D5AC.3D7D0B2@me...ne.net>... (...) I think one of the key reasons they use that system is human nature. In other words, it is working fine--even better than fine, perhaps. Jesse ___...___ Jesse The Jolly Jingoist (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Mostly agree but I would count Rob Farver, Adam Yulish, Julie K and several others (yes, even Mike Stanley, that no account scoundrel! :-) ) as part of our gang. Consider them the exceptions that prove the rule as most sellers are not. (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
<snip> (...) I'd say more than 2/3. Almost all of the auctions I've been in as a buyer and a seller follow this pattern. (...) Remember that in a proxy bidding system such as eBay, the highest bid is defined as "just a little more" than the second (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I think there may be more than you think. I for one, use an alias because I didn't like having my email address as a handle. I also see eBay much like a swap meet. Lots of sellers, trying to get alot of money for junk. Occasionaly you find (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I've been lurking on this thread but I have to jump in here. (...) It's very simple: Because people don't know what they're willing to pay. They think they're mad at the other bidder, but what they're actually mad at (without usually knowing (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) been (...) a (...) bid (...) I know that. My point was two-fold. One was that the system encouraged waiting until the last minute to knock the other bidder out, instead of allowing him time to reconsider his 'proxy' - as in the example I (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) me. (...) Can't argue with that. I treat e-bay like I would treat a really big garage sale. By all means, I'll browse it and see if there's anything worthwhile, and if I can't find a friend or a charity that'll take my old junk, then I'll try (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
<snip> (...) I agree that [eBay's] system has more than a few loose hoses, but designed for the cashflow and glory of the designers and sellers? All the grumbling about eBay doesn't point to very much glory, and the cashflow would be higher if eBay (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I guess there's no reason why you couldn't do that in lugnet auctions, if you tell the seller how much you'll go up to, and the seller is willing to do the auction that way. Simon (URL) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Sure, look at how successful the whole thing is from Wall Street's point of view: eBay's stock has been trading in the $200-$300 range for the past two months. On the day of their IPO last November, several people became instant millionaires (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) (for (...) Well perhaps it's just me being suspicious because I'm new to all this and not really used to internet auctions yet, but one thing that does worry me about lugnet auctions, where everything is controlled totally be the seller is - (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Good point. We haven't had many shills here (or at least we certainly don't know that we have :-) Warning, circular argument!) I prefer auctions where the bidders are made public, of course. But I think in this tight little community it comes (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) The other trouble is, if I'm bidding in multiple auctions, my maximum bid in one auction depends on what I end up spending in other auctions. So I can't (always) put an absolute maximum bid on a lot, and then just wait to see how it turns out. (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
Yes James, You are a hypocrit (not a word I normally need to spell). I here nothing good about ebay and have never looked at the site and your comment (5) doesn't help to get rid of ebay. The best thing we can all do is: when people post a message (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I agree wholeheartedly with the "more honest" option, but I do so because it renders someone else's "dishonesty" ineffective. They can spend all the time and money they want. Against me, it is either enough or it isn't. No extra money or time (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I have a question about this. Is using a shill illegal, or just evil? (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Yeah. (...) Well, at least you've got your priorities straight. (...) I doubt that this is a huge group. (...) Unfortunately, those 'morons' are right. (...) I assume some of them are in this group too, but not the majority. (...) Right, (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
<snipped a lot of stuff that has already reached conclusion> (...) I agree. I find that the former appear when selling unusual items, and the latter appear when selling big items. The rest tends to even out. (...) I think (2) only occurs when the (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Fair enough. :) Relatively few people receive that cashflow from eBay's operation/existence. Many more receive cashflow and/or save time by finding the items they've been looking for, so I don't consider eBay's money-making for its owners a (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  shills on eBay
 
(...) I think it depends on the auction format and location, but for the most part I believe it falls into the "just evil" category. For those of you that didn't know, if you run an eBay auction without a reserve price, you *are* allowed to bid on (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) <more snipping> (...) Oh, I'm not arguing against the minimum incriment! My point is that its a very seductive trap that e-bay uses (and most auctions, to be fair) to get more money out of the marks. Most people, everytime they're outbid, they (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I certainly understand your point of view, but to me, the "big evil" of e-bay is not buying from it, but selling to it. (I go into more detail on other posts - I'll spare people yet another explanation. For now. :) ) Selling on e-bay sends (...) (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) And one that appears, I believe, because the seller agreed to give eBay a bigger cut (someone correct me if I'm wrong). (...) Nope. Profiteers will just claim a set is complete, without having fully verified the contents. Steve (26 years ago, 10-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Unless they've changed things (and they may very well have), the "hot" graphic appears after an item incurs a certain quantity of bids. (...) I *hope* that becomes the biggest problem. It's much easier to determine how reliable a lego seller (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
<snip> (...) And that I have no explanation for. I agree 100%, but I cannot explain this "seduction", nor why it happens to some people and not others. <snip> (...) I understand (and thank you! :) but if using an external auction service is (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
<snip> (...) Honestly, I don't know, but I can't imagine it would be any other way. (...) <laughing> To me, that's the seller equivalent of the same problem I have with griping about being outbid at the last minute. Unless some really unusual (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, bwappo@ee.net (Adam Yulish) writes: [...] (...) I wonder if there are exceptions to this... Certainly if someone has a brand new 6074 Black Falcon's Fortress which typically goes for (say) $100- $150 in auctions, and (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) ^^^...^^^ (not a flame, just a comment) Please be careful about the phrase "lugnet auctions" -- I think what you really meant here is "auctions conducted in the lugnet.market.auction newsgroup." "LUGNET auctions" don't yet exist, but will (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) I guess the question there (eBay) is -- if you bid on your own thing on eBay, does it show up as a bid from you, the seller? A seller bidding on his/her own item at eBay shouldn't be evil (still dumb, maybe, but not evil) -- *if* it's clear to (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Yes, they have. I know of at least one commercial product produced to allow you to do just that and more. (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I suppose exceptions are possible, but other than momentary fluctuations, The general "level" of set worth continues to be pretty even across the board. (...) <Adam digresses for a moment> Are you serious? The 6807 is worth *that* *much*? It (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) I would never shill. I did put a reserve price on the auction, though. Maybe one that is too high, given the slow bidding, but then again most eBay bidding takes place in the last few hours/minutes. I used to hate reserve prices, and I still (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) Yes it does. I was researching a seller's previous items sold and noticed once that the seller was also the high bidder on an item. I questioned the seller and his reply was that a friend without Internet access wanted the item so he placed (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Speaking as someone who has sold stuff in many places (RTL, Lugnet, Yahoo!, eBay, my own websites, etc) it wouldn't frustrate the hell out of me. Don't make the assumption that the only people selling on eBay are outsiders that the rest of our (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I've bought several Lego items through eBay. Larry says about 20% of his stuff is coming from eBay. I know other people, including other fairly heavy buyers, do the same. Exactly who gets to decide who is and who isn't part of this community (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Hmm, Good point. I would be inclined to argue that the good you bring into the community more than outweighs the (contestable) detriment of using an outside auction service. Actually, it would be more than an inclination - I am arguing it. :) (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) Don't jump to conclusions... I would be inclined to give the seller the benefit of the doubt. As a case in point, easily 1/3 of the items I bid on in Auczilla VIII were for 'off-line' friends, and that jumped to about 1/2 of my bids for (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Whoa! Back up a second there! I neither said nor implied any such thing! What I _did_ say was that I treat e-bay like I treat a garage sale. A place to get Lego. What I _did_ say was that selling through e-bay takes Lego out of the community. (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) benefit (...) The point I was illustrating (not clear enough, sorry) was not to assume the guy was lying about his off-line friend. James (URL) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I may have misunderstood what you said before and responded in a rather offended tone in a previous post. Forgive me if it offended you. But I don't agree with this either. If a set will sell for $100 on RTL but might go for $150 on eBay (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Thanks again :) Yet if using an outside auction service is detrimental, then it doesn't matter how how much good I do--I'm still responsible for detrimental actions. Which is why the question of detriment is important. (...) Ahhh...I think (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  reserve prices on eBay
 
<snip> (...) That is precisely the kind of situation for which a reserve price is meant. I'm usually not a fan of reserve prices either, but they are indeed a good alternative to high minimum starting bids, as you pointed out. <snipped him pointing (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) That just demonstrates the level of insanity some completists can achieve. :) To some a set is worth the some of its parts. To others the set as an entity has value that far outweighs the sum of its parts. I fall into one of those groups. :) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, bwappo@ee.net (Adam Yulish) writes: [...] (...) I don't know if it's -worth- that much, but I was happy to get it for $400. (...) But the box and instructions were in mint condition. Essentially, I paid $395 for the box (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Is it sold by eBay? ;-) --Todd (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) How is that a case in point? You didn't sell anything in AucZILLA VIII -- I did. (And I've never shilled, and never will.) --Todd (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) OK cool, that's what I thought you probably meant. It certainly was clear for anyone who's been around for a while. I just wanted to point out in no uncertain terms for the record (since there are always new people coming online and getting up (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  "the community"
 
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, galliard@shades-of-night.com (James Brown) writes: [...] (...) [...] Ultimately, that's what LUGNET is designed to evolve into -- so that you wouldn't have to say RTL/LUGNET or LUGNET/RTL or "all AFOLs online," etc. But (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) No problem. I flared up too. (...) Understood. I would just prefer that the buyer who gets it is someone who participates online. From what others have said, about half the winning bids go to people who don't participate in RTL or Lugnet, and (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) If it is it isn't obvious. I forget the name of it now, but I will look for it and post it. It has a function that allows you to snipe, I do remember that. Oh, here it is. (URL) Unofficial listing of weekly US Lego Shop at Home phone specials (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) If he was the high bidder what difference does it make? It was his set, and he was the high bidder. He still had to pay the eBay fee, I bet, so if he did sell it to his offline friend things worked the same as if he had sold it to the second (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: "the community"
 
[Crossposted from lugnet.off-topic.debate with followups set to lugnet.admin.general] (...) I think the French newsgroup fr.rec.jeux.lego is going to pass. When it was being discussed in fr.usenet.forums.evolution last month, the CFD received quite (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, lugnet.admin.general)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) (Guess you read this before I posted later that I may have slightly misinterpreted what you were saying.) (...) Well, I'm not PO'ed about it, but I'd say I didn't "accuse" you of "saying" anything. I misunderstood PART of what you actually (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Although in this case, completism was 100% of the motivation, it's not always about completism. For example, Suz and I were bidding on an extremely rare old '75 Wild West set, (URL) an auction Matt Chiles held about a year ago. The set was (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) I'm snipping everything else because for this post at least I want to focus on this thought that using an outside service is even possibly detrimental to the community. Sorry to be blunt, but do you know what the hell you're talking about when (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Yeah, in a way it is. The sad thing is, I almost bought it a while back just because I liked the thought of having a little window open with all the auctions I was watching that is updated on a regular basis. The sniping function wouldn't be (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) You're right, I haven't. To-date, I've done nothing more complicated than a straight sale. I am gearing up for a small set auction, and am considering if the amount of work that would go into a parts auction is worth it to me. I am aware that (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) --Todd (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) On my desk, but that's it :) Does anyone have a spare 6067 flag? :) Jasper (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Sorry - yes, that is what I meant. (...) Cool! I'll look forward to that. Simon (URL) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) That's rather sad. A box of Beta currently goes for... $2000, I think. Possibly more. Arabian Nights go for $4000, which is totally silly - I calculated once what cards you'd get out of it (pretty good guess, as in each box you get 120 out of (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) designed for bastards ripping people off. Why would they not also get a warez version of the program? Jasper (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Here is some background info: (URL) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Seriously, we're all (well, I am anyway) eager to start dumping a cut into your projects. (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Steve (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) But the idea with computerized sniping is you can fire off a low bid late enough in the game, that no one will be able to react in time (even another computer -- it won't be informed of the change soon enough). If the item is already bidded (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) Because adding bids increases demand for the item. So any bidding activity from the seller is suspect. It's a matter of trust. I have a friend who sells at craft fairs. She reports that the thing that increases her sales volume is to have (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Something to think about: even with proxy bidding, you will, over time, get lower totals on winning-bids in eBay auctions if you do not bid until the last second. Why? - Proxy bidding isn't perfect. - Not everyone uses proxy bidding properly. (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Crowds & garage sales
 
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, blisses@worldnet.att.net (Steve Bliss) writes: [...] (...) [...] I've noticed that sort of thing too! Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. :) Last summer, the nextdoor neighbors had a garage sale and asked us if we had (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
<snip> (...) I don't see the relevance of the first two, but I think both partss of the third are spot-on. However, I think the monetary difference is negligible. Adam bwappo@ee.net (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Dual value sets in a single legonomic system
 
<snip> (...) I can't fault that. That's not my thing, but that doesn't make it any less legitimate, and obviously it works very well for you (and many others). It does have an effect on legonomics, which I'll go into in a moment.... <snip> (...) A (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Whoops, I think I may have worded what I said poorly. I meant that of the e-bay auctions where I put in a serious bid, I lately have been winning about 20%. That was an off the cuff number, I have not analysed in detail. I'd say that eBay (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Well, I'm certainly no expert with the program, but I did use the trial version for a few days and it does make monitoring auctions more convenient. The trial version also doesn't allow you to snipe. As for a pirated version, I'm sure there is (...) (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Well, 5% from you is like 50% of a normal person's purchases. :) At least last year's. (26 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Surely you're not trying to imply that people who are fans of Lego but don't take part in on-line discussion groups are any less deserving of buying Lego? (I know that's not implied by your definition of 'community', which I think is (...) (26 years ago, 12-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  MSRP? Tangential question Was(re CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
Todd Lehman wrote: <major snippage> (...) 1975 and that it cost 8.85 pounds MSRP. Why not either show the price in USD converted, or show it in pounds? Or is that a future enhancement? (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, lugnet.admin.database)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
I am not sure I'd call it a "shill" but I think it's reasonable, if you decide to run a joint RTL/eBay auction, to set up another id, post feedback stating that it is a proxy for the high RTL bidder and that you'll tell who if emailed (tough to do (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) I think that's a good idea. (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: MSRP? Tangential question Was(re CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) Yes, showing MSRP in non-US$ is a future enhancement... (But conversion is not; aside from temporal eddies in the exchange rates, things may simply cost more or less in another country... For example, in Germany this year you can buy for DM (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, lugnet.admin.database)
 
  Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
 
(...) No, I wasn't trying to imply that, although I may have inadvertantly (rereading back on the thread). It might be (arguably) less good for the community, but certainly not "bad" - anything that keeps our favorite toy in circulation sounds (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) I think it is a fair idea (meaning that the process is a fair one). I don't believe that this is consistent with eBay's terms of use. Each ID must be a real person (not quoting the exact language of course). In fact eBay policy is changing on (...) (26 years ago, 21-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: shills on eBay
 
(...) I personally wouldn't care if it were consistent with the terms of use. In fact, I e-mailed people like this long before I ever created an active eBay user account, just because people used their e-mail addresses as their user-ids. Now that I (...) (26 years ago, 21-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

©2005 LUGNET. All rights reserved. - hosted by steinbruch.info GbR