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Subject: 
Re: CFD: e-bay (aka ranting and raving)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 04:38:19 GMT
Viewed: 
637 times
  
Adam Yulish writes:
I understand (and thank you! :) but if using an external auction
service is detrimental to the lego community, and I am using an external
auction service, then that implies that I am detrimental to the lego
community. This is an important implication. I'm not taking that
personally; just defining what this idea leads to.

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. :)

First, prices on e-bay are higher, and that inflates the price of non-retail
Lego beyond what the community sees the value as being.  That means that we
all "pay" extra every time a set gets more 'valuable'.  Inflation is >> • inevitable, but it should be related to availability, not to profit. ( I
realize that I am arguing an ideal)

I agree with your ideal completely, but I don't think that availability
is waning. And lego already costs too much off the shelf, and it doesn't

That was my point - the inflation in price is not being matched by a drop in
availability; that makes it an "unjustified" inflation.  (stopping here to
avoid getting into discussion about the nature of economies)

pieces hiding in basements, closets, attics, etc., and so the
opportunity to "work" one's way in by scouring garage sales, auctions,
etc., is still very much alive. That's how I got in, and how I continue
to grow my collection.

Conceded...I do that too :)

Second, every time someone not part of the Lego community buys a set, it
effectively disappears forever.  So each time a set is sold outside the
community, that set becomes harder to find, and the price goes up.  Again,
we all pay.

If the availability of lego were limited, I'd agree with that. But
there's too much lego. The Yellow Castle is supposed to be one of the
"holy grails" of castle lego collectors. Five of them have sold on eBay
in the last two months. To be sure, some sets are much harder to find
and are "worth" a lot more than others, but I think that for every
"export" comes a garage sale find.

Hmm, It's my feeling that the entry rate is dropping, but that's just a
feeling, and nothing to base an arguement off of.

OTH, seen any Guarded Inn's lately?  ;)

Like you said, this may be where we need agree to disagree. While we
both put community before profit, I don't see pursuing profit as
detrimental to the community.

Ok. :)  At least we can agree on what's important!

I'm off to build...er, bed, for the night

James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/



Message has 3 Replies:
  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)
  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)
 
(...) 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)

Message is in Reply To:
  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)

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