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Post Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 8:49 pm 
 

When I said:

"If someone is willing to put their money down without taking the time to research the value, then that is the fault of the buyer and not the seller."



This was not a statement that references any value or relative value but was directed more at the opinion some have that new buyers are being suckered into overpaying for an item. The only time a buyer can be suckered is if an item is misrepresented or if the seller uses shady practices. When I say overpaying, I mean someone paying $50 for a common module (like a Q1) and not about someone paying $300+ for a rare item that is regarded as being worth $200-250.



-PD

  


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Post Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:04 am 
 

PurpleDragon wrote: The only time a buyer can be suckered is if an item is misrepresented or if the seller uses shady practices.





I agree for the most part, but your original sample was of an item that had been misrepresented:



PurpleDragon wrote:If Harrison's Comics in Salem, Mass (which is an outstanding collectable store if you ever get over to this neck of the woods) chose to put a $100 price tag on a copy of RPGA6 and someone bought it, is that any worse than Cougarrinard doing the same thing?





I assume you are referring to the "common" RPGA6 that was printed in Polyhedron.  To sell that separately without a disclaimer would be misleading especially in an online auction.  I get highly irritated when a seller makes false claims  :x

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Post Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:08 pm 
 

I do not see how just putting up for auction an RPGA6 and offering no other description or explanation as being shady or misrepresenting an item. However, if the seller states that the module is extremely rare and complete then he is misrepresenting the item. However, if a picture is posted and they have nothing more than "for auction/sale, the item shown below" there is nothing wrong with that because the seller is making no claim other than the selling of the item and nothing about condition or origins. Now if a potential buyer asks where the module came from and the seller states anything other than "I dont know; or it came from an issue of polyhedron" then he is being misleading.



-PD

  


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Post Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:24 pm 
 

Mmmmm unpunched H1.

He shoots. He scores!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3143366176



Nev

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Post Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:42 pm 
 

Well done Nev. Curse those 'USA-only' sellers.



On the subject of resellers, I have mixed thoughts. The main advantage I guess is what has already been mentioned above - once you've bought a couple of things from a particular seller then you get a good idea on the item quality you can expect, the reliability of the seller, etc.



The problem I have is with what constitutes 'market value'. If a reseller buys some items here and there, whatever he can get at a good price (based on his experience, knowledge etc) and can sell them for a profit, then good luck to him. The problem arises when a reseller can set the market value for a particular item. For example, with modules H1 and H3, there are relatively few of them in circulation. A fair market price might be $100 for H1, $40 for H3 (for arguments sake). Theoretically a reseller could bid on EVERY H1/H3 that came onto the market, and be willing to pay up to $200 for H1, and $100 for H3 - he normally wouldn't need to pay this much, but he makes sure he bids that high on every copy available.



When he sells, his opening bid price is also his limit - $200 for an H1, $100 for an H3. The reseller picks up every copy being sold by anybody but him for anywhere between $100/$40 and his limit, and the only way anybody else will get hold of a copy is to pay his asking price, either on his auction or over that much on anyone elses. He ensures a profit for himself, and he also sets an artificially-high market price - but even though it has been set artificially high, it is still the market rate for everybody except the reseller.



I would have thought this scenario would be pretty far fetched, but after watching the auctions for a while (I picked those two examples because I'm after a copy of each) I think it's what Cougarrinard (sp?) is doing.



The only way to beat him is to not buy from him, which I won't. Or sneak under his guard like Nev has done - there will be occasions when one will slip by without his notice (especially when the seller doesn't use either the code or the module name in the auction title).



Sorry for the long post, but it's the one thing that annoys me the most about collecting.



Regards



Mike

  


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Post Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2003 10:56 am 
 

Hey Mike, I'm in Australia too! - in Sydney

I'm always asking sellers if they're willing to ship to oz and I've only been turned down about twice out of maybe 50 emails.



Often (like for the H1) I might not even get a reply and I'll just put in a bid anyway. Most people are fine with that and if they weren't I think it's relatively easy for the seller to do an offer to the second highest bidder.



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Post Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2003 7:14 pm 
 

Hi Nev -



I find that too - a lot of sellers have USA-only as a default setting, but 9 out of 10 are more than happy to ship out here if you ask them first.



I was just wishing I'd seen that auction so I could have bid, but rather than blame my own incompetance I looked for a convenient scapegoat instead.



Regards



Mike

  


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Post Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2003 7:39 pm 
 

:-)



On a semi-related note, another silver anniversary box bites the dust :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?vi ... 3143503943



Gee I hate that.



Nev

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Post Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2003 1:13 am 
 

Debating whether to shell out the money to pick one up in shrink that i know about.  Already got one non-shrinkwrapped one.  I think I can talk the guy down to $30 if I try, its been sitting on the shelf for a LONG time.

  
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