E-Bay Auction ended, I lost, BUT
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 1 of 21, 2
Author

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 5029
Joined: Oct 11, 2004
Last Visit: Jan 16, 2017
Location: Texas

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:54 pm 
 

8O Now the seller is asking me to take him-her up on a second chance offer.  :?

My Problem?  Not only was I NOT the winning bidder, but FIVE OTHER different bidders outbid me in this auction. And my last bid was a heck of a lot less than the other bids, which is why I lost of course, because I did not want to go that high. Now it seems that no one else really wanted to either... if so, then why did they bid at all? Are they just A-HOLES....??

Or, are some of those bidders actually the sellers using a different name....  :?:  bidding to rise the price up to astronomical levels....

I thought E-Bay would hunt you down and kill you for such actions? :roll:  Ummm... yeah... RIGHT......

And if not, then Why would the second chance offer drop all the way down to me at the SIXTH place :?:  :!:  

BTW: This is the second HUGE price auction in less than a month for which I was a bidder and I was asked to  :roll: make a second chance offer  :roll: on it. And in that other auction, I was lower than FOUR other bidders. I smelled a rotten fish and told them no thanks... Even though I was salivating on winning that Huge auction in the beginning and would gladly have paid my high bid for the lot anytime, if I were not concerned about Fraud....

  

User avatar

Sage Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 2480
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Last Visit: Mar 29, 2024
Location: Ohio, The land without sun

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:56 pm 
 

Aneoth,

Put a link to the auctions here.

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 5029
Joined: Oct 11, 2004
Last Visit: Jan 16, 2017
Location: Texas

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:11 pm 
 

Here is the URL copied from the auction
It is the GB Module ST1 'Up the garden path'

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... RK:MEDW:IT

I was planning to win this one for my personal collection. NOT For re-sale. The ONLY time I sell anything is if/when I have gobs of stuff when I win bids for Huge lots. Which is rare of late, as I bid only on itmes I have NONE of or have lesser copies of.

Here is the other one: A Truly HUGE collection. And I was actually going to drive down and meet the seller to pick the collection up, and then the bidding reall got silly and I bowed out... Then two weeks later I got the Second Chance Offer letter. Long story short the follow up letters scared me out of doing the deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... RK:MEWA:IT

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1255
Joined: Jan 01, 2003
Last Visit: Feb 18, 2024

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:28 pm 
 

After his wife "accidentally" bid on his auction, I think lupitaa lost credibility.  I don't think many of us would have touched that one, even if it were a pick-up.  

As for the ST1, I can think of only two explanations:
1) the seller has multiple copies of ST1 and is looking to make a lot of money very quickly,
or
2) something funny is going on...

  


Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 905
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Last Visit: Nov 09, 2015
Location: Karlsruhe, Germany

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:03 pm 
 

1) Welcome Aneoth, it's good to see you found your way to this forum! It seems, the paths of all collectors finalley end up here. It's great to see, what a place this forum has become.

2) On ST1: Either way, it's bad. If he has so many multiple copies, what does that mean for the value of ST1? I doubt it however. Harami2000 got an offer, too. My feeling is, that this is a huge rip off.


- "When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro."

Hunter S. Thompson (July 18, 1937 - Feb 20, 2005)



  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5777
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Mar 22, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:05 pm 
 

We warned you about the massive auction. And I remember saying "smells shitty" about St1. Face it, man, if it looks too good to be true..........
If you are willing to give them your money, good luck, man. You'll be damn lucky to get anything before they are LOOOONG gone.


If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

  


Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 905
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Last Visit: Nov 09, 2015
Location: Karlsruhe, Germany

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:19 pm 
 

Frank was and is right. Try ask him if he accepts escrow. If he declines, you know what's going on.


- "When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro."

Hunter S. Thompson (July 18, 1937 - Feb 20, 2005)



  


Long-Winded Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 3066
Joined: Jul 09, 2004
Last Visit: Apr 30, 2015

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:26 pm 
 

Just curious, how much were the 2nd-chance offers?

 YIM  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5777
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Mar 22, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:21 pm 
 

Aneoth, all teasing and joking aside, watch out for these idiots. Long-distance litigation is chancy at best, and very trying. $6,000 is a bit much to throw away. Even worse if it's an overseas individual who stiffs you. Just kiss the $$ goodbye.


If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1115
Joined: Aug 14, 2004
Last Visit: Nov 12, 2023
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:38 pm 
 

Aneoth wrote:8O Now the seller is asking me to take him-her up on a second chance offer.  :?

My Problem?  Not only was I NOT the winning bidder, but FIVE OTHER different bidders outbid me in this auction. And my last bid was a heck of a lot less than the other bids, which is why I lost of course, because I did not want to go that high. Now it seems that no one else really wanted to either... if so, then why did they bid at all? Are they just A-HOLES....??


Aneoth,  Hi and welcome...

Seems to me there is something fishy going on here.

As far as I am aware he hasn't contacted all the other bidders.  Plus at the same sime the auction was going on direct offers were being made to other bidders.....

Lucky I have one ....

 WWW  


Prolific Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 681
Joined: Oct 13, 2003
Last Visit: Aug 16, 2023
Location: Denver, CO

Post Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:22 pm 
 

My recommendation is to never accept a second chance offer.  There are too many things that can go wrong.

In cases where shill bids are suspected, e-mail all suspicious IDs and compare their responses, down to punctuation and word choice.

In cases where corruption is suspected, e-mail all other rival bidders you know to be "real people" and disclose your concerns.  Ask them if they have received similar contact.

In all cases, ask the seller about escrow, and also search their sale history; contact the other buyers of high-ticket auctions.  Ask them about the transaction, whether it was completed, and what was said to them.  They may be more forthcoming if you share your current concerns.

If any (any) red flags come up, cancel the transaction.  If the situation seems clean and they accept escrow, go for it ... if and only if you feel confident.  Consider using a PayPal credit card transaction which gives you more leverage if things go wrong.  If it seems clean and they don't accept escrow, cancel the transaction.

Due diligence, even paranoia, can save you thousands of dollars.  Don't feel that you absolutely have to accept the "deal of a lifetime."  There always will be another time.

  

User avatar

Long-Winded Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 3865
Joined: Feb 21, 2004
Last Visit: Jul 20, 2023
Location: Milford, Michigan

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:12 am 
 

No freaking way do I send that guy a $1,000!

If the auction got corrupted, he needs to relist. It is that simple.


And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

 WWW  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 269
Joined: Apr 11, 2004
Last Visit: Mar 24, 2008
Location: Clementon, NJ

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:33 am 
 

Ive accepted second chance offers before, I got my sw Red Arrow Black shield from one at a decent price too.  

I also use them myself in my auctions when I have more than one item and have had no problems with people accepting them.

I dont think the problem is with the method but with the seller(s) and if the seller is corrupt he can take you for a ride no matter what the method is.   For items that expensive escrow is definately the way to go, no way will I in my right mind send over that kind of money with no guarantees.

Ive been hosed by people for a lot less money than that...

darkseraphim wrote:My recommendation is to never accept a second chance offer.  There are too many things that can go wrong.

In cases where shill bids are suspected, e-mail all suspicious IDs and compare their responses, down to punctuation and word choice.

In cases where corruption is suspected, e-mail all other rival bidders you know to be "real people" and disclose your concerns.  Ask them if they have received similar contact.

In all cases, ask the seller about escrow, and also search their sale history; contact the other buyers of high-ticket auctions.  Ask them about the transaction, whether it was completed, and what was said to them.  They may be more forthcoming if you share your current concerns.

If any (any) red flags come up, cancel the transaction.  If the situation seems clean and they accept escrow, go for it ... if and only if you feel confident.  Consider using a PayPal credit card transaction which gives you more leverage if things go wrong.  If it seems clean and they don't accept escrow, cancel the transaction.

Due diligence, even paranoia, can save you thousands of dollars.  Don't feel that you absolutely have to accept the "deal of a lifetime."  There always will be another time.


"What can I get for $10?"

"Mint Rare and Shrinkwrapped-just pick that bar of soap up for us pls, we love you long time!"

 YIM  


Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 764
Joined: Feb 05, 2003
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2023

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:00 pm 
 

Howdy All,


After the Sutherland auction, the losing bidders for the lot of Tekumel sketches got second chance offers from an individual who did not have the same email address as I. If they had agreed to his offer they would have collectively given over $4,000 to the crook! The worst part was when I checked the list of potential Second Chance bidders, viewable only by the Seller, those two bidders were removed from the list!

I immeditately changed my password and notified the other bidders and eBay.


Futures Bright,

Paul


The Collector's Trove The online auction house that features the collections of game designers and artists.

 WWW  


Prolific Collector
Valuation Board

Posts: 681
Joined: Oct 13, 2003
Last Visit: Aug 16, 2023
Location: Denver, CO

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:17 pm 
 

Indeed - small-time offers are usually legit, but the chance of a scam goes up astronomically as the dollar value increases.  As a rule of thumb I maintain that second-chance offers should not be accepted - ask the seller to resell the item, because then it will be an eBay transaction and constrained by the usual public reporting / bidder network / feedback / PayPal / credit card / Safe Harbor resources.  It may be a pain for both buyer and seller, and you may not get that bargain you thought you would ... but it sure beats losing a lot of money.

Each successful scam insures that the scammer will try even harder in the future to score again.  Shut them down at the source.  It is of course the innocent 99% who suffer the most, but please exercise caution.  There is a reason why eBay attaches all of those warnings to sent messages:  People are being scammed every day, to the tune of millions of dollars a year.  Best to be safe - even when dealing with friends.  Just tell them they'll want the feedback anyway.   :P

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:51 pm 
 

Aneoth wrote:Here is the other one: A Truly HUGE collection. And I was actually going to drive down and meet the seller to pick the collection up, and then the bidding reall got silly and I bowed out... Then two weeks later I got the Second Chance Offer letter. Long story short the follow up letters scared me out of doing the deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... RK:MEWA:IT

thx for the follow-up, aneoth (and very good to see you here! :)).

I grilled the seller whilst the auction was still going and had just reached $1,000 thanks to <bookworm3461>.
Their response was
> "Yeah, its understandable.  I'm kind of weary now of this "bookworm"
> character for the same reasons many of you were cautious of me
> (maybe its a sabotage bid??).  I'm learning quick of the methods used
> in this world of E-bay.  Anyway, thanks for the regards, and I thank
> you for your interest.
>
> Best of Luck,
>
> Vince."

(I don't normally post private emails but given the later "second chance" offers have done so as a further ymmv "buyer beware" warning.
It could have been a deliberate sabotage, but given the other circumstances, I was extremely wary...).

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:06 pm 
 

Ralf Toth wrote:2) On ST1: Either way, it's bad. If he has so many multiple copies, what does that mean for the value of ST1? I doubt it however. Harami2000 got an offer, too. My feeling is, that this is a huge rip off.

I was getting offers from other UK sellers on eBay...
(And my previous comments about other copies in existence mean that my long-term "valuation" for a personal copy is somewhat lower than the current realisations and Acaeum "estimate").

(02 cents, as usual)
"Second chance" is a perfectly legit. method (well, eBay seems to think so!) for disposing of multiple copies without making this clear to the buyers whilst the auction is ongoing. Rather sneaky when used in this manner for rarer items, IMHO...
In the case of this particular ST1 auction, I don't know whether there is any obligation for the actual goods on (second) offer to match the scans provided (i.e. that the high-bidder backed out, rather than multiple copies being available).

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 5029
Joined: Oct 11, 2004
Last Visit: Jan 16, 2017
Location: Texas

Post Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:25 pm 
 

harami2000 wrote: Anyway, thanks for the regards, and I thank
> you for your interest.
>
> Best of Luck,
>
> Vince."

(I don't normally post private emails but given the later "second chance" offers have done so as a further ymmv "buyer beware" warning.
It could have been a deliberate sabotage, but given the other circumstances, I was extremely wary...).


I received several E-Mails directly from Vince also. And, afer some negotiations and while the auction was still hotly contested with me being the higher bidder at that time too, we had agreed that I would meet him in San Antonio, since they live in Brownsville Texas and I live in North Texas, San Antonio was sort of half way. We were both happy to do so; me to avoid a huge shipping bill; and him, to avoid carrying 22 boxes of stuff into the post office, or FedEx, or whomever. We seemed to hit it off well and the deal seemed to be concreted in (IF I had won the auction that is).

After the Auction was over (for 5.5 times my highest bid), I started getting e-mails that were BADLY written, the sender also (apparently) did not know of mine and Vince's prior arrangement for pick-up should I have won, ect... Hence my really bad feelings about the second chance offer....

I sent the second chance offer guy a threatening E-mail at the end stating that if he could not tell me the name of the person I was first contacted by and what our delivery arrangements were (The delivery/pick-up in San Antonio), that I would report him/her as a scammer to E-Bay. Never got a response.

I sent that same E-Mail to Vince too (To the E-Mail he first answered my inquiries from). He never wrote back either... not sure why, but it is not entirely surprising, since the auction was long over and he was probably already packing to move overseas, which was his reason for the auction in the first place....

  
Next
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 1 of 21, 2