great post, gilbert. come to think of it, in my line of work, i almost ALWAYS sell something i do not have. the client is investing in my time spent at some later date. i see a similarity to the ebay seller that was referenced at the genesis of this thread. e-RICHIE Richard Sachs Cycles No.9, North Main Street Chester, CT 06412 USA http://www.richardsachs.com Tel. 860.526.2059
On Sun, 17 Nov 2002 17:45:44 EST CYCLESTORE@aol.com writes:
> Hello Jan, Steve and all,
>
> Selling inventory you don't have.
> I think we would be suprised how many times some of the big mail
> order houses
> do this and it seems almost all manufacturers do this as a general
> course of
> business everyday.
>
> Most listee's would be suprised to learn that I have seen lots of
> the big
> bicycle mail houses selling things in this fashion on a day to day
> basis and
> I think this should actually be considered normal procedure and the
> large
> ticket in stock (ON THEIR PREMISES) items should be considered
> exceptions in
> many cases.
>
> I see nothing inherently wrong with selling something not in your
> personal
> inventory as long as your supply is reliable and delivery somewhat
> predictable. The problems start when these two elements are
> lacking.
>
> I import specialty bicycles from Europe regularly. It is very
> expensive with
> lots of overt and hidden up front costs. All my inventory is heavily
>
> customized for me or my customers. While I stock what I can I am
> actively
> selling on a daily basis. The factories I deal with have no surplus
> stock.
> It's a you buy, we will build arrangement. To keep costs down,
> quickens
> delivery and get the best price I pay for most of my product in
> advance and
> the saving are passed along to the ultimate owner. I have several
> credit
> lines with the manufacturers and banks but do not rely on them very
> much as
> bank charges on their end increases their cost (and mine and my
> customers
> prices) and bank charges on my end are very erosive to my puny
> bottom line.
>
> Do I sell what I do not have? Every day, Do I sell what I can
> deliver? Every
> day. D0 you pay in advance when you deal with a large mail-order
> concern that
> has not their advertised inventory? Most certainly sometimes, do you
> know
> that before or after the transaction, rarely. Many seem to be less
> than
> willing for an accurate disclosure.
>
> I recently received a very limitedly available (1 in the USA)
> frameset from a
> major mail order concern in the bicycle industry that stated it was
> in their
> warehouse ready to ship. They ship in stock parts overnight if
> needed so how
> suprised were we when an hour after the customer bought the frame
> (not
> through us but in our store on our phone), the rare item disappeared
> from
> inventory at the importers. Shipping departure time for the in stock
> frame
> next day departure started 6 days later and arrived 11 days after
> the
> transaction began. It was in a factory sealed box so no time delay
> in prep
> before shipping was performed. I call back was explained away as
> processing
> time.
>
> Deliberate misrepresentation is another matter; full disclosure
> however,
> where does it start and where does it end. I've had some customers
> demand I
> chase all over gods green earth for something obscure (none of the
> Cr's) and
> demand I supply everything from my mother's maiden name to my tax
> returns
> before they would want to transact business over the phone. All this
> and they
> will not supply a last name or phone number to me to even contact
> them or
> file the request, "I'll call back", they say. I tell em don't
> bother, I mean
> unless there is some legitimate concern I don't have time for
> foolishness. At
> our shop we have a constant backlog of real business and people that
> transact
> business in a business like fashion, and supply real name, address
> and phone
> numbers (personal information we do not sell or share).
>
>
> Endo rant!
>
>
> Gilbert Anderson
>
> The North Road Bicycle Company ( lots of stock, sometimes on hand )
> your bicycle outfitter
> 519 W. North St.
> Raleigh, NC 27603
> USA
> ph toll free in USA :800/321-5511
> Local ph: 919/828-8999
> E-Mail: cyclestore@aol.com
>
>
> In a message dated 11/17/02 10:25:39 AM,
> classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
>
> << Message: 8
>
> From: "Steve Neago" <questor@cinci.rr.com>
>
> To: "Jan Heine" <heine@mindspring.com>,
>
> <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>
> Subject: Re: [CR]Selling inventory that isn't - unethical ebay
> brokers/sellers
>
> Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 19:20:13 -0500
>
>
> <<Selling inventory that isn't: As long as the seller makes it
> clear
>
> that this is the case, I don't have a problem with it.>>
>
>
> I believe that ebay does have a problem with broker/seller auctions
> based on
>
> speculation where the broker does not have legal title nor
> authorization to
>
> put the item up for auction. I also view speculation auctions as
> deceptive
>
> to the potential buyer because they make available the bidders ebay
> name and
>
> possibly address contact info when they bid on an item that may not
> really
>
> available. This provides the unethical broker/seller with a
> marketing
>
> contact list without selling the item and without paying full ebay
> fees for
>
> future sales based on their names obtained through ebay.
>
>
> There are unethical sellers who place a highly desired auction item
> on ebay,
>
> set an extremely high reserve price that is not disclosed and likely
> not
>
> met, then troll for ebay bidder names to add to their third party
> sales mail
>
> list as the auction progresses. Other unethical sellers also use
> this high
>
> reserve amount method to avoid ebay auction fees on a high-bidder
> below
>
> reserve auction by contacting the bidders after the auction has
> ended and
>
> offering to sell the original or similar items outside of ebay to
> avoid ebay
>
> fees. Buyers who choose to go this route risk possible deception
> with no
>
> recourse for help from ebay, limited as it may be, because the
> transaction
>
> was completed outside of ebay.
>
>
> The following is taken from the current ebay user agreement...
>
>
> Ebay Listing and Selling.
>
> 5.1 Listing Description. You must be legally able to sell the
> item(s) you
>
> list for sale on our site. You must describe your item and all terms
> of sale
>
> on the listing page of our site. Your listings may only include
> text
>
> descriptions, graphics, pictures and other content relevant to the
> sale of
>
> that item.
>
>
> Regards, Steve Neago
>
> "Getting use to cold weather in Cincinnati, OH"
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Jan Heine" <heine@mindspring.com>
>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>
> Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2002 2:24 PM
>
> Subject: [CR]Selling inventory that isn't
>
>
>
> Selling inventory that isn't: As long as the seller makes it clear
>
> that this is the case, I don't have a problem with it. When I go to
> a
>
> bike shop to buy something, they often special-order it.
>
>
> If somebody finds a stash of stuff, but is afraid to buy because
> they
>
> don't know what the market value is, I don't mind if they propose
> the
>
> items, as long as they say "I think I can get this. Are you
>
> insterested?" Of course, publicly advertising something for sale
> that
>
> you don't own is a different story.
>
> >>