Dave asked:
"What do you make of this ebay auction approach: http://ebay.com/
I take it that you are just supposed to lay down your $99 and take whatever comes your way? maybe somebody else.
BTW, the seller "cyclo24" is OK, and I have even purchased things from them before, but this deal I am baffled by. Check it out and tell me what you think."
The positive side is that the odds of walking away a big winner are better than the lottery or most raffles for that matter. You are also guaranteed a consolation prize that will almost assuredly have an ultimate value well in excess of the price paid (how many Campagnolo items can you come up with that are not worth at least $2 each?). The negative side is that you have a very good chance to find yourself with the majority of the items in your selection that are of no value whatsoever to you and as he states are too small or insignificant as to make selling them not worth while. I have calculated that before selling something on ebay makes any sense whatsoever to me, I would need to clear at least $5,00 per item. This to cover my time in preparing the listing, responding to the questions, packaging, going to the mail, dealing with payments etc... Personally I would have preferred to have Carsten offer say 50 skewer levers in one selection, 50 tension springs in another...
His approach is not that silly and some 'dealer' could always buy the 145 lots still left for $14,455 and get himself the Bianchi the Delta brakes, the Super Record derailleur and get all the small parts needed for future sales. That is in effect what people like Baron Cruz of Renaissance who serve so many of us so well does.
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Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ