In a message dated 10/22/2003 10:12:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time, brucerobbins@supanet.com writes:
<< Taken to its logical conclusion, your proposition would also mean a ban on all Ebay outings on the list. A quick check of the Archives reveals that you're a not infrequent "outer" of Ebay offerings. What's the difference here? I could understand your opposition if it was based on the fact (debatable) that Ebay auctions offer a degree of protection for the buyer and private invitations to make an offer don't but that's not your argument, is it? >>
I thought we have been through all this before but here goes...
The difference is that eBay "outings" have been ruled permissible on the CR and fishing the experts for top price on the CR is not. Like it or not, that's the deal.
eBay means that the highest bidder wins, that the products have to be sold and sold within certain time constraints once dangled in front of buyers. "Working" the CR list to maximize gain is not permissible. eBay does what it does very well and I do not want a parallel activity here on the CR list.
Just for the sake of discussion, why doesn't this seller have prices stated in his web site? He has solicited and received at least ten or so valuations offered to him directly by myself and others who are supposedly in the know. And he hasn't heard of eBay yet has a display on photos and descriptions on the web?
The cold fact is that he is conducting an auction of sorts, playing offer against offer to sell the bikes for as much as he can get. Don't misunderstand me, he is fully within his rights to sell those bikes any way he wants... Just not on the CR list.
Dale Brown
Greensboro, NC