Re: [Leica] OT:A note about third party ebay notifications

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com>]

Javier wrote:
> 
> Hi Everyone
> 
> I'm posting this across several lists
> 
> I've noticed that several members on different lists have been alerting the
> list users about related items on Ebay. I realize that those doing
> this are acting out of a genuine desire to be helpful to fellow listers.
> But in reality, most all listers are perfectly capable of finding those items
> without help. Furthermore this practice expands the bidder pool
> and drives up prices. This is not fair to those who took the time to
> conduct a search for the item in question. In fact the only one who
> benefits from this is the seller. Furthermore, people who act on a tip
> are more likely to bid impulsively ,often driving prices out of the
> bounds of reality. This is bad for all of us, even those in the high-bucks
> equipment groups.  I hope no one takes offense at this. It;s well intentioned.
> I too posted a few of these -Hey look at what I found at Ebay-  ads.
> until I realized that I was only doing free advertising for someone
> else and worse yet was helping to drive up prices. I'de like to suggest that It
> might be a good idea if we  all agreed not to post references or links to Ebay
> items until the auction has ended, unless it's our own item in which case it would
> be a FS: ad posted according to the list rules.
> Javier

This is exactly how I feel about this topic Javier, which was discussed as a
result a month or so back quite lividly!!!
But as E bay references have not been many perhaps our point was made.
We are not Ebay helper.
And this is not the Ebay support group for spectacular obvious consumption. Or
most other lists.
Ebay is certainly blossoming without our echos! (As I posted you).
Mark Rabiner