Re: [Leica] Auctions in general

["Jeff S" <segawa@netone.com>]

After a good deal of hunting around at various auctions, I finally won two
bids from Onsale.com. I am not too thrilled by what I got! First of all, the
good stuff all gets bid up to within a few bucks of regular market prices,
and handling charges seem excessive. I did manage to get a fair deal on two
12V notebook computer power adaptors, one of which was in new condition and
cost me more in shipping and handling charges than anything else, the other
of which, sold as reconditioned, was grimy, dinged and had a break in the
wire. However, even after shipping, I paid around $20 and $25 each, and I
just priced out similar products at CompUSA, and saw prices around $100, so
maybe some allowances can be made...

But these were for older computers, and a person might be able to score
similar deals by rummaging through dealer sale tables.

Lately, I've really had mixed results in purchasing photo gear sight unseen:
I got an absolutely stunning deal on a Gitzo tripod from a New Zealander who
DHL'd it to me at no charge, and who insisted on knocking off a few more
bucks on account of a drilled-out plastic nut, which is a mod I'd have done
myself. And I purchased a Leica lens which turned out to have faint
scratches on the glass, an M body which turned out to have been dropped,
and, the other day, a Powerbook which was busted, as advertised, but also
missing a few screws, which was not.

How I smell trouble these days:

- -Seller is very brief on descriptions, volunteering little info, giving just
enough info to answer specific questions, or is evasive. I've decided that,
if I'm going to give someone $500, I want maybe a paragraph or two of
description if needed, not a couple of terse lines.

- -Seller won't clarify vague statements

- -Says that the item "seems to work" (run for the door)

- -Relies on a return policy in place of good descriptions

But I don't think dishonesty is where most of the problems lie, but rather,
it's a matter of the seller maybe assuming too much knowledge on the part of
the buyer (I found out the hard way that some buyers expect a used camera
body to include all original docs, hood, strap, etc), the seller not being
too observant himself, seller let someone else do the checking, or possibly
has some trouble focusing on small blemishes at close range.

On a happy note, my Powerbook was not busted at all--one of the missing
screws was essential to it's operation!

Jeff

- -----Original Message-----
From: Nathan Wajsman <nathan.wajsman@euronet.be>
>I have recently started hanging around the eBay auctions, and have even bid
>on some items. The other day I received the following message from eBay
>concerning an auction I was the high bidder in. Has something similar
>happened to you?
>