|
Post by Xorren Hedrasii on Mar 19, 2006 8:59:20 GMT -5
We all know and love the website Big Yellow Box, to fufill our cheap saber needs. Well appearantly someone on Ebay loves BYB for it's ability to produce nice looking sabers that you can't tell are cheap in small photographs. My friends an colleagues I give you, THE SCAM! attempt at humor. If this doesn't put a smile on your face, or some sort of annoyance in your heart, I think you may have the emotions of a dead bantha. cgi.ebay.com/Custom-made-LightSaber_W0QQitemZ6614892768QQcategoryZ99971QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
|
|
|
Post by Seda Navilli on Mar 19, 2006 9:36:53 GMT -5
Yeps, welcome to the world of greed we occupy. The most depressing thing is that some kid is most likely to spend all his money buying it
|
|
|
Post by Xorren Hedrasii on Mar 19, 2006 9:50:38 GMT -5
I just wish there was some way that we could notify the general public about this.
|
|
|
Post by kivaanzion on Mar 19, 2006 10:05:11 GMT -5
Well not to sound crass, but it would be that poor kid's own fault if he used the BIN for this.
The seller makes no claim that this is screen-used, or better in any way than it appears. The title is "Custom made" which clearly means that it is homemade (notice the description does not say "professionally made"). It isn't really up to him to educate the novice buyer as to the quality of the craftsmanship- just whether or not the item has any defects (which he kinda covered by saying "lightly used"). It is also not up to the seller to tell the buyer how much the item "might really be worth".
Really it is up to the buyer to ask questions and do some research on their own before plunking down a hefty amount of money like that. There are many items on ebay that may not necessarily be a scam- but are certainly overpriced. Kinda like paying too much for a used car, or antique item- there are no laws against that.
|
|
|
Post by Johann Shinobi on Mar 19, 2006 11:42:11 GMT -5
Well not to sound crass, but it would be that poor kid's own fault if he used the BIN for this. The seller makes no claim that this is screen-used, or better in any way than it appears. The title is "Custom made" which clearly means that it is homemade (notice the description does not say "professionally made"). It isn't really up to him to educate the novice buyer as to the quality of the craftsmanship- just whether or not the item has any defects (which he kinda covered by saying "lightly used"). It is also not up to the seller to tell the buyer how much the item "might really be worth". Really it is up to the buyer to ask questions and do some research on their own before plunking down a hefty amount of money like that. There are many items on ebay that may not necessarily be a scam- but are certainly overpriced. Kinda like paying too much for a used car, or antique item- there are no laws against that. I agree, And if you look the only bid is for $0.99 granted the reserve is unknown. But I wouldn't call this a scam. even with the pictures you can tell it is not a Master Replica saber.
|
|
|
Post by Johann Shinobi on Mar 19, 2006 11:56:31 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Seda Navilli on Mar 19, 2006 12:29:24 GMT -5
Maybe its not a scam, but you have to wonder if there is a such thing as ethics anymore.
And I thought that sword looked kinda cool ;D
|
|
|
Post by jedi12 on Mar 19, 2006 18:37:21 GMT -5
Wow an add for scum and villiany and the price is now $65
|
|
|
Post by jedi12 on Mar 19, 2006 18:57:21 GMT -5
about the other one I think it is just someone who doesn't know what the are talking about
|
|
|
Post by tanzanlinnear on Mar 19, 2006 19:23:04 GMT -5
In what way is the first auction a scam? As Master Zion pointed out, there are no misleading claims about the quality of the saber, infact, I'd say they described it well. What's wrong with someone selling such a saber and expecting to be paid a fair price for it? I've tried to sell two hand-made sabers (which I am very disapointed to report having no enquiries about at all) and have priced them extremely reasonably on the advice of others, and taken into account the costs of parts and the time spent in making them. Would you therefor say that I was also trying to scam someone by selling something that is not an MR replica?
|
|
|
Post by Xorren Hedrasii on Mar 19, 2006 20:25:15 GMT -5
Well, scam wasn't the right word possibly. I didn't have any other ideas though. Plus it got people reading the thread
|
|
|
Post by tanzanlinnear on Mar 19, 2006 20:44:38 GMT -5
Scam was definitely not the right word. As someone who is trying to sell hand-made sabers (and planning to use ebay to do so) I find it highly offensive that such an auction would be labelled a scam, because there is no dishonesty involved. The person (much like myself) is selling a saber that they have made themselves, and is making no pretence about the authenticity of the product. If people don't want to bid on it, then they don't have to, but there is no scam involved.
|
|
|
Post by kivaanzion on Mar 19, 2006 21:47:27 GMT -5
It appears that the reserve has been met with half of what the buy it now price was.
As someone who sells items regularly on ebay- I don't find too much of a problem with "aiming high" with a price (unless it is just totally outrageous- for instance asking $200 dollars for a $20 Playmates toy phaser).
I think what immediately comes to mind is: "who are they kidding". That, taken out of context could feel like someone is being "scammed", or "duped" into paying too much. Again this is not the seller's problem, it is the buyer's responsibility to do their homework and perhaps "shop around" on ebay for similar items to get a feel of what a reasonable price might be.
As for the sword auction: I remember when these "Future Samurai/Ninja 3000" swords first hit the market several years ago (around 1999?). They were described as having a "lightsaber" like hilt in sword review magazines. The hilt does resemble a lightsaber's (for some reason I am reminded of the general shape of Mace Windu's). I think this is part of the reason the seller is using Star Wars in the description, but mostly that it will attract more potential buyers. Although I personally would not have used the word "movie".
|
|
|
Post by himiko sabbrawrra on Mar 19, 2006 21:54:05 GMT -5
well, if somene actually goes and buys something like that then it's money that's gone. They obviously don't know what exactly they are looking for and it's best like some have mentioned to ask questions.
|
|
|
Post by tanzanlinnear on Mar 19, 2006 21:59:27 GMT -5
well, if somene actually goes and buys something like that then it's money that's gone. They obviously don't know what exactly they are looking for and it's best like some have mentioned to ask questions. How do you mean? For some, a saber like that might be exactly what they want. They may not have the budget for an MR or Random Sabers creation, nor have the skill to make it themselves. For people like that, a saber like that is an ideal buy.
|
|