Am I naive?

GeorgeK · 08-20-2001, 12:57 AM

Please tell me if I'm stupid or what:
I sell a specific (not easy to find) 911 item to a private party. He mails me that he is very happy with it. 10 days later the item pops up on Ebay at a 50% markup. Explanation from the gentleman: not good enough quality.
Maybe I should start selling on ebay instead of offering first to fellow board users...
GeorgeK

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

I know that sucks. Some people beleive life is about making money. Then there are others like you who obviously care about people not only money.

I just beleive that what comes around goes around, and in the old proverb.....do unto others...you know the one.

I guess as long as you were happy with what you sold the part for, just continue to be happy.

Shawn

Joeaksa · 08-20-2001, 06:54 AM

George,

Know what you mean. I sell some things on Pelican or Rennlist because I know that it will go to a good home, then find out later that the joker took it and marked it up and sold it as well on Ebay.

Like Davis says, what goes around comes around and someday this guy will need something and no one will help him. Personally I would send him the URL of this posting just to let him know how you feel. People like this get a reputation thats hard to shake.

No matter how much money you were paid for the part, its the idea behind what the guy did...

Joe

Kurt B · 08-20-2001, 06:59 AM

Same stuff happens to me, not here yet though. Best thing to do is post the name of the person/party so we can avoid any "hand-outs" in his direction in the future.
That ***** just pisses me off.

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Kurt B
1984 Carrera Cabriolet
911 Page
carrera_cabriolet@yahoo.com

Planter91C2 · 08-20-2001, 07:09 AM

yeah, who was the guy?

GeorgeK · 08-20-2001, 12:14 PM

Thanks, guys. It feels good to know that I'm not the only one who likes the friendship created by our mutual interests more than money.
This person probably had no evil intentions, and he will definitely not make a fortune out of it. In a strictly legal/logical sense, I can not demand that every item I sell be used by the purchaser. If he wants to sell, than he has the right to do so.
I'm just pissed, because, when I count the hours spent on the item, I am LOSING money by selling it at the price I asked, but as I do that as a freetime diversion from my everyday stress, I don't mind.
This has just lowered my pasion to the "everyday grind to make a living" level, and that saddens me.
OK, cheer up now! no one died, and no one got poorer, so I guess it's behind now
Thanks for the nice words, GeorgeK

Jdub · 08-20-2001, 12:21 PM

This is probably OT stuff, but I post an ad for factory manuals at the Lit. section of this board, get a reply, and lo and behold some lurker has reponded to the guy talking to me and grabbed the books and run!

Happens more than you might imagine. I mean, just come on out and play in the pool folks!

Jw

Jim T · 08-20-2001, 01:15 PM

You didn't give enough facts for me to come to a conclusion on the fellow.

If you posted an ad for X part for $10, and he replied to the ad and agreed to pay you the $10 you were asking, I think whatever he does with the part is fair game. You set the price and he paid it. You got your price and there is no expectation about what will happen to the part later. If he wanted to sell it later for more, or even if he bought it with the intention of selling it for more, I don't see what would be wrong in that situation.

The opposite would be HE posts an ad saying he desperately needs X. You call him and say you have X, he tells you how he needs it to get his car on the road, etc. etc. You feel for him and sell it to him for a great price, to help him out. If he immediately put it on e-bay, that would be pretty slimy.

In the middle would be other scenarios, like you advertise the part for $10, but he gives you a song and dance about how poor he is, how badly he needs the part, etc. and grinds you down to $5, only to later try to re-sell it for $10.

GeorgeK · 08-20-2001, 01:37 PM

Jim,
None of the above.
We are talking about less than 100$ here.
The item is NOT easy to find. It was not a desperate buyer looking for an item, just a gentleman who seemed to have a genuine interest.
If he felt the item was not good quality enough, then why not tell me and I would have refunded his money right away. What bothers me is that he feels it is not good enough and then goes straight to Ebay with a 50% markup...
What also bothers me is that prices are going SKYWARDS. If everyone here including the real amateurs that have big love and little money start to try and make a big profit of everything, then 1 year from now, it is people like us who will no longer afford to keep these cars.
I feel that this is like cutting the branch you are sitting on.
Remember the RS clock plugs? Some went for 250$. Please... I finally found one for 60$, from a guy who knew very well that he could get 200 for it, but refused to play that game.He made some, I was happy.
I sell stuff too, not cheap, but a lot cheaper than some, and, I feel, excellent quality items. I also always offer a refund.
GeorgeK

Greg-slant/cab · 08-20-2001, 02:07 PM

Interesting topic....If you did not need the part and you sold it at a price that you considered fair....Why in the world do you care what the other party does with it? It is like trading in a vehicle to a car dealer......then getting pissed when he resells it for $5K more.

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Greg-slant/cab
http://www.geocities.com/gregslantcab/

Superman · 08-20-2001, 02:42 PM

I am a government regulator, of sorts. We protect workers with things like minimum wage, time-and-one-half for hours over 40 per week, etc. I mostly deal with the construction industry. I hope I have not made enemies of ANY of my friends by admitting this here.

At any rate, one principle that seems crystal clear from my vantage point: Where money is involved you can expect some people to loose their scruples. I know how to get rich, but I'm not prepared to pay the price (loose my moral compass).

So, I stay poor and I help folks at or near the low end of the ecomonic pyramid. And I sleep really, really well.

So I guess that's my point. Some folks can sleep fine regardless of what they did that day. On the other hand, most of us need to retain a positive self-image, and that means treating people as ends in themselves, and not as means only.

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'83 SC

GeorgeK · 08-20-2001, 03:01 PM

Greg,
The guy is NOT a dealer. I just believed he is an enthusiast. The price was good to me, for an enthusiast. You know how you are prepared to make a move for like-thinking fellows, by cutting your benefit.
If he is to sell it afterwards, then we get into a commerce thing. If I have to assume that everyone here wants to screw me for my money, and I hike the prices, I defeat the whole purpose of the board.
Maybe I should start a topic on Ebay then. Wouldn't sllep too well but I'd be richer.
I harbor no harsh feelings, just sadness.
GeorgeK

feelyx · 08-20-2001, 03:20 PM

OH...MY..GOD!!! SUPERMAN WORKS FOR THE GOVERNMENT!?!!

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Superman,
We have much in common. For I too seek justice by enforcing the rights of wage earners at the lower economic levels. Most of the workers are construction workers as well. Small world.

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Paul
78SC Targa

[This message has been edited by pbs911 (edited 08-20-2001).]

Doug Zielke · 08-20-2001, 03:29 PM

Of course he does.
Were ya think'in he works for the Daily Planet?

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

Jim T · 08-20-2001, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Superman:

I know how to get rich, but I'm not prepared to pay the price (loose my moral compass).

So, I stay poor and I help folks at or near the low end of the ecomonic pyramid. And I sleep really, really well.

An interesting perspective, that one cannot get rich without losing their "moral compass," and that one must "stay poor" to retain morality.

Not one I agree with, but interesting nonetheless.

Saffs · 08-20-2001, 03:49 PM

That's a great thing to say Superman: well done! I understand your nervousness to mention that here, on the BBS. But, you're doing a great job.
Jim T,
I think the point is that Teachers, Nurses, Social Workers etc. etc. are NOT going to get rich but quite a number do such jobs to to the betterment of their Community, City, etc. What would where you live be like in all the Nurses say " I want to get rich...." Thank goodness people are that way inclined. I guess we need a mixture of both capitally minded people and socially minded.
I feel it's a subject close to my heart because I used to be a Social Worker and left it to be a professional musician: I guess it's cultivating Art but....it it as useful?!

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'75 911S Targa
'81 BMW Alpina C1 2.3

TargaEuro · 08-20-2001, 04:43 PM

As someone that contributes to this board as much as I use and enjoy it, I feel that we are all Porsche enthusiasts and we should respect eachother and treat eachother as we would want to be treated ourselves. I understand how George feels. For the most part we are all in this to help eachother, offer advice and to share achievements aswell as setbacks, unfortunately we all dont view things the same way and what one feels is the "right thing to do" another may not. I dont believe profiting from a free BBS is right so I guess Ill never be a rich man, but I do enjoy helping others and occationally finding that used part Ive been looking for forever and Im glad there are so many honest, helpfull people on this board. So I guess I am a rich man after all....TargaEuro

89911 · 08-20-2001, 04:44 PM

Once an item is sold and you are not the owner, who cares what they do with it. Did you ever see those people that hang out at garage sales an hour before they start to look over the inventory. Do you think they aren't going resale this stuff? If it sells for what he wants on Ebay, then you didn't ask enough. Asking a person to not do what they please with an item they own is crazy.

ghanlon · 08-20-2001, 05:27 PM

I think the main point here is that the MAJORITY of the members are here to help each other out by offering free advice as well as very good deal(s) on particular part(s) now and then. Some even give stuff away!.If I am helping another enthusiast with something that I feel he needs for his vehicle that I have no use for and give him a good price (perhaps better than what he would normally pay) I would not expect him to turn around and sell it right away for an extra buck or two. Thats just plain bulls**t.The guys an a hole. I would make a point of not selling to the guy again and would let others know as well. Its obvious the guy has no moral standards! But hey, if he or others think theres nothing wrong with that then the rest of us just have to live with it. Nothing we can do!!
Gary

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ghanlon