May I suggest a "cooling off" period for Ken and all those who are flaming
him over this situation?
I've listed parts that I didn't need for sale on eBay in the past, but
didn't announce them to the list. I suffered no repercussions as a result.
Ultimately, the items went to list members anyway, who as far as I can tell,
got very reasonable deals. On some of the items I sold, the shipping cost
more than the item itself. No harm, no foul.
Mr. Shapiro's offense seems to be NOT that he listed his items for sale on
eBay, but that he then promoted that sale on the Triumph lists to draw
attention to it, thereby increasing his chances of more people bidding on
the item in question. I'm going on a limb here, but my guess would be that
Ken probably very much regrets making that announcement. The implication is
that by doing this, he is either "selling out" his list buddies or worse
yet, pitting them against one another in a bidding situation.
I personally don't blame Ken for wanting to reach a wider audience by
listing on eBay or for trying to get the most that he can for his used air
shocks. It's a quiant little concept known as capitolism. It really
doesn't bother me that he announced the auction on the lists, either,
because I have no personal interest in purchasing his air shocks. If I DID,
I would probably be perturbed with his actions, since I would have less of a
chance of getting a "deal".
But let's not crucify the guy or put him on the defensive any further. I
don't see how that's going to do anything but create bad feelings and I
really don't think that's necessary or desireable. Mr. Shapiro, in my view,
has learned (the hard way) not to hype his own eBay sales on the lists. I
say, let it go and let's move on.
My two cents.
Best wishes,
Jeff in San Diego
'67 RHD Spitfire Mk3 aka "Mrs. Jones"
http://www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
----- Original Message -----
From: Martin A. Secrest <msecrest@erols.com>
To: David Moag <moag@ix.netcom.com>; <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: Offering First To The List
>
> To throw grease onto this fire, I somehow feel compelled to mention that
those
> shocks -- Gabriel Hi Jackers, part #55RE5362T -- are all of $72.95 a pair
from
> JC Whitney (312-431-6102). Fits a '63-'82 Corvette and Spit/GT6. I know,
> because I put them on the Spitfire I used to own. It's a cute conversion,
but
> frankly, I don't really recommend them over a pair of good gas shocks.
> --
> Martin
>
> David Moag wrote:
>
> > Ken,
> >
> > It is surprising to me that you do not see Jeff's point on first
offering to
> > the list. He (and I) see that as a small way of giving back to the list
for
> > all of the advice and help that it has provided (for free). While I
don't
> > personally know many of the listers, I feel very grateful to many of
them
> > individually, and to all of them as a group. Without them I would not
even
> > have attempted the restoration of my TR3B (heck, I wouldn't have even
bought
> > the car to begin with had it not been for the list). Personally, I would
> > rather sell a Triumph part to a list member for $50 than list it on Ebay
and
> > make $75 on it -- I'm not in the hobby for the money.
> >
> > I've bought quite a few items on Ebay, and will continue to do so, but
I've
> > never had any sort of "relationship" with any of those sellers. The
listers,
> > on the other hand, have bent over backwards to help me whenever I've
needed
> > it. From taking something apart on their car just to tell me what they
see,
> > to photographing something and emailing it to me, to copying entire
manuals
> > and sending them to me, to sending me an unobtainable part and not even
> > asking for payment, to showing up in my driveway to help tune up a carb.
I
> > could go on, but no need. I've seen many listers answer your technical
> > questions to the list as well. I find it rather impossible to compare
that
> > type of help to the strictly buying and selling that Ebay provides.
> >
> > Dave Moag
> > 62 TR3B
> > 77 Spitfire
> > La Canada, CA
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
> > > [mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Beth & Ken
> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 4:31 AM
> > > To: Jeff Johnson; triumphs@autox.team.net
> > > Subject: Re: TR6 wanted, DC area
> >
> > --snip--
> >
> > > As to your "ethics" of offering it to the
> > > listers first, your into some kind of allegiance I don't see. I don't
know
> > > the "listers" any more than I know the people on eBay. In fact,
> > > if I had to generalize, I've had better relationships with the folks
I've
> > > dealt with on eBay.
> >
> > --snip--
> >
> > > ken shapiro
> > > baltimore
> > > 1970 GT6+ KC81872L
>
|