Registered: Sep 2002
Location: New York
Posts: 11

actually i think Ebay has had some very interesting effects on world-wide commerce. here is an example of someone taking advantage of something he knows that others don't, effectively INCREASING the price of the item. in most cases, Ebay has created a market that DECREASES the price of new items, though in some cases of collectibles, it has had the effect of increasing them by getting a wider audience into the action.

interesting, and as noted above, all part of the efficient capital markets... lets face it, lawyers get paid for stuff that you could go read in a book...

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Change is a challenge to the adventurous, an opportunity to the alert, a threat to the insecure.

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Simsbury, CT
Posts: 40

I gotta tell you, the more I think about this, the more I'm being won over to the thought that this guy is onto a pretty good idea, though after looking over the description of what he was selling, I will say that he needed to be much more clear (more on that later). I already posted some analogies previously, but here's the bottom line:

This person did some research (in this case, the information probably fell on his lap simply by browsing a geek forum that he already frequents, but in other situations it might require doing more legwork, etc.). So, as with my "consultant" analogy previously, you're paying someone for doing the research to get you a better deal than you currently are aware of. Remember that according to Handspring's site, the Treo 270 costs $249 after rebate through T-Mobile.

As I mentioned above, though, he did a bad job in some respects:
1) He had a typo (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt) which resulted in wording suggesting that you'd be getting the phone and $69 when, as we know, the deal is that you get the phone for $69.
2) He didn't make it clear that this was through T-Mobile USA (I'm assuming it's only good for T-Mobile's US customers), that it involved a mail-in rebate, and that you needed to be a new subscriber.

Those are some pretty big "mistakes." Had he been more accurate about the details, I'm not sure if he'd get as many (or any) people biting, but I think he would have been more legitimate (though probably would still have not won any new friends here).

Scott

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: Vicinity of the Treo
Posts: 43

quote:

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Originally posted by KRamsauer
And that is entirely within your rights. It is outside your rights to demand things of people over whom you have no legitimate authority.

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Registered: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734

quote:

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Originally posted by silverado


Debating ethics like I did is by no stretch of the imagination "urging violence".

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Registered: Jun 2002
Location:
Posts: 6

Whew!

Wow I never expected this, very interesting for those of us who like to debate subjective issues. For those whom I may have offeneded

quote:

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Oh, and might I add the urging of violence against this person is completely wrong and though it may be hyperbole, I find disturbing.

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pompton Lakes, NJ
Posts: 11

quote:

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Originally posted by silverado

I rarely get involved in such hair-splitting "Clintonisms", but this one irks me a bit too much. I happen to think that blatantly taking advantage of ignorant people is unethical. It might be technically legal, but ethical is a stretch, IMO.

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Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 70

LOL

While I think both sides of this thread have a point, it is still funny. I mean its like being at a store and you see a guy with only a couple of items in front of you and tell him for $25.00 you'll show him how to get to the front of the line. After taking the money you point out the express line. I mean some people just can't figure things out. I think it's really funny that ebay gets a cut of the action also as well as paypal. I wonder if someone puts up a auction for the location of the WMD.