HP Forum Archive 07

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HP-71Bs on eBay or Big Profit !! Message #1 Posted by 71B lover on 7 Mar 2002, 5:03 a.m. It's easy to make a Big Profit on eBay, you just need to get it right. For instance, here's how a clever seller does it. First, he bids on some real jewel, like this allegedly brand new, unused, HP-71B, which includes a card reader and translator software as well: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1337280294 You'll notice Mike's bidding for $86 right now, and he's the high bidder so far. If he succeeds in finally getting this mint, new machine for a $100-$150 high bid, or less, you'll see he reselling it very soon for an outrageous $400, like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1337038507 So you see, some poor soul swallowed the hook and paid Mike the modest, bargain $400 he asked for. As you see, he can make as much as $200-$250 in a single transaction !!. If he can, you can too !! Just be alert to any and all HP-71Bs in eBay, buy them all as cheaply as you can, then sell them for up to $400 or more, and there you are. Easy, isn't it ? By the way, if you are interested in a brand new, absolutely mint HP-71B, you'd do well bidding for the first one mentioned here, before Mike wins it, lest you'll have to pay him three times the money you'd have paid the original seller.

Re: HP71B lover or Mike hater? Message #2 Posted by Tom (UK) on 7 Mar 2002, 7:21 a.m., in response to message #1 by 71B lover It's called a free market - I used to think that is what the US was built on. There are many more under-hand ebay 'scams' than buying and selling openly. If you are that upset, buy and sell them yourself with less mark-up.

Re: HP71B lover or Mike hater? Message #3 Posted by 71b lover on 7 Mar 2002, 7:58 a.m., in response to message #2 by Tom (UK) Who's upset ? I really meant it, it's a pretty good way to make a lot of money. Just a simple computation: n transactions per month at $200 profit each gives an awful lot of money. If he can do it, why not the rest ? Is this some closed club or something like that ? Has he got a special license to act so ? Was there anything offensive in my post ? I just discussed real facts, not my inventions, and extracted the logical conclusions ... Why would you be offended by them ? Are they wrong ? Which one is wrong and why ?

Re: HP71B lover or Mike hater? Message #4 Posted by Mike on 7 Mar 2002, 11:32 a.m., in response to message #3 by 71b lover Buy - sell - or get out of the way. Ciao.....Mike

Different Mike Message #5 Posted by Mike on 7 Mar 2002, 2:24 p.m., in response to message #4 by Mike Just wanted to make this clear. The above post was not by the "real" Mike :-)

Re: Different Mike Message #6 Posted by Mike (Stgt) on 8 Mar 2002, 5:08 a.m., in response to message #5 by Mike Sorry - but I am not shure. My parents named me Michael, and evereybody uses his faforite short form of it to call me: Michel, Miki, Michi, Mizi, and Mike too. I hoped everybody would see the difference to other Mikes on the list by the typical way I "sign" my appends. Ciao.....Mike

Are you kidding? Message #7 Posted by Mike on 7 Mar 2002, 1:07 p.m., in response to message #3 by 71b lover Are you for real? You say there is nothing offensive. Your whole tone was that people are getting ripped off. I see it and others see it. That is an offensive tone, especially since it is not true. So you see, some poor soul swallowed the hook is an implication that someone is a sucker. In fact, they got a great 71B computer, fully loaded, with all documentation, in Mint condition. I say Mint because I mean Mint. It is not just extremely excellent condition. It was never been used before. I doubt that it had ever been handled. Let me ask you a question. You say you are an HP-71B lover. Say you have that same package. How much would you have sold it for? I know, the cop-out answer is, "I wouldn't sell it."

Re: HP-71Bs on eBay or Big Profit !! Message #8 Posted by John Kercheval on 7 Mar 2002, 11:40 a.m., in response to message #1 by 71B lover Hello: I see nothing wrong with that transaction. I've always considered the HP 71 an divine gift to mankind from heaven. Able to run 41 programs, basic programs, forth programs, full size keyboard, stunning gold looks, interfaceable with the interface loop, fast, exotic, etc. If the 71 is a symbol of the divine, is this "Mark" guy not acting as one of the Holy Triumvirate by making more available to the masses? He should make a few $$. I salute all 71 users and those who support them. John

Some things you fail to realize. Message #9 Posted by Mike on 7 Mar 2002, 12:35 p.m., in response to message #1 by 71B lover You say http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1337280294 You'll notice Mike's bidding for $86 right now, and he's the high bidder so far. If he succeeds in finally getting this mint, new machine for a $100-$150 high bid, or less, you'll see he reselling it very soon for an outrageous $400. My comment This is not going to be bought for $100 to $150. This is where you are wrong. It will sell for over $400. I can give you a list of people that I know are waiting to bid that at the very end. The one in the auction may or may not be unused. I'm bidding because of the translator module and the card reader and the Utilities manual. The one below, however, is absolutely MINT condition. It is as if it was just plucked from the mold. There is no way to find a nicer HP-71B than the one below. Plus, the value is not in the 71B. It is in the 128K of RAM that is included. The 71B below was NOT bought on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1337038507 You say So you see, some poor soul swallowed the hook and paid Mike the modest, bargain $400 he asked for. As you see, he can make as much as $200-$250 in a single transaction !!. My comment You have no clue what I paid for these items. But let me tell you. The 71B cost me $75.00 for the calc itself. The Memory Modules cost $40 average (for these; that's $160). The HP-IL device cost me $50 for the IL and the Box. The manuals came part of another auction and cost approximately $50 for the set ($25 each). So that comes out as $75 + $160 + $50 + $50. Then, when you figure that I had to pay shipping for each of these to get them AND I had to pay fees to list these. How much profit do you think was made on this auction? You have no real clue what is going on here. You see me buy a $50 71B that may be junk then sell a Mint (different one) and think it is the same calculator. You are wrong. You remember the 6 that I bought a while back. I gave half of them away at no charge. But I bet you think I sold them for high profit, right? None were (or will be) sold. I just sent one to the Netherlands so that a guy could replace his 71B logo. I did not even charge him postage for this. Totally free. You say By the way, if you are interested in a brand new, absolutely mint HP-71B, you'd do well bidding for the first one mentioned here, before Mike wins it, lest you'll have to pay him three times the money you'd have paid the original seller. My comment Don't fool yourself into thinking that this is going to be cheap. I know of many who are waiting to bid at the last minute for the same reason that I am. We want the translator module. See... buying large packages to get one item is the only real way to get something at a reasonable price, on eBay. Value of that package on eBay: 71B (with box) $150+, Card Reader $100+, 41 Translator $150+, Utilities manual $30. I'm not the only one that knows this. What do you think it will sell for?

Re: Some things you fail to realize. Message #10 Posted by Ty Rogers (Texas) on 7 Mar 2002, 4:13 p.m., in response to message #9 by Mike Plus he posted without his name or email address. More power to you Mike.

apples and oranges Message #11 Posted by Ellis Easley on 7 Mar 2002, 4:35 p.m., in response to message #1 by 71B lover The unit he's selling has a bunch of RAM and an HPIL module. You're trying to compare apples and oranges. I happen to believe that profit is the reason our society doesn't collapse every time something goes wrong. And things will always go wrong.

Re: HP-71Bs on eBay or Big Profit !! Message #12 Posted by Vassilis Prevelakis on 7 Mar 2002, 11:46 p.m., in response to message #1 by 71B lover > So you see, some poor soul swallowed the hook and paid Mike the modest, bargain $400 he asked for. So? whats your point? I sometimes wonder where these people come from. Some time ago a guy spent more than $100 to buy the HP-IL manual for the HP 71B. I wouldn't spend $100 for smth like that, even if it were brand new, but that's not the point, is it? The issue is not with the seller, it is with the buyer. Maybe the buyer is very rich and can't be bothered to wait 3-4 weeks for a cheaper alternative. I waited and got my copy really cheap ($17.50 incl. shipping).  I have found Mike to be an excellent trader. Having carried out a number of transactions I trust him to deliver goods of the advertised quality (or sometimes even better). I know that if I send him money (even outside eBay) he will send me the items I have purchased. In the Internet this says a lot. I am sure that Mike has a lot of horror stories, but as an example I will just say that there was this guy that took my money and then claimed that the HP-41 card reader he sold me was lost in the post. Many times I wish that these jockers that raise the prices would just go away, but as long as they persist, blame them, not Mike. Remember only a COUPLE of years ago HP 71Bs were essentially given away because nobody wanted them. Where do you think all these mint HP 71Bs come from. Its a free market, if you don't like it move to North Korea, because even China has joined the WTO and espoused free trade. **vp

Re: HP-71Bs on eBay or Big Profit !! Message #13 Posted by Glenn McEnroe on 8 Mar 2002, 1:56 a.m., in response to message #12 by Vassilis Prevelakis If you look at the 71B originally referred to as $87 purchase is it up to $187 now. Lots of items are simply put on watch list only to be bid up during last minutes/seconds. The only price which counts is the final price for completed auctions. I don't have any problems with Mike's ebay sales, he has great pictures and only sells quality items from what I have seen. Also as one person stated some people are willing to pay anything on ebay. Just look at the prices vgd99 payed for all the HP67s. I was lucky to get one from a private seller and the manuals on ebay for much less and no gummy wheels on card reader !! Its up to the buyer to research the prices unless you don't care about the cost. Glenn

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