HP Forum Archive 11

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Questionable auction for 50* 39G calcs Message #1 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo (Germany) on 3 Apr 2003, 12:25 p.m. Could it be that this auction is kinda 'illegal' ? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3016440454&ssPageName=ADME:B:RECO:US:3 As I understand the text, it is *one* auction for 50 (fifty) units of this calc, but the description says the high bid is per calc, and the high bidder is obligued to take *all* units. So the 'winner' has to pay 50 times the winning bid... Did I miss something? Raymond

Doubtful that this is legal Message #2 Posted by Mike on 3 Apr 2003, 1:23 p.m., in response to message #1 by Raymond Del Tondo (Germany) I bet this is an illegal auction, per eBay rules. It certainly wouldn't hurt the bidder, since it is clear what is going on. If the math is done by the seller and the buyer, then ebay is paid only based on the single unit price. This is an illegal auction, in my opinion.

MIGHT BE OK -- DUTCH AUCTION Message #3 Posted by NH on 3 Apr 2003, 2:17 p.m., in response to message #2 by Mike Hello fellow comrades: I did NOT study that auction terms, but it MIGHT be OK. The thing is, eBay allows and defines what they call a "DUTCH AUCTION". This means he has got a whole bunch of units all the same. You enter your bid (probably for 1, although you may be able to state a quantity more than 1). At the very end, the seller has a list of all the bids. He sells them off to the highest bidders. Again, a "DUTCH AUCTION". I didn't say I like a Dutch auction. I only said that such terms are legitimate. I dont see why a seller would do it, but they do. One worry point is if he has a whole bunch of units that are NOT QUITE THE SAME. Who gets the best one, the one w/o the scratch, which one was photographed then, etc etc etc . I'm sure a Dutch auction is at its best on new-old-stock or other truly identical batches of items.

NOT a Dutch Auction Message #4 Posted by Mike on 3 Apr 2003, 2:26 p.m., in response to message #3 by NH This is clearly NOT a Dutch Auction. First, it would say dutch auction, if it was. Second, if it were dutch auction, there would be two fields to enter a bid. One for amount and one for how many you want. Third, a dutch auction can have multiple winners. This auction has only one. Fourth, the final fee is based on the total amount the seller receives. On this auction, eBay only sees the automated single piece bid.

It has been cancelled Message #5 Posted by Mike on 6 Apr 2003, 11:05 a.m., in response to message #3 by NH Looks like the auction has been cancelled for violations of ebay rules.

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