HP Forum Archive 16

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Maybe a late April's fool? Message #1 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 5 Apr 2006, 5:09 p.m. See eBay 9706960036 . LOL !

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #2 Posted by Namir on 5 Apr 2006, 6:08 p.m., in response to message #1 by Raymond Del Tondo I asked the seller how the SOLVER can solve for an equation that you don't write????? The calculator looks like it's worth $30 and not $300!!!! :-) Namir Edited: 5 Apr 2006, 6:09 p.m.

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #3 Posted by Han on 5 Apr 2006, 7:02 p.m., in response to message #2 by Namir Ouch on the insertion fees... I can't imagine how much it would be, but I'm going to guess it's pretty high up there.

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #4 Posted by bill platt on 6 Apr 2006, 8:48 a.m., in response to message #3 by Han About 3 bucks or so.

Re: Maybe a late "April Fool's"? Message #5 Posted by Karl Schneider on 5 Apr 2006, 10:34 p.m., in response to message #2 by Namir Namir posted, I asked the seller how the SOLVER can solve for an equation that you don't write????? The actual quote was, "We like the HP Solve feature, which lets you solve for any variable without having to rewrite your equation." This refers to the ability of the solver to find the root of any user-selected variable within an equation or program defining a multiple-input function, without having to edit that equation/program. It is precisely the subject I addressed for "pre-Pioneers" in http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/articles.cgi?read=556. Of course, US$300 is way too much. And if is was bought new, why isn't the manual included? -- KS

Re: Maybe a late "April Fool's"? Message #6 Posted by Namir on 5 Apr 2006, 11:22 p.m., in response to message #5 by Karl Schneider Karl, Seller wrote back and said he has used the calculator a little bit and has no extended knowledge in such technicalities!!!! Go figure! Maybe you should be the one selling that calculator so you can give the kind of answers needed. Namir Edited: 5 Apr 2006, 11:23 p.m.

And several more from a new seller... Message #7 Posted by Karl Schneider on 5 Apr 2006, 10:19 p.m., in response to message #1 by Raymond Del Tondo Here's a 41C disposable-battery holder for US$40 BIN... And the dropped and damaged 41CV it came from, for US$90 BIN. -- KS

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #8 Posted by Walter B on 6 Apr 2006, 3:22 a.m., in response to message #1 by Raymond Del Tondo There are more such fools on the market. Our very special friend offers an HP55 for 575$ BIN. As discussed here many times, it is a free market. BTW, did eBay close the loophole, so a seller starting expensively shall pay at least the proper fee for this?

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #9 Posted by jbssm on 6 Apr 2006, 5:55 a.m., in response to message #8 by Walter B Seems to me that eBay already tries to charge a lot for is services as it is, we should be asking them to reduce fees not to increase them, cause if you do the maths, between insertion fees, final value fees and the ridiculous 4% fee PayPal takes, almost 10% of the auction value goes to eBay.

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #10 Posted by Thomas Radtke on 6 Apr 2006, 7:20 a.m., in response to message #9 by jbssm Ebay does the math, too. I'm pretty sure they are investigating the relation between the gradient of their revenues and the modification of fees. Here is where the user can intervene. If you think the fee isn't reasonable, you offer your stuff elsewhere. If enough people think that way, ebays revenues go down and fees will be corrected. The only way for a consumer to 'talk' to a company is to spend or not to spend his/her money for their products and services. That's how I understand the market. Thomas

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #11 Posted by Walter B on 6 Apr 2006, 8:11 a.m., in response to message #10 by Thomas Radtke You got me wrong: I did NOT vote for higher eBay fees! Besides this, I agree with your arguments. But, what I just wanted to know: Is it still possible for sellers to start with a price of e.g. 575$, wait for dummies, and if no fish bites convert the vintage offer in "last minute" into e.g. a computer mouse for 5.75$ and leave the market paying next to nothing?? This topic was discussed here earlier, but I don't remember a definitive result. Thanks in advance for enlightenment :)

Re: Maybe a late April's fool? Message #12 Posted by bill platt on 6 Apr 2006, 8:52 a.m., in response to message #11 by Walter B The rules are clear: they say that the fee is based on the higher original listing. I don't remember it being anything else. Apparently some people were charged less at some point--allegedly. I don't know how all the "anti-burlins" can know what burlin paid, without they themselves excersizing the loophole. Randy posted that the loophole had been repaired. What that means in practice I do not know.

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