Economics

ne0sk

All

I thought I'd share a recent experience on eBay with a fellow from the US.

I politely pointed out to him that an item he was selling was available in the UK still at a price significantly lower than he was asking.

Well, the responses really angered and disgusted me.

First response:
No more key sizes in the UK and those idots down under..., i also have all of your chaps much needed spray jackets. Soon i will also have some pretty Rapha Condor JLT stuff from the USA Pro Challenge, and then you are really going to hate me....Oh btw, i already sold 2X of these...Dont hate, just congratulate...

Further mail as a follow on:
Oh, btw i also bought out most of your UK stock in your London warehouse... I now own this market...


And a few days later:
Sold out stock at Rapha UK!!!!!!!!


This guy purports to be "clearing out his closet" and looking for "true blue Rapha collectors"

His utter disdain for people is dreadful and I did take the step of speaking to Rapha and forwarding all correspondence. Hopefully they'll be taking action.


Yes, people are entitled to buy and sell but this guy's behaviour really got to me.

danlikesbikes

Ignoring the idiots comment I have to be honest and say I don't think what is saying to be that bad IMHO.

Assume that he didn't just email you 3 times and without seeing your emails it's hard to comment.

ne0sk

Interesting.

My mail said "Be surprised if you had much interest" with a link to the Rapha site showing the item for £80 less.

Free market aside, the actions of this guy (and I imagine others) ruin opportunities for others. Just like ticket touts.

On the upside, I managed to get everything I wanted direct from Rpaha :-)

HebdenBiker

Well, I'm sure the "unscrupulous seller" is glad of the free advert you've just given him.

So what's he done? Bought up items of sale stock and attempted to sell them on at an inflated price? I don't see what's unscrupulous about what he's done or said. That's just capitalism.

Economics 101: The price tells a truth. If there is no demand for his heavily marked-up goods then he will fail and lose money. If there is a demand, he will have satisfied it. The profit he makes is the reward for the capital risk he took in buying the stock.

You could do what he's done if you like.

Rapha will not care. The guy is a good customer of theirs.

imposter2.0

If he had replied with something like 'mind your own business' - he would have had a fair point...

HebdenBiker

By the way I think your thread title is disingenuous and misleading. "Unscrupulous" suggests dishonesty. If anything, this seller has been *too* honest with you.

One more thing, why would you message a seller you have no intention of buying from? eBay is a marketplace, not a social networking site. I do a lot of selling on eBay and if you had sent your message to me, I would have ignored you, but thought "nutter".

danlikesbikes

ne0sk wrote:

Interesting.

My mail said "Be surprised if you had much interest" with a link to the Rapha site showing the item for £80 less.

Free market aside, the actions of this guy (and I imagine others) ruin opportunities for others. Just like ticket touts.

On the upside, I managed to get everything I wanted direct from Rpaha :-)

Put it another way he has good EBay feedback from mostly US customers selling a what appears to be some rarer items from Rapha from 2012 - 2013.

I don't think that he is being untrustworthy or fraudulent (I just googled unscrupulous for a text book definition)

I'm not sure what opportunities he is ruining by his actions, or how he compares to a ticket tout, but as per my first post I did say this is my own opinion.

As a big purchaser of Rapha gear myself (& no I'm not showing off or wealthy I just like their items) I only buy direct from them as their service is second to none, unless I want some of their retro stuff then it usually needs to be EBay in which case the supply/demand equation comes into play.

MountainMonster

Sounds to me like the OP just simply didn't get the jacket or jersey he wanted and is now mad that someone else got it. What a shame.

I take it this guy knows nothing about business, or economics.

cougie

Storm in a teacup. So a guy sells something at over the going price. Well more fool the people that pay the prices.
I sold a Livestrong band for £45 once. £45 for a bit of silicon rubber !

rolf_f

It's Raphas fault really. It sounds like they are more or less allowing the general public to buy at trade prices. Common sense says someone is going to take advantage of it and buy in bulk. The result is that the discounts result in Raphas image and brand value being damaged without enough new customers having the chance to buy in to the brand at a bargain price and hopefully become regular customers to offset that damage.

ugo.santalucia

Does it stack up? He buys stuff on sale at the end of the season and sells it at higher price, while the new range is out and people want the new stuff... yes, he might make a few bucks, but he won't get rich... he thinks much of himself, but he's hardly the new Bill Gates, is he?

NeXXus

Total non issue. If you don't like the price something is offered at, go elsewhere.

Chunky101

ne0sk wrote:

Yes, people are entitled to buy and sell but this guy's behaviour really got to me.

So you weren't prepared to pay the asking price for something that was overpriced on eBay? The only surprise here is you were stupid enough to engage the seller.

ne0sk

Chunky101 wrote:

ne0sk wrote:

Yes, people are entitled to buy and sell but this guy's behaviour really got to me.

So you weren't prepared to pay the asking price for something that was overpriced on eBay? The only surprise here is you were stupid enough to engage the seller.

.........and stupid for posting the thread in the first place. :oops: