Drafting a set of Ebay seller ethics guidelines

**jnantz** · 6-Jan-2007, 13:54

is there something in the guidelines that says if the seller
has the item listed in the wrong place, or discribes it totally wrong
because s/he had no idea what it is they are selling and thinks it is something
of lesser value, it is up to a buyer-in-the-wings to point out these things to the seller?

just wondering ...

**cyrus** · 6-Jan-2007, 15:22

Originally Posted by jnanian

is there something in the guidelines that says if the seller
has the item listed in the wrong place, or discribes it totally wrong
because s/he had no idea what it is they are selling and thinks it is something
of lesser value, it is up to a buyer-in-the-wings to point out these things to the seller?

just wondering ...

Well there's nothing preventing the buyers from voluntarily agreeing to abide by a set of guidelines either.

**cyrus** · 6-Jan-2007, 15:27

OK so ethical guidelines are perhaps pressing it too far.

However, how about if we collectively write a "Guide to not getting ripped off" for ebay LF purchases?

For example, reminding users that they can and should ask questions, demand better pictures/descriptions of items, etc. and also item-specific purchasing hints, ie: "if you are going to buy a thingamajig on ebay, make sure to ask about/see the little doodlythingy that goes with it, since the doohicky is usually bent/missing, and getting that fixed would require you doing XYZ..."
This would be particularly useful for first-time purchasers.
I realize that Ebay is an open market but that doesn't prevent buyers from uniting a bit.

**eddie** · 6-Jan-2007, 17:44

funny, i built one of those shutter things too. just so i knew what shutter speeds i was working with. then i went out and shot everything with good exposures. i find it great to be able to use what i got.

i have had very good luck buying used camera gear from apug, photo.net, LF forum, and Ebay! all with very good results, great sellers and a good time had. (i should add i got a batch of 6V batteries that would not power my spot meter.....)

all i n all i am having a great time with my photography hobby.

eddie

**Henry Ambrose** · 6-Jan-2007, 17:45

It seems this thread would be instructive to many on "how not to get ripped off". But if you wanted to start another thread about "how to fare well when buying on eBay" that might be a worthwhile thing to do. OT for this LF forum but for those not up on every detail of LF gear it might be useful. It might belong in the Lounge, that'd be up to the moderators I suppose.

But knowing a good bit about what you're buying is the first step and there is a huge amount of info here for that purpose. And then there's asking questions about particular items. I don't mean a particular eBay sale but rather questions like "is a Seiko shutter as good as a Flash Supermatic?" or "who can repair this Super Double Anastigmatic Deluxe should it need overhaul and how much does that usually run?"

And for the faint of heart, the "to busy to mess with eBay" or the uninformed beginner there's always calling up Jim at Midwest (or one of our other favorite suppliers) and asking him for advice and simply buying what he offers. You might be surprised that you didn't spend any more money and you get something good that works. That can be an excellent way to go and carries far less risk than swimming with the sharks on eBay.

**walter23** · 9-Jan-2007, 12:47

Originally Posted by D. Bryant

Here are my suggestions about buying on e-bay.

1) Read the auction ad carefully. If the terms don't satisfy you then don't bid on an item.

Don Bryant

Yeah, if you expect a proper shutter speed test don't buy "shutter speeds sound good but I have no way to test them" auctions. You have to read the description carefully (considering what's omitted as well as what is stated) and ask questions; only then can you think about pursuing anything against the seller, and even then your recourse is often limited.

I don't think there's anything to be gained by drafting this kind of thing because only ethical sellers (and LFinfo users) will read it, which would be what percentage of ebay LF transactions? Probably a small one.

**Vaughn** · 18-Jan-2007, 17:19

I would prefer if sellers would not define "good" as meaning: "good, considering how old they are".

Bought some plate holders in "good" condition, that fell apart in my hands taking them out of the box...and that was the answer I got from the seller. He did offer to take them back, but shipping them back would have cost me as much as I paid for them. So I will glue them up if I use them.

Vaughn