MeMyselfandI wrote:Peter Duggan wrote:MeMyselfandI wrote:a string of postings showing available ebay items that are actually good instruments. It seems like a good reference for people looking to get a quality instrument for less than full price
Something I've never understood! (While I might welcome the exposure as a seller, it would just annoy me as a potential buyer, and eBay's search function has always seemed an adequate reference for most things that might interest me there...)
I'm not sure what you don't understand. eBay is a great place to sell items, and a great place to get good deals on things that would be otherwise more expensive (at least in most cases). And, about eBay's search function, although it is adequate in most cases,
there can a lot of times be good instruments under a name that might not come up from a simple search, requiring you to make multiple searches, but even then you can still miss some. There is also a lot of junk will come up that one would need to sift through, increasing the chances of missing something. So it seems like a reference to see what's good that's on eBay would be very helpful to many. But, about what was said about wanting something to not be seen, in my precious few years of watching items on eBay, it is extremely rare that you can watch something of quality, and it not be seen by someone else. So, if there's a so high a chance it will be seen anyway, this reference can't really do much damage. It seems like a win win to me. But, if there's really such a high amount of people here who don't like this idea, then we can let it go. It just seems like a good way to help people really see what's out there.
I believe the gist of this complaint lies in the fact that if you are not sufficiently motivated to do the work yourself, and search Ebay for what you are really interested in (and some do this continually looking for a good deal-for whatever reason they do it-financial, commercial, etc with some amount of effort expended).
So, a helpful poster who has found something of value to us, posts a link to Ebay, and then the lazy bones (who can't be bothered or doesn't think he has the time for searching himself) comes along and ups the bid on something he may or may not really want (and wouldn't normally bid for lack of motivation to search), but thinks if he can snatch it up for a song, will then bid it up a bit now being aware of it, and the one who really wants it or needs the price break, doesn't get it at a "good deal price", but more of a "what the market will bear price". Long sentence? Yes, guess that's just me, but thought it necessary for the idea as my mind went along the way!
To those who need a price break to afford a nice flute (and who are following the auction), (and in today's economy I think there are more than ever in this boat), it's disheartening to see it posted here for all those not really interested enough to do the work themselves, in essence. Good for the seller, as was pointed out, but not for the buyer, maybe, if the price is bid up past what he considers a good deal.
Nice to be helpful, but...sometimes it's better to let things lay. Just depends on your point of view, and if you're considering all the angles.
And its all from reputable makers! 
