P.T. Barnum Was Right

goesto11 · Post by **goesto11** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 4:43 pm

There's a sucker born every minute. Here are two people bidding on a Walton's Guiness whistle. They are currently up to $27.03. Of course, they could always just buy it from Thom at the Whistle Stop for $9.50. Caveat Emptor.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... =929604078

John Mac

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 4:58 pm

And Barnum himself couldn't have penned a more eloquent description!

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 5:21 pm

I saw this and thought of posting it, too. I used to laygh at the Clarkes that regularly went for 20 bucks, but outdoes any whistle bidding I've seen on ebay. I just love in the description, "VERY HARD TO FIND."

There's another pretty hilarious one, the "vintage," "unusual item from the past" Aulos plastic recorder.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 5:38 pm

But this one is different! See, it says it's "specifically designed to effortlessly create a sweet melodic tone"!

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 6:22 pm

Go gcreime na gráinneoga cealgrúnacha do chuid calóga arbhair.

May the malevolent hedgehogs gnaw at your cornflakes.
Do I win a prize Beth?

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 6:27 pm

ROTFLOL!

Sure, why not! Give me your addy and I'll mail you something!

Bagfed · Post by **Bagfed** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 6:58 pm

How about those Acorns - starting bid $10.00 plus shipping? buy now for like 14.99?

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:21 pm

he he he! I makes you just wonder how naive and (yes I'm going to say it) stupid some can be! :roll:

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 9:47 am

Some people make a virtue of stupidity. I mean, a rational person wouldn't even believe it possible to know how to access and bid on eBay but not use the same Internet to verify little things like what a given object actually retails for.

Wandering_Whistler · Post by **Wandering_Whistler** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 10:18 am

Back when I was out of work and hurtin a little for cash, I tried to sell off my old clarke original. I'd mimicked some of the ad-copy I'd seen (taking close-up shots of the 1843, etc) hoping to get an inflated price.

Nobody bid, and in retrospect, I'm awfully glad they didn't. At least I started the bidding at a reasonal price.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 10:18 am

I wonder if they'd be interested in some great Florida real estate...

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 8:29 pm

Here's what the seller, a Mr. Mark Felton, had to say about his E-Bay sale item:

My photos are original and exact. They were taken on my living room Duncan Phyfe drum table.

My description is exact and precise. It is taken verbatim from the box itself.

If you do not wish to buy the item, then please don't bid. If you have a better supplier for the item then please buy from them.

But you have some gall to suggest my photo and description are misleading. They absolutely are not.

If you think my shipping price is high then do not bid, and then try to have one of these shipped from a Mailboxes etc or some such. They will charge considerably more than I charge. My S/H is clearly stated in the auction listing.

Previous buyers who purchased this item were very HAPPY with it, and the transaction.

Mark

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 8:32 pm

"On Dec-16-02 at 15:55:49 PST, seller added the following information:

The S/H is $3.75 (as stated in the text), it is NOT $4.75 as shown in the payment instructions window."

When did you contact them?

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 9:09 pm

I sent him a message on 12/16/02 at 5:18 PM. Here's what I said:

>Your description and photo of the item are misleading. These things are available at music stores (including e-commerce sites) for about the price you are charging for shipping. They are not "very hard to find" at all.

(That's Central time, 2 hour difference)

My message to seller was not primarily about shipping costs. My main point is that calling these "hard to find" is misleading....IMHO

[ This Message was edited by: E = FB on 2002-12-18 22:13 ]

Dewhistle · Post by **Dewhistle** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 1:58 am

On 2002-12-18 22:09, E = Fb wrote:
I sent him a message on 12/16/02 at 5:18 PM. Here's what I said:

>Your description and photo of the item are misleading. These things are available at music stores (including e-commerce sites) for about the price you are charging for shipping. They are not "very hard to find" at all.

(That's Central time, 2 hour difference)

My message to seller was not primarily about shipping costs. My main point is that calling these "hard to find" is misleading....IMHO

[ This Message was edited by: E = FB on 2002-12-18 22:13 ]

Good for you. I'd have just rolled my eyes. Mighty sensitive, wasn't he?