Next message: frank swift: "Re: C. PLATH NAVISTAR CLASSIC ON EBAY"
Paul wrote:
I wonder how real this offer is. The item is priced at a ridiculous
starting bid at $25,-, but with a hidden reserve. Dealers often use this
trick to find out what prospective buyers are willing to bid, without
having to commit themselves. After all, the reserve could be any
ridiculous amount and the bidders might never find out. If the seller
wants to achieve a certain minimum price, why does he not set the
starting bid there? This would be more sincere than this whole reserve
business.
Actually that is the way most reserved auctions are set up on ebay. I've
seen some start at $1 or $5.00 and finally, 7 -10 days later, being
legitimately sold for $$$$$$ after surpassing the vendor's minimum price.
It's a way to hide the minimum price the vendor will settle for in case
he/she decides to put it up for auction again without tipping anyone off to
his/her minimum.
I know for a fact that that vendor (mymary) is a very legitimate vendor, has
real world experience using the equipment sold, who vendors in a lot of
auctions online and has a real nautical equipment store in south Florida.
So, I'd say it's a legitimate sextant and a legitimate auction.
