I would like your opinion

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docwatson

docwatson

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I would like your opinion about an issue I have with an eBay seller. Approximately 2 months ago I sold a USED estate pipe on eBay. It was like new, in the original box with sleeve. I smoked the pipe myself and so did the previous owner. Probably a maximum of three times!!
The person who bought the pipe on eBay is also a pipe re-seller. He now has the pipe on eBay and has it advertised as NEW IN THE BOX.
I am a bit miffed at the fact that he is selling this pipe deceptively and also because he is doubling the money he paid me for it. If the pipe had been smoked only one time and still looks like new, it is still an estate pipe IMO.
Should I, and would you contact this guy to let him know what I know?? I am positive it is the same pipe, there is no mistaking that fact. Even the pictures he has online show the same small nick on top of the tobacco chamber and the same box, sleeve and grain on the pipe. What say you???
Andy
 
I would contact him. It may be a simple "oversight" on his part - although highly doubtful. If he doesn't change it, then I would contact E-Bay. There is no reason why the reseller should be allowed to sell the pipe as new when it clearly it is a "used" pipe.
 
I agree with you, Andy, and your description of new vs. estate and I agree as well with Mojo here and would contact the seller.  I'm with you - if a new pipe is smoked once it is now an estate pipe - in almost new condition but certainly not new and should be described in the listing as such.

Hopefully, as Mojo said, it's an oversight; perhaps he has "canned" (saved) descriptions that he cuts and pastes into his listings and he grabbed this one by mistake - who knows, but I'd contact him.

Lou
 
Thanks guys for your input it is much appreciated. It's not so much the fact that he is making more $$ on the transaction than the fact that he is practicing deceptive selling to a buyer. Behaviour like that will come back to bite you in the butt!! And now I can no longer trust this seller which is the worse part.
 
docwatson":6jui5d8a said:
Thanks guys for your input it is much appreciated. It's not so much the fact that he is making more $$ on the transaction than the fact that he is practicing deceptive selling to a buyer. Behaviour like that will come back to bite you in the butt!! And now I can no longer trust this seller which is the worse part.
Click to expand...
That's it right there buddy. It all comes down to trust and reputation.
 
I would contact ebay rather than the seller.  It would certainly disclose how reliable they are in policing their listings.

Ones inability to comment on sellers beyond their "everybody gets 5 stars or else" program really provides no forum for such blatant falsehoods being continually  perpetrated by some sellers.  I think that works to their detriment over the long run.
 
Fresh air and sunlight are still the best disinfectants.

On that basis, I think a link to his offering would be valuable, Doc.

:face:
 
Yak":1plpj83q said:
Fresh air and sunlight are still the best disinfectants.

On that basis, I think a link to his offering would be valuable, Doc.

:face:
Click to expand...
Once again, Yak has nailed it.
 
I would definitely contact the seller and ask him to correct the post. We do need to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, it could have been a legitimate mistake.

Confronting behavior like this is unfortunately the exception rather than the rule. I think it is important to call out those who are deliberately deceptive. Thats just my two cents.

 
I think JKenP is right. It's Ebay"s problem. Report what you know to them and let them fix it. If the pipe has been smoked at least 3 times as you stated then the seller should know that by a quick sniff of the bowl. It's the first thing I do to a pipe I'm considering to buy if it's given to be new. If it's been smoked the smoke odor will be there. In my opinion the seller knows the pipe should be listed as an estate pipe. It's fraud and should be reported to Ebay.

AJ
 
You should immediately contact the seller and ask him to edit the listing to reflect the true condition of the pipe. If he doesn't, you should contact EBay and report him as a fraudulent seller and ask that the auction be pulled. You should also then out the guy on every pipe forum you know of if he doesn't correct the listing voluntarily. Not as way of vigilante punishment, but as a public service to the rest of the community who participates in this hobby and uses EBay fairly and within the rules, and do it in a calm and factual manner with no set-up for a train wreck.
 
Gentlemen,
The problem has been rectified. I thank you one and all for your valuable input. I contacted the seller and made him aware that the pipe was indeed mine previously and that it is indeed a smoked pipe and should be listed as such.
He responded almost immediately and thanked me for the heads up thinking that it was a new unsmoked pipe being in such pristine condition with original box and sleeve. It has been about 60 days since he bought it from me and must have forgot that it was a smoked estate pipe. He has already edited the auction at the bottom to let the current bidders know there was an error in the listing. Turns out that it seems like an honest oversight IMO.
Again, THANKS for all your answers to my post, you Brothers are the best.
Andy
 
I'd love to blame "poor economy" and hard times forcing otherwise good people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't do (steal bread for their baby, take a few coins off the newsstand when no one is looking)... but lets face it, we're primates, our opposable thumbs were made for stealin' and that's what they'll do...and one of these days these thumbs...

...could be used to expose folks like that as a "life-lesson." Post the link. Post it often. This is still a pretty small and niche community, people forget, and word will get around. The only reason why I say take matters into your own hand is knowing that unless it costs eBay money or threatens their bottom line (or makes them look bad) they won't do anything about it. They've pulled the "caveat emptor, sir" thing many times and said "go through the process, that's what it's there for"-- but they will tell you themselves they aren't the "market police." Unless, as I specified, it directly affects them.

People won't change, but you can shine the spotlight on those d-bags who are so bold. :heart:

"Told truth is to justice what the lock is to keeping honest people honest."

8)
 
Giving the seller a "heads up" was the correct thing to do. We all make mistakes, and if he was in a rush while listing it an honest mistake could easily happen. We've all heard enough horror stories about rude, greedy, abusive, and shady sellers on ebay. A listing addy would be nice, I wouldn't mind doing business with the seller after he has proved himself like this!
 
Well played Doc!
You may also have saved the seller from negative feedback once the eventual buyer of that pipe were to receive it and discover it's true condition.
 
Thanks for the update, Doc and I'm glad to hear it worked out that way.
 
"We all make mistakes."

The young/inexperienced thief's credence to getting away with it early on--and the experienced thief's way out at least once or twice.   You think the guy selling it, even if an "honest" mistake would have taken back the mistake if he also mistakenly gotten away with it?  Probably not.   People are mistakenly jerks all the time, too.

*shrug*  The only thing that separates this situation is our brother ain't out anything, he's just looking out for the next guy (a future brother?) that might get ripped off.  

In any case, that's the real good stuff right there.  You're a swell guy, docwatson.  :cheers:  Thanks for keepin' an eye out.  

8)
 
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