I, for one, am particularly disappointed to witness how some listfolk have
been attacked for attempting to conduct perfectly sensible transactions
onlist.
Some of us do not have major credit cards. Without one it is difficult, if
not impossible, to participate in eBay. To register as an occasional seller
on eBay I had to use an ATM/debit card, which took two months of aggravating
wrangling with eBay's administration to fulfill its own stated policy of
accepting ATM/debit cards in lieu of Master Card, Visa, etc.
I'm not an eBay buyer and even if I was, I probably wouldn't use a sniping
program simply because I wouldn't get enough use out of one to offset the
expense. So if other listfolk who are active and enthusiastic eBayers are
successful in buying and wish to offer some of their goodies onlist, I
consider that to be a valuable service. A valuable service means it's worth
paying for. In fact, it would be immoral not to pay for it.
For folks who aren't in a position to bid on eBay the opportunity to buy and
sell onlist is invaluable. Yet these silly scuffles have discouraged
members who might have offered items at very fair prices, almost always
cheaper than the average eBay price. So we all suffer.
Would we prefer to buy from absolutely unknown sources via classified ads?
Or from people we've come to know through correspondence?
And this notion that we're somehow entitled to pay only what the seller paid
for an item - or perhaps a tiny profit if we're feeling generous - is so
preposterous it defies rational debate. Another member wrote that he was
fortunate enough to acquire a fairly expensive light meter for only $50(US)
- shall I offer him $60 and raise the flames of hades when he declines my
generous offer?
Besides being an invaluable source of information, this list may be the
single best source in the entire world to exchange Olympus gear. Consider
that for a moment...the single...BEST...source...ON EARTH.
Yet some of you behave as though you wish to fritter away this incredible
resource because - heavens! - transactions are not conducted strictly
according to Marx and/or Utopian doctrine! Surely you cannot wish that.
We'd all like "fair dealing". But what is that? I'm seriously considering
switching from the Canon FD to OM line as my main system, keeping only an
FTbn body and a few lenses in reserve. A couple of years ago when prices
for used Canon T70 bodies were higher I could have sold or traded my two for
one good OM-4T body. And I would have thought that to be fair. Now the
prices for the T70 have dropped to the point that I'd be lucky to get a good
OM-1N in exchange for both my Canons. Unless I'm fortunate enough to find a
willing buyer (i.e., "ignorant sucker") to pay my higher asking price
("eager to get screwed"). But what's the difference? Who cares what
happens to a Canon buyer. As long as OM buyers get all their goodies at or
below cost.
Silly, isn't it? Let's not undermine this incredible resource.
-----------
Lex Jenkins
----------------------------------------------------------------------
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
http://profiles.msn.com.
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|