Is this E-bay listing just a little miss leading or is it just me?

[cudaken]

 OK, I was looking at auctions that where ending with in 2 minutes. I came across this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=006&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=160041554993&rd=1&rd=1

 If you had to make a quick bid what would you thought it was for? Now rememeber a quick look not sitting down and reading it a few times. It was after I won the bid and re readed it I saw my error.

 If any one here would like to have it let me know on this posting and them PM me. If it is turly collectible that is the last thing I need, I want to run it. If it is not limted run and not collectible let me know as well.

            Biding to fast again Cuda Ken         

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I get it. What is your objection that you think is misleading? What did you think it was for, and what was it actually for?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

$13 + $5.50 shipping is a darn good price for what was being sold there. That was a limited edition set, with only a few hundred or so made. Somebody got one heck of a deal!

[cudaken]

 Jeff, you hit the spike on the head! I thought it was for the set! Not just the one car. Other wise I would have passed on it. Not being a collector being a limted run car means nothing to me. Heck I still have horn hooks running on the A line.  Plus LHS (K-10 Trains) sells Athearn Build cars cheap. Just picked up another 50' gondola IL Terminal for $5.95. For $18.50 I could have bought 4 more cars not one.

 

                           Cuda Ken

[NeO6874]

It IS misleading.  The SELL description says its a lot o' 9 cars, though the long desc. of what's actually in the "lot" only focuses on the boxcar... guess you'll have to see when you get it Ken.

I hope it was for the 9 cars... otherwise maybe give neutral feedback after you get it for a misleading sale...

[tstage]

Ken,

I was wondering if that was what you were driving at.  Yes, the description implies a lot of 9 cars.  However, further reading and deciphering seems to indicate that each boxcar is considered a "lot".  (Not the same definition of the word to me.)

I just looked up the word "lot" in the American Heritage Dictionary, and here's what it said:

lot (lot) n.  6. A number of people or things.  8. A large amount or number.

Needless to say, Ken, that's why it's always good to e-mail the seller for clarification before bidding on something.  I made a knee-jerk decision one time bidding on a used locomotive and ended up being disappointed with the product.  Thankfully, it was only a ~$30 lesson learned.  Looks like your lesson will cost you less than mine.

Tom

[cudaken]

 No, it was for the Box car only. In a message he did tell me I had some time to bid on the other ones?

                  Cuda Ken

[Anonymous]

 Jeff, you hit the spike on the head! I thought it was for the set! Not just the one car. Other wise I would have passed on it. Not being a collector being a limted run car means nothing to me. Heck I still have horn hooks running on the A line.  Plus LHS (K-10 Trains) sells Athearn Build cars cheap. Just picked up another 50' gondola IL Terminal for $5.95. For $18.50 I could have bought 4 more cars not one.

 

                           Cuda Ken

It's beyond misleading, it's wrong. "Lot of 9 cars" means 9 cars. "From a lot of 9 cars..." would be misleading and/or confusing, but not wrong. But effectively it says the auction is for 9 cars.

I think you have a perfect reason to explain to the seller that you want to cancel the deal if you don't want it. $13 plus shipping is probably a reasonable price for the collector car - it does have some value I think - but if you don't want it, then by all means you have every right to say you aren't being sold what the auction said was for sale...

It's effectively no different than if I advertised "Mercedes Benz Automobile" and then sent you a Mercedes seat instead of the whole car.

[dgwinup]

I agree with you, Ken.  The listing IS misleading.  It does state "from a lot of 9 cars".  Then it describes Lot #2.  He is using the word "lot" to mean two different things.  The dictionary quoted above indicates a quantity = a lot, but auctioneers have used "lot" to mean a single item.

My only real clue was the description of only the box car.  Having a picture of all 9 cars is VERY misleading!  I might have assumed, as you did, that I was bidding on 9 cars.

If you like the car, keep it and run it.  Do you really care if it's a "collector's piece"?  You just paid a little more for it than you wanted to!  Besides, "collector's pieces" are usually only "collectible" if they are in the original packaging.  Break apart the original packaging and you don't have a true "collectible" any more!

It'll look great on your layout!

Darrell, quiet...for now

[colvinbackshop]

Yes!!! It's WAY misleading! It's wrong! It shouldn't happen! But it does!

A "lot" is just that... a "lot"! Most often referred to as a lot of (so many)!

"Individual"; is "individual", i.e.: not a lot, but one singular item!

Some folk don't and never will have command of the langue....I don't have much either, but this is way out in left field!

[cruikshank]

It's misleading.  If you were only bidding on (1) car, then there should not have been a picture of 9 there or the word Lot and 9 cars in the description.  I beleive you have every reason to protest and get out of the purchase.  Dave 8 years of E-bay 377 Feedbacks all positive.

[rrandb]

Yes!!! It's WAY misleading! It's wrong! It shouldn't happen! But it does!

A "lot" is just that... a "lot"! Most often referred to as a lot of (so many)!

"Individual"; is "individual", i.e.: not a lot, but one singular item!

Some folk don't and never will have command of the langue....I don't have much either, but this is way out in left field!

I beleive E-bay has a policy if what you beleived you were bidding on differs substantially from what you actually bought then you may cancell payment or recieve a refund. If the seller refuses and is guilty of a "bait and switch" they will no longer be able to sell there. They frown on this practice and I am sure "one" vs. a "lot" of nine" cars should qualify. GOOD LUCK!!

[BillyDee53]

Use a sniping program so you have plenty of time to read the ad.  The ad very clearly states what the "lot" cpontains.  Caveat Emptor.

[Virginian]

So the guy wasn't an English major.  I did not have any problem figuring out what he meant, and that he was in fact selling one (1) box car.  I did not find it the least bit confusing.  If you bid on stuff and don't even take time to read EVERYTHING in the listing you will get NO sympathy from me.  Wait until you get one that has a "Click here for shipping costs" button, and in haste you do NOT check, and then you find out shipping on a plastic car is $12.00.  If they give you the information and you do not take time to read it I do not blame the seller.

Not to be harsh; I am just curious.  Why, unless one was a collector and had been looking for just that specific car, or one was looking for a specific prototypical item that was hard to find, would one be in a rush to buy a box car off ebay?  There must be 5000 on there at any given time.

[CNJ831]

I've gotta agree with Virginian on both counts. As someone whose uses eBay regularly, I don't find the listing as particularly misleading nor confusing. And...why would anyone rush into carellessly bidding on an item discovered in the last two minutes of an auction? That's just looking for trouble from the get-go. No one to blame here but yourself.

CNJ831

[Dave Vollmer]

Hence the danger of using eBay in a hurry for random, impulse purchases...

I've had very good success (only a few minor easily-resolved setbacks) with eBay, but mostly because my purchases are pre-meditated, i.e., I go on eBay looking for very specific items.  And I ask the seller questions if anything's unclear.

In this case, Ken, I can see that in a hurry you would think this was for all 9 cars, and I think the seller's wording of the listing is misleading.  However, if you read the ad in detail, you can see something fishy about it.  I wouldn't buy from a seller whose listings don't really match up with the item description.  Caveat emptor.

[rrinker]

 It IS misleading until you take the time to look at the whole thing. He is misusing the standard auction term 'lot'. Yes auctioneers sometimes have a 'lot' that includes only a single item, but it does say "Lot of 9" which clearly says there are 9 items in the lot.


 Do NOT snap bid on stuff. My recommendation is to have someone else change your ebay password and not tell you! There is NO reason to bid itn he last 2 seconds. Forget sniper programs. Jus bid what you are willing to pay somewhere near the end, but don't hover over the computer and try to get a bid in at the last second. I learned that a long time ago. I stopped orienting my schedule around when auctions were going to end and just bid when convenient. I win just as many auctions for things I want as I did when I used to sit at the computer constantly refreshing to bid at the very last second. A whole lot less stressful, too. And ALWAYS read the auction fully. If you are unsure ask the seller - if they don;t respond don't bid. If still unsure - ask someone who knows, like here.

                                                      --Randy

[Anonymous]

A propsective ebay purchase for me would take almost the entire bidding period of up to a week as research into availible items at walters, LHS's and various availible information as to pricing etc. It is not a 2 minute experience.

At the Auction House dealers would be going over the cars several days before it hits the block and they usually know what they want to buy and how much to pay for it. Once in a while they will discover a jewel and swarm it but it is VERY rare for that to happen.

[rrebell]

Just contact the seller to sell if he will cancel as he can 2nd chance the bidder below you, offer to pay the $1.00 he will lose in the transaction and explain about the ad being misleading and you thought that it was for 9 cars, see what happens as if you read the rules everyone who bids is legaly responcable for their bid so he can go on down the line, got some great deals on 2nd chance offers.

[Budliner]

I too thought it was for 9

but hey you can list it on ebay for 50  cents and get most of your money

or ask the seller to do a second chance to the guy that bid you up to 15

and you will pay the differance thats like $1

at lest if you do relist it we know you will not try to scam some new modler....

 

 

hope you get it and its nice

 

K

[jsoderq]

This is why it is important to stay in school and get a good education. I read it quickly and immediatly recognized the lister says it is one out of a set of nine. People need to read what it says and not what they think it says.

[Don Gibson]

READ the fine print:

 use the lower arrows.

Description Item Specifics - Grading (Model RR, Trains) Grading: C-7 Excellent #10 of a limited run Athearn commerative cars-1955-2002. Displayed ony! Equipped w/Kadees and std NMA weight. Carbon County RR of Pa - Caboose, 2002. No marks, chips or flaws.  Only 500 made! (Only $15.49 with shipping. worth Kato trucks - DG)

[rrebell]

I too thought it was for 9

but hey you can list it on ebay for 50  cents and get most of your money

or ask the seller to do a second chance to the guy that bid you up to 15

and you will pay the differance thats like $1

at lest if you do relist it we know you will not try to scam some new modler....

 

 

hope you get it and its nice

 

K

Isn't that what I said??????????????

[cudaken]

 Little up date, the seller and I have came to terms. I offred him $3.00 to let him out of the bid and he said he did not want my money for nothing. But he sold me the car for $3.00 plus the $5.50 for shipping. Still more than what I would have paid but he made a effort to meet me half way so I will pay.

 Now if any one needs this car and happens to have a Tyco Old Dutch covred hopper they don't want let me know!

           Cuda Ken

[rrebell]

 Little up date, the seller and I have came to terms. I offred him $3.00 to let him out of the bid and he said he did not want my money for nothing. But he sold me the car for $3.00 plus the $5.50 for shipping. Still more than what I would have paid but he made a effort to meet me half way so I will pay.

 Now if any one needs this car and happens to have a Tyco Old Dutch covred hopper they don't want let me know!

           Cuda Ken

Wow that seller sounds nice and glad you all worked it out, wish they had a way in feedback to point out sellers that go beyond the call, this one would qualify!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Ebay separates alot of fools from their money it is a sellers paradise

[twcenterprises]

I consider myself well educated with 2 years of tech school after high school, but even I had to really study this to determine if it was for 1 car or 9.  If there had been time, I would have asked the seller to clarify, and stated that since there was a picture of 9 cars that lead to some uncertainty, and suggested not posting the picture of nine, only the pictures of the single model being sold.  Either that, or a very clear statement that the sale was for 1 car only.

Anyway, I'm glad you and the seller could come to terms, I don't think basically $8.50 is too bad a price for a one of 500 model, even though it doesn't have a box.  I've paid more for "special" commemorative cars, but that was for brand new cars, and the proceeds going to fund whatever the cause was.  I have 1 Wells Fargo 40' Athearn boxcar, evidently a special paint job, as I have not seen one before, nor since.  I forget which company painted it, I'll look when I dig them out of storage.

Brad

[cudaken]

Only thing that sort of bum's me out is I am new to this and not a collecter. I would have rather spent $6.95 at local hobby shop on something I can run than something that is limted production and should be on display and not hauling freight.

But I will give him good feed back and try to read listing just a little better next time.

Cuda Ken

[PA&ERR]

Two words...

Caveat Emptor.

-George