Who is eBay serving? It sure can't be the photographer who is actually using the equipment. Look at the sellers; they are in general, retailers seeking the ultimate price for their goods by making the consumer compete against each other for product. This is opposed to the traditional method where the RETAILERS compete with each other for OUR business. Is photographic equipment so rare that it needs to be auctioned off like Christie's or Sotheby's? Not hardly! The latest joke on eBay is the P-Mount adapter for the P67. It went for $137.50 used. I can buy a new K-Mount adapter for $114 out of Shutterbug. The eBay philosophy is obvious, serve the business man not the consumer. SR

-- Steve Rasmussen (srasmuss@flash.net), July 04, 1999

Answers

I'll admit that an auction format is designed to elevate prices, however I would disagree that everything on ebay is destined to be a ripoff. I am a "private camera dealer", actually a semi-pro photographer, and I also do camera dealing business. I set my reserve prices below the used prices I see in Shutterbug, and Keh's online catalog. At this time there are far more buyers than sellers at ebay, and this is bound to cause a feeding frenzy among sellers/ dealers. I think a buyer needs to know a reasonable price for a given item, and to stick to it. (Another point is that if an auction goes well beyond a sellers reserve price, that doesnt mean the seller was trying to rip someone off, it means that the buyer was either willing to pay more, or simply didnt do his/her homework) Don't get caught up in the novelty of an online auction. Also, weed out the sharks from the reliable, and trustworthy sellers by bookmarking the good guys only. I have been a struggling/working photographer for 15 years before I ever started selling cameras and I can sympathize with photographers starting out and trying to afford expensive equipment so as to satisty their passion of doing photography. I believe I am offering pretty good deals, and ebay helps mostly because people feel safer there. However, I still agree that an auction format raises prices, the problem with classified type format is the perceived risky feeling. If there is a classified page for photographic equipment that has an excellent reputation AND large following I am willing to

-- Anthony Chung (tmail@asiaonline.net), July 04, 1999.

I think there has already been very good advice. No one who expects to make prudent purchases at any auction should arrive without first having a very good idea of the value of the merchandise. If the asking price goes too high, don't bid. Presumably, people will pay what they perceive to be a fair value for the merchandise. If they don't have any idea of what thay value should be, I don't think they have any business being at any auction, electronic or traditional. If one bids according to passion rather than common sense I'm afraid there is nothing which will protect one from him or her self.

-- Bruce McLaughlin (bmclaugh@primenet.com), July 14, 1999.