On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 16:52:04 GMT, "Mel A. Nomah"
wrote:

I am helping a nursing-home-bound elderly ham sell off his equipment. Some
of it is old equipment of "collector" status which I have no idea of the
value. Trying to find out a proper starting price for eBay auction, I asked
on a QTH.NET reflector of that brand for estimates of the reasonable value,
but did not ask for bids.

Got several private responses, one of which was a bid for one of the items.
The bid to me seems more than fair and we'd be happy to sell the item at
that price, but I feel uncomfortable that others didn't get a chance to bid.
At the same time, I don't want to look like we're trying to raise the price
of the item.

Would it be ethical for us to tell the group that we have a bid for the item
(not revealing the amount of the bid) and ask others who wish to send
private bids also? If we do that, should we give the original bidder a
chance to match any higher bid?

How can we be fair here, without starting a food-fight and looking like
we're trying to "milk it for all it's worth"?

Thanks for your thoughts.

As long as no auction was initiated, you have every right to entertain
any offer that you feel is reasonable and acceptable. Once the items
have been placed on auction, you are obligated to let the auction run
its course.


Raymond Sirois KU2S
SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
607-733-5745
telnet://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6000

"KU2S" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 16:52:04 GMT, "Mel A. Nomah"
wrote:

I am helping a nursing-home-bound elderly ham sell off his equipment.
Some
of it is old equipment of "collector" status which I have no idea of the
value. Trying to find out a proper starting price for eBay auction, I
asked
on a QTH.NET reflector of that brand for estimates of the reasonable
value,
but did not ask for bids.

Well done for your assistance to the present owner, a fellow enthusiast, in
their 'hour of need' by providing to them what is probably a younger and
stronger back and your time and effort.
Would it be that we will all have such a good neighbour when needed!
And you are also supplying expertise and a care and concern that would not
be provided by a typical auction company or a bailiff, 'settling' an estate!
My comment/suggestion would be that within a reasonable limit of time and
effort you should encourage the owner to get the maximum for the items.
Whereas if you do sell it as a block to a single buyer they will probably
resell most of it for a profit?
The cynical may say that 'The nursing home will get the money'! Maybe; but
the owner deserves the ability to buy the maximum benefit from what is most
likely their lifetime of collecting, conserving and contribution to the
hobby and to society generally.

"KU2S" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 16:52:04 GMT, "Mel A. Nomah"
wrote:

I am helping a nursing-home-bound elderly ham sell off his equipment.
Some
of it is old equipment of "collector" status which I have no idea of the
value. Trying to find out a proper starting price for eBay auction, I
asked
on a QTH.NET reflector of that brand for estimates of the reasonable
value,
but did not ask for bids.

Well done for your assistance to the present owner, a fellow enthusiast, in
their 'hour of need' by providing to them what is probably a younger and
stronger back and your time and effort.
Would it be that we will all have such a good neighbour when needed!
And you are also supplying expertise and a care and concern that would not
be provided by a typical auction company or a bailiff, 'settling' an estate!
My comment/suggestion would be that within a reasonable limit of time and
effort you should encourage the owner to get the maximum for the items.
Whereas if you do sell it as a block to a single buyer they will probably
resell most of it for a profit?
The cynical may say that 'The nursing home will get the money'! Maybe; but
the owner deserves the ability to buy the maximum benefit from what is most
likely their lifetime of collecting, conserving and contribution to the
hobby and to society generally.

I'm dying to know, what was the piece and what was the offer?

Sean

"Mel A. Nomah"
Got several private responses, one of which was a bid for one of the
items.
The bid to me seems more than fair and we'd be happy to sell the item at
that price, but I feel uncomfortable that others didn't get a chance to
bid.
At the same time, I don't want to look like we're trying to raise the
price
of the item.

I'm dying to know, what was the piece and what was the offer?

Sean

"Mel A. Nomah"
Got several private responses, one of which was a bid for one of the
items.
The bid to me seems more than fair and we'd be happy to sell the item at
that price, but I feel uncomfortable that others didn't get a chance to
bid.
At the same time, I don't want to look like we're trying to raise the
price
of the item.

Mel A. Nomah wrote:

How can we be fair here, without starting a food-fight and looking like
we're trying to "milk it for all it's worth"?

An open auction is, by definition, "fair," because no person
is forced to bid more than he does voluntarily.
There is nothing wrong with getting the best price you honestly
can for your friend's assets. In fact, you have an ethical duty
to do so. If, through a misguided sense of guilt about
"profit," you knowingly take less than you could have done
in an honest and fair manner, you have taken that money
from your friend, who needs it.
Describe your items in an honest manner and
allow your buyers to decide what they want to pay.
This serves your friend well and leaves your hands clean.

Secondly- auctioning here will be difficult and
will bring only a fraction of what you could have
gotten for your friend on Ebay. The market on
Ebay is far larger. Ignore the anti-Ebay whining of those few
who attempt to hide their simple envy by wrapping themselves
in "protector of the hobby;" that's just jealous nonsense.

How ever you decide to proceed, you are
to be commended for helping; it's a big chore.

73 DE Dave Stinson AB5S

Mel A. Nomah wrote:

How can we be fair here, without starting a food-fight and looking like
we're trying to "milk it for all it's worth"?

An open auction is, by definition, "fair," because no person
is forced to bid more than he does voluntarily.
There is nothing wrong with getting the best price you honestly
can for your friend's assets. In fact, you have an ethical duty
to do so. If, through a misguided sense of guilt about
"profit," you knowingly take less than you could have done
in an honest and fair manner, you have taken that money
from your friend, who needs it.
Describe your items in an honest manner and
allow your buyers to decide what they want to pay.
This serves your friend well and leaves your hands clean.

Secondly- auctioning here will be difficult and
will bring only a fraction of what you could have
gotten for your friend on Ebay. The market on
Ebay is far larger. Ignore the anti-Ebay whining of those few
who attempt to hide their simple envy by wrapping themselves
in "protector of the hobby;" that's just jealous nonsense.

How ever you decide to proceed, you are
to be commended for helping; it's a big chore.

73 DE Dave Stinson AB5S

"Evan Platt" wrote in message
...

:
: So I'm curious what your suggestion is to make sure a CB'er doesn't
: buy it.
:

For starters, keep it off the eBay dump site, a notorious avenue for CBers
bent on obtaining a "foot warmer".

Then ask for a call sign and match up to shipping address via QRZ.COM. No
match, no sale.

73,

Barnabas Grumwitch Overbyte
--
"All persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental, and should not be
construed."

"Evan Platt" wrote in message
...

:
: So I'm curious what your suggestion is to make sure a CB'er doesn't
: buy it.
:

For starters, keep it off the eBay dump site, a notorious avenue for CBers
bent on obtaining a "foot warmer".

Then ask for a call sign and match up to shipping address via QRZ.COM. No
match, no sale.

73,

Barnabas Grumwitch Overbyte
--
"All persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental, and should not be
construed."

"I Smac" wrote in message
...

: I'm dying to know, what was the piece and what was the offer?

It was a Central Electronics 600L. The offer was $1,000. We left it open
for blind bids for 3 more days, and that offer prevailed.