[holderlin]

Quote:

Originally posted by jerikl I wonder if that guy really gets the Orpheus... you can email him right? I don't think I would mind asking him myself...

I sent the seller 2 e-mails in the last 2 days to see what arrangements he'd agree to escrow my payment and to ask him for his phone number for a friend in Switz. to call him. I didn't know how serious I was about actually laying out this kind of money but it seemed too good to pass up if it was legit. About 50 minutes before bidding closed he mailed me to tell me he had just signed up for escrow. He also gave me his tel. # but didn't say anything about the terms of putting money in escrow (I asked for 10 days to audition the equipment before releasing money -- was I being unreasonable? I thought if the equip did come I'd come to you folks to tell me if what I got was what I'd paid for).

By that time I'd also noticed that one bidder had dropped out because he didn't have the money and that the eventual winner had bid an unpublished amount. It appeared that I would have to bid $2,750 but it wasn't clear how much the other bidder had actually offered. It really started stinking -- however, I admit that I have never placed a bid with ebay, so I'm not sure how things work.

Well, I never received any follow-ups about escrow terms. By that time my partner had gently told me that I was crazy for even considering this and that even if I thought I could re-sell it after my years of enjoyment (for a slight profit?), she did not like the idea AT ALL! So, I watched as the bid closed, wondering if the winner will actually get the goods. (I will not be entirely surprised if he does, although i can't explain why this guy's selling it unless it's hot merchandise. But as I asked before, how does a fraudulent seller benefit if a buyer buys through an escrow account?)

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Quote:

Originally posted by holderlin By that time I'd also noticed that ... the eventual winner had bid an unpublished amount. It appeared that I would have to bid $2,750 but it wasn't clear how much the other bidder had actually offered. ... I admit that I have never placed a bid with ebay, so I'm not sure how things work.

Nope, that's just the way eBay works. You don't get to know what top price the other bidders bid, you only get to know their current bid...just like in real life. Their theory is, it shouldn't matter. You should only be willing to pay a max of US$X for something, but that's just plain not true (e.g., it could depend on how many other auctions you've been losing recently -- if it's quite a few, you could afford to bid more).

Don't worry about missing the opportunity, I'm sure many of us have a similar sob story. I know I could have afforded US$2750...but not right now (I'm in the middle of juggling finances). Would have been nice. Your partner is just being sensible for you. Look at it this way -- if you give up your car, you could probably afford it for real (from, e.g., Headroom). I know it's probably not my first multi-thousand-dollar purchase when I make my first million, but it's in the top 10...Here's another way to look at it -- think about how many opportunities go like this every day, except it's not on the internet at all -- it's just between two individuals...or it's being sold at a police auction...or something else...I'm sure some of us would have an aneurism if we knew about some of the things that are being sold in garage sales...

 

[Tides]

It can get complicated if you tested the item for few days and decided it is not as advertised.. so you send it back. meanwhile he claims you never send the item back, and demand a release of funds with escrow. What happens here is.

He will get the Money, and YOU are ended up doing your * loss of package* insurance claim with whatever Service you use ( ups, uspostal, fedex etc)

So you lose out on the money escrow is holding( released to seller due to missing item on ur part) and you have to claim your money from the carrier service you use. ( which is a BIG pain in the ### with item over 1000 dollars.)

Tides

 

[Hamsta]

I looked up the lucky bidder's transaction record and it looks like he's a bit of a turntable enthusiast and a reliable buyer and seller on Ebay. I notice he has withdrawn one bid in the last 7 days (the only one he's ever done) and the suspicious side of my nature wonders if we're all now very familiar with that bid....

Ishall be interested to see what sort of feedback he gives Mr "made.in.world". The profile URL is -
http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAP...=made.in.world
Stay tuned!

BTW, wouldn't it be funny if the Orpheus appears again in a few months, this time selling for around US$5000 from a reputable Ebay seller.....

 

[raymondlin]

Tides - $2200 from playing games?!!! I am in the wrong business!

is that your full time job? and what a great way to fund your hobbies!!! Damn, I am good at Final Fantasy 7, shame I can't sell those. All level 99 Characters with all summons, materias and everything there is in the game!

 

[Tides]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hamsta BTW, wouldn't it be funny if the Orpheus appears again in a few months, this time selling for around US$5000 from a reputable Ebay seller.....

If that happens, it means the orpheus IS NOT as advertised

I doubt the buyder is buying to sell it .. but I guess u never know

Tides

 

[grrr223]

It would be possible for the buyer to buy it, maybe listen to it, decide it's not worth $2500 (or the $5000 he could sell it for) and then sell it.

Speaking of purchases I wish I would have made. A guy had 6 JBL Synthesis speakers.Learn more here. They're an incredible THX system that is on par with this orpheus discussion, anyway, they had a buy-it-now for $1000, and I didn't get them

.

They eventually went up to $3200, although I think that buyer ended up not paying, so they went up again, this time starting at $2500. My original plan was to either buy them, basically ending my home theater speaker search for a long time, or sell them, and then that ~$2000 ($3200-$1000) would have been mine (minus some insane shipping charges)

 

[DanG]

JBL - yuck.

 

[Tim D]

Its interesting how JBL is a Harman company which among other things has names such as Revel, Mark Levinson, Lexicon, etc under its belt. In fact it has been said that they do in fact share a great deal of R&D in speaker design(and of course it is to their benefit that they do).

Not that there isn't a difference...but they do share some blood.

 

[Redwoood]

Isn't AKG also a Harman company?
Just to steer on-topic again

Bye

Redwoood

 

[templeboy]

Yack, I saw this thread only after back from vacation. I would jump on it for sure w/ Escrow covers my back. The dude is surely lucky!

As for the scenario of double claims, if one receives a box of stones, s/he can ship it back w/ a box of something brown and smelly.

A very costly vacation!

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

yeah, AKG is a Harman company.

i stopped by a Harman outlet outside of phoenix and was suprised to see some AKG 'phones. not bad prices neither. 501 for $150.

no ML or Revel stuff though.

 

[Redwoood]

Did you get yourself a pair?

150$ that's the super-mega-monster sale price that Headroom charges for these babies

 

[Odeen]

Okay, didn't that use to be the REGULAR price for the K501's?

<sigh>... super mega.. whatever.

 

[Redwoood]

dunno, possible (pencil sharpening session, allright

)

I know that a friend of mine who lives in Austria got his for 100$.