In article 40abda8d$0$20512$cc9e4d1f@news-
text.dial.pipex.com, says...
OK, seems I gotta be the one to post this he

See:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=8101010 615

Some dickhead has paid £120 for an empty box (inc. p&p) and ain't too happy
about it - check the buyer's feedback. What makes me smile is the seller
appears to be quite comfortable with it - check his feedback to the buyer!

Now, is it me, or is there *just enough* ambiguity in the description and
auction title to trap the unwary....???

Hit rate on the auction is 55,000 and still rising!

:-)


It's all a bit strange... Personally, I can't see how anyone
could misunderstand what the guy was selling - it was very
clearly described.
On the other hand, I wouldn't have taken the money in this
case. Once it was clear that the buyer _had_ (somehow!)
misunderstood, the decent thing to do would be to offer to
abort the sale.

Keith G wrote:
I disagree. He was selling an *empty box* - nowhere does he use that phrase.

I very much doubt the box was empty. Unless you can show that the seller
had set up a vacuum...?

--
Now Playing: No Doubt - Sunday Morning [215kbps mp3]

On Wed, 19 May 2004 23:08:49 +0100, Keith G wrote:

OK, seems I gotta be the one to post this he

See:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=8101010 615

Some dickhead has paid £120 for an empty box (inc. p&p) and ain't too happy
about it - check the buyer's feedback. What makes me smile is the seller
appears to be quite comfortable with it - check his feedback to the buyer!

Now, is it me, or is there *just enough* ambiguity in the description and
auction title to trap the unwary....???



Personally, if I had been interested in this auction because I wanted an
X-Box, I would have clarified with the seller whether the box was empty or
not before I made a bid - I would have least requested more information
like whether controllers or other items were included. It would have been
sensible on my part and would have removed any possible misunderstanding.
Certainly, the auction description reads accurately as it stands. I would
have assumed the box to be empty from the description. Whether others
would have read it the same way is something else!

Whether any prospective buyer for this item should be refered to as a
"dickhead" is arguable. There are people around for whom appearances are
very important. They would see even an empty box (particularly one which
is for a limited edition item) as having a real value. It appears that the
actual buyer wasn't one of these and hasn't made any checks. He has bought
based on the description given - which is actually very good, but isn't
for what he wanted.

IMHO the seller should offer a null sale. I say this purely because I
think that there has been a "sin of omission". Although the description
is good and accurate it doesn't really go far enough. I would definitely
have preferred to see the box described with the word "empty" or with a
foot note similar to "Note that this item does NOT include an X-Box or
accessories". After all, if the X-Box had been included the seller would
probably have made a point of informing prospective bidders that the unit
was in working condition or included a controller.

--
Cheers...
Mick
Gave up on viruses & trojans - moved to Linux... :-)
Nascom & Gemini info at http://www.nascom.info

"Graeme Cogger" wrote in message
...
In article 40abda8d$0$20512$cc9e4d1f@news-
text.dial.pipex.com, says...
OK, seems I gotta be the one to post this he

See:


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=8101010 615

Some dickhead has paid £120 for an empty box (inc. p&p) and ain't too
happy
about it - check the buyer's feedback. What makes me smile is the seller
appears to be quite comfortable with it - check his feedback to the buyer!

Now, is it me, or is there *just enough* ambiguity in the description and
auction title to trap the unwary....???

Hit rate on the auction is 55,000 and still rising!

:-)


It's all a bit strange...


No it's not. The seller has achieved exactly what he set out to do IMO.
Check the bidding - there are a number of bidders all with low feedback
ratings (or whatever it's called - transaction numbers or summat) throwing
serious money at an empty box. If the seller was genuine he could have
stepped in at any time and pointed out that the Xbox wasn't actually in the
Xbox box and that it was only the Xbox box that the Xbox came in......

Check the description also - 'Platform = Microsoft Xbox', 'Condition = 'new
in box'

Wot woz 'new in box' - the box itself then?

Check also Postage and Packing = £5.

Woz the seller going to put the Xbox box (ie a box with no Xbox in it) into
a box and post that then?

(An Xboxless Xbox box inside a box....???)

:-)


Personally, I can't see how anyone
could misunderstand what the guy was selling - it was very
clearly described.


Still think so?


On the other hand, I wouldn't have taken the money in this
case. Once it was clear that the buyer _had_ (somehow!)
misunderstood, the decent thing to do would be to offer to
abort the sale.


Quite. If a significant refund (I don't say all of it) hasn't already been
offered to the dopey buyer, it bloody well ought to be, in my book!

Now, I wonder if I say all this because I inadvertantly bought a 7" record
the other day - thought it was an LP! (The description clearly said '7"'!!)

:-)

"Form@C" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 19 May 2004 23:08:49 +0100, Keith G wrote:

OK, seems I gotta be the one to post this he

See:


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=8101010 615

Some dickhead has paid £120 for an empty box (inc. p&p) and ain't too
happy
about it - check the buyer's feedback. What makes me smile is the seller
appears to be quite comfortable with it - check his feedback to the
buyer!

Now, is it me, or is there *just enough* ambiguity in the description
and
auction title to trap the unwary....???



Personally, if I had been interested in this auction because I wanted an
X-Box, I would have clarified with the seller whether the box was empty or
not before I made a bid - I would have least requested more information
like whether controllers or other items were included. It would have been
sensible on my part and would have removed any possible misunderstanding.
Certainly, the auction description reads accurately as it stands. I would
have assumed the box to be empty from the description. Whether others
would have read it the same way is something else!


Maybe a lot of us don't have as finely-honed eBaying skills as you?



Whether any prospective buyer for this item should be refered to as a
"dickhead" is arguable.


A somewhat 'unkind' turn of phrase I agree, but what other descriptive best
fits someone who has paid £120 for an empty box and clearly isn't happy to
have done so?


There are people around for whom appearances are
very important. They would see even an empty box (particularly one which
is for a limited edition item) as having a real value. It appears that the
actual buyer wasn't one of these and hasn't made any checks. He has bought
based on the description given - which is actually very good, but isn't
for what he wanted.


OK, how about 'plonker' then - is that fair do you think? :-)



IMHO the seller should offer a null sale.


Yes, so do I - or a partial refund, at least.


I say this purely because I
think that there has been a "sin of omission".


Yes and obfuscation.....

(Remember the successful bidder wasn't the only one lobbing serious money at
this empty box!)


Although the description
is good and accurate it doesn't really go far enough. I would definitely
have preferred to see the box described with the word "empty" or with a
foot note similar to "Note that this item does NOT include an X-Box or
accessories".


Exactamento.


After all, if the X-Box had been included the seller would
probably have made a point of informing prospective bidders that the unit
was in working condition or included a controller.


Etc. etc. Quite.......

In article 40ae21c9$0$20512$cc9e4d1f@news-
text.dial.pipex.com, says...
Personally, I can't see how anyone
could misunderstand what the guy was selling - it was very
clearly described.


Still think so?


Absolutely, yes. The description itself is as plain as day.
He even suggests that you use it to fool your friends into
thinking you own an X-box.

On Fri, 21 May 2004 16:56:52 +0100, Keith G wrote:

snip


Maybe a lot of us don't have as finely-honed eBaying skills as you?


grin You obviously don't know me, Keith! I have *no* eBaying skills
whatever - never having used it at all! :-)

Whether any prospective buyer for this item should be refered to as a
"dickhead" is arguable.


A somewhat 'unkind' turn of phrase I agree, but what other descriptive
best fits someone who has paid £120 for an empty box and clearly isn't
happy to have done so?


a wishfull thinker?
The gent in question will definitely learn from this mistake one way or
another...


snip
IMHO the seller should offer a null sale.


Yes, so do I - or a partial refund, at least.


I say this purely because I
think that there has been a "sin of omission".


Yes and obfuscation.....

(Remember the successful bidder wasn't the only one lobbing serious
money at this empty box!)

snip

I can't see anywhere where the seller deliberately sets out to mislead
prospective buyers - that's the problem. If he did, then it would be easy
to condemn him as a fraud and a cheat - as it is, he may well attract
those tags any way.

If he is politically astute then offering a largeish refund could be a
very good thing - leaving him with a profit, teaching the buyer to be more
careful in future and earning "respect" points from fellow eBayers. :-)

It is possible that some of the losing bidders actually wanted an empty
box of course and are now disappointed... lol!

--
Cheers...
Mick
Gave up on viruses & trojans - moved to Linux... :-)
Nascom & Gemini info at http://www.nascom.info

The gent in question will definitely learn from this mistake one way or
another...

No doubt.

The most enduring lessons are those that hurt most, whether financially
or emotionally.

This lesson is: Read carefully and consider the price.