people who don't know what they have
hey, i was just wondering if it's ethically okay to tell people (post it) about posters that are on ebay that are mislabeled or poorly labeled? like, i was just cruising ebay and came across a poster that didn't mention the artist OR the design firms name that did it and so it's not getting the exposure that it deserves. now, that's good for the guys bidding on it, but not for the seller. what do you guys think?
- sunsetbrew
- Art Expert
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- Joined: Thu May 29, 2003 12:00 am
It sounds to me like you found the listing. What makes you think that other people aren't finding it also?tj wrote:hey, i was just wondering if it's ethically okay to tell people (post it) about posters that are on ebay that are mislabeled or poorly labeled? like, i was just cruising ebay and came across a poster that didn't mention the artist OR the design firms name that did it and so it's not getting the exposure that it deserves. now, that's good for the guys bidding on it, but not for the seller. what do you guys think?
I occasionally correct sellers when I have the time. Mostly cause it bugs me to see wrong info, but sometimes when I notice the seller has good stuff, and I feel bad for him/her. The only ethical "issue" I can think of is in NOT correcting the seller, but then, like Sunsetbrew said, it's a time thing- so I don't think it's evil to fail to correct someone. ..
thanks guys. yeah, i didn't think this was REALLY an ethics issue, but i didn't know where else to put it (probably "anything else"). anyway, though, i was just worried about screwing the people bidding on it. i mean, it's a really nice to find a mislabeled item on ebay and score on it, but at the same time, it's really sad for the seller -- especially when the seller is certainly NOT flipping b/c they have NO idea what they have. in the end i contacted the seller and told him/her to put the artists name in the description. if you're wondering, it was a horkey/burlesque magnetic fields print.
i hope i didn't screw anyone on here by saying that or doing this. if i did, i apologize.
i hope i didn't screw anyone on here by saying that or doing this. if i did, i apologize.
- ColdSoreSuperstar
- Art Expert
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Dude, it's like finding gold at garage sales.
If they don't really know it's gold, why tell them to jack up the price on you?
I don't think it's unethical. You've done your homework. They haven't.
If they don't really know it's gold, why tell them to jack up the price on you?
I don't think it's unethical. You've done your homework. They haven't.
- electrachrome
- Site Admin
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auction added
- weyistrilson
- Art Connoisseur
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The garage sale analogy is perfect (by the way, no one here in Portland must know what good frames are b/c I've scored so many on the cheap). It's just like that guy who found the 1st Velvet Underground recording at a garage sale in NYC and sold it on eBay for $150K after buying it for less than a buck.
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Last edited by palehighway on Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Obligated to do what?
You mention a charity auction - that situation is very odd/unique in that in a standard auction, it won't matter what you bid because your price won't go up unless someone bids against you. Now in the case of a silent type auction (or a public bidding one online as often happens on message forums for charity auctions I've seen), I'd agree - bid it up to the real value (or near it at least) since the cash will go to a cause. If I don't feel that what I won a charity auction at was worth the value of the print, if I can afford it I'll bump my winning bid.
You mention a charity auction - that situation is very odd/unique in that in a standard auction, it won't matter what you bid because your price won't go up unless someone bids against you. Now in the case of a silent type auction (or a public bidding one online as often happens on message forums for charity auctions I've seen), I'd agree - bid it up to the real value (or near it at least) since the cash will go to a cause. If I don't feel that what I won a charity auction at was worth the value of the print, if I can afford it I'll bump my winning bid.
Tra la la la la...
that winning bid was FAKEweyistrilson wrote:The garage sale analogy is perfect (by the way, no one here in Portland must know what good frames are b/c I've scored so many on the cheap). It's just like that guy who found the 1st Velvet Underground recording at a garage sale in NYC and sold it on eBay for $150K after buying it for less than a buck.