Just because it's a Mountain Boy doesn't mean...

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Lil Alley Cat

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Ok because it is so frustrating, I am posting this at both boards. I thought it would be nice to get the public opinion out there on what is considered good pony edicate in our community in a well seen forum (hence why I chose general). No more acting like it's an accepted practice or skirting it under the rug when the buyer/emailer is a known pony collector in our community please.

Just because it's a Mountain Boy doesn't mean...you have the right to email the ebay seller and ask FOR or IF they have a BIN when they didn't list it for one!

If I see another email from a known pony collector in our community asking for a BIN on a rare pony I think I'm going to implode.

It's so nice of seller to post the questions from ebay members don't you think?

There was a long post addressing this kind of behavior on the other board when it happened, successfully, on a MOC Baby Sapphire. It was ignored when a known pony collector in our community asked for a BIN on an auction with more than one rare (her email/name was posted in the auction by the seller, how much more proof do you need?). It is really disheartening to see it happen, and continue to happen.

Let's play nice kids.

Let's encourage each other to be fair. Let's make sure any new collectors know this is really looked down on.

I now return you to your rainbows and cupcakes :sunny:
 
This has been discussed so, so many times. I don't understand why anyone still thinks that it's acceptable. New members, though, may not know how truly unacceptable it is.

A couple of years back, a new member was messaging sellers requesting really, REALLY low BIN prices. It didn't matter if the auction already had bids. She wanted what she wanted. When the sellers agreed, she tried to flip the ponies on the boards. She claimed that she was doing this to save money for her wedding. She knew it was wrong but played dumb when she was found out. (This was before eBay hid user IDs on auctions.) She promised not to do it again because she valued her place in the community.

So... she was found to be continuing the practice under her fiancé's eBay ID. When confronted, she lied, of course, and said that it was her fiancé was who had done it. She tried to manipulate everyone into believing that she cared when the only thing she valued or cared about was money. Anyway, she was banned from both the TP and the Arena.

I find it absolutely disgraceful that a long-time member would think that this is acceptable behavior or that he/she wouldn't eventually be found out. It's even more disgraceful if this person is allowed to remain a part of the online community. Regardless of how long you have been around, if you are found to be dishonest through your business practices in the community (which includes violating eBay's ToS), you should be banned. There are long-time members who have been banned for less...
 
...what is a BIN? (LOL) Can you tell I'm a newb? ^_^ Thanks!
 
BIN=Buy it now :)

..whoops , hit reply too early lol
Some people email the ebay seller and instead of waiting for the auction to end with bids, ask them to set the auction up with a set price to buy it at that time.
 
Oh, I didn't know this was a no-no. I have never requested a BIN on an active listing, although I have requested that sellers relist items that ended with no bids (items I found after the auction had ended, for example). From a seller's perspective, I usually don't put a BIN because it costs more to list it, and I feel that it discourages people from placing a bid, but I will always consider listing a BIN for interested buyers if the item has no bids, especially if it has no "watchers," to prevent having an unsold item. Of course, I don't sell ponies on ebay; I sell random stuff I find so I can BUY ponies, but. . .you know. Anyway, thanks for the heads up.
 
The other day a buyer asked me what my BIN price would be on the Wave Dancer/Seawinkle duo that I currently have for auction. Whether the ponies are rare or common, I feel it's unacceptable. I posted my response. I told him that it's an auction and if he's interested in the ponies, he has to bid. BINs are so boring! After selling a few ponies last week, I'm hooked on watching my auctions in the last hour. It gets exciting...or maybe I just need to get out more.
 
Amen!

I'm sick of seeing collectors who know its frowned upon and still seek out BINs on auctions. Its cheating, pure and simple. I don't care if you offer xx amount on its value, its wrong. You're cheating out the seller of a true final value price AND everyone else in the community of their chance on winning it.

Also I'm disappointed in the arena mods who lock threads on discussions such as these or try to make it seem less improtant than it is. People who Tepper auctions should be made aware that this behaviour will not be accepted and if you want to be a part of this community DO NOT 'steal' auctions. And I for one would want to know who engages in this sort of behaviour so that I may choose whether or not to deal with them, I'm sure others feel the same.

In short- if you're caught breaking a community rule, you should be kicked out of the community or at least be prepared to face the distrust and backlash from others.
 
yeah....the thread on the arena got locked without any reason posted :/ anyway...it annoys me too, especially if I am watching something, then all of a sudden it's not there anymore. :(

but I am noticing ALOT of sellers now have stated in their auction: 'we will not end this auction early/and no BIN offers'. So hopefully sellers are wising up to it too.
 
I only ask about a BIN if the item was relisted because no one bid on it the first time it was on ebay. Sometimes the seller does it. But I only ask on common items with a fair price--nothing rare though.

I can see how that can be annoying, but I also can see that it could be good too if you have an item that isn't selling on ebay and you keep relisting it and someone wants a BIN.

I've even had a seller offer a BIN when I inquired about an item that didn't sell was going to be relisted. I've also done a BIN for someone else and I see it as a definite sale whereas an auction can be a gamble.

But I agree it is wrong to ask for a BIN on high priced rare items.
 
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if you have an item that isn't selling when you relist it just add a BIN or best offer option to it. the idea is to have no BINs being requested no matter what value the item is.
 
I agree, as does the vast majority of the pony community, asking for BINs is just wrong, regardless of the situation.

If an item ends without a winning bid, and is re-listed and still the price is too high, I wait till it ends again. Then I contact the seller and tell them I would be interested if they relisted the item and suggest they put in a "make an offer" option. Then I can make an offer but so can anyone else who may have been watching it. Keep it fair for everyone.
 
I totally agree and see what you guys are saying-BUT on the other paw, isnt it the seller's fault for accepting to put up a BIN? If I were a seller and listing something and someone asked for a BIN, it usually means that A)the item is worth more than being offered or B) I have a sought after item and should let the auction run its course. Or BOTH! SO if a seller is gullible enough to list a BIN on an item with bids, that's kind of their fault. As sellers (of anything, not just ponies) you could offer the emailer to place a bid for the amount they're offering and wish them luck. Everyone now a days is broke, so in some ways I dont blame anyone for trying to find a deal (or get one) but that doesnt mean I agree with the practice.

and oh! On an unrelated note-this was my 1600th post!! Woo Hoo!
 
I just wanted to say I'm glad you brought this up. I think new members are probably glad too. We as a community do have a series of unspoken rules of etiquette, and it took me a while to figure them all out, but I did it through learning from others, through discussion on the boards, and through various bans that went on, and when others would bring up other members who were banned long before.

Lots of members don't want to remember the bad times, or join in discussions on bans or other happenings, some people don't even want to leave neutral feedback, much less negative, and I do understand that trepidation; but what we really need is an honest community, full of people who are willing to be ethical, and yet also willing to let others know when someone else is not.

I probably didn't word that the best, but I think it says what I truly mean.... maybe later when I'm thinking more clearly, I'll be able to elaborate.

But yes, I also agree; asking for BINs on an item is in bad form, and if you are found out, you will probably lose some respect and or friends. Hawk-eyed collectors are out there and looking out, so best practice is: If you aren't sure if others would frown upon it, feel free to ask someone- be it a mod or just starting a thread here, we'll let you know.
 
Ok, so I will probably get shot for this......

I don't personally ask for BIN's. Mostly because I know that it is frowned upon, and that more than likely the seller is going to say no anyway (Plus, I buy most of my ponies these days here on the TP). BUT, to me personally, I don't really care that people do it. I mean, yes, I would be annoyed at the re-sale of the item at much higher price, but I think most people do it to try and find a deal. I can't really fault them for that. As I was taught as a kid, "It never hurts to ask." I don't really see it as unfair for someone to ask for a BIN on a pony for $20, and I was willing to pay $50. They got the deal....great for them! :) The only exception for me would be if there were bids on it already and someone does this. That I do not find ok. However, to me, if there are no bids, I personally see nothing wrong with it. But that's just my two cents, and I know I am in the minority here.
 
The only exception for me would be if there were bids on it already and someone does this. That I do not find ok.


If people remember correctly, this was the huge issue that was going on years ago. Bids would already be placed, then the seller will cancel the bids, close the auctions and use the excuse like "my dog ate the ponies, sorry".

The asking for placement for an actual BIN is not a very new thing. Still new compared to the past issue and it started becoming a popular practice in recent times. I am against it the idea but people will still do it anyways. It is NOT something only new people do.

ETA: I just wanted to add something. I don't carry a grudge for the ebay issues as much as I do for this- I have more of an issue and concern when new members join and sometimes an older member will swindle the unknowing seller, offering chump change for their HTF ponies. Thankfully this does not really happen as often anymore.
 
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I have not personally done it...but I see nothing wrong with asking for a BIN if there are no bids and it is not against ebays rules. If you wanted it so bad...you should do the same. *shrugs* All is fair in love and ponies.
 
Im sure... but i need to post my annoyance somewhere.
I placed a bid on
Vintage My Little Pony Lot around 30 ponies. on eBay (end time 05-Apr-10 18:18:02 BST)

And she ended it early. I mailed asking why? And she said she had been offered £50 on collection... i would have happily paid more through auction... so annoyed.

I would have said that I was disappointed because my high bid was £65 (just to mess with her).

I do not agree with people asking sellers to end auctions early. Even if they don't have bids. Nowadays, 90% of all bidders do not even place a bid until the last hour of an auction.
 
Here's another one that's NOT okay to pull:

I remember one time I won a few auctions on eBay from a UK seller, and just because another bidder retracted several bids, she ended the auctions seconds before their ending time and relisted them just so she could try and get more money for them.

Didn't matter that I would have won the auctions ANYWAY, even with the other bidder retracting their bids (she told me that I would have) it just meant that the end price was much lower than she was looking more.

Really *bleeped* me off.

That's not cool.

Thankfully one of the auctions was won by someone I knew and he only wanted one pony from the lot. Sold me the rest for dirt cheap when he found out the **** involved. Still not cool though.
 
the cat avatar pic you have is soooo funny I kept looking back at it as i read your post... its soooo funny... i reiterate
 
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