cpsqlrwn

Theoretical situation.

You bid on a rather nice bicycle on eBay and you do not win the auction. The high bidder does not pay and the second in line perhaps did not want the bike either. You are the third high bidder and now you are being given a second chance offer at your bid price plus shipping. This represents a pretty good value for the bike and it is a high end bike from a very respected manufacturer. You decide that the bike is not the right size for you or you are short on funds or for whatever reason you have decided to pass on the second chance offer. However, the thought occurs to you that you could make the bike available to others on the Forum through exercising your second chance offer and passing on the bike to a Forum member at the same price. You would probably insist that the Forum member pay you first before exercising your second chance offer. Anybody out there ever been in this situation and thought about doing this and what are your thoughts on any ramifications that might occur from within eBay if found out?

Strictly theoretical.....

RobbieTunes

50/50 you do this and can't get the bike to re-sell. A bird in the hand....

cpsqlrwn

Theoretically speaking, the bike would be presold and paid for by the Forum member before you exercise your second chance offer.

jon c. 

If you found someone who wanted the bike and was willing to do that, I wouldn't see any ethical issue.

Spaghetti Legs 

I see no problems with that. From the seller standpoint, you pay for the bike, it's yours to do what you like. If the seller had an issue with the price, you wouldn't have gotten the offer.

Chrome Molly

What size (my "philosophical" answer will depend)?

cpsqlrwn

58 c-t, 56.75 c-c

Chrome Molly

Then yes, your situation would fit me exactly...

cpsqlrwn

Here's the link, second time this has gone to auction....

De Rosa Primato Handmade Italian Vintage Steel Frame with Full Campagnolo Chorus | eBay

miamijim

1. Why did you bid on a bike that's not your size?
2. Why would you bid on a bike your short on funds for?

3. 'Pretty good value' is relative.

$1200 plus shipping is not a 'good value' for that bike.....theoreticaly

lostarchitect 

This doesn't seem theoretical to me, for some reason.

cpsqlrwn

The seller misstated the size originally and I did not check it carefully enough. I placed my bid and it did not meet the reserve so I just left it there even though I later determined that the bike is one size too large. Never expected to get a second chance offer which is what got me thinking about all this.
And you're probably right about the $1375 being a little too much to be considered a "good value". But there may be others that think it is a "fair price".

Chrome Molly

Very nice, but a little rich to be my next project. Thanks for offering though.

RobbieTunes

I don't see any ethical issues, either. It's like commodity trading. However, logistically, you're rolling the dice.

gioscinelli 

chorus and chips-pass

fender1

Why bother? Unless it s a close friend or family member, why complicate your life? Seems like a situation ripe for going wrong. Go for a ride instead.

modelmartin

I second this^^^^^^^^.

cpsqlrwn

Yes, I think this is best left alone. I think fender1 has provided the best advice, but even if you limit this to a close friend or a family member, if something goes awry that close or family relationship could make it an even more sensitive situation, so it is probably best not to bother. Maybe if the price was a little lower, then it might be worth the effort.

Makes me wonder about all the comments about shill bidding. Makes me think that shill bidding might go on a bit more than I thought. There was one person only $25 above me (the second high bidder), so I am sure he got a second offer also. The shill bidder gets the second bidder to his max bid and if a third or fourth bidder are close behind the seller has several options to get his bike sold.

lostarchitect 

Yeah, exactly. Nobody enjoys being a middleman.

tmh657

I was watching that auction as well for the second time. I was a bit surprised it met the reserve after the first go round. It's my size to a "t". If it was a local sale I would go with a bunch of hundreds and see if I could make a deal. The $175 shipping is a way high. 8 speed Chorus is nice but not what I would choose to build this frame.

cpsqlrwn

Just curious, what would be your preference?

Darth Lefty 

So unless I'm misunderstanding, you're proposing to take money from someone to sell them a bike you have not yet bought?

I can see how this would be ok in a factory/retail situation, it's basically credit. We need to make more, please place an order.

But for a collectible - a unique item that is not yet yours to sell - it feels hinky.

tmh657

Shiny, silver 11.

Blue Belly

I've seen a trend lately. People aren't spending money! I watch a lot of auctions & sell things, here & there. It's ugly out there, right now. I would make sure I have money in hand before I trust anyone is going to come through.

cpsqlrwn

Not just lately either. This has been going on for a while. With regard to bikes, there is also a multitude of things out there at absolutely outrageous prices. And the sellers simply relist rather than lower price as if they expect to find a sucker at some point who is willing to pay. There is just a general malaise out there business wise. People generally are reluctant to spend money and I think it is because there is little confidence in the government and ultimately the economy to get its act together. I think there is an underlying lack of trust and it is evident in people playing things close to the vest in the expectation that something unexpected and bad is going to happen. We are definitely in new territory as far as world economics is concerned.