Sleezy "as is" auctions...

[joesmooth]

Check out this dumb ass:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=21177

 

Looks like a fair auction. He had a Buy-It-Now set at $20 which I was about to do, until I decided to check his feedback and some of his previous auctions. Turns out he has bought all sorts of 2600 and 5200 stuff, but the auction description says:

 

"Have no way to test it, am selling as is"

 

"Have no way to test it" my ass!! Sounds like a sleeze job to me and I bet you that Zaxxon cart doesn't work!

 

So sad.

 

Joe

[CPUWIZ]

Good detective work there Joe.

 

MMF, if you win it and it's busted, send it to me and I'll fix it for you.

[jetset]

Maybe he's amish and doesn't have electricity at home.

 

Someone should email him and ask him how it is he can't test it. It would be interesting to let him know that ppl are onto him.

[Brad2600]

Good luck, MMF!

 

I think the seller is bluffing...he's probably too lazy to test carts before re-sale.

[MegaManFan]

Good detective work there Joe.    

 

MMF, if you win it and it's busted, send it to me and I'll fix it for you.  

 

Hmm, knowing that I might take winning this one a little more seriously. *heh*

[A2600]

Its clean! so thats a good sign!

[video game addict]

Atari5200 Pole Position,Pacman and Star Raiders.All are in working condition and have very clean lables.sell as is

 

[hattg]

Not being able to test something is not the sign of something that will not necessarily work. I have sold games and systems that I could not test other than maybe the power. I had a Saturn console that I could only test for power because it used the same cord as Dreamcast/PS, but I had no controllers or games. I have Intellivision games but no console to test them on. Most of us pick up things even if we don't have that system, either to re-sell or because we may pick one up later, trade bait, etc.

 

I would say chech the feedback first. If many complaints of non-working items then avoid the seller. Otherwise you are taking a chance just as you do when you buy something in the wild that it may not work. Granted you can't inspect it first.

[A2600]

Not being able to test something is not the sign of something that will not necessarily work. I have sold games and systems that I could not test other than maybe the power. I had a Saturn console that I could only test for power because it used the same cord as Dreamcast/PS, but I had no controllers or games. I have Intellivision games but no console to test them on. Most of us pick up things even if we don't have that system, either to re-sell or because we may pick one up later, trade bait, etc.

 

I would say chech the feedback first. If many complaints of non-working items then avoid the seller. Otherwise you are taking a chance just as you do when you buy something in the wild that it may not work. Granted you can't inspect it first.

 

That is true I bought my INTV Music Synth not tested as-is and it was looking good and it worked!

[xulchris]

Yep, but when I see "as is" auctions, I pay extra special close attention to the sellers feedback history.

[video game addict]

I sell stuff as/is sometimes. Not often thou. I test everything I can, unless it's an auction with 300 games in it. I have sold lots with between 150 to 300 carts before, then I'll just mention that most have been play tested at some point, but the lot is still being sold as/is. I can be a bit lazy at times.

 

But this seller tested all the 5200 carts in one of his auctions, but not the 5200 cart in this thread. All his auctions are as/is, but the fact that he chose not to test this cart, yet he did test all the others is suspicious.

[CPUWIZ]

Very.

[screamin1]

Maybe I should offer this guy my 5200 to try it out on....I live probably 15 minutes from this guy.

[MegaManFan]

Maybe I should offer this guy my 5200 to try it out on....I live probably 15 minutes from this guy.

 

If you do I'd owe you one.

[Snider-man]

I've sold stuff "as is" too, but only when I really couldn't test it (loose CV carts, but no system - Atari 7800 deck with no power supply - etc.) But I ALWAYS offer to refund the $$$ if it arrives and it don't work. Simple. If someone sells "as is," but is unwilling to refund if it doesn't work, it means that 1. they're lazy and just want to unload junk or 2. they DID test it, it doesn't work, and they're looking to unload it using the "as is" dodge.

 

Good luck.

[Mendon]

If I run an auction I'm totally honest in my description of the item/items as possible; I list any flaws, scratches, breaks, tears, etc to the BEST of my knowledge. I list everything I know about the item. But what I might view as a totally acceptable item and what you might view as a totally acceptable item might be very different. For example, I might see an auction for a boxed game with a description of a "small" tear in a box. What I view as small and what the seller views as small might differ completely. And pictures don't always show all scratches, scruffs, etc either. Condition is up to interpretation.

 

Based on what I've read in the forums here and on other sites about how "picky" we (including myself) can all be about what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable, and based on some purchases I've made from eBay, I'm almost at a point of listing everything I sell on eBay on an "As Is" basis also.

 

But I also NEVER bid on a complete but UNTESTED item that can be tested. For example, if I saw an ad like this "Atari Jaguar system with power cord, RF box & cord, controllers, and 3 games. Unit worked fine 2 years ago when I put it in the closest. Sold As Is" I would never bid on it. To me, there is no reason this system couldn't be tested now and by not doing so this means that either A) there is something wrong with it; or B) The seller is just plain lazy and if they are lazy in testing they might also be lazy in getting around to shipping the item or standing behind it if something is not right. I've sent Email's to sellers before telling them that they lost a potential high bid because they did not test an item.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Mendon