topic Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name in Selling

Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name :)

houstonite23 — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 18:53:03 GMT

Guy had his very expensive camera lost on a Ryanair flight, only to have it miraculously turn up on eBay. He did contact seller, who happened to be a flight attendant. Here is the link http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/passenger-camera-stolen-ryanair-steward-5528237

He still has his same old user profile etc. All of his listings are for things regularly lost on planes: SkullCandy headphones, cameras, etc etc. Look at the news story, then look up the user. Not sure if I am allowed to post his ebay user name here? I am rather new to the boards.

As you can see from MY ebay, I am not very active at all (not a big eBayer, never shilled, and have a slow connection on top of not very tech savvy so it is cumbersome for me to list or buy things on here)

not to mention I usually just donate my unwanted items as opposed to listing them, so I suppose that makes me an eBayers thorn in their side. I have a sister who used to do well on eBay, she begs me daily to "why don't you list (insert anything Ive got that she thinks I could make money off of)" I do not like buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more. I think it is dishonest.

What I think is even MORE dishonest though- are sellers who make a side business off of stolen or found items. Sickening.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

horizon1907 — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 22:08:03 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
Guy had his very expensive camera lost on a Ryanair flight, only to have it miraculously turn up on eBay. He did contact seller, who happened to be a flight attendant. Here is the link http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/passenger-camera-stolen-ryanair-steward-5528237

He still has his same old user profile etc. All of his listings are for things regularly lost on planes: SkullCandy headphones, cameras, etc etc. Look at the news story, then look up the user. Not sure if I am allowed to post his ebay user name here? I am rather new to the boards.

As you can see from MY ebay, I am not very active at all (not a big eBayer, never shilled, and have a slow connection on top of not very tech savvy so it is cumbersome for me to list or buy things on here)

not to mention I usually just donate my unwanted items as opposed to listing them, so I suppose that makes me an eBayers thorn in their side. I have a sister who used to do well on eBay, she begs me daily to "why don't you list (insert anything Ive got that she thinks I could make money off of)" I do not like buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more. I think it is dishonest.

What I think is even MORE dishonest though- are sellers who make a side business off of stolen or found items. Sickening.

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Yes, I 100% agree with you on the 1st part of your story. Silly man, who will most likely be prosecuted for his dastardly deeds. As for the 2nd part of your tale, I find that a load of Utter Rubbish. How do you think Stores & Wholesalers work. They buy for a certain amount and sell for a profit. That's just the way it is. Good on you for donating all your unwanted goods etc to Charities etc. I guarantee, they are selling it on for profit and why not.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

springyzone — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 22:26:38 GMT

I agree, the flight attendant was very unethical.

It's quite sad really because a camera lost on a flight will probably contain a person's holiday or family snaps.

It's a shame that someone you would think you could trust was so dishonest but at the end of the day, I don't think it will have paid off as they will lose their job & they won't be getting a good reference.

As for selling things, there is no harm in selling a thing at a profit, especially if you have put a bit of work into the selling-maybe time and effort to list or wrap or set up a stall or whatever.

There is a big difference between gouging people and selling at a reasonable price where you get a small profit and the customer walks away happy too.

If the internet isn't your thing, why not have a stall with anything you no longer need at one of the Sunday Rotary markets?

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

houstonite23 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 00:13:50 GMT

Re Rotary markets- No thank you- it really is too much trouble for me. Just loading everything to take to the charities is a tedious effort. By the way- regarding earlier commentor who said my opinion was "utter rubbish" about re-selling-

what my POINT is about those eager beavers who scour the charity shops and hoard everything which is nothing that THEY want or need- but only to up the price 500% to sell to someone else. It IS dishonest. Period. Not you or I who might find one item to resell, but those who make it their lifes work. I see these people in the shops, they even rifle their paws through jacket pockets looking for lost money.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

digital*ghost — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 01:25:18 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:

what my POINT is about those eager beavers who scour the charity shops and hoard everything which is nothing that THEY want or need- but only to up the price 500% to sell to someone else. It IS dishonest. Period. Not you or I who might find one item to resell, but those who make it their lifes work. I see these people in the shops, they even rifle their paws through jacket pockets looking for lost money.

I'm not sure I understand how where someone gets their stock from is dishonest. The charity shops I know of love resellers. The reason being, they spend heaps of money in the shops. Money is what the charities want.

Once upon a time shops like that used to be about providing low-cost goods to people in need. Not anymore, not since op-shopping got trendy n' such. Now, they run the shops like a business and use the profits to fund their charity programs, and if they get someone in who is in genuine need of clothing or household items, they tend to give those people store credit vouchers so that they get the items for free.

I used to buy some of my clothing stock from charity shops, they got a lot of brand new stuff in there, though I tended to only buy when it had been sitting around for weeks unsold and went to half price. A 500% mark up even then was usually impossible, but the main point is - I bought from charity shops and resold, and it meant I was handing money over, instead of holding out my hand.

I found $4 in the pocket of a jacket once, after I brought it home. I've spent, and donated, a heck of a lot more.

The people I have a problem with personally are the ones who go through the bins and steal donations to sell. Now that's dishonest.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

pennyforum14 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 01:28:29 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
Re Rotary markets- No thank you- it really is too much trouble for me. Just loading everything to take to the charities is a tedious effort. By the way- regarding earlier commentor who said my opinion was "utter rubbish" about re-selling-

what my POINT is about those eager beavers who scour the charity shops and hoard everything which is nothing that THEY want or need- but only to up the price 500% to sell to someone else. It IS dishonest. Period. Not you or I who might find one item to resell, but those who make it their lifes work. I see these people in the shops, they even rifle their paws through jacket pockets looking for lost money.

You are making a very broad generalisation there, about something that is really just your opinion. Our local charity shops (and I dare say most of those in other areas as well) welcome eBay sellers with open arms. Because of them, they get far more sales, and therefore much more revenue, that they can distribute to the needy. They serve a valid purpose in the lifecycle of clothing, and there is nothing dishonest about it.

Are you telling me that when you sell on eBay you only sell for the same price you bought the item for? Of course you don't, there would be no point. Are you saying that if you came across an item at a market or antique fair that you knew was worth a lot more than the seller was asking for it, that you wouldn't grab the bargain and then offer it for sale at a more realistic price? That is what built eBay, people reselling items they no longer need or want, or that they have purchased at a low enough price to be able to sell them at more than they paid for them, it's called commerce and it is not dishonest, unless the item you are selling is being misrepresented as something it is not in order to attract the higher price.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

horizon1907 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 03:07:57 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
Re Rotary markets- No thank you- it really is too much trouble for me. Just loading everything to take to the charities is a tedious effort. By the way- regarding earlier commentor who said my opinion was "utter rubbish" about re-selling-

what my POINT is about those eager beavers who scour the charity shops and hoard everything which is nothing that THEY want or need- but only to up the price 500% to sell to someone else. It IS dishonest. Period. Not you or I who might find one item to resell, but those who make it their lifes work. I see these people in the shops, they even rifle their paws through jacket pockets looking for lost money.

It is not dishonest. How can it be ?? They buy the items that they think they can resell. What about Dealers etc who go to Public Auctions, Deceased Estates, Garage Sales, Charity Stores etc for the sole purpose of stocking their shops, ebay and so on. Is that dishonest also ?

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

houstonite23 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 03:38:20 GMT

I'm not talking about Estate Sales. Either way- appears Ive hit a sore spot as my critique hits home, which is eBay. My opinion probably could stem out of my own jealousy. THIS is what I take issue with, those who grab up every item they can hold from say, Goodwill. They do not want the items - but buy them only to re-sell. They are an annoyance and I am not at ALL alone in this opinion. About once or twice per month, I go to charity shops with the sole point of finding a small handful of crafts items that collect to finish the project and either donate or give as gifts. I use these cheaper places as I don't make very much money only enough to take care of myself. I go in, and some woman with wild eyes snatches the whole bunch out from under me only to re-sell at a much higher price.

Am I an "anti-capitalist"? Hell NO! It isn't the idea of "profit" that annoys me. Its "flippers".

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

babylonfuture — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 03:54:54 GMT

Goodwill?

You know you have found yourself on the Australian site right?

Anyway I see no problem with people buying an item to resell it/flip it (it's what businesses do anyway).

If someone can make a business out of it and are not breaking any laws by doing so - then good on them.

Rather someone make a "profit" than rely on Centrelink / Government or through other (illegal) means.

I think you should work (or volunteer?) at Goodwill and jack their prices up (they will get more money) to stop these resellers and to ensure you get access to the good stuff.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

k1ooo-slr-sales — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:15:41 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
not to mention I usually just donate my unwanted items as opposed to listing them, so I suppose that makes me an eBayers thorn in their side. I have a sister who used to do well on eBay, she begs me daily to "why don't you list (insert anything Ive got that she thinks I could make money off of)" I do not like buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more. I think it is dishonest.

okay, I see where you are coming from with the whole of your opening post.

What this guy did was not only wrong, it was illegal. He will pay the price through losing his job and having to front up in court.

The other part of your post, the one to do with charity/opportunity shops, is being a little misunderstood here. Your point about buying something cheaply and selling it for more is being taken out of context. I read your post as meaning that when someone goes to a charity shop and deliberately looks for really cheap items so that they may sell for a lot more on eBay is, in your mind, dishonest. That can not be challenged here. How you feel about this is how you feel about this. Members can disagree, but it is wrong to criticise you for holding this view. When you wrote "buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more" I take as relating solely to buying cheaply from op shops.

When read in this context I can see why you feel this way. The op shops are missing out on getting more money than they could for the items. I can also see the points being made by others that the op shops are getting money coming in, on a regular basis when someone shops there regularly, and that by selling for more than they pay they are doing nothing wrong and in some cases they are avoiding having to ask for help from aid agencies. I would also suppose that those sellers would give back in some way, but I can't prove that supposition.

Personally, I disagree with any statement that buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more is dishonest in all contexts. I buy cameras on eBay that I occasionally on-sell on eBay for much more than I pay. It is not my fault if an eBay seller starts their item at too low a price, or lists in the wrong category and therefore attracts very few bidders, or through their listing practices discourage bidders from bidding. By this I mean they list as "No international Postage" which restricts potential bidders, but when questioned they are willing to post internationally, allowing me to grab a bargain. I do not think I am doing anything dishonest. Once I buy the item, even if cheaply, it is mine to do with as I please. If I please to sell it for more than I paid for it then that is my right.

Thank you for bringing the behaviour of the flight attendant to our attention.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

dazzledayz — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:16:28 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
Re Rotary markets- No thank you- it really is too much trouble for me. Just loading everything to take to the charities is a tedious effort. By the way- regarding earlier commentor who said my opinion was "utter rubbish" about re-selling-

what my POINT is about those eager beavers who scour the charity shops and hoard everything which is nothing that THEY want or need- but only to up the price 500% to sell to someone else. It IS dishonest. Period. Not you or I who might find one item to resell, but those who make it their lifes work. I see these people in the shops, they even rifle their paws through jacket pockets looking for lost money.

I'm afraid your point is overly simplistic.

Charities take your donations and sort them to sell and that is all they do.

The labour they use is either volunteer or "work for the dole" hence mostly free.

They do employ some permanent staff but this is usually a very low percentage of the workforce.

If a donation is dirty or needs any form of additional work it is usually consigned to landfill or, in the case of clothing, the rag merchants.

Charities receive cash grants from both federal and state govt.

Charities pay very little or usually no tax.

Charity outlets are not for the needy as these are catered for by the individual charities welfare program.

ie donations are diverted into this stream as required and before issue to outlets.

Items that do not sell are ultimately consigned to landfill or rag merchants (usually after about 1 month).

So, to summarise in simplified form

No costs for goods

No costs for labour

No tax liability

Outlet rental covered by govy grants.

Mangerial costs covered by govt grants.

An ebay seller buying from a charity will however:

1. Search numerous outlets to find item in the first place at their own expense (time and transport).

2. Pay for the goods (cost of goods).

3. Clean and/or repair/upgrade the item (time and materials).

4. Photograph the item prepatory to sale (time and equipment costs).

5. List the item for sale (time again plus ebay fees).

5a Possibly have to relist item (more eBay fees).

5b Usually maintain an eBay store (still more fees)

5c Provide all CS & back office support themselves (time and equipment costs)

5. Bear all other financial costs in relation to the above.

6. If the item eventually sells pay 11% to 13% of the total sale plus postage price in eBay/PayPal fees.

6. Pay tax on the income derived.

The charities could do this themselves and it has been suggested to them.

The reason they don't is that it would cost them too much for too little return.

They would also have to employ a greatly expanded IT dept to handle the load.

This is why they are very happy to see ebay sellers and second hand merchants come through the door.

They know these people provide a regular income from repeat trade.

Also, many people don't have the time to haunt charity outlets.

Many are also remote and have no local outlets at all.

As for money in pockets lol, the charities found that long before it got anywhere near a shop!

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

k1ooo-slr-sales — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:24:36 GMT

looks like the OP came back to clarify while I was preparing my post.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

digital*ghost — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:37:07 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:

Am I an "anti-capitalist"? Hell NO! It isn't the idea of "profit" that annoys me. Its "flippers".

This is generally a matter of personal ethics, rather than a "right" or "wrong" issue, and personal ethics (or principles) are one of those inarguable things.

I feel the same way about ticket scalpers, in part because a concert event is a once in a lifetime experience, and only ever happens once (no matter how many concerts the band holds, by and large a single event is a unique event), therefore I see ticket scalping as taking something away from other people because at standard price it can be affordable, but at scalped prices it often isn't - and it's something that can 100% never be made available again, at any price. I have read, and been somewhat involved in, threads about ticket sclaping, and as a business owner, at a logical level I understand the business side of it (supply, demand etc etc etc), but on a personal level I find the practice distasteful, and no amount of reasoned, logical or financial arguments will change my point of view. However, I do accept that it's just one of those things I take a personal issue with, so I don't tell other people they're dishonest or wrong for practicing it...

But as such, in a way I can see why you feel that way about missing out on some craft items at a low price, but I do stuggle to see it as the same kind of thing, as it seems like a opportunity rather than the opportunity, which makes a lot of difference (to me personally).

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

curmu-curmu — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 06:13:28 GMT

"I do not like buying a thing cheaply, then re-selling it for more. I think it is dishonest."

That's your opinion, and you're more than entitled to it - but it makes no sense.

What you fail to realize, is that as sellers, we do not hold a gun to the head of our buyers - it is they who determine the price an item ultimately sells for. They determine the final price at auction, and if the item is Buy-It-Now, and is too expensive - it just won't sell.

Ebay, (and all retail for that matter), is a buyers' market - not a sellers'. The only exception would be be a seller who had water, or food, and held out for more money when faced with a starving family. Now that's reprehensible!

I know for a fact that I have been lucky enough to find some absolute bargains, and when sold at auction, realized far more than I could have ever hoped to recieve. Those prices were determined solely by the buyers - not me.

'Holier-than-thou' attitudes are well and good, but don't feed my family. And dodgy sellers? Well, they just don't last. (Except maybe here on ebay!)

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

lyndal1838 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 06:20:03 GMT

The OP is in the USA.

Has anybody thought that Thrift/Goodwill shops may work differently over there to here in Australia.

As I understand it, only the poor shop at these shops so if a well to do person/ebay seller takes all the stock then the poor are going to suffer.

Here in Australia the Op shops are used to fund the work of the charity that runs them.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

horizon1907 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 06:32:21 GMT

@houstonite23 wrote:
I'm not talking about Estate Sales. Either way- appears Ive hit a sore spot as my critique hits home, which is eBay. My opinion probably could stem out of my own jealousy. THIS is what I take issue with, those who grab up every item they can hold from say, Goodwill. They do not want the items - but buy them only to re-sell. They are an annoyance and I am not at ALL alone in this opinion. About once or twice per month, I go to charity shops with the sole point of finding a small handful of crafts items that collect to finish the project and either donate or give as gifts. I use these cheaper places as I don't make very much money only enough to take care of myself. I go in, and some woman with wild eyes snatches the whole bunch out from under me only to re-sell at a much higher price.

Am I an "anti-capitalist"? Hell NO! It isn't the idea of "profit" that annoys me. Its "flippers".

Maybe, you can tell "These Women with Wid Eyes" as you put it, that these items are taken. If you were to come to my home and see my Collections, you may be surprised. These "Collections" have taken many years to accumulate. Sometimes I need to downsize, so list pieces here and elsewhere. As mentioned, I do not regulate the prices that some people will pay for an item. They do. I think you and I, Agree to Disagree.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

springyzone — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 10:00:46 GMT

----------------------------------------------

I had not realised you were in USA.

I have honestly never seen anything like what you described here in Australia, with people practically going berserk in an op shop. I'm sure people do buy some things to on-sell if they see them at a good price but in my experience, quite a lot of the charity stores here already charge a fairly good price, I would wonder if there was much profit to be made by the time a seller paid ebay commission & listing fees and postage fees & paypal etc

I have to say, if I walked into an op shop and saw a person snapping up every single item of something put out on special I would probably feel a bit peeved. It is not dishonest as such (IMO) just inconsiderate if there are others there who are also trying to pick up one or two.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

cherry*135 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 10:26:25 GMT

It is not dishonest to buy an item from a charity store, garage sale, carboot sale and onsell it.

It is actually a good thing. If someone finds a particular item, for example, a book in an op shop in one city, lists it on eBay and a buyer in another city has been wanting that particular book, they can buy it... and pay the price they are prepared to pay for it.

That buyer wouldn't have the option of physically going to second hand stores all over Australia to look for the book they want.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

cherry*135 — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 10:29:49 GMT

@lyndal1838 wrote:
The OP is in the USA.
Has anybody thought that Thrift/Goodwill shops may work differently over there to here in Australia.
As I understand it, only the poor shop at these shops so if a well to do person/ebay seller takes all the stock then the poor are going to suffer.
Here in Australia the Op shops are used to fund the work of the charity that runs them.

I follow some people on Instagram who are well off and they regularly shop at Thrift stores (and post photo's of their finds) - vintage clothes &handbags, collectible Pyrex dishes, vintage toys etc, is what they are looking for.

Re: Seller with 100% pos. feedback is flight attendant thief. Daily Mirror posts his ebay user name

saarzi — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 15:20:49 GMT

What I think is dishonest is making a product in a Bangladeshi sweat shop for around $1.50 to $3, whacking a brand name like Topshop, Dolce and Gabbana or Nike on it, and convincing medicorly educated saps that its "worth" $100 - $400 (the designs themselves often come from the sweatshops and when approved, are then owned by the fashion house .. personal intellectual property of the desinger is rarely inolved, because the designer is usually nothing more than a figurehead or trademark. )

I think if youre that passionate about people reselling items from charity shops, you MIGHT have your priorities ass about, because people who resell items from charity shops give more to the charity / poor people than the peice of clothing itself does. They -

* Support the charity shop they buy from, by purchasing the item to begin with (in many stores in the US and most in Australia, thats how it works)

* Pay more tax on the sale of an item than what they paid for the item to begin with. Welfare payments and programs are funded by one of the largest chunks of taxpayer money in Australia (and the US).

* Pay fees on the sale of the item (postage, Ebay, paypal, and buy things like printers etc), which supports other businesses, creates jobs, therefore improves the economy.

* Create jobs directly. Many small sellers become big sellers and businesses, and branch out to other items and industries both on and off Ebay.

What happens when a poor person buys a shirt from a charity shop?

They get a shirt to wear.

Then the top gets worn out and thrown in the bin. They pay minimal to zero tax. They do not support other poor people financially, or create jobs, and they do not improve the economy, therefore they do not improve life for themselves.

Everyone deserves charity in times of need, of course - just putting things into perspective.

As for the dude who stole and resold on Ebay - I agree, peope who prey on others like that are pathetic. But as for the Ebay specific part of it, Ive heard people say Ebay makes it easier, and that people wouldnt think to do it if it wasnt in front of them. What **bleep**. It is easy on Ebay, but corruption and greed are part of the human condition. These things exist whether or not Ebay does.