Phil, the message has been taken the wrong way.

I have never previously "cornered the market" in any way and in fact have spent a lot of time getting boards for people.

What happened was that I was going to the central coast today, and about 2 minutes before I left I saw the board on Ebay. Seeing that I was going to be close to where the board was, I rang up the seller and explained that I was going to be near him, and whether he would sell it to me at what he considered to be a fair price. He gave me a price; there was no pressure from me. The only reason I did not wait for the auction to finish was that I was already going to be in the area and it seemed sensible for someone in t he active fleet to get the board while in the area, rather than make me or someone else drive 3-4 hours in two days time or have the board sold out of racing. This is pretty normal practise in other classes.

However, while I was driving up there I was called by the vendor who said that after he had agreed to sell the board to me, the ebay price had since gone up. I was happy to pay the extra (and did), but it was a difficult situation as I had a vendor who had agreed to sell (of his own free [market] will) and I was already actually in my car on the way to collect. The deal had been made, but the price was going up and could still keep going up while I drove....... .I could have insisted on the earlier agreement, but that would put the guy in a difficult situation so I rang up Deb to ask her to explain the situation on the email list as she had access to a computer.

There was no intention to rip anyone off, one of the active Windsurfer fleet was in the area and it seemed like not a bad idea to pick the board up, which could not be done before an agreement had been made. It seemed like a good idea to let the fleet know what was happening, and Deb tried to put on a jocular tone in the email that has been misinterpreted. That's all.

The board is available to anyone WOD sailor for the $75 I paid for it. Whoever gets it does not have to drive to the Central Coast to inspect it and then return to pick it up. That does not seem too bad a deal for anyone! I have never asked a cent more for a board than I have paid for it, although the time I take to do stuff for the class is at a considerable financial cost to me.

Please remember that I was bidding when you got your board and you emailed me to say "if you can control your bidding finger I’d appreciate it". You asked me not to fight you for your board, which is not letting the free market reign. 

Chris

Chris,

 

I know you have the best of intentions for the class and that you are eager to ensure that any available boards are put to good use, but I must say that I don’t agree with you negotiating to buy the recent board that was listed and him ending the auction early.

In my mind, Ebay is the fairest and easiest way for people who want boards to get them. Whoever wants it most will win the auction, and you don’t have to go to the trouble and effort buying them on peoples behalf. Why not just promote the ebay listings to the people you know are looking for ODs and let them bid themselves?

My father was watching that item and planning to inspect it and probably bid. Now if he wants it he has to go through you. And how do you decide who to sell it to and for what price? Are you willing to say how much you paid for it? I think its best to let bidders fight it out for themselves rather than break the ebay rules. We live in a free market economy after all.

That’s my two cents worth. I’d be interested to read the opinion of others.

 

Phil Julian

 

 

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From: WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Deborah Apthorp
Sent: Thursday, 13 March 2008 4:20 PM
To: WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [WindsurferOD] Marmong Pt and National titles

 

Hi all,

Chris says to send out a bulletin to all NSW members - if one of you is bidding up a board on the Central Coast this afternoon, stop it!! Chris has already agreed to buy it from the guy. If you want to haggle with Chris, that's a different matter.

Cheers

Deborah.