How would you react to this one?

[Notmuchlonger]

LOTS of interesting replies here. I wonder if it's worth putting the "shoe on the other foot" as a thought experiement?


What if YOU were the Ebayer and while at a friends house, saw collectibles you KNEW might be valuable, whereupon he said "go ahead and see if you can sell them." and you netted $1K as a result? Would YOU give him $0, $20, half, or some other amount?

What if you just SUSPECTED that they might be valuable?

What if you thought they'd be worth $20 and were pleasantly surprised yourself?

Where is the line between what you knew, what you got, and what you shared?

Well for one thing I wouldnt have bragged how much I got for them

But honestly if my friends gave me something and said go ahead and sell it. If I didnt put much work into it I would split it 50/50. After all I would have had nothing in the first place if he didnt give me anything.

 

[Caroline]

Are you in a position to nail down the real story here, and share the REAL details with us? The story, "Hey I sold it for $1000, here's $20", all done after the fact, no less, just does not ring true.

Well, RetireeRobert, none but the principals (and whatever higher power exists) can know the REAL details. All I know is what my friend told me on the phone last night.


Here's the rest of HIS story.

My friend "Frank" (not his real name), thought about his $20 for several days. The more he thought, the less happy he became.

So Frank went to visit "Mr. Ebay." He admitted that he hadn't been clear about having the models sold for himself. However, he said he felt that he'd been treated like a stranger selling models at a flea market, rather than as a friend of 15 years. He (politely, so he says), suggested that a 50/50 split would be fair to both. Mr. Ebay agreed without argument.

Three days later a package arrived with a copy of every ad that was placed on Ebay for the models -- individual bids included (Mr. Ebay sold the smaller ones in little groups, and some of the larger ones by themselves). He added a spreadsheet to summarize the entire project, along with a cashier's check for $500.

Frank calls Mr. Ebay to thank him for being accomodating and is told that they are no longer friends, that Mr. Ebay "has already cut off a brother and can easily cut off a 'workplace acquaintance,' " and hangs up the phone.

There you have it.

I agree that Mr. Ebay's ham-handed actions in bragging about his take and giving Frank a $20 tip at the same time strain credulity. Without being specific let me add that all parties involved work in a profession known more for its excellence with things than with other people.

For myself, I actually feel a little bit sorry for Mr. Ebay, whose ungovernable need to let everyone know how smart he was has cost him a friendship.

 

[FUEGO]

At least Mr. Ebay let "Frank" know that Mr. Ebay isn't the kind of friend you want to have. Sounds like a pretty optimal outcome.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Here's the rest of HIS story.

My friend "Frank" (not his real name), thought about his $20 for several days. The more he thought, the less happy he became.

So Frank went to visit "Mr. Ebay." He admitted that he hadn't been clear about having the models sold for himself. However, he said he felt that he'd been treated like a stranger selling models at a flea market, rather than as a friend of 15 years. He (politely, so he says), suggested that a 50/50 split would be fair to both. Mr. Ebay agreed without argument.

Three days later a package arrived with a copy of every ad that was placed on Ebay for the models -- individual bids included (Mr. Ebay sold the smaller ones in little groups, and some of the larger ones by themselves). He added a spreadsheet to summarize the entire project, along with a cashier's check for $500.

Frank calls Mr. Ebay to thank him for being accomodating and is told that they are no longer friends, that Mr. Ebay "has already cut off a brother and can easily cut off a 'workplace acquaintance,' " and hangs up the phone.

There you have it.

OK, thanks for not leaving us hanging on this one.

I agree with the other poster. Your friend Frank was lucky. The so-called "friend" was really no friend at all, and was a total jerk, so now Frank is under no illusions on that score. Plus he got the $500, which was only really a fair share he was morally (and probably legally) entitled to.

Frank should feel no loss at all, he should feel glad.

 

[bbbamI]

Ditto to what RR said.

 

[Goonie]

What if YOU were the Ebayer and while at a friends house, saw collectibles you KNEW might be valuable, whereupon he said "go ahead and see if you can sell them." and you netted $1K as a result? Would YOU give him $0, $20, half, or some other amount?

IF I was an 'Ebayer' (which I'm not) and was in that situation, with that result, I'd hang on to $20 for my efforts and offer my friend the remaining $980. And knowing my friends, I'm quite certain that they'd offer me back a far greater sum of the proceeds.

I think it boils down to if people are truly friends, or just schmucks in disguise. And amongst my peers, I know fairly well who are true friends, and who are schmucks.

 

[skyline]

What happened to youbet's post? OP's first post by MCF seems to be quoting a post by youbet that doesn't appear in the thread?

 

[haha]

What happened to youbet's post? OP's first post by MCF seems to be quoting a post by youbet that doesn't appear in the thread?

It may have been too indelicate for some of our more sensitive members. Anyway, into the ether it went. I could quote much of it from memory, but then I would just get censored and censured by the mods so I will remain mute.

Ha

 

[youbet]

It may have been too indelicate for some of our more sensitive members.

It was a little indelicate, and I was so advised! A moderator, acting extremely professionally, edited it. Then it sounded silly. So, I asked to just have it deleted, which it was.

My apologies to anyone offended.

 

[Moemg]

LOTS of interesting replies here. I wonder if it's worth putting the "shoe on the other foot" as a thought experiement?


What if YOU were the Ebayer and while at a friends house, saw collectibles you KNEW might be valuable, whereupon he said "go ahead and see if you can sell them." and you netted $1K as a result? Would YOU give him $0, $20, half, or some other amount?

What if you just SUSPECTED that they might be valuable?

What if you thought they'd be worth $20 and were pleasantly surprised yourself?

Where is the line between what you knew, what you got, and what you shared?

I am an ebayer and lots of people approach me to sell things for them .I usually try to show them how easy it is to sell .If they still want me to sell their things I do it and give them the profit after I deduct the listing and shipping costs .

 

[FinanceDude]

If the guy was DUMB enough to tell you he got $1000, and handed you $20.........that's pretty lame.

If he just said:"I sold them on eBay, and they went to someone who really will use them, and here's $20 for your trouble, everyone would have been happy"............

 

[Achiever51]

...Mr. Ebay agreed without argument.

Three days later a package arrived ...added a spreadsheet to summarize the entire project, along with a cashier's check for $500.

Frank calls Mr. Ebay to thank him for being accomodating and is told that they are no longer friends, that Mr. Ebay "has already cut off a brother and can easily cut off a 'workplace acquaintance,' " and hangs up the phone.
...
For myself, I actually feel a little bit sorry for Mr. Ebay, whose ungovernable need to let everyone know how smart he was has cost him a friendship.

Wow. Frank considered Mr. Ebay a 15 year friend; and Mr. Ebay considered Frank nothing more than a "workplace acquaintance." And, at some point Mr. Ebay "cut off a brother." I agree with Caroline -- Mr. Ebay is a pretty sad case. Sure wouldn't want to be related to him.

 

[TromboneAl]

Thanks for the interesting story, Caroline. Sorry to be so disbelieving -- I didn't think you were making anything up, I had just thought something got lost as one person related the story to another.

 

[Caroline]

My apologies to anyone offended.

Your quote was INCREDIBLY indelicate, youbet. So much so that I'm STILL LMAO at it many days later! (In particular, the part about selling photos OF Mr. ebay ON ebay was a stroke of genius.)

Thanks for the interesting story, Caroline. Sorry to be so disbelieving

Never, ever a need to apologize, TromboneAl -- I myself had trouble imagining the several levels of cluelessness exhibited by Mr. ebay and that was AFTER I knew the whole story -- you guys only had part of it at first.

Besides, being from California I'm "self-actualized" and don't take any of this stuff personally.

It's all part of life's rich pageant!

 

[poboy]

Call him at 3:00am and ask if his refrigerator is running.