I agree with you, and some of your points have merit... supply and demand
economics combined with auction rules. But he is "misrepresenting" the
item, and he knows it - Barium would be proud!
He isn't selling that rare NOS part found in the back of the garage... he
is selling a copy he had printed at Kinko's. Every time he needs supply,
he runs to the corner to print another batch. He even states in his email,
"it is new but some say it is a reprint."
Your statement "the value in the information" maybe why today's newspapers
are 50 cents, but why are yesterday's free - did history change; are the
facts now fiction; did the Bulls really beat the Knicks; and Bloomberg
really not Mayor-elect of NYC. Of course not, but the demand is not
present, ergo no value. So if I auction my TR6 brochures, for it contains
information valuable to the Concours restorer, and claim the brochures are
"new (unread)", I'd be only exercising poor business practices... hmmm,
any buyers? opening bid $5 (Note:get them free at my website
http://members.tripod.com/coreysherman/id36.htm).
While several factors drive the "value" of information - the Source
(e.g.,author/publisher); Time (e.g.,speed of delivery/access);
Content(e.g.,details and depth) - the issue here is NOT the information,
but as you said, disclosure and misrepresentation.
And as you said, paying too high is not the seller's fault, but he did
hold back information which would bring the "market" price for a photocopy
($8 vs $40). I was and still am looking for a "1971 Triumph Lucas Girling
specifications & service part catalogue". There
was one on eBay, but the responsible seller stated that there was water
damage and so I refrained
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=598178531).
This is my point.
P.S. Anybody know where I can get the Lucas/Girling book cheaply?
Also, if you visit my site and have any electronic TR6 ads or brochures to
add, I'd be thrilled.
________________________
Corey Sherman
corey.sherman@rcn.com
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