The Devil is sitting on my shoulder....WWYD?

Crystalina wrote: I know it's Sunday and no one will be on here but here's my problem. I've been scoping out an item that I've been wanting. It's about $200. I find a woman on Ebay selling this item "for parts" because she dropped it after only a month of owning it and now it's "broken". She describes what it's doing and I know that it so is not broken. My issue:


She's selling it for $5.

and at the same time

I've made a few calls and I've been told that I should jump on it but it's Sunday...DH is at church and I feel that God is totally testing me. I'm thinking Karma. I'm thinking bidding is not good and I'm thinking I will run into the worst luck if I don't say something but at the same time I'm thinking that I've been looking for this item for a year and have not been able to afford it. And the woman is selling it for $5!

Ahhh!!!!!!!!

My3LilMonkeys replied: Has anyone bid on it yet? If not, I would message her and tell her that the way she's describing it you don't think it's really broken. If someone has, she can't remove the auction at this point and has to sell it anyway - in which case I would probably bid on it.

msoulz replied:
That sounds totally reasonable!!

Calimama replied:
I agree.

Crystalina replied:
Ya think?
At the time I posted no one had bid on it but as of right now someone has. That's true. She has to sell it now and if she has to then it's not so bad if I'm the one who gets it right?

Ugh! I still don't know. I'll have to wait, watch and think about it.

Gosh, I guess I'm not as big a "B" as I thought I was.

luvmykids replied:
Totally agree, I think I would have emailed her before anyone bid, but now that someone has you're in the clear

cameragirl21 replied: I don't understand what the issue is.
I have only bought a few things on ebay so maybe I don't get it but what's the problem--she's selling something you want for 5 bucks...do you not trust her and think she's lying about what the item is? And if it's broken, do you still want it. And if you think she's lying by saying it's broken when it really isn't, what is the problem there?
I don't understand any of this but I can tell you that if what you're buying is photography related, don't buy anything broken and don't buy it on ebay!
I've been tempted to buy lenses on ebay but I have come to realize that if they sound way too inexpensive for what they are, there is a reason.
Of course I've never seen a lens that was only 200 dollars but that is another story....

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Jennifer, as I understood it - the seller thinks that the item is broken and basically worthless, so she is selling it at a low price. Crystal has a strong feeling that the item is not broken, and was afraid that if she took advantage of the amazing deal available to her it would bring bad karma.

cameragirl21 replied:
but why would she say it's broken if it isn't?

Jamison'smama replied: Crystal says in her initial post "She describes what it's doing and I know that it so is not broken" Apparently Crystal believes that the lady "thinks" it is broken but from what she can tell, it's not.

Crystalina replied:
OH Jennifer! **Big Hug** You remind me of my sister just now...also named Jennifer.

The lady really believes the item is broken. I had the same brand of that item (except an older version...yep, it's a camera ) and mine did the exact same thing hers is doing. I thought it was broken and I didn't use it for over a year. I then dug it out and turned the lens a certain way and it was 100% back to normal. An entire year wasted. Hers is not broken and I would bet money on it. She does not know this though (apparently). I went back and bid on it after someone already did and I'm pretty sure this other person also realizes the camera more then likely is not broken because it's now a bidding war. There are still 6 days left so I'm going to sit back and just watch it before I run the price up.

Crystalina replied: I think I may shoot her an email so she can check it out for herself. Maybe she knows someone who can "buy" it from her. I know that isn't right but (even though I'm willing to spend the money on it myself) I think she should really look into it a bit further.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
DO IT!

I'd totally do it.

C'mon.. would you really msg someone on ebay telling them they're stupid?

Her stupidity, not yours. If you feel really badly, fix it, then send her an extra 20$ with a note saying you fixed it and thank you very much!

TheOaf66 replied: I would totally have bid on it, if the other person doesn't know what they're holding...not your problem. You know what they say one person's junk is anothers treasure. No question there

Bamamom replied: I think you should email her tellng her what you think is going on. I mean - come on - it's the right thing to do. It's what you would want someone to do for you if the tables where reversed. Taking advantage of someone's ignorance is NEVER a good thing ya know?

PrairieMom replied:
I have.
once a lady was selling a medical device on there, which is illegal to do with out a dr prescription, and I pointed it out to her.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
A device? like, a stethoscope, device? Why would that be illegal to see without a dr's rx? I bought my nursing supplies for my class a couple years ago without an rx...?

It's one thing about ignorance for something... like rules about seeling specific items.. but if someone is selling something dirt cheap, who cares? they have the choice to do so.. I wouldn't put something on Ebay that I wasn't "sure" was broken.. then again, I wouldn't put anything Broken on Ebay.