View Full Version : Legality of new Ebay trend


King Creole
12-12-2003, 09:14 PM
Recently, I've seen a new trend on Ebay. Here's how it works:

The seller puts up a complete series, but doesn't list it as a video tape purchase. The auction is TECHNICALLY for a full episode guide made by the seller. Somewhere in the description the seller says he has so many episodes of the show and will do his best for the buyer to view them.

I don't see how this is illegal. The auction is for the episode guide so that is what the buyer pays for. The seller then sends the episode guide and FREE copies of the shows.

I wouldn't buy from anyone without feedback though. That's just asking for trouble. Imagine paying $30 for fifteen sheets of paper.

Any thoughts on this? Legal? Illegal?

In Peace,
King Creole

Agent 13
12-12-2003, 09:37 PM
Originally posted by King Creole
Any thoughts on this?

Advertising the episode guide with a free bonus of copies has been going on for as long as I've been on the look-out for TV shows on eBay, since February of this year.

Also, I have a friend who tried this method, and his auctions were canceled. I suppose there are always sellers or auctions that slip through the cracks trying this strategy (for whatever reason). :rolleyes:

mashunter18
12-13-2003, 01:34 AM
That trend has been around a while,it is really big with sports tickets.

In ohio we can scalp tickets legally,most states you cant do it for more then face value,every year for the ohio state /michigan game all the michigan ticket sellars auction off a hat or t-shirt,and include a free pair of michigan tickets,Im sure it will be going on for college bowl day games.

Mcfly
12-13-2003, 06:34 PM
They have five thousand some odd auctions submitted to them everyday. My guess is that they obviously auto-approve a lot of those. Some are so obvious---the seller even stating they were taped off television---yet it's still there. Or World Series dvds on sale---and the world series had just ended a few hours before!