Legality of new Ebay trend - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

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

Quote:

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).

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!

12-12-2003, 09:14 PM	#1
King Creole Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 01, 2003 Posts: 66	Legality of new Ebay trend 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

12-13-2003, 01:34 AM	#3
mashunter18 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 03, 2002 Location: ohio Posts: 509	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.

12-13-2003, 06:34 PM	#4
Mcfly Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 06, 2001 Location: ca Posts: 374	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!