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Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: JPK
Date: January 24, 2006 09:04PM
For those who were hanging out last Friday night and chimed in on my ebay situation:

I offered a "Second Chance" to the next bidder. He was from the Bronx (not that there is anything wrong with that) and had no ebay history or feedback. He also wanted to pay through some unknown escrow service. I quickly said no thanks.

I suggested to the winning bidder that although she is both legally and morally obligated to complete the deal as it is, I would split the difference between my reserve $3500 and her "intended" bid of $3077. She agreed. She also agreed to pay me cash, so I will not incur a paypal fee and will be picking it up (so I don't have to ship it!).

While I still don't know how it happened, she shot me a screenshot of her Auction Sniper account page that showed her bid of $30,077. She actually blamed it on the fact that she was watching "Skating with the Stars" at the time. That may be a bigger red flag than no eBay feedback!

All in all, the ring is going, the cash is coming and neither got hurt too bad in the deal. I think that may be the last high value ebay auction for a while.

Anybody want to buy a slightly used 2004 Volvo XC70 that is still under warranty and free factory service? I think I going to try and sell it the old fashioned way - a classified ad in the Chicago Tribune.

[homepage.mac.com]

JPK
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: rgG
Date: January 24, 2006 09:05PM
Hey, glad to hear it is going to work out for both of you.





Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: spearmint
Date: January 24, 2006 09:12PM
Don't forget Craigslist for that Volvo. Good source for cars and el freebo.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: Jimmypoo
Date: January 24, 2006 09:24PM
Just because YOU'VE never heard of the Escort Service doesn't make them unqualified.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: 3d
Date: January 24, 2006 09:50PM
I'm in the market for a diamond too.
1.5 carat diamond for $3500? That's REALLY cheap.

If you don't mind me asking, was the color/clarity/cut crappy?
Or were you taking a big loss on it?

Just bein' nosey.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2006 10:01PM by 3d.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: JPK
Date: January 24, 2006 10:12PM
The ring auction was at

[cgi.ebay.com]

I have learned a lot about diamonds in my preparations to sell. Based on this I will probably never buy diamonds for my wife again. It is a BS market. It is phoney value in a controlled market. This ring (or it's current equivelent) costs $9,999 + tax if you walk into Helzberg Diamonds today.

Take it across the street and another jeweler will give you $1,700 for it (that's what I got offered). It is all mark up scammery! I would have been better off "losing" it down the sink and getting the $10,000 from my insurance company!

I am P.O.ed about what my 2 year old Volvo that stickered at $39,600 is worth today. Carmax offered my $21,000 - I laughed and walked out. It is not nearly the hit this diamond ring took from MSRP to market value!

This was a nice diamond with GIA certificate-good color "J" and clarity "VS1". Much better than most mall jewelers, but not a top tier diamond. The cut was a litle out of proportion but all in all it was a pretty nice ring. I had a BIN of $4850, which I thought should have happened. I hoped it would have sold for more, but the market place has spoken. It is worth what someone is willing to pay.

If I ever do buy another diamond - it will never be retail again. Knowing what I know about pre-owned, there are some good deals to be had. Especially from private party sellers on ebay. I think the buyer of this got a very good deal.

JPK

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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: Webster J. Duck
Date: January 24, 2006 10:59PM
That XC70 is a GREAT!!! Car. We just sold ours as we need another seat (wife pregnant with our third). A few too many trips to the dealer for minor annoyances, but still a great vehicle. Probably our favorite of the many we’ve owned.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: PeterB
Date: January 24, 2006 11:10PM
Glad to hear it worked out-- I was hoping that a compromise of that sort would be the way to go...




Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: Racer X
Date: January 24, 2006 11:50PM
"If I ever do buy another diamond - it will never be retail again. Knowing what I know about pre-owned, there are some good deals to be had. Especially from private party sellers on ebay. I think the buyer of this got a very good deal."

Pre-owned just means that the buyer will try and tell you it is worth less. Pre-owned just means a seller will try and charge you more because it is an heirloom.

My wife's ring was pre-owned...by my grandmother. it means more because of it.

as for a bride-to-be, they don't need to know the origin, it isn't relevent, unless stolen I guess.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: elmo3
Date: January 25, 2006 05:12AM
You got suckered into the diamond scam in the first place??

At least you've learned your lesson.

Diamonds are a woman's gadget. They're worth everything when she wants one and you have to get one, but they're worth absolutely nothing once she has them in hand. The diamond industry makes tons of money, and you get a moment's satisfaction. Then it's back to "what have you done for me lately".



---------------


In the words of DharmaDog: "it may or may not be utter horse@#$%&, but it shouldn't be dismissed simply because it doesn't agree with your opinion."

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Trying is the first step to failure. -- Homer Simpson
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: joycee
Date: January 25, 2006 05:55AM
elmo3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Diamonds are a woman's gadget. They're worth
> everything when she wants one and you have to get
> one, but they're worth absolutely nothing once she
> has them in hand. The diamond industry makes tons
> of money, and you get a moment's satisfaction.
> Then it's back to "what have you done for me
> lately".
>

elmo, don't lump us all into that sweeping generalization. :-/




*´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·´How about if you greased them up first? Are chihuahua's cooperative pack hunters? ~TheCaber
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: elmo3
Date: January 25, 2006 07:40AM
joycee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> elmo3 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Diamonds are a woman's gadget. They're
> worth
> > everything when she wants one and you have to
> get
> > one, but they're worth absolutely nothing
> once she
> > has them in hand. The diamond industry makes
> tons
> > of money, and you get a moment's
> satisfaction.
> > Then it's back to "what have you done for me
> > lately".
> >
>
> elmo, don't lump us all into that sweeping
> generalization. :-/

Which one: the "diamonds are a woman's gadget" or the "great, but what have you done for me lately?"

I don't lump all women into that. My wife has absolutely zero interest in diamonds. Or fancy ceremony, for that matter. 15 years ago we eloped, and that was that. Got married at the courthouse, and went back to work that afternoon.



---------------


In the words of DharmaDog: "it may or may not be utter horse@#$%&, but it shouldn't be dismissed simply because it doesn't agree with your opinion."

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Trying is the first step to failure. -- Homer Simpson
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: 3d
Date: January 25, 2006 08:46AM
Hey JPK,
Thanks for the insight and background on the auction. Good info to know.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: prof
Date: January 25, 2006 09:30AM
JPK Wrote:

>
> If I ever do buy another diamond - it will never
> be retail again. Knowing what I know about
> pre-owned, there are some good deals to be had.
> Especially from private party sellers on ebay. I
> think the buyer of this got a very good deal.
>
> JPK

Hi JPK,
Glad everything worked out. I'm in the market for an
engagement ring for my GF I and was hoping you might
be able eloborate on your above statement so that I
don't get similarly suckered. I'm a complete newb so
any enlightenment you can provide would be greatly
appreciated.

TIA,
Prof


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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: rz
Date: January 25, 2006 12:38PM
> If I ever do buy another diamond - it will never
> be retail again.

yeah, that was a mistake. Go to New York (or in my case, Philadelphia) to the "diamond district" and you can get one wholesale. Based on what I had been seeing in local jewelry stores, the ring I got my wife would have easily cost 3x as much at a retail jewelry store.


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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: Psurfer
Date: January 25, 2006 02:01PM
O.k., I'll split you the difference betw $3500 and $3077 for the Volvo right now.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: SteveO
Date: January 25, 2006 02:07PM
Good story. I agree 100% on the inflated diamond thing. To boot, many diamonds today are blood diamonds...people in warring African nations have had their limbs severed by warring factions as these diamonds make their way through the supply chain. I will never buy a conventional diamond again.

Besides, they are now growing them artificially with even better quality than most of the "real" ones. This has concerned DeBeers (the diamond cartel) enough to take notice and issue mis/disinfo about these new diamonds. Some fascinating reading there, sorry, no links handy but goog it.
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: JPK
Date: January 25, 2006 02:30PM
My ring buy is from Madison, WI and I am in the Chicago area. To save her some $$ on shipping and not risk shipment, I also offered to split the difference on the shipping too! I am going to meet her in Rockford and hand deliver it!

I put my Volvo XC70 up on Craigslist here in Chicago. I have already got two offers. Unfortunately one is a low ball with a personal check and the other wants to trade his old Volkswagon and some cash.

I guess there is no way avoid the unqualified and scammers from responding to an ad!

JPK
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Re: Follow Up to my ebay engagement ring "situation"
Posted by: Michael
Date: January 25, 2006 03:09PM
JPK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> "intended" bid of $3077. She agreed. She also
> agreed to pay me cash, so I will not incur a
> paypal fee and will be picking it up (so I don't
> have to ship it!).

Congratulations. But, as always, when you've got an expensive thing in hand and are going to meet someone, please do it in a public place. She might bring "Bruno the gangster" with her (sorry to any Bruno's on the list).
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