My concern about E-bay or any other auction process is that we, as people,
are for the most part addictive by nature. We have been programmed that
winning is everything and as in the auction process there is no reward for
second place.

For many people it is not the value, or even the condition of the shell that
matters, just that they won. I have several of my customers that I noticed
had bid on several shells that I could have offered them for less than what
they bid. When asked why they would do that, they said they just got caught
up in the process and wanted to beat out the others even if they had to pay a
little more. Not a lot more they said, just a little more was OK.

A few months ago, I had a customer that keep coming back to me for the same
shells. I finally ran out of these shells and he informed me that he was
reselling the shells I sold him, on E-bay. On the average he was reselling
them for 3 times what he paid me. I say great for him, but what about the
people that bought all these shells at these prices? Like Rosi said, who's
looking out for the newbies?  If they are casual collectors I can see how it
might happen, but is the idea of dealing with dealers that hard to take? Bill
is right and you never know what you can get until you ask.

Frank - Hot & humid in Massachusetts
Gems From The Sea
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