I agree with Carl more than the others on this.

Copying other peoples well-crafted descriptions and pictures is stealing other peoples marketing efforts. If morons can become businessmen through the powers of ebay, the same morons are just as accountable to standards and legal issues as ANY corporate or private entity.

"he is just a little ebay seller" is not an acceptable excuse for impropriety.

I am not saying that the guy in the topic of this copied and pasted or not. I haven't looked the item up on Carl's site Just pointing out that we shouldn't lower the bar of ethics on things pertaining to the internet.

Good guy or not. If he has done wrong, he shouldn't be coddled. Now work it out among yourselves whether anyone did anything wrong or anyone was harmed.

 

There is nothing in the ad indicating that the part is used (or new for that matter). Someone may buy it expecting to be new, but then feels screwed because there is evidence of wear. Tells friends not to do business with that motorsports ebay seller and viola, damages are incurred via lost sales. Having Carls website name listed is a potential legal liability for an ebay seller that misuses it.

 

James,
Well it just goes to show that you did not even take the time to read the ad.
It very clearly, in big words, states "USED" - what more info do you need.
I sell on eBay and Carl sells a lot on eBay so we are all morons???
The seller, very clearly, states what he is selling and to where the product comes from. FROM CARL.
Carl is the only seller of this item and the seller quite rightly recognises - openly and without any subterfuge - Carl as the original seller.
In his other ads he is sellings a used MSD ignition system and leads the potential buyer to the original equipment so as to best inform the said buyer as to what he is buying.
I guess I am missing something here and the general lack of understanding of common business practice.
Having been in business for over 40 years and very succesfully - Carl you are wrong and you are possibly biting the hand that feeds you..
The distributer was bought from Carl, the owner has no further use for it and wants to sell it and points the potential buyer to the only site that sells the parts. That's an accolade to Carl !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I sell my Toyota and put a link to the Toyota web site for all the tech specs of the Toyota I am selling and that suddenly makes me a criminal 8>)

I am out of here 8>)

 

I looked at the first link listed just out of curiosity. I didn't see any USED or NEW indicators. Maybe I missed it. It did say that "We rebuild..." and if this is copied, this is a FALSE statement from the ebay seller. It is misleading the potential bidders into believing that the seller rebuilds them.

Of course I expect you and Carl to be on the level and professional. The simplicity of ebay allows morons to come in and try to compete with you guys. You know a lot of these guys are clowns. How do people tell the difference between sincere best-efforts on the level sellers and clowns when the clowns copy, borrow, and lie?

I only looked at the first ebay link listed in Carl's initial post. Not meaning to ruffle feathers.

I disagree with your assessment on the distributor in the first link. Nothing is disclosed about the seller buying it from Carl and selling it because....

You seem to have more information than is appearing on my screen for the ad. Your attitide toward this is a little surprising to me. You seem to have taken sides and that is your perogative.

 

Geez you made me look at the whole thing. I missed the standard condition: Used.

I also finally looked up carl's site's link and found the photos to be different.

I am inclined to believe that the seller is just trying to sell something that simply isn't needed anymore.

The disclosure on this ad was poor and if the seller is a business concern, should have done better. The seller if an individual, should also have done better. The ad was misleading, whether intentional or not.

The upshot is, since Roger vouches for this seller then we have reason to trust the ad. Crisis over.

 

James,
Thank you - your first impressions were wrong because like most of us you scan read the ad.
You of course are right - the ad could be better, however we are not dealing with Satchi and Satchi here.
I have already dealt with and bought from this seller and he is an everyday eBay seller and not out to be improper with anyone. You do not get 100% feedback for doing bad things. No where does he say he is 928MS. He is just trying to sell a great product and quite rightly gives the link to the OEM as we all would when selling a very good product instead of claiming, like some do, that it is there design.

Now I am interested in buying the distributer, is it something that can be purchased used or should I be expecting wear. I have asked a lot of questions and am waiting answers. Is it still under warranty? When was it purchased and more.
Roger

 

Agreed. My first impressions seem to have been incorrect.

Are you going to sell me a used brake caliper on ebay? I am sure I can get someone to vouch for you. Looking for right front S4.

Thanks.

 

You know Roger; I am very surprised by your response to this.
It blows me away you would say this. The general public is very stupid when it comes to buying products (even worse on the internet).
Someone sees an ad for a custom 928 part and a link to a website selling the part. Your average Tom, Dick, and Harry assume they go together.
This is what Carl is trying to protect, and he has every right to.

BINGO!!!!!

What if they say "yes it is still under warranty"....then doesn't work. You go back to the ad, see "928 Motorsports" and suddenly Carl has to deal with it.

 

Seller purchased the distributer from 928 Motorsport for his 78 track car less than a year ago.
As with his MDS system he is now selling the parts and moving on to something else. He seems very knowlegable about the car and has totally changed the system.

Hacker - so show me where he says he is 928MS?
How else is he supposed to describe the exact & excellent product he bought from Carl?
I guess he could have taken the excellent write up prepared by Carl and moved all the words around 8>)

As for Warranty - I do not know how long Carl's warranty is on this product or if he even offers one.
It may be out of warranty as it was purchased about 1 year ago.

 

I buy/sell on ebay. I've been on the site for 10 years now. There is no real code of ethics on the site. People steal other peoples pics/descriptions, etc. I would never steal anothers pictures or link to a website that is not my own. I don't think the seller is trying to dupe anyone into thinking he is someone else, rather he made a bad decision to link to an outside website, rather than take the time to type his own description. If it were me, I would send the seller a message that you would not want him to link to your website. If he continues to list items with links, then you should take action.

 

Aaron,
I think we all agree that the ad could have been worded better.
However he is selling a 928 MotorSport CIS distributer how else do you describe it?
If I sell a Porsche 928 do I have to advertise it as a Ferrari.

 

Rog-
you could just bypass all of these questions and buy one direct from Carl....


Erik-
this would be a better statement......?







--Russ

 

Show me where I said he did. That's not the point, it's the perception of the buyer (notice where I used the word "assume").
Go place an ad for a Porsche part and put "check out www.porsche.com for details" and see how long your ad lasts.
It's Carl's website and Carl's product. If he doesn't want people linking to his site, that is his business and I fully support him. That is my point.
Again, it totally blows me away someone that is in this business would take the position you are.

Few years ago one of Murphy's customers had his car on ebay (with the supercharger installed) with a link to his website. Tim was immediately bombarded with question on not only the supercharger but everything about the car itself. No where in the ad did he say he was with Murf928.com, doesn't matter. People see a link and assume they go together.

I'm willing to bet Carl watches these types of ads due to similar situations Murphy dealt with.

Hyper linking without permission is bad etiquette, deep hyper linking (like this ad does to a specific page not the home page) is also considered a no-no.

James-man hit the nail on the head. There is a very good chance (almost a guarntee) anyone who sees the ad will associate it with Carl's company.

 

Gee, didn't I open a can of worms!!!

Roger,

Since there is very little to wear out on the distributors it should be good as long as the piston hasn't been buggered. I did notice in his pictures that the two halves had been separated. Does he still have the gasket? What type gasket is it (early stamped stainless or newer rubber)? Has he changed the individual injector settings from the original bench flow setup?

Dennis

 

Hacker we all have different opinions - thank goodness.
I respect and understand where you are coming from. This normal guy makes one small mistake and puts a link to Carl's web page and you and others want to bid him into extinction and have him removed from the face of the World. I think that is wrong and unjust. Especially since he is a 928 owner and like minded individual.
A simple and polite email from Carl asking him to delete the link would of sufficed - especially as he is a customer of Carl's. Carl's first post made it sound like this seller had just started on eBay - not correct, that he was trying to make all his sales apear to be from 928MS - not correct. The guy is not a crook but made a simple mistake.

Moving on.

Dennis,
I need for someone to confirm - other than the seller - that this is indeed the 928MS distributor, just to be safe. Thanks for the heads up on the gasket and settings and I will ask the questions.
Roger