Seller Ethics..... right or wrong

[gold-n-rod]

Here's a hypothetical situation. A seller advertises (in a worldwide media) a boat that looks like a Donzi, but is not. He calls it a Donzi and lists it in the Donzi section. The seller knows the boat is not a Donzi.

Is this an ethical tactic?

[pmreed]

This is not like the sellers who advertise a Baja, not Donzi, Cigarette, etc. I'm not crazy about the people who do that, because it means I have to wade through a few boats I have no interest in. But if I was selling a Baja or some no-name boat, I'd probably do it too! It's just a selling technique to increase the views.
Total misrepresentation is another kettle of fish...of course it's unethical, and probably against the law. I think it's called fraud.

Phil

[MOP]

About the only place you see this crap is on Ebay, I think it PO's anyone with ½ a brain. The only thing that can be tried is mailing Ebay to try to get them to stop this unethical practice.

Phil

[boxy]

There is a boat on one of the "other" boating sites that is being advertised in the Donzi setion, only problem is that it is a U-19....

[goatee]

What Pmreed Said, 100%

[gold-n-rod]

Well, 30 members have voted so far and over 93% believe this advertising practice is wrong.

Hmmm.....

[McGary911]

Completly wrong. I can sell you a pretty good Rolex fake for about $250. Now, if i take that same watch and sell it to you as a genuine Rolex for $3500, im a thief. Same with selling a non-Donzi as the Genuine Donzi.

[chappy]

I agree, when I run a search for Donzi's, and receive results that state, "not a Donzi", it's obvious that people are trying to sell boats that are not of the quality of the boats we own. It's misleading to people who are interested in the true Donzi quality we enjoy. Just a thought.

Rich

[EricG]

I agree completely that it is wrong if you "know" what you are selling. There have been many cases of folks selling boats that they honestly believe are Donzi's (the most common would be the many Formula Jr's listed as 16's), but once pointed out to them, they will usually correct the error.

As always there is a difference between misunderstanding and fraud....

EG

[cutwater]

On the other hand...

Without misrepresentation we would have never found out about the elusive Imperial Donzi! Beautiful.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4559513864&category=31270&sspagename=WDVW

The problem is that legally, "not Donzi" is a correct product description - although extraneous and really annoying. Ethically it's shady. EbayMotors could have a fill-in-the-blank template, e.g.

Year Make Model Condition

But this would be tough when selling rare/obscure models.

[mattyboy]

I don't see the big thing here I mean when I do a Donzi search on ebay in all categories I never get more than like 25 items whats the big deal A quick look at the thumb nails and descriptions and I can easily see what's what.
so you people get mad if a 25 magnum or magnum missle show up??? or a twenty cig??? or Satan's Chariot, a shepard Donzi, or some other of Don's boat that are less known then Donzi are listed with a like or not Donzi or with some other reference to Donzi????
hey even someone with a real donzi can write a misrepresenting ad
and remember the person who wrote the ad got his job done cause , well you read it

[Forrest]

On the other hand...

. . . The problem is that legally, "not Donzi" is a correct product description - although extraneous and really annoying . . .

Most eBay listings tha contain the word "not" in the title will be deleted by the eBay police without notice before the auction ends. I found out first hand, so don't do it. eBay will suspend you if you continue to use "not" in your title after your have been warned. eBay describes the practice as "search hijacking" and is prohibited by their own selling rules.

[Kirk]

It's called "word phising"

Yes the Ebay Police frown on it but they dont do anything about it because it only increases the chance that the item will be sold. Phising opens the auction up for the seller so he/she can display items to be sold to a wider audience. After all it is all about "The Fee" with Ebay.

My .02

KJ

[Craig S]

sometimes I fall into that trap myself on this site with the word...Baron

[teeg]

It's called "word phising"

Yes the Ebay Police frown on it but they dont do anything about it because it only increases the chance that the item will be sold. Phising opens the auction up for the seller so he/she can display items to be sold to a wider audience. After all it is all about "The Fee" with Ebay.

My .02

KJ

hey

by the way ebay took an ad of mine off at one time i listed a drumset and used the phrasing.....sonor....not rogers,tama etc ebay must have received complaints because they pulled the ad and told me if i do it again i'm done with them i guess if enough people complain they'll do something about it and yes i agree its shady but it opens up your marketing

[mattyboy]

isn't that the 2nd sign of the apocolypse,
where's my horse ;)