Resellers

[Welcome Back Apathy]

I put this in Neopets Help because I genuinely want to know: is this a scam? Can you report somebody for this? Read on to find out what "this" is.

 

I've had this a lot lately, and I want to warn people about it. You've probably seen it. Even if it is not a reportable offense, it is something you need to be wary of. Somebody lies to you or tricks you into selling an item for much cheaper than it is actually worth--that is, not its "worth" according to the website's estimated worth, but how much people are actually willing to pay for it. They do this so they can resell it and *boom*--instant 500k.

 

This is how it goes: You've put an expensive item up in your shop, in the trades, up for auction, etc. You've checked, and your price is the lowest or close to it! Someone can easily buy it, bid on it, whatever. But lo and behold: instead of bidding, they drop you a neomail!

 

Today, I got one that could easily be a reseller, or it could be innocent: I'm interested in buying your H4000 Helmet, but the Freezing Potion is better and someone has it for cheaper than yours. Will you lower your price by 700k and sell to me?

 

I paraphrased, but these are the exact details the person gave. The person was right that somebody put a freezing potion in the auctions for a fairly low price (cheaper than mine by 200k), but by the time that auction was over, it went for more than a million more than what they said they would give me. This particular situation could easily just be a misunderstanding--the person thought the freezing potion was worth a lot less than it really is, and they weren't actually trying to cheat me. However, there are MANY, MANY cases in which the person is trying to trick you! Many cases in which the person tells you they've found someone (whom you can't find) willing to sell for lower, but if you beat their price they'll buy from you. There are even people who buy a lot of these items and put up fake trades on their side accounts saying they'll accept lower prices, but never actually accept any of the lower prices. Then on their main, they go to you and say "So-and-so (THEIR SIDE ACCOUNT!) is selling it for this cheap!"

 

Tips so that you don't get cheated in this way:

1) As soon as the person offers, look it up! Some people are just banking on you not actually doing the research. They say there's one cheaper in the auctions, but there's not.

2) Check the trades and auctions that are up BEFORE you set a price. If much cheaper ones crop up suspiciously after you've put yours up, they are most likely not legit.

3) Look up that person's trades and auctions. Do they have a lot of overpriced items? They're a reseller.

4) If someone has a cheaper price up in the auctions and it's public (not neofriend only), it is likely legit--after all, somebody would have to risk losing the item for less than they paid. Wait until the end of that auction to verify that people are not willing to pay more, though, because an item may start at 3 million and end at 8 million.

5) If someone has a cheaper price up in the trading post, and it was made after your trade/auction was made, it is probably not legit. Reply telling the person that they should offer on that lot instead.

6) If you're sure your price is fair, reply to the person thanking them for their offer, but you'd rather keep the item than let it go for that low. They had better go ahead and offer on the person who has it cheaper.

7) Should you actually go through with the trade, be wary still. Check that person's auctions and trades over the next day. If they sell it for more, you know they're not a trustworthy person. Of course, the person will probably conduct those auctions through a side account, so this is probably useless advice.

 

Keep in mind--if that person can get it for cheaper elsewhere, why are they coming to you at all?

[The Meepit Commando]

It's a scam, If you want a lower price, negotiate, I'm pretty sure a seller could knock some of the price down if it a very expensive item.

[shiranui_xiii]

It's a scam. There's no doubt in my mind.

 

Bob is an honest Neopian selling a paintbrush. Fluffy is a usually honest Neopian who really, really wants a paintbrush. Fluffy contacts Bob and says there are cheaper offers on the Neoboard. Bob says, "Oh, okay durrrrr," and gives you the item for a lowered price.

 

Fluffy was dishonest and wanted to save a few NPs. Bob, apparently, didn't check the rest of the trades to see if what Fluffy said was true or a lie. Bob didn't know any better. Bob loses potential NP, and Fluffy saves some NP. Bob doesn't get any benefits because Fluffy took them all.

 

Not that it has any bearing to the story, but Bob is an Aisha and Fluffy is a Cybunny. Just to illustrate my point that rabbits are evil what you described was a scam.

[Welcome Back Apathy]

I guess I should have said, yes, it's a scam...but is it a reportable scam? Can someone be warned, suspended, or frozen for this?

 

And rabbits are not evil! They are sweet and cuddly and would NEVER scratch my husband's eye. Oh, wait. ...They are sweet and cuddly.

[Sweetdang]

It's a scam.

 

I consider it lying, and feeding people untruths for personal gains. And thanks for the tips! :)

 

(Rabbits are cutiepies. ;) )

[fulgaraverde]

Reselling is obviously not a scam in and of itself - the whole point is to buy things cheap and then sell for more than you paid. It becomes a scam when they lie to get you to lower your price. It's so easy to just say 'I'm interested in buying [item]. Your price is 2.5m. Would you consider selling for 2.3?' and haggle instead of lying.

[nailguard]

another thing is nobody can depend on auctions to get the item. Because other players can bid on it, no one is fully guaranteed to get the item at the price listed. TP prices are likely more accurate but sometimes may not be fully accurate as well if people are colluding to mass buy an item to gain a monopoly.

 

the price of the item can be skewed really badly in auctions, especially if the person just want to liquidate it for some quick np. I still dont know if its considered a scam though, the buyer could have been innocently thinking that they could get the item at a lower price, and wanted to use someone else's price tag as a haggling tool. Sometime it is tough to tell whether the player is lying or not. Perhaps they were having some arrangements beforehand, and wanted to see if they can continue haggling.

[Ruka]

I agree with what most people said. It's a scam.

 

The prices on an item that someone sets should not be influenced by that person who told them to.

It all depends on that someone to find out whether the person is right or not, and not to fall into the person's trap.

 

Oh, and thanks for the tips too! ^_^