eBay lunacy again

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DankMemes

DankMemes

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So this auction closed just now at $225, which is by my math around $70 over retail. I’ve seen this with a variety of items and recently with cases especially but all sorts of items rocketry related or otherwise... I guess people get caught up in the auction hysteria...

Here’s hoping the seller was a TRF member, because he or she just made out like a bandit....

You folks out there in TRF seeing these kinds of bids out there too?
 
My recent favorite was an individual selling a cloned kit (unassembled) of the Estes Aries SST #1927, while the starting price was okay at $14.99, the guy was offering for sale something I am sure that Estes did not authorize, and I am curious about the quality of the kit and decals. The NC was balsa with the winglets added (the PNC-50S was the original nosecone and was used on the Aries SST and Jayhawk, and maybe one other rocket). Regardless, I highly doubt the guy had a license reproduce for sale such a kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113196564645?ul_noapp=true
 
rharshberger said:
My recent favorite was an individual selling a cloned kit (unassembled) of the Estes Aries SST #1927, while the starting price was okay at $14.99, the guy was offering for sale something I am sure that Estes did not authorize, and I am curious about the quality of the kit and decals. The NC was balsa with the winglets added (the PNC-50S was the original nosecone and was used on the Aries SST and Jayhawk, and maybe one other rocket). Regardless, I highly doubt the guy had a license reproduce for sale such a kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113196564645?ul_noapp=true
Click to expand...

Blatantly a counterfeit... even bagged in Estes brand plastic...
 
jd2cylman said:
Although this did peak my interest, as I have one hanging down in the basement... Hmmm...
Click to expand...

Yeah that’s a good one he’s also got a swing wing Tomcat that’s a cool model I built several of in high school. Already at 122 dollars, I’ll scratch build for that much just can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on cardboard and plastic, but cool to see though not a lot you see very often these days
 
lakeroadster said:
Ebay's a swamp...
Click to expand...

eBay prices are frequently stupid, but to be frank, so are some of the asking prices in the "Yard Sale / Wanted" section of this forum.
I've picked up a few good deals, and passed on multiple absurd offers, from both sources.

In both instances, "Caveat emptor" / "buyer beware" disclaimer applies with full force.

YMMV,
a
 
DankMemes said:
Yeah that’s a good one he’s also got a swing wing Tomcat that’s a cool model I built several of in high school. Already at 122 dollars, I’ll scratch build for that much just can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on cardboard and plastic, but cool to see though not a lot you see very often these days
Click to expand...

I built a Tomcat years ago when I became a BAR. Flew like a brick. Then I found the best way to fly them is nekid...
 
rharshberger said:
My recent favorite was an individual selling a cloned kit (unassembled) of the Estes Aries SST #1927, while the starting price was okay at $14.99, the guy was offering for sale something I am sure that Estes did not authorize, and I am curious about the quality of the kit and decals. The NC was balsa with the winglets added (the PNC-50S was the original nosecone and was used on the Aries SST and Jayhawk, and maybe one other rocket). Regardless, I highly doubt the guy had a license reproduce for sale such a kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113196564645?ul_noapp=true
Click to expand...

To be fair, the guy has clearly marked it as a clone in both the auction heading and description. Looking at his listings you can easily see which are clones and which are NOS from his collection. He gives details in the description such as he made the nc and decals himself. His feedback is 100% with over 2,000 reviews.

I have seen much shadier stuff on eBay. I could name a few "legitimate" ebayers who could learn a few things from this seller.

Wasn't there a guy who was selling a Saturn 1b kit on eBay with no pictures of any parts, only stock photos of an actual S1b and the starting bid was like $250? When people started asking for more info he started talking about how the kits are still in production and he was trying to get startup money to make them before eventually deleting his eBay account.

Buyer beware indeed.

As far as "licensing" goes, it is pretty much the Wild West in rocketry. There just isn't that big of a white market to create a demand for a black or even gray market. The closest thing to policing was when Hobbico sent C&D letters to people like Carl of Semroc and BMS. I think the lawyers got out ahead of the Estes mgmt on that one. Believe it or not there is more protection on logos and names than the actual kit designs themselves. Especially if you're talking about scale kits.

I'm not sure who the guy is, I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt that he's trying to mimic the experience of getting a real OOP kit without the crazy prices vs trying to pass these off as the real thing.
 
r12ski, you are absolutely right about protection laws. Carl made sure he had all the names of as many Estes and Centuri kits that were OOP whether it was in kit or fin form. As many of you know, Barry Tunic dropped the ball when he didn't renew the names of all the kits they had. If Randy has any form of a kit (fin, rings by name) he now owns the names. He has to keep them in production though.
 
I'l sell you 50 cardboard tubes, write whatever motor designation that you want on it, along with free shipping for that price!
 
blackjack2564 said:
Did they even make A-8-3 that early?
Click to expand...

Yes I believe so. I still have a passel of Estes motors from the mid-60's when I was a kid. Been temp cycled too many times and just sentimental keepsakes. Had the "English" designation on them like B8-0, B8-6 and a mid-60's date stamp. One would have to be stupid rich weird to pay that kind of money. The motors in question might have been pressed by Mabel 1. The first motor maker Vernon Estes came up with.

Kurt
 
eye-bleach_o_2873725.jpg
 
You guys are funny. A welcome relief from my own stupid "sad song" thread. Bring the laughs!
 
I get a kick out of search eBay and seeing some of the auctions. I refer it to my YGBOYDM search. "You gotta be out of your damn minds".
 

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