- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
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- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Another wrinkle in the story ...
the bass that started this thread that got sold and then confiscated ... even though there were no restricted woods on the bass ...
Well that very same bass
is
now
listed on ebay
Rickenbacker 4003S 5 String Bass Guitar w/ Hard Shell Case | eBay
the bass that started this thread that got sold and then confiscated ... even though there were no restricted woods on the bass ...
Well that very same bass
is
now
listed on ebay
Rickenbacker 4003S 5 String Bass Guitar w/ Hard Shell Case | eBay
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
I saw that, and just had a feeling !!!!!!!!! DAmn !!!!!!!!!!!! that seems shady !
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
So I told the seller that that was my bass that got confiscated by ebay ...
His response was ...
We bought this in a large lot from a large company. Thank you and have a great day.
So it is OK for Ebay to sell and for him to sell it ... but if I sell it then it gets confiscated ...
I hate it when unelected bureaucrats mess with my life. We can't vote them out. We can't impeach them. They create regulations that have the effect of laws.
His response was ...
We bought this in a large lot from a large company. Thank you and have a great day.
So it is OK for Ebay to sell and for him to sell it ... but if I sell it then it gets confiscated ...
I hate it when unelected bureaucrats mess with my life. We can't vote them out. We can't impeach them. They create regulations that have the effect of laws.
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
The end game of CITES is to stop all commerce of all items that contain any type of rosewood.
I hope all of my fellow musicians will be happy with maple fretboards.
I hope all of my fellow musicians will be happy with maple fretboards.
Teijo K.
Commercial User
That is some next level poop right there.
1)You might want to try learning what CITES actually is before going all drama queen. CITES website. Protecting endangered species is not a bad thing.
2)Maple is not the only alternative to rosewood.
3)Ebay is not a bunch of unelected, unimpeachable bureaucrats that exist only to make your life impossible. They are a business which you are free to choose to do business with, or not. It's pretty simple. Don't like Ebay? Don't use Ebay!
I don't disagree with what you're saying here, but you can't tell me what they did isn't sketchy. Why not just ship the bass back to the seller?
Considering the seller got to keep his selling price in his pocket, and the buyer's not out anything either, I'd say it's more weird than sketchy.
I'd certainly think it'd be cheaper for Ebay to send the item back to the seller. On the outward appearance, I can't imagine they made money on this deal.
But considering they'd probably get sued by at least some percentage of unhappy customers for "interfering in free trade" or some such if they did otherwise, my guess is that this is just tallied up as a cost of doing business. This costs less than lawyers. If they weren't still turning a profit overall, they'd either change the policy or just stop offering the global shipping service.
Also, I'm quite sure they don't want to get sideways with the customs service of ANY country and have all their shipments flagged/held/whatever at whatever border. When it comes to something like CITES, they're just not going to take any chances.
For practically every business, you don't make a profit on every transaction. Sometimes it's prudent (read: more profitable overall) to eat an expense here and there in order to continue to offer a popular service.
FWIW, I've sent a few items through their global shipping service with no issues.
I think what is upsetting to the OP and those responding is that by seizing the personal property of another and deciding how they see fit to dispense with it means that Ebay is acting as an agent of the Federal government, that is on behalf of Fish and Game and Customs. If this item were seized by a Customs inspector, there would be a process requiring notice to the party and an opportunity to respond. Apparently Ebay has been made above that requirement.
I won't even address referring to a fellow TB member as a "drama queen".
Sadly, all of this has nothing to do with protecting endangered woods. If it did, we would never have gotten to the point where we are confiscating property from law abiding citizens. If I say more, I will anger the powers that be so I will shut up now.
The only person who would have any possible claim to "their personal property" being seized in this situation is the buyer, not the seller, as ownership legally passed to the buyer once the seller accepted payment. Seller got his price. Seller has no say so if the buyer wants to use it for firewood. Buyer got his money back, but he could conceivably demonstrate he was damaged if he could reasonably prove that the item in question was worth more than what he paid, i.e. "I got a pristine '62 jazz bass for $150, and Ebay made an excuse and took it so they could sell it for $30K".
All the talk of "unelected, unimpeachable bureaucrats" and Ebay "seizing" and "dispensing as they see fit" "and "acting as a federal agent" completely ignores the facts of this case - The only party that is out any money here is Ebay.
"confiscating property from law abiding citizens". LOL.
Nevermind. I'll leave you guys to your deep dark conspiracy theories. Even though I'd love to hear what CITES is really about. Does it involve Area 51? A grassy knoll?
Yes, it's the buyer that eBay quite literally stole from. The buyer legally bought the item and is the owner. Ebay global shipping is a means to transport the buyers property to him. They unabashedly took said property without the buyers consent. It doesn't matter if they refunded his money or how much they refunded compared to its worth, it wasn't theirs to take. Their only excuse is that they are acting as an agent of the government but they are doing so without authority and without due process. I don't see how anyone can think this isn't a problem.
