Originally posted by: skeg64
Well,
It seems ebay did stop the auction.
So the question then is, since we CAN stop them, should we?

Report them if you must but - I think that if you do shut them down one seller at a time (which you indicated you have) YOU will be the single cause of the next insane price INCREASE on ebay - I say this as I've witnessed this over and over again in the last 5 years on ebay...

Day one - there are 20 sellers offering Star Wars Trilogy DVD auctions for $30-50 (the average eBay ending price with keepcases)

Day two - 16 of them are shut down.... AFTER being reported by a distraught fan that feels it's not right to pay such a high price.

Day three - (BTW - most auctions are only three days or B-I-N) the 4 auctions that did NOT get shut down end at $70 - $125 EACH!

The result is the same NO MATTER how many times I've seen it. WHOEVER reported ALL the auctions is now the direct cause of price increase - this is the very thing you seek to stop is is not?

HUM... counter productive it is...

WHY???

Well, here is the why - BY reporting the auctions and getting them closed said "distraught fan" has now created a "RARITY" market in which the value of said DVD's SKY-ROCKETS strickly due to the fact that you now only have a very limited number of choices - so inturn you have now created a greater demand for the DVD's by artificially created an even more SCARCE and RARER item.

So NOW those desperate Star Wars fan have NO choice BUT to buy the set for $70 - 200 dollars. (and you've seen prices that high) it's all marketing.

The Marketing of STAR WARS OT's on eBay as seen by me...

Demand: Refers to people's willingness to pay high prices just to own these DVD's.

* the fact that these are NOT on any known official DVD;
* the fact the official DVD's ARE not the same movies some of us saw as children;
* THESE recordable discs are only "convenient" format for fans to watch the TRUE versions of the films on DVD;
* THE only "Affordable" format for fans to aquire the ORIGINAL versions at this quality (the alternative - obsolete Laserdiscs)
* the price of the DVD's - $30-50 with keepcase and art is FAIR. (how much are the offical DVD's?? - right about the same price);
* these movies are the shiznit - and you know this!

Supply: Is really the number of producers who are willing and able to provide the DVD's. (in direct relation to ebay)

Supply depends on:

* the "avalibility" of the title - these are OUT-OF-PRINT and may NEVER been seen again in there original form or context,
the only real alternatives are obsolete and used OOP VHS tapes and Laserdiscs (how many AVERAGE movie viewers have LD players?)
* the easy avalibility of the DVD's to the AVERAGE fan/consumer; (eBay has how many users now?)
* the cost/ease of production for the producers; (relatively low at this time)
* a competitive supply - (NOT everyone has convenient access to broadband or DVD recorders)
* unexpected events that affect supply. ( "distraught fans" reporting auctions of said DVD's)

Sure these forums and all my free downloads of the trilogy help preserve OUR "HOLY TRILOGY" for thousands and in some ZANY way so do those eBay sellers - I mean do you want to email the next MILLION fans that will buy them on eBay and tell them that instead of buying them you will send them free copies?

YOU need to allow new competitors/suppliers (eBay sellers in this case) into the market, and the price will ALWAYS and inevitably falls due to increased supply - we do want to preserve the films and make them readily avalible to the fans right? By shutting those sellers down you deny fans the fun of watching the ORIGINAL films as they were ment to be seen.