FORUM

I noticed this on ebay.

I have never seen such a blatent misrepresentation of a machine before, the description states "1920s Plentywin" and goes on to say "perfect 100% original condition" !!!!!!!!

I could have given the seller the benefit of doubt getting the date wrong but the description goes on to say "the ball races round the rails in a perfectly alligned smooth motion making the beautiful sound as it did eighty years ago"

These are the most nauseous bits "this is a custom built English oak cabinet in perfect, undamaged, unabused condition. Indeed the machine looks like new. The bottom cash door has the original lock and key as does the top door. Both locks and keys were removed and carefully cleaned and refitted............only did minimum restoration basically to lightly clean away the little dust".

The description is about 600 words long and waxes lyrical (it call it bullsh*t) about how it has been in the family since new and the perfect condition of the machine, oh, and it has "been lovingly restored over a two year period".

How can these people get away with such descriptions !

(I bet it will certainly make John T Peterson hyperventilate)

Someone please call the Doctor; I think I'm about to pass out.

Obviously pays to talk up an item on ebay, the Plantywin went for £550 !!

It's all very well taking the p155 out of these long-winded and sugary romantic descriptions on ebay, but it has been shown time and again that long descriptions like this fetch higher bids. As long as they don't deliberately mislead, I don't see a problem with waxing lyrical about an item for sale. You might think it's nauseous, and the seller is probably having a laugh while he's typing it, but it pulls in the bids.

Many people have made successful businesses by buying badly-described goods on ebay, and then relisting them with a long flowery description. If they are quick, they can even save postage by getting the original seller to post directly to the new owner!

Another thread where the number of posts doesn't match the number in the index so doesn't flag as 'read'. Hope this post fixes it.

...and it has.