EBAYS POLICY OF HIDING BIDDERS IDENITY ALLOWS A SELLER TO BID UP HIS OWN ITEM, I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW THIS PROTECTS OR HELPS A BUYER BUT EBAY WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
TO BID UP YOUR OWN ITEM AND THEN REPORT TO EBAY THAT THE SALE DID NOT GO THRU AND RELIST THE ITEM AT A PRICE LOWER THAN THE RECORDED PREVIOUS SALE BUT STILL EXTREMELY HIGH IS LIKELY DONE FREQUENTLY WHEN IT WORKS.
I HAVE NOTICED AN INCREASE OF VARIOUS IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS BEING REPRESENTED AS WAR CLUBS AND WITH VERY HIGH PRICES LATELY. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SOME CLUBS WHICH SHOULD BE TOP PRICE CONSIDERING THEIR ORIGIONS AROUND $200.00 TO $300.00 LISTED FROM $650. 00 TO OVER $1000.00. THEY USUALLY RUN OVER AND OVER AT THE SAME BUY IT NOW PRICE.
I RECENTLY SAW A VERY NICE FIJI ULA WITH THE FANCY IVORY OR BONE INLAY WORK GO FOR OVER $800.00, IF IT HAD BEEN A GOOD OLD EXAMPLE A VERY GOOD PRICE. BUT IT WAS MADE FOR HIGH END TOURISTS IN THE 1960'S OR LATER AND WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT A GOOD OLD ONE BECAUSE OF THE STAIN INSTEAD OF PATINA, AND EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF MODERN POWER TOOLS AND A FEW SHORT CUTS USED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION.
I HAVE BOUGHT A FEW CLUBS FROM FIJI MADE DURING THAT TIME AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE WORKMANSHIP, WOODS USED ,STAIN AND TECKNIQUE.
THE PRICES USED TO BE REASONABLE ON THE GOOD REPLICAS AND WERE A GOOD CHANCE TO GET A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A FORM OF CLUB THAT WAS PRICED OUT OF A COLLECTORS MEANS OR RARE ENOUGH IT WAS NOT LIKELY A COLLECTOR WOULD FIND ONE IN HIS LIFETIME WITHOUT A LOT OF LUCK.
AS ALWAYS LET THE BUYER BEWARE.