Newest eBay rant: Stock photos!

[Captain Beard]

There are at least two large Atari dealers on eBay who make use of what they call a "stock photo" instead of showing actual pictures of the items they are selling. The problem is (here comes the rant, folks) they often use the LEAST common label variations for them. What the hell is that all about? So when I go scouring through eBay pictures looking for, let's say, the Golf cartridge variation with black tape over the controller info, I am often momentarily excited to find someone displaying a picture of it, but become deflated when I realize they're probably just selling the standard, most common version.

 

Is this intentional on the part of these sellers, do you think? Are they hoping to cash in on collectors who fail to read the fine print? Or are they both lazy AND ignorant?

 

I wonder if they'd be OK with me using a "stock photo" when sending payment?

You know, I could say, "here's a stock photo of my payment", send them a picture of a check with the correct amount but then send them an otherwise identical check with a different amount filled in. I mean, it's still the same check, right?

Edited August 1, 2008 by Captain Beard

[Albert]

I'd like to see some of these "stock photo" auctions. Can you please post some links?

 

..Al

[Captain Beard]

Here's the Golf example which prompted the rant. They have it listed THREE separate times:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

And here's an E.T. I bought recently, because the photo shows it to be the small window variation:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=320273661375

What arrived in the mail was the standard, common version.

 

 

Along similar lines, you have the seemingly non-stock photos from electromoe/Electric Revolution.

But a quick comparison demonstrates that they are re-using photos and being less than honest about what's being represented in their ads.

 

ATARI 2600 GAME CARTRIDGE " KANGAROO"

ATARI 2600 GAME CART " KANGAROO" 1987 RE RELEASE RARE!

ATARI 2600 GAME CART " KANGAROO" 1988 RE RELEASE RARE!

 

It doesn't take any kind of expert to see that those are all the exact same photo.

 

Which isn't to say that you won't get the variation you want, but it hardly instills me with confidence.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Captain Beard

[kenfused]

Here's the Golf example which prompted the rant. They have it listed THREE separate times:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

And here's an E.T. I bought recently, because the photo shows it to be the small window variation:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=320273661375

What arrived in the mail was the standard, common version.

Wonder where they got those photos?

[+remowilliams]

99.99% of the time if I see a 'stock photo' auction I just pass it right by.

[BuddyBuddies]

in this case,its always best to ask the seller about the item before buying it , myatari uses stock photos and he says if you have any questions to contact him, i find nothing wrong with that IMHO, but i guess in some instances it could cause a problem.

[Captain Beard]

99.99% of the time if I see a 'stock photo' auction I just pass it right by.

So do I...

 

Now.

[Omegamatrix]

Is this intentional on the part of these sellers, do you think? Are they hoping to cash in on collectors who fail to read the fine print? Or are they both lazy AND ignorant?

I think a little of both in most cases.

 

99.99% of the time if I see a 'stock photo' auction I just pass it right by.

Me too.

 

 

I really feel stock photos should be banned for auctions that there is a quantity of one. Who doesn't own a camera in this day and age? If you have like 10,000+ of an item fine, I can see the need. If you are listing items that you have only one of then I will feel suspicious if you use stock photos.

[Omegamatrix]

Lol, I just clicked on the Golf link and saw what you are talking about. Yeah, that pisses me off when sellers do that. Obviously the Atari Corps version is more sought after. I purposely avoid buying when I see this. I'm sure a seller in the industry like the ElectricQuarter knows what they are doing though, and will be quick to put a new generic photo of the Atari Inc version.

[DeusExMachina]

I ran into this problem awhile back. I won a 2600 Frogger II auction and the game and box were in the picture. When the game arrived, there was no box. The seller said it was a stock photo. I demanded my money back and I eventually got it.

[supercat]

You know, I could say, "here's a stock photo of my payment", send them a picture of a check with the correct amount but then send them an otherwise identical check with a different amount filled in. I mean, it's still the same check, right?

 

Assuming there are no copyright issues with the photo in question, there shouldn't be any particular problem with stock photos provided that:

 

-1- There is a disclaimer in cases where the photo is of an item essentially identical to the actual item, and

 

-2- There is a BIG disclaimer in cases where the item is not exactly as pictured (whether because of scratches or other marks, missing pieces, differences in design, or whatever).

 

If someone who was given the actual item pictured and the item the seller had to sell would be unable to tell which was which, and if the copyright holder of the picture would have no complaints, what ethical problem is there with a stock photo?

Edited August 7, 2008 by supercat

[Captain Beard]

If someone who was given the actual item pictured and the item the seller had to sell would be unable to tell which was which, and if the copyright holder of the picture would have no complaints, what ethical problem is there with a stock photo?

None at all.

Frankly, I'm pretty sure most sellers who use stock photos are not being intentionally misleading -- they're probably just doing it to make their lives easier. And since most folks aren't label variation collectors, it's just a handful of us who are going to be disappointed when the Kaboom! cart arrives with the wrong color background. But it just seems to me that if you're going to use a stock photo to represent your items, you shouldn't be using a picture of an uncommon variation, you should use the most common one -- especially if you earn your living selling games as is the case with the two large eBay dealers I cited in my earlier post.

[Artlover]

Frankly, I'm pretty sure most sellers who use stock photos are not being intentionally misleading -- they're probably just doing it to make their lives easier. And since most folks aren't label variation collectors, it's just a handful of us who are going to be disappointed when the Kaboom! cart arrives with the wrong color background.

I'd be willing to accept that except for two things:

 

1. Google around for pictures of a Kaboom cartridge and what do you find? The common one. It actually takes some specific effort to come across images of rarer variations. My cynical nature tells me it's probably not that likely that someone who doesn't know any better would just happen across the images of the rare one.

 

2. This one is totaly subjective. My personal feeling is, regardless if it's just a hobby, or trying to unload some unknown stuff you found in an attic, if you're going to sell something, you should make atleast some effort to know what it is you're selling.

 

But it just seems to me that if you're going to use a stock photo to represent your items, you shouldn't be using a picture of an uncommon variation, you should use the most common one -- especially if you earn your living selling games as is the case with the two large eBay dealers I cited in my earlier post.

Yup. Inexcusable for someone who does/should know better and kind of ties into my previous points.

[orangest]

on a somewhat related note, i wonder what the chances are that you'd get the item as pictured...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Coleco-Donkey-Kong/d...083&sr=8-34

[jahfish]

" ..... rare because it was rereleased ....."

 

 

i like the formulation of this ...

 

now go and rerelease air raid so it will be more rare than it is now!

[jahfish]

on a somewhat related note, i wonder what the chances are that you'd get the item as pictured...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Coleco-Donkey-Kong/d...083&sr=8-34

 

you can get it from me ... i got one of these! they are taiwanese multicarts, mainly sold in italy and the netherlands ...

[HammR25]

I don't buy from eBayers that use stock photos. People who don't use stock photos tend to get higher bids because buyers know the item is real.

[Carey85]

I remember getting my ass burnt awhile back on a copy of Asteroids for 2600. Seller used a stock photo of a silver label Asteroids, I jumped on it and bought it, ended up getting a standard pic label cart in the mail. I didn't get too upset about it as I don't think the seller meant any malice in doing so, just licked my wounds and moved on.

[Lucky Man]

I've gotten burned by quite a few of these sellers that use stock photos, too. I realize it takes a long time to photograph every one of your items for sale, especially if you're a Power Seller, but it's really irritating when the product shows up and looks nothing like the pictured item.

 

orangest... your link was a real eye opener for me. I've been buying and selling on Amazon for a long time and I had no idea that anyone was selling 2600 games on there. Thanks!

[Albert]

I've gotten burned by quite a few of these sellers that use stock photos, too. I realize it takes a long time to photograph every one of your items for sale, especially if you're a Power Seller, but it's really irritating when the product shows up and looks nothing like the pictured item.

 

orangest... your link was a real eye opener for me. I've been buying and selling on Amazon for a long time and I had no idea that anyone was selling 2600 games on there. Thanks!

The worst part about people using stock photos is when they don't STATE that the item is a stock photo, or if it's buried somewhere in the fine print amongst 10,000 words of policy crap that nobody reads. At least if the seller is honest and states the item is not as pictured, you can then ask questions about it and be aware that you are not going to get exactly what's pictured.

 

..Al

[lemoncurry]

Stock photos ought to be disallowed for any item that isn't brand new, not just Atari games!

[NinjaWarrior]

If a pic is a stock Photo I'll pass..

[thefunone]

On behalf of Electromoe, There was a amall miistake as this will happen sometimes. "A FEW" pics have been accidental like this in the past few years. I guess thats pretty good considering he has an average of 1350 item daily and there all actual photos.

 

GO ELECTROMOE!!

 

 

 

Here's the Golf example which prompted the rant. They have it listed THREE separate times:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atari-2600-Game-GOLF-s...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

And here's an E.T. I bought recently, because the photo shows it to be the small window variation:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=320273661375

What arrived in the mail was the standard, common version.

 

 

Along similar lines, you have the seemingly non-stock photos from electromoe/Electric Revolution.

But a quick comparison demonstrates that they are re-using photos and being less than honest about what's being represented in their ads.

 

ATARI 2600 GAME CARTRIDGE " KANGAROO"

ATARI 2600 GAME CART " KANGAROO" 1987 RE RELEASE RARE!

ATARI 2600 GAME CART " KANGAROO" 1988 RE RELEASE RARE!

 

It doesn't take any kind of expert to see that those are all the exact same photo.

 

Which isn't to say that you won't get the variation you want, but it hardly instills me with confidence.

[Ian Primus]

I never understood the point of using a stock photo of an item. I know what the item is, if I didn't, I wouldn't be searching for it. What I want to know is what this particular item looks like. A stock photo adds nothing to an auction other than an air of dishonesty on the part of the seller. I also typically ignore auctions that use stock photos. The _only_ conceivable reason I can see for using a stock photo is for some piece of new, sealed electronics - like a camera or a cell phone. You want to show what the device looks like, out of it's package - without opening it. But you should also include a picture of the real item, as you're selling it - if that means a photo of a sealed box, then so be it.

 

And I could do without the three screenfulls of garbage on half the "power seller" aucitons about policies and junk - none of which actually tells you information you need. You need to know 1) What you're bidding on 2) what it's condition is 3) How much it's going to cost to ship it.

 

Ebay has devolved, if you ask me. I've been on eBay since like 1998 - and it's gotten worse every year. Fortunately, now there's Chase The Chuckwagon. I love buying games from there.

 

-Ian

[Captain Beard]

On behalf of Electromoe, There was a amall miistake as this will happen sometimes. "A FEW" pics have been accidental like this in the past few years. I guess thats pretty good considering he has an average of 1350 item daily and there all actual photos.

 

GO ELECTROMOE!!

I didn't see your response back in February, but I just went back to the Electromoe store and it took all of 12 seconds to find that they are still using stock photos without expressly saying so.

 

Here are three Dragsters:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ATARI-2600-GAME-C...34.c0.m14.l1262

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ATARI-2600-GAME-C...34.c0.m14.l1262

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-ATARI-2600-GAME-C...34.c0.m14.l1262

 

Clearly identical pictures. Stranger still, two of them list the item location as Hopatcong, NJ, while the third cart is listed as in Carpentersville, Illinois. Pretty neat trick.

 

As long as Electromoe refuses to accurately portray their carts in their ads, they will never get my business.

Which is a shame, because they have many carts I'm interested in.