Let the buyers beware

From: "Temmerman" <temmerm at skynet.be> on 2004.07.27 at 16:55:39(11835) Hi, > I hate > seeing these poor people bidding up on plants that can be had for, like Julius +More > said, 1/4 of the going price at most nurseries. Not to mention they think > they are getting something only a few collectors in the world have due to > misleading SOB sellars. I guess this happens all the time in every category on ebay > and other auction sites but it just irks me to see people getting ripped off > by the same few every time. I do agree. The Amorphophallus on ebay reach prices that are just not normal. But I would also say that there are considerable differences between different nurseries sometimes. What costs $15 in one, can cost the double in another one. Furthermore, the problem is that there are only about 3 Amorphophallus species commonly available for everybody: bulbifer, paeoniifolius and konjac. When somebody really gets into these plants and wants more, where can you get them? It is not easy at all. PlantDelights has some other ones, but if one really becomes an Amorphophallus addict, that really isn't enough. Trading is not easy either, because what serious Amorphophallus collector doesn't have bulbifer or konjac? So I think it is normal that, when a new Amorphophallus species shows up on ebay, people bid on it, more than that the plant is actually worth. But those plants are nowhere else to be found, so these people are paying what they have to to get it. I also wanted to say that ebay is not necessarily synonym with "not trustworthy". There are nurseries that do not sell on ebay that cannot be trusted either. Buyer beware is a really good principle, and does not only count for the internet. I think the positive thing of ebay is that some less common Amorphophallus can be achieved by people who are just starting a collection. Sincerely, Michael

From: ken at spatulacity.com on 2004.07.28 at 01:56:05(11847) > I do agree. The Amorphophallus on ebay reach prices that are just not > normal. That's the beauty of the free market. As long as there isn't any fraud then +More that $50 konjac is really worth $50 at that time to that buyer. No complaints allowed. > I also wanted to say that ebay is not necessarily synonym with "not > trustworthy". Certainly not! There are lots of honorable sellers on ebay - no matter what price the auction reaches, even if we think it's crazy. > I think the positive thing of ebay is that some > less common Amorphophallus can be achieved by people who are just > starting a collection. Absolutely. An efficient market benefits everyone. It's only when fraud and/or deception enter the equation that problems arise. -Ken Mosher Temmerman wrote: I do agree. The Amorphophallus on ebay reach prices that are just not normal. But I would also say that there are considerable differences between different nurseries sometimes. What costs $15 in one, can cost the double in another one. Furthermore, the problem is that there are only about 3 Amorphophallus species commonly available for everybody: bulbifer, paeoniifolius and konjac. When somebody really gets into these plants and wants more, where can you get them? It is not easy at all. PlantDelights has some other ones, but if one really becomes an Amorphophallus addict, that really isn't enough. Trading is not easy either, because what serious Amorphophallus collector doesn't have bulbifer or konjac? So I think it is normal that, when a new Amorphophallus species shows up on ebay, people bid on it, more than that the plant is actually worth. But those plants are nowhere else to be found, so these people are paying what they have to to get it. I also wanted to say that ebay is not necessarily synonym with "not trustworthy". There are nurseries that do not sell on ebay that cannot be trusted either. Buyer beware is a really good principle, and does not only count for the internet. I think the positive thing of ebay is that some less common Amorphophallus can be achieved by people who are just starting a collection. Sincerely, Michael

From: "Temmerman" <temmerm at skynet.be> on 2004.07.28 at 08:08:16(11850) Hi Ken, > > I do agree. The Amorphophallus on ebay reach prices that are just not > > normal. > That's the beauty of the free market. As long as there isn't any fraud +More then > that $50 konjac is really worth $50 at that time to that buyer. No > complaints allowed. ** Of course you're right, Ken, that's the free market. To me, those prices are not normal, but it's the buyer's responsibility. If he has over a hundred dollars to spare for a henryi that could be gotten for a lot less, then that is his responsibility. It's not because it is on ebay that it will be cheap. People compare prices of different stores too. Furthermore, some nurseries that don't sell on ebay do misname plants too! And the word rare has to be put into perspective too as it has been mentioned here before. To many people here, rare hardly exists anymore, because they have collections stuffed with plants that they once could only dream of. But there are still people out there who have to start their collection cause they fell in love with a "simple" bulbifer or konjac. To them, Amorphophallus henryi or titanum or so many other species are extremely rare, as they cannot find them in any or hardly any nursery. I'm sure that all of you remember what it was like when you were getting your collection just started and how hard it sometimes is to get plants you really want. For the collectors, the plants aren't rare, because they have them, but when you are just getting started, you admire those collections full of "extremely rare" plants (whatever that may mean). Buyer beware, indeed, but doesn't only count for ebay, but for all entities that sell plants. Regards, Michael Temmeman

From: "Bryant, Susan L." <SLBryant at scj.com> on 2004.07.28 at 12:34:01(11852) I think that sometimes the mistakes are an honest one. I bought a Am paeoniifolius tuber from a well known and seemingly reputable ebay seller who is also an IAS member. In leaf, I'm finding it isn't paeoniifolius- in fact it looks more like koratensis. Not the plant I bought, but still a nice plant! +More Mitch said: There is no substitute for a good, reliable professional nursery, and you are going out on a limb when you buy at auction or from any new source. I have also bought very expensive bulbs from a good reliable professional nursery that were dead. And yes, thanks Jeff. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. No one is twisting anyone's arm to buy these plants. They are worth what they are worth to the buyer. Gonatopus is a weed in Florida but desired elsewhere. Lantana is a weed in S Africa but sold in nurseries in the US. The list goes on and on. Still, it isn't nice to sell a titanum that is really a konjac!! Susan

From: Regferns at aol.com on 2004.07.28 at 19:47:08(11866) All of this chatter reminds me of a few years ago when someone on the list was looking for Gonatopus. Naturally, we folks here in South Florida laughed our butts off because the plants are considered weedy to us. However, to other folks the plant IS a rarity and well worth cultivating. To paraphrase an axiom, "One man's Gonatopus, is another man's treasure. Reggie Whitehead South Miami, FL

From: LMassey628 at aol.com on 2004.07.29 at 02:46:39(11867) Misrepresentation of plant material occurred long before Ebay was dreamed of. In 1977, after a two year search, I purchased a tuber of Amorphophallus titanum from a firm in Cocoa Beach Florida. It cost $2.50. +More When it bloomed many years later I discovered that it was a very rare subspecies of titanum. It had a flower that exactly mimicked Amorphophallus paeonifolius. I still have that original plant. If anyone wants a tuber I can make them available for $200.00. :-) Linda

From: "Leslie R." <leslier55 at excite.com> on 2004.07.29 at 13:21:12(11871) I love my Gonatopus, and they sure don't grow like weeds in Missouri.Leslie _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com +More The most personalized portal on the Web!

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