The Berkbridge Foundation - Questions Regarding Legitimacy 8 8

[Buzzetta]

On 1/13/2020 at 9:54 PM, thehumantorch said:

The Batman 14 8.5 is indeed, also, on their site.  How does Birdcrapbridge get away with promoting their site on ebay?  Is it because they're a 'charitable' foundation?

The same way that Milehigh, MyComicShop and everyone else gets away with it...

Heck... if eBay allows for you to do it to some extent I will readily admit that even I do it in a way.

[Buzzetta]

3 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

As far as I understand ebay bylaws, this would be a violation of ebay guidelines. That is specifically, the promotion of an off-ebay website as a preferred avenue for sales.

What the seller is doing is using language and images that directs ebay members viewing his items to his webpage, and offering an advantage that his ebay competitors don't have, "why buy on ebay? We can spare you paying sales tax if you bypass ebay and instead buy from our website instead; a huge savings", I paraphrase, but that is the way I'm interpreting the language.

This violates two principle. One, re-directing ebay buyers to your site by, 2) offering savings that other similar ebay sellers who must rely on ebay alone cannot match. Now that's commerce. That's fine in the business world. A seller who can offer advantage to a buyer that another seller can't, getting the lion's share of business. But in this case, Berk is violating eBay's guidelines to do it (Promoting his own website in his ebay listings by offering sales tax free sales off of ebay)

Not only is he doing the equivalent of setting up a fruit stand in the parking lot of his local supermarket, he's also offering the supermarket's customers their fruit sales tax free, "Why buy it in the store? It'll cost you less right here, from me instead". Now he can set up that fruit stand anywhere he pleases (as long as he's not on someone else's property). And that's what Berk is doing here. Driving ebay consumers to his site using his landlord to do it.

He is honestly not doing anything that any of the other guys are not doing.  Does anyone really think that Brock or Reece have their phone numbers posted for everyone to see just so they can chat about current events? 

[Sweet Lou 14]

20 minutes ago, Buzzetta said:

He is honestly not doing anything that any of the other guys are not doing.

Except for the part about pretending to be a charity.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

59 minutes ago, Buzzetta said:

He is honestly not doing anything that any of the other guys are not doing. 

What Berkbridge is doing differently is that they are putting the image I posted as one of the images of item for sale.  

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, Buzzetta said:

He is honestly not doing anything that any of the other guys are not doing.  Does anyone really think that Brock or Reece have their phone numbers posted for everyone to see just so they can chat about current events? 

Within their walls of text, are they offering something of greater value to a buyer by offering to sell it to them for less if they hold off from buying it on ebay and instead opt to buy it from their website, thereby bypassing the very medium that is allowing them to find these buyers?

[The Lions Den]

4 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

A seller who can offer advantage to a buyer that another seller can't, getting the lion's share of business.

Hey...that's MY angle!   

[slym2none]

I hear this place is endorsed by Vandelay Industries.





-slym

[Buzzetta]

51 minutes ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

What Berkbridge is doing differently is that they are putting the image I posted as one of the images of item for sale.  

Ohhh I thought it was just in reference to contact information. 

[Buzzetta]

43 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Within their walls of text, are they offering something of greater value to a buyer by offering to sell it to them for less if they hold off from buying it on ebay and instead opt to buy it from their website, thereby bypassing the very medium that is allowing them to find these buyers?

Any contact information included in the listing that opens the door to the circumvention of eBay as the intermediary between buyer and seller is explicitly against the terms of service.  

[lizards2]

3 hours ago, slym2none said:

I hear this place is endorsed by Vandelay Industries.





-slym

I had to google that.  Still not watching that show.  

[slym2none]

9 hours ago, lizards2 said:

I had to google that.  Still not watching that show.  

-slym

[lizards2]

54 minutes ago, slym2none said:

-slym

[crandmck]

Not to do thread necromancy, but I just wanted to say "thank you!" to the OP and all the people who did the legwork to investigate the so-called "Berkbridge Foundation".  I certainly won't buy from them--at the least, they are shady and unethical scammers. At worst, well, they are much worse. Certainly they don't appear to be a legitimate charity organization.

I was considering buying a book they have for sale on ebay, and noticed the reference to their website, berkbridge.com with "no tax and 5% discount for ACH payment".   That got my spidey-sense tingling, and I figured I should look into them... The first place I searched was these forums, and... wow. 

It's confounding how they are still able to sell on ebay (185 items as of today), AND they are a "top-rated seller" with 100% positive feedback.  Perhaps purely from the standpoint of transactional buyer they are OK.  They won't be getting my business, though.  Too bad, they have quite an inventory of high-grade books on their website.

[Sweet Lou 14]

8 hours ago, crandmck said:

Not to do thread necromancy, but I just wanted to say "thank you!" to the OP and all the people who did the legwork to investigate the so-called "Berkbridge Foundation".  I certainly won't buy from them--at the least, they are shady and unethical scammers. At worst, well, they are much worse. Certainly they don't appear to be a legitimate charity organization.

I was considering buying a book they have for sale on ebay, and noticed the reference to their website, berkbridge.com with "no tax and 5% discount for ACH payment".   That got my spidey-sense tingling, and I figured I should look into them... The first place I searched was these forums, and... wow. 

It's confounding how they are still able to sell on ebay (185 items as of today), AND they are a "top-rated seller" with 100% positive feedback.  Perhaps purely from the standpoint of transactional buyer they are OK.  They won't be getting my business, though.  Too bad, they have quite an inventory of high-grade books on their website.

By giving this thread a bump you are doing the Lord's work.  

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/29/2020 at 7:03 AM, Sweet Lou 14 said:

By giving this thread a bump you are doing the Lord's work.  

[Sweet Lou 14]

9 hours ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

Whatever Lord you may believe in.  

[Neurosis138]

Berkbridge has purchased a couple slabs from a friend of mine who deals on ebay.  Berkbridge is plain and simple a scam artist!  He opened a case on one item saying he never received it even though tracking states otherwise.  The local postal carrier was contacted and confirmed delivery.  Postal carrier also stated that they are very careful to document deliveries to Berkbridge as he is known for pulling this with USPS/Ebay.   On another sale, Berkbridge claimed the slab was scratched and demanded to be refunded 50% of price for inconvenience.  Seller said just send it back for full refund and never heard another peep.  Berkbridge is now on his blocked list.  

[JollyComics]

4 hours ago, Neurosis138 said:

Berkbridge has purchased a couple slabs from a friend of mine who deals on ebay.  Berkbridge is plain and simple a scam artist!  He opened a case on one item saying he never received it even though tracking states otherwise.  The local postal carrier was contacted and confirmed delivery.  Postal carrier also stated that they are very careful to document deliveries to Berkbridge as he is known for pulling this with USPS/Ebay.   On another sale, Berkbridge claimed the slab was scratched and demanded to be refunded 50% of price for inconvenience.  Seller said just send it back for full refund and never heard another peep.  Berkbridge is now on his blocked list.  

What a nerve company.

[theCapraAegagrus]

14 hours ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

Whatever Lord you may believe in.  

Edited March 31, 2020 by theCapraAegagrus

[manetteska]

Finally received a message from Berkbridge to buy one of my comics; I feel privileged.

In the message “Nicole” blatantly offers to buy the comic outside of eBay. Where can I report this violation?