In practice, it means if the inquiry was on eBay, then they are owed a
fee.

Whether or not the vendor is known to the community, the inquiry was
made via eBay in my case.

Let's say you own a store which accepts consignments. I agree to pay a
commission on any sale generated from my products sold in your store.
Customer walks in. Asks me a question to which I reply,  "I don't have
that part in this store. I have some at home but I am too disorganized
to bring it to this store. But if you go to my house I am very
organized there and can sell it to you right away. I will never be
organized for a very longtime to bring it to the store." As the store
owner how would you feel?

I am a typical in that I will vote with my checkbook. I appreciate all
the information and insight from the folks who shared their experience
and thoughts.

Regards,

BenT

Sent from my mobile device

On Jun 22, 2010, at 4:25 AM, Rowan Tipton <uther@DRAGONHOME.ORG> wrote:

> On Jun 22, 2010, at 12:31 AM, Mike S wrote:
>>
>> "We don't allow our members to use eBay to contact each other to make
>> offers to buy or sell items outside of eBay. Also, members can't use
>> information obtained from eBay to contact each other about buying or
>> selling outside of eBay."
>
> If I read that correctly it means that if I ever buy, or just see,
> something advertised on ebay from some vendor who is well known in the
> Vanagon community, say GoWesty, then I can never buy anything from
> their store again... for the rest of my life!  That is beyond belief.
> If I find a vendor who has an item for sale on ebay and when I try to
> buy that item they try to get me to buy it directly from them, I will
> never deal with them again.  But if they don't have the item I want in
> their ebay listing then I see nothing wrong with buying it from them
> directly.  Once I have a relationship with a vendor, regardless of how
> I established that relationship, no one's policy can legally stop me
> from buying from them in whatever fashion I want.
>
> Do you really believe that ever vendor who has ever sold anything
> through ebay should check before they sell anything to anyone to be
> sure that person never made a purchase from them through ebay - and if
> they have refuse to sell to them?  Companies make lots of policies
> that are just silly.  And lots of policies that are not legally
> enforceable.  If a vendor sells some things through ebay but not
> everything they sell, then I will only buy the item they sell through
> ebay from ebay - but anything else I feel free to buy direct.
>
> I remain, as always
> YrLyl&ObdntSrvnt,
>
> r