I don't begrudge a person the right to make an honest buck. Far from it. I'm an entrepreneur. But sometimes I see an item on eBay that deserves the "Who are you trying to kid?" award. Today's example is an eBay item -- Glass cups for teaching cups and balls.

The opening bid on these little gems is $9.99. You get three glass cups and the balls to go with them. What the seller does not tell you is that these cups are actually small glass flowerpots or tea candle holders from Wal-Mart. The total retail price of these, including the balls, is roughly $3.00.

Nice try.

No cigar.

And no prizes for business sense either, otherwise there'd be 50 sets available!

Richard

P.S. If only they were recommended by professionals...

I don't know, Bill, perhaps this is a "Professional Set," or has been "Recommended by Professionals." Maybe we should check the ad copy once more time . . . . <grin> SETH

These are IDEAL for the cup through cup move!!

A SMASHING SUCCESS!!

They did take Penn and Teller's names in vain.

Also, they cautioned the prospective buyer that these cups are not for actual performance, because it would reveal the method.

DUH?

These have been on several times before.

Actually, his "feedback" is quite enlightening. Over 40 negative feedbacks? It's a good reminder of "buyer beware."

I knew this guy was familiar. Once I read his feedback I knew who he was. He gets you with excessive shipping costs, as well.

I have dealt with him before. Do not, I repeat, do NOT purchase his trick called "Time Travel."

LOL. It also says "These are the choice of the pros." Any pros here using these?

I do daily searches for cups and balls under many different name's. Its a shame that there are so many things that are crap on eBay, but you can find some really good items if you keep looking (and use extream caution).

I have found some gems though. Im still kicking myself for not bidding on a set of fake Paul Fox cups I saw a few weeks ago that were made oversea's. I also know a guy that scored with a large bag of 100 of the Goshman sponge rabbit's for around $100. Now that's an auction that I would have liked to find!

Once in awhile you get lucky on Ebay. A few months ago, I won an Okito-Nielsen Silk Cabby in excellent condition for about $7.00.

I keep refreshing... waiting for the next post.

I guess I have too much time on my hands.


Hey, look at that, the next post was .. .ME!!!!

Hey Bill:

I hope all is well and you safe from the storm. I really enjoy your posts and the fact that you so freely share your experience and opinions. Because of your feedback and advice given to others, I have developed a passion for the Cups and Balls. I look forward to your future posts and input.

Thank You,

Sean

I keep refreshing... waiting for the next post.


For all we know, Bill might be on his way to a homeless shelter.
How's the storm today Bill? I hope all's well.
I have not seen the news.

I was temporarily worried about the cups and balls museum until
I realized you have those giant von Dokkum cups.

That case ain't going anywhere with those babies inside.

If possible, sneak my cups underneath Auke's Giants until the storm subsides.

The storm has come and gone. Bill could proably use the set of Von Dokkum cups for an anchor- they are quite heavy from what I read.

Any of these little goodies look familiar?

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/candleholders.html

That's funny. I guess all you need on eBay to make money is imagination, well that's half the factor anyway.

Just curious, does anyone else find this puffery, currently on FeeBay, as egregious as the above:

--------------------------

Retails in store: $130.00

These are the real *The Collector's De Luxe Copper* Cups & Balls from Bazar de Magia

These are not cheap imitations. . .

---------------------------

Personally, I do. At least the shipping is fair in this auction, I will say.

This seller has a history of this "Retails in the store for $130.00." I asked them what store it was. They gave me a runaround. I also asked them if they had ever seen any imitation Bazar di Magia cups.

Maybe they don't know that the Bazar cups are imitations of the Morrissey cups.

The shipping on the glass cups, beware is Media Mail, if you even so much as complain to this ebayer via email about the method and poor packing you will recieve negative feedback stating your are and idiot, bigot scumbag or something to that effect. RMendez purchased one of the chop goblets, this rare "silver" beauty as the seller stated had a glob or rubber contact cement in the bottom of the cup holding the Gaff.