Ebay aggravation, anyone...

[sherminator505]

Now, I can't really knock ebay, as I have bought some items to replace others that were lost or destroyed. What I cannot understand is what happened with the 2010 Eagle pins. The first time I ever saw or heard about these was on ebay, and they were already selling well over issue price. So I went to our local Scout Shop to inquired about these pins, and THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THEM! How does something like this happen?

 

I also fail to understand how Distinguished Eagle kits are available on ebay when their issue should be tightly controlled. This makes no sense. Does anyone have insights on this?

[eaglescout1996]

My assumption has been that someone has been given an award (Distinguished Eagle, Silver Buffalo, ect), sold it and because they have the award are able to obtain another one. Not saying that's where all of the "new" ones on eBay come from, but just a thought.

 

I have done the same, used eBay to fill out some collections of things I lost, but some of the prices out there are insane.

 

For instance, there's a Whitney M. Young award square knot for sale, quite a heafty sum. Maybe the award is not as prevelent in most councils, but in the Atlanta Area Council I believe yearly the number awarded about equals the number of Silver Beavers, so it almost seems like they're a dime a dozen. At out last District Commissioners meeting, 4 of the 7 present had been given the award.

 

This goes back to a thread in the OA section....it seems like eBay is fueling the gross amount of patches that are being created.

[skeptic]

I contacted National supply regarding the selling of "current" restricted items on eBay, mainly the historical merit badges and 2010 advancement patches. These items are supposed to be earned, and as far as I know, have a paper trail through the scout store or office. Yet there are individuals selling them as sets and piecemeal. How are they getting them in the first place? Our local store refused to sell them in quantity to anyone, and even those of us she knows well who are historians only could purchase one complete set for their personal collection. Yet there is a guy in the council area who is one of the most egregious sellers in this area. So, he either somehow got a direct buy from a supplier, or has an in in a neighboring council or through Scoutstuff. EBay said if they were contacted by National Supply or Corporate, they could stop it; but they have to have a direct "stop and desist" order from the controlling officials.

 

What is even more upsetting to me, is that the one in our council area appears to be an Eagle, or claims to be on his eBay store. "A Scout is Trustworthy". Do not believe that finding a way to profit on these items is being honest. But, I have been told that I am naive and out of touch.

 

Of course, we also have the people that seem willing to pay ridiculous prices for these "restricted" items. That must mean that at least some areas have stores like ours that try to adhere to the rules.

 

 

[Beavah]

Yah, it's just not worth gettin' your shorts in a knot over, eh?

 

Anybody who receives an award owns that award. They're free to sell it if they wish. Doesn't matter if it's an Eagle pin or an Olympic Gold Medal or da pink lawn flamingo they won at da Polish kielbasa festival.

 

What's more, when a scouter goes home to da Great Scoutmaster, like as not his family needs to dispose of his estate. While some families might find old patches and pins worth keeping, mostly those things were meaningful to the scouter but not his grandchildren. And da kids are dealing with far too much to be worried about separating out all that stuff eh? It's pretty common for them just to pay an Ebayer to come to the house and take all the stuff. That's just fine, eh? It allows other scouters the enjoyment of purchasing an item that means something to them, while givin' the original scouter's family some cash to help with expenses.

 

Or if a lad quits scouting, it's within his rights to sell his uniform and patches on Ebay and make a few bucks for college. Heck, it might be an incentive to advance .

 

So I'd say we should all lighten up a bit and mind our own business. Unless yeh have direct evidence or knowledge that someone is stealing kits to sell 'em for personal profit, relax. And even if yeh know something like that is goin' on, it's not your job to do anything about it beyond sending a polite note to Irving.

 

Beavah

(This message has been edited by Beavah)

[desertrat77]

I don't see anything wrong with auctioning these things on ebay.

 

Most buyers are probably collectors, who will get the item and save it. They are willing to pay the extra money for the privilege.

 

Even if an imposter buys an item and wears it, what possible gain could they get from it? Undeserved recognition? We have plenty of guys already running around claiming Eagle Scout status, badge or no badge.

 

Since there is no concrete benefit a person can gain from improperly wearing or collecting these items, I don't worry about it.

[Eagle92]

Like I said I have mixed emotions on this.

 

I've also sold and tried to sell things on Ebay. As Beavah stated, I sold some of my collection in order to raise funds for grad school. Mostly NOAC flaps and CSPs I traded for at events. I also sold some WSJ stuff I had. Some sold, some didn't. But I did get enough $ to buy books for school.

 

But it is upsetting when a collector/seller, goes to an event, and buys ALL of the inventory available for sale, and then you see it on Ebay a few days later. When my lodge discontinued distinctive border flaps, one person bought all the available ones in stock, and no one else had a chance to buy them. A lot of upset folks about that one.

[BadenP]

I think Beavah really said it all sometimes one mans treasure is another mans junk.

You know you can buy a Congressional Medal of Honor, Silver and Bronze Stars,etc. on ebay and other sites and there is nothing that can be done legally or otherwise. There will always be those pretenders who buy these things to create a false image and all I feel for those people is just plain pity.

[Stosh]

Just a heads up on the military awards. It is a federal offense to wear a military honor one did not earn. Other organizations, there is no legal restrictions.

 

Stosh

[emb021]

There is a difference between wearing someone you didn't earn, or displaying such an item as to give the impression you earned it (when you didn't) and just possessing an item you didn't earn.

 

I have a display case of all the Venturing awards. Due to my age, its impossible for me to have earned any of them, but its clear by my use that its just a display (a collection), not a display of items I've earned. I've never encountered anyone who thought I had earned them.

 

 

[Crew21_Adv]

Fellow Scouters and Fellow Ebayers,

 

Greetings!

 

My personal thoughts....

 

I don't care if someone purchases an item over Ebay. I am only concern if they wear it or demonstrate it falsely.

 

I personally have purchased a few duplicates, or patches of events that I've attended but never "got the patch".

 

I know a few members of my council committee, that purchased a high-priced limited-issue item, just to take it off of the Ebay (and also to keep the distribution limited).

 

What I feel is only slightly disappointing is the diluting of limited issue items, a fund raiser patch that a Scouting adult may have paid 100-500 dollars to send a Scout to camp. Being sold on Ebay for 10-50 dollars.

 

I expect the Ebay sellers which have the 10,000 plus feedbacks, are employees of the main patch manufacturers. They run 100 patches off the loom, and another 100 patches accidentally fall into a cardboard box. The cardboard box of limited issue patches, probably go into a garage for a year or two. Then get broken out and advertised on Ebay.

 

Even BSA uniform manufacturers, miss a seem, misalign a button hole, cut a sleeve too short; and oh well, that shirt gets thrown in the "Imperfect" of "defect" bin. In theory, the slight imperfections are suppose to be shredded. In theory though.

 

Heck, if I worked the loom and was an Ebay seller, my (so-called) work at a patch manufacturer factory would be a side job, just for a little extra spending cash. Cause these 10,000 plus sellers on Ebay gotta be making a good income and living.

 

So, it is an opinion. But my only disappointment are the high number sellers on Ebay, that sale "black marketed" Scouting items. Some of these guys are making some really good money, and severely diluting limited serious patches. I look at the amount of feedbacks, then the other items for sale, and then make up my own mind; if it is an "Ebay aggravation" or just a fellow Scouter selling of their personal collection.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21_Adv

[ljnrsu]

There is no problem with someone that is selling items such as Beavah describes, there is a problem when someone creates a mini-business selling hundreds of 2010 BSA Anniversary items. I think sherminator is describing someone on Ebay that since April 1 has sold 37 2010 Eagle presentation kits, 133 complete Scout-Eagle rank sets, 91 2010 Eagle rank patches and 47 2010 Eagle Anniversary pins along with many many other 2010 Anniversary items (only counted what this seller has received feedback for). I do not know how other Councils handle Eagle presentation kits but they are very controlled in my Councils Scout shop. If these are "black market" items then it presents other concerns about National protecting its brand.

[Eagle92]

Crew,

I feel ya on the special stuff going for only $10. I 2 had limited edition patches, and I donated one to a patch auction for camperships. They sold it for $5, and I paid $25 for it. I was disappointed and told the auctioneer the worth after the fact. Good news was that the buyer donated the patch to the Lodge for its display, so it's hanging up in the collection now.

[Frank17]

I have to agree with Crew21_Adv. We are generally not talking about sellers on ebay who are selling off grandpap's scouting collectibles. We are talking about sellers who somehow get their hands on hundreds of complete badge runs, that they sell in complete sets time after time. I know our Scout shop will not sell items this way, so I suspect they are an inside job too. I had problems buying a full set of ranks for a display frame that I also bought from the scout shop at the same time! They wanted proof of every badge earned, not just the highest rank. Fortunately, our Council records were readily available to prove it was a legit sale, but I do not see how they would sell 100+ complete sets to a single person.

 

As far as the limited edition patches, I am very happy a secondary market exists. As a late comer to patch collecting, ebay has given me a chance to fill some holes on older patches that can no longer be purchased locally, or even traded for.