Fastnet Lens--2010

Hear ye, Hear ye: Now available on your local eBay auction!!! Come one, come all! The Harbour LIghts 2010 Fastnet Fresnel Lens (which isn't off the boat, yet) has hit the auction block at 14:22 Feb 19th!! So far this is the only 2010 light listed. Is this guy at the pier waiting to unload the container? Or what!!

He feels the need to be the first one out of the blocks with the new stuff. Can't believe buyers who can figure out how to use eBay can't figure out how to find a quality dealer to sell them the product legitimately. We have several hi quality, legit dealers right here in the forums.

Apparently he IS a legitimate dealer, or he couldn't get the product from Lighthouse Marketing, unless he stole it. But if, by "quality" dealers, you mean those who sell for full retail price, the EBAYER fits that jacket too, as he is selling it for $119.95. And all I did is point out that he was out there, just as several others have done in the past.
As far as "...find a dealer to sell them the product legitimately", I hope you were not refering to my buying habits. There are legitimate Harbour Lights dealers on eBay! You should check with a couple of the dealers on this Forum too, Dave. From one of them, I just ordered three of the 2010 lights, AND WISCONSIN POINT, WHICH I COULD NOT ORDER DIRECT FROM YOU, BECAUSE YOUR LINK IS STILL BROKEN! Maybe you could 'figure out' how to fix that broken link soon!!??
Dave, just what do YOU consider a LEGITIMATE sale, anyway? I have found several people right here on the forum who are selling their collections for less than issue price. Are you implying that these folks are somehow illegitimate, or that, should I purchase a light from them, the sale is unclean?
This is 21st century, Dave, and times have changed. I am tired of people like you with the attitude of superiority over anyone buying from eBay. I pay full retail, and I pay eBay prices. Don't sit there and tell me you have never stopped at a yard sale, or a flea market and bought any previously owned item at a discount price in your life. It is exactly the same as eBay, because I doubt that you INSISTED on paying full retail price.
In closing, I'll say that you seem also to have lost touch with the fact that this is America, Dave! You remember don't you? The land of the FREE (to sell things that BELONG TO THEM for any price they choose)? Sorry Dave, I am also guaranteed the right to buy from whomever I choose.

Holy Cow! OMG!

It's just the same old arguments on both sides that will never change.

They both have valid points and the biggest difference is where they are coming from in buying HL products.

Collectibles were in a different category from most items but unfortunately the realities of the 21st century and the changes in the company selling the items doing things as Dave describes is a bit like putting the genie back into the bottle.

It's human nature- we all want a bargain and we'll find it if it exists and there are enough legitimate sellers who no longer play by the rules (and have not done so for quite some time).

Chastising someone for doing something that on many levels is the logical, intelligent and prudent thing is a bit off base at this point in time.

I'm a bit out of this all together as I just don't have the room - or the desire- to aqquire more items.

Dennis

This auction is for 29 days (today's count).
At times a seller lists for 30 days, for the exposure of the item, and the amount of time HOPING TO RECEIVE THE ITEM!!

Does the description list an limited edition number??? No, it does not! Could it be, because the seller DOES NOT have the item at the time when the auction was started! Time will tell!

Yes, the Fastnet Lens is a 30 day listing from the date of list (14:22 Feb 19th). What I think you mean by "limited edition number" is the "flag number". The Fresnel Lens have their "flag number" written in permanent ink on the item label underneath. Many listings do have the flag # in the description (if the seller thinks it may increase the bidding), but most don't list them.

I don't spite anyone buying on eBay. I personally don't care for dealers who make every attempt to undercut other dealers who are trying to survive without doing that (undercut). I don't do eBay, personal choice. I did go to look at this person's auction and some things did stand out:

* Doesn't list his location, so it appears he only wants to disclose that to his customers. He may well be HL dealer, but he hides behind his auction business name. To me, that is a legitimacy issue.
* I didn't see a mention that he doesn't have this piece in hand yet. Since he has made many, many sales and has a very positive feedback record I will presume he will tell a buyer that the piece is not yet available to ship. However, I do believe he should fully disclose in his listing if the piece is not yet here.

If this person does sell all the new HL releases at issue price, I seriously doubt Lighthouse Marketing would shut them off because they want the sales. They would just be using eBay as a marketing tool and additional sales outlet.

You made an awful lot of assumptions about me and what I said. I made absolutely no mention of your buying habits and did not chastise you in any way for buying on eBay. I do realize that many choose to purchase this way and it is a perfectly fine way to add to your collections. Any issue I would have is with a dealer listing a brand new piece at a discount and under an alias.

Everyone realizes that their collections are no longer worth issue prices and do sell them for less than they paid. Fact of life. I helped a friend sell off their father-in-law's collection and the majority of those did not bring retail.

I did err in making a quick response (partly because of comments in other threads that it sometimes seems people aren't reading threads because replies aren't posted). We have had discussions over the years of people buying at a premium in an eBay auction a product they could buy at retail without having to look too hard. My fault for not going into more depth about why I said what I said. I have been around a few weeks and watched those discussions as they originally unfolded.

Trust me, the missing link to the WP order page is probably more frustrating to me than to anyone. There is not a thing I can do to fix it - the only person who can do so has been asked to get it repaired on multiple occassions. I try to work around the broken link. Rich tries to include a note about the WP piece and how to contact me when he welcomes new members. Some folks just click on the icons in my posts and send me a note about purchasing one. And, as you know, we do have several dealers that are graciously offering the WP to their customers.

What I don't like are dealers and non-dealers using my images on eBay to represent the lighthouse they are selling. I feel that an image on eBay should be of the actual item that is up for bids. Any time you see an eBay auction of a Harbour Lights Lighthouse and they are using my cloud background image beware because it isn't an image of the actual lighthouse you are bidding on and there may be a reason...

We have tried for years to keep people from using them on eBay since it is both copyright infringement and false advertising but eBay has made it more difficult to find out who they are and sometimes it would be a full time job getting ebay to have them remove the images..

Dealers have the right to use my (Harbour Lights) images on their own websites since it is implied that it is representing an item produced by Harbour Lights and is exactly like the one pictured and not the actual lighthouse for sale... In fact just last week I created a set of images of the 2009 releases for Tony to provide to a dealer for their own use.

This dealer has been one of the six "major" bad dealers over the past few years. They had used the "item location" of Lexington, NC for several years, but now have switched to "United States," obviously, to become more vague. The full price is just an attempt to get a few full-price sales (making it look like they have this item before everyone else), while no one else is advertisng it yet. Guaranteed that they, "SUNSHINE-AUCTIONS," will be discounting ALL of the new releases once they actually arrive at the dealers. Check the EBay listings in a couple of weeks.

AND, YES, they are supposed to be banned, by EBay, from use Paul Brady's images . . . further proof that they do not have the item in stock.

Jim

Dave, I find absolutely nothing in the above insulting statement which could possibly be misunderstood! Try as you will to smooth it over and sound reasonable it won't work. Your reply simply translates as:" Who are you going to believe, me or your eyes? Now, be good and go crouch in a corner somewhere." I think an apology is in order, but, if you persist in claiming I mistook your meaning, then tell me EXACTLY what YOUR statement meant.

I have moved this thread to the Fog Signal Building where it now belongs. The software should also have sent you an email as to the relocation.

You are always welcome to share, support, argue your point of view or beliefs here in the Collectors Forum. We have had many good, spirited discussions over the years. However, we do also insist that you not make a personal attack on another member. It is my belief that this is what you are attempting to do. That behavior is not tolerated. Tell me that my thinking is all wrong and why it is wrong, but don't lower yourself to attacking me.

No where in my post did I attack you or how you may purchase your HL pieces. I made a very open statement. As I have already stated, I should have gone into much more detail as to what I was attempting to say. You may choose to read things however you wish, but there is no statement about you in there. Sometimes those of us who have been around for a while may make a statement that draws upon past experience or discussion, failing to take into consideration that others may not have been participating at that time.

You will find that many participants here do use eBay to purchase HL product. However, I do believe most would also say they do all they can to support a HL dealer who is selling the brand new product at retail. The concern among many is that if these dealers are forced to either stop carrying the line, or worse yet, have to close their doors because they continually lost sales to someone undercutting them then the HL line will be in danger of coming to an end because they can't move enough product. It is tough now, but without the remaining dealers helping to keep collectors interested it will only get worse

I've been collecting since 1994 and have bought somewhere between 30-40 lighthouses from Ebay and collectors on the Forum, however, I've also been on autoship with my first dealer(Coast Guard Exchange) and now the Bronze Lady(Orlando) and have ALWAYS bought the current lighthouse from a dealer. When I was looking to add pieces for my collection(1991-1994 issues) I didn't buy from Ebay or Forum members until I had exhausted the local dealers and some even as far away as Oregon because of the fact I believe in supporting local businesses. I also buy local when it comes to cars, appliances, etc. to help support our local economy.

I have nothing personal about dealers selling on Ebay as long as they sell for retail and don't deep discount. I also don't have a problem with others buying from Ebay at a discount as long as they don't complain that they don't have a dealer within driving distance of them. Ebay discounts are one of the reasons there is not a dealer within driving distances of all of us(Ocala used to have 5 dealers and now 0 dealers). To each his own is my philosophy.

I do buy past HL releases either on Ebay or from our Trading Post, but prefer to buy the new releases from my local HL dealer, with an occasional piece purchased from an internet dealer.

Dave's point was that a dealer who lists something for sale -- who doesn't have it in hand ready to sell -- isn't playing by eBay rules.

The 30 day listing and the lack of a real location and the lack of a serial number are other tip-offs that this person is trying to sell something they do not have on hand.

The use of Paul's images on auction sites by dealers is specifically prohibited -- although they can use them on their own website. I policed that use for a time and when I submitted the requests for removal, eBay acted promptly on the removal of the listings.

While I was webmaster, I had authorization from Harbour Lights to act on their behalf with these requests to eBay. No one appears to be acting on this anymore.

However, I think that anyone could file an objection to a listing on the basis that the seller does not have the product on hand to sell.

eBay has removed and prohibited listings for iPhone models before they were officially released, for example.

Thanks, everyone for your informative input, and tips on how to spot the shady people on eBAY. I do want to say that my original post was not intended to be an advertisement, but rather a question as to how it was possible for that guy to HAVE the new lights so soon. That has been answered, and very well, thank you. But JUST IN CASE it was thought that I actually ORDERED the lens from him, or intended for others to hurry and grab theirs, I did not. I order all the new lights from Roland (who is my favorite) and other dealers that ANYONE on this forum would, and probably has, bought from. It is an ongoing education, and one I am enjoying.

Hopefully, you will come away from the CF each day a little more knowledgeable than when you stopped to visit. That's what the CF is for. You ask questions, and someone here will have the answer.

I've been here since the beginning and this spot on the Net is a must for the casual and serious collector of Harbour Lights. Relationships have been forged from mutual respect and appreciation of what our friends do to keep this site active. Besides HL's this site is great for researching information on lighthouses worldwide. It can be a tremendous resource for those who are more interested in the real thing rather than our beloved replicas.

Bob

Ditto !!!

I don't think my collection would be what it is without the info shared here on the CF.

It's going to be really tough to sell that lens since it won't arrive at dealers till late May!!

Jim

The last time I talked to Tony he said the sales of the lens were going very well!!

Anybody know what the order of this lens is?

Thanks,
Sandy

Hi Sandy,
I "Googled" the Lighthouse Directory and found the following:
"The original (and unique) 2-tiered 1° Chance Brothers Fresnel lens focuses 2.5 megacandelas of light with a range of 45 km (28 mi)."
That's a very bright 1st order lens!

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Sandy

Bingo! There they are, Sunshine Auctions, on E-Bay with all 6 of the new "limited editions," with Paul Brady's pictures, DISCOUNTED on EBay.

Jim

I noticed that last evening, Jim, and I thought of you immediately.