[meteorite-list] talk about a good idea!

From: ken newton <magellon_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jan 12 15:40:49 2005
Message-ID: <41E58B48.3020309_at_earthlink.net>

(I have been requested by Leigh Anne DelRay to post the following.
She is not a Met List subscriber so any replies to her
should contain her email address listed below:)

My name is Leigh Anne DelRay and I am responding and defending myself
against the slanderous thread that is present on the Meteorite Central
and the IMCA list. I just wanted to address a few things.

First. As far as Shill Bidding Goes, That is no joke, and is VERY
serious, and to be accused of that is as close to malicious and I can
think of. I do not know, nor have I ever had this person as a
customer. I had a 0.99 cent bid for about 6 days and then about 3 hours
before the auction was over it was up to 350.00. And I never even saw
the ebay id of the whoever was bidding against this guy. Then I invoiced
him and he paid me through paypal about 2 hours later.

Second: The idea of shill Bidding is crazy in this instance simply
because I paid triple my listing fee to have a reserve on this auction.
I was at no risk to lose anything, there was a reserve.

Third: As far as Campos going for 5.00 per gram in a retail store I can
offer two instances of this. I have for the last year and a half sold
Gibeons, Campos, and Sikhote Alins for Hands of Spirit Gallery in
Boulder, CO for 5.00 a gram. As well as the very first meteorite I ever
purchased in my life was a Campo at 5.00 a gram in a store in Idaho
Springs, Colorado called The Desert Rose.

Fourth: I just wanted to also say that the people that are evaluating
this auction are dealers that are used to dealing with other dealers. I
am very aware that Campos are generic meteorites and to you guys they
are not anyhing special. And in the meteorite Community (being a member
of IMCA as well as COMETS) I realize that Campo's and Sikhote Alin's and
Gibeon's are nothing special either, but I just want to remind you guys
that I am really interested in targeting as my main customer, the person
who has either never owned a meteorite or is a very new beginner in
collecting. I want really to grab new people who are just a little
interested, and maybe not very educated on meteorites. That is why I
sell (what the big dealers may call) generic meteorites. And the target
Audience that I am attempting to attract are the people that are
normally going to purchase a meteorite in a store that would charge 5.00
per gram! I know because I was that person only a few years ago. If I
would buy it for 5.00 a gram and I have been selling it in a gallery
successfully for almost 2 years for 5.00 a gram, then I know that is
sort of an idea of what the average rock shop/crystal gallery shopper
would maybe spend. And that is my targeted audience, not those who are
spending $5,000 on a Lunar Piece.

Fifth: As opposed to most of the people that are selling meteorites on
E-bay, this is my career and pays my rent as well as feeds me. I have no
other form of income. This is why making allegations of this nature and
reporting them to e-bay is very serious and potentially disastrous. I
FULLY understand and agree that IMCA has a reputation to keep as far as
making sure that the meteorites that are being sold to the public are
Authentic. That is why I am a member and pay my fees and am very proud
to display the logo on my auctions. And I am very happy that IMCA and
MeteoriteCentral are on top of things when there is suspicion about
particular sellers and particular pieces. I just wanted to state that
this is a case of false assumptions and maybe a bit of boredom on the
person who brought it all up. And I just don't want something that came
up due to boredom, to jeopardize my ability to pay my rent.

Thank you so much for your time in reading this and your understanding,

Leigh Anne DelRay
delraygoddess_at_yahoo.com
www.delraygoddess.com
ebay id : delraygoddess
 
Received on Wed 12 Jan 2005 03:40:40 PM PST