You have given an honest appraisal of the situation, from your perspective. But it is only what you see. It's like listening to a phone conversation and not knowing what is going on on the other side.
I'd like to pose a simple question. Why should it be wrong for me to bid on below market value items, same as you or anyone else? It is irrelevant, what I wish to do with them. But I can tell you that I have in my personal collection, anything that I sell.
I would also like to point out that I am not bidding against anyone who bids $50 on something that is worth $200. Their bid is not serious. If you go back and look at every auction that I have ever won (larger auctions), you will find that all the descenters here were outbid by two, three or four other people; not just myself.
Sure, I buy items on eBay, when the prices are low or when they are part of a large package. I'm just like you in that respect. If people don't want to pay fair market price, then they have nothing to complain about when they lose. No desireable item can be won without sniping, unless it is "buy-it-now" and is spotted by someone early.
How do you you support your collection? You buy items that are low priced, right. Well that's only one way.
I support my collection by buying below market prices; repairing them (if broken); adding value to some items (by including extra items like RAM); fully testing and reselling some. By repairing them; by adding other items to package; I offer additional value to other collectors OR more likely someone who just wants a nice calculator.
My items are only high quality. New collectors or users don't have to buy 3 or 4 items to get a calculator that works. They are not deceived and can always elect not to purchase. All of my calculators work and are tested. That's why I still have no problem selling items on eBay. That is why I have over 200 repeat customers.
Further, if you were to sell one of yours, you would ask high price as well. You wouldn't sell it below the going market value, would you?
The six 71b in question cost $47.00. That is below market value. Almost any 71b will go for upwards of $75, in just average condition. Why should I not bid on the item?
I bid on all 6 items but did not expect to win all six. How was I to know that others would not bid anywhwere near market value. Gees... the cases alone are worth $20 each. The last two 71B cases I saw on eBay (in the past 2 weeks) went for more than that. I had no way of knowing that someone else would not bid higher. If anyone bid $48, I would not have gotten all 6, would I?
Also, had I bid on only 3 items, the 3rd and 4th bidders still would not have won. They only bid $20 on something clearly worth more. Who's to blame for that? Not I. The only one that has a right to complain is mlmeyermd. He was the only one that did not win, when he might have. If he wants a couple at $40, I'll be glad to give them to him at his price (not mine). All he has to do is ask.
I also purchased 17 32K RAM Modules for $28 each. That's a bargain. The 71bs were to go with the 32K RAM modules that I purchased. So, there was a need for the calculators. Some will be back on eBay with lots of RAM. Some will not.
There is nothing unethical about bidding on these two auctions. Nothing that warrants any personal attacks at all.
I'd also like to point out that often, when I outbid someone at the last second on multiple items, I often offer the other serious bidders the option to buy some at the bid price (with no markup). I recently did that on some 64K RAM modules. I made nothing on the offer to the 2nd high bidder. It was simply a courtesy. I could have easily made use of all of the RAM.
Another thing you don't know. I have outbid someone from time to time and when they complain, I send the item to them FREE. One of the complainers in this very thread received a MINT HP-27S manual FREE from me in just such a transaction. I asked for his address, sent him the manual, dnd I didn't even get a thank you from him.
Many people contact me to repair their calculators. I do it for free. I repaired 3 just this week and didn't charge a nickle.
Lots of people know what kind of things I bid on. Many contact me and say that they are planning to bid on the item. When this happens I tell them that I will not bid against them, so long as they are high bidder. I respect people who act with civility.
If I don't care about other collectors, why would I go to the bother to photograph and write articles on repairing the 67 and 97 and post it to the Museum site? I give free tubing and materials to people all the time, for free, to make these repairs.
I also find it interesting that some question my ethics for adding value and then marking something up to reflect that value (10X by the way, as some have suggested, is laughable; you couldn't possibly mark something up 10X and sell it) while at the same time they don't find an ethical problem with taking something from someone that is worth 10X what they have asked. If they are so ethically pure, why don't they inform the seller that a MIB HP-70 is worth more than $20?
I post this only because you responded in an honest and civil manner. I respect that but have no time for other people who only want to spew negativity. This is not meant to convince any of them. They have their agenda. They are in the minority anyway.
What they don't realize is with all their complaining, it has sparked the number of positive emails that I am getting and many are asking for advice and help with finding things they need or help with repairing their calculators. People can spot the negative ones from the ones that help.
I am always available to anyone who needs help or advice. All anyone needs to do is ask.