Legit or NOT?

[OldGriz]

I have never had any dealings with the eBayer who posted the two auctions below...

I am curious about the pens and if the MSRPs are correct and if so how the dealer can post a no reserve auction starting at $9.99 on them

What is your take on this dealer and the pens...

 

RED URUSHI PILOT EMPEROR!! BANDLESS! MINT!!!!

 

NAMIKI EMPEROR!! RABBIT IN MOONLIGHT! MAKI-E!

[Joe in Seattle]

A look at their feedback in detail seems to show legitimacy. Their feedback shows 29 comments in the past year with 5 stars for "accurately described". Further, the last two sales were for pens that closed the auction at $800 plus.

 

When dealing with Ebay it's feedback that guides me, like location in real estate. I've often wondered how my wife can get cosmetics that retail for $200 for $90 on Ebay. Someone is willing to supply the sellers with product. I've been stung once or twice by buying used with a poor description and found condition sub-optimal, but I've never lost by bidding to the value I was willing to pay for a new item.

 

The seller looks good enough to me; I'd not hesitate to bid if I wanted that pen. Just my 2 cents based on my own Ebay buying experience.

[Strang]

I have years of experience as a buyer of eBay items, including several pens. I know nothing about this seller but, as Joe says, the feedback is okay. Personally I dislike sellers like this who describe the pen, in one spot, as a Namiki Emperor (when the Pilot name is clearly on the clip and in other places in the description.) I understand that Pilot and Namiki are the same and that there may be no physical differences - but Namiki is a premium brand. This pen is a Pilot. I feel that some sellers (not necessarily this one) intentionally try to mislead uninformed buyers. Out of focus pictures of expensive (or potentially expensive) items bother me. I think the MSRP is often grossly overstated and, in this case, I can vouch for the fact that the $35 shipping fee to Canada is out of whack. Not that the seller is going to get rich by overcharging by $15 on the cost of shipping - but all of the small things that disturb me about this listing added together would make me take a pass. Someone who is not so picky, or who has had good experiences in the past with this seller, will end up with a nice pen. The only questions are how nice, and at what cost? YMMV.