Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

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AntennaGuy United States of America
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Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

#1

Post by AntennaGuy »


I've received at least two emails from Explore Scientific in which they solicit bids on telescopes. These have a hidden "reserve price" that needs to be met, but they open bidding at (possibly) less than that price. This seems like a questionable sales tactic to me. For example, below is a screen capture. I doubt they would sell this telescope for $90 if they only get one bid for that amount. But they seem to want that bid anyway! For myself, I don't want to play games like this. Just offer me the telescope at a posted price, on sale or not on sale, and take my order if/when you get it. Has anyone here participated in one of these auctions? If so, have you ever obtained the product at significantly less than the regular (or typical on-sale) price?
Auction.jpg
* Meade 323 refractor on a manual equatorial mount.
* Celestron C6 SCT on a Twilight 1 Alt-Az mount
Prof. Barnhardt to Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still: "There are several thousand questions I'd like to ask you.”
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Re: Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

#2

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Quite strange!
A way or moving old stock perhaps though it has a minimum of $210USD on it...
I did a online search for Bresser Taurus and it brought up the page on ES site.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

#3

Post by helicon »


I looked at the website and it says pre-owned and closeout items are being sold through the auction process. I'm guessing it is legit. They are borrowing a practice from Ebay and/or other online auction sites.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

#4

Post by Bigzmey »


Auctions like this should work in buyers' favor since they don't get nearly as much exposure as eBay. If I will be looking for this particular scope, why not? Even if not at $90 you will likely end up paying lower price than if they lower it by 10% and call it a sale.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: Explore Scientific is Auctioning Telescopes?

#5

Post by Lady Fraktor »


This one does not really, the new stock Messier 90mm f/10 is 139€ ($163USD) where this old stock Taurus minimum bid is $210USD

https://www.bresser.de/Astronomie/Teles ... Tubus.html
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
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