Motorola to prevent secondhand AURA sales on eBay?

We'll be completely straight-up with you: we don't believe this for a second. Okay, maybe for a nanosecond, but not a full-on second. An unnamed source close to Motorola has reportedly informed Register Hardware that in order to maintain the AURA's appearance of exclusivity, buyers will be required to "sign into a contract that states they can't sell it on eBay." As if that wasn't preposterous enough, this so-called "source" also added that "if an AURA owner wants to sell their phone after they've bought it then they'll only have one option: to sell it back to the manufacturer." Even if this does miraculously prove true, we can't imagine Moto actually doing anything should someone decide to sell, and besides, there's always Yahoo! Auctions the flea market, right?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:36PM]

I'm sorry but what makes this phone so special?....

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:38PM]

It's Motorola's last phone before they go bust.

[Shinigami Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:41PM]

Super-expensive build materials (like sapphire glass), super-round screen and super-dumb rotator. You rotate the "cover" of the keyboard, the rest remains in its place.

Oh, and "premium" in the name. As in "Premium Motorola phone"

[conscious Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:10PM]

that sounds about as special as the kids riding the short bus.

[Sandeep Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:30PM]

For the "premium" price, Motorola actually throws in some actual quality assurance!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:43PM]

I could buy an iPhone and a Blackberry and have the two best phones on the market for less than this. Oh yeah, toss in an OpenMoko for playtime. And, a ticket to New York... And, some more music... And...

Au revoir Moto...

[RenegadeR Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:36PM]

"FOR SALE!! BRAND NEW PAPER CLIP WITH FREE MOTOROLA AURA!!! L@@K!!!!"

[tommychan123hotmailcom Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:53PM]

Moto. fine no eBay. Then I will just put on howardforums.com B/S/T, uBid, Amazon, Ortion, google, yahoo.

This is complete bull.

[conscious Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:59PM]

I think ebay should sue for defamation. Who's to say something isn't exclusive just because the owner wants to sell it, regardless of where?

Moto is basically saying, in a very paranoid manner, "please don't give this to anyone else... we know you're likely to have buyer's guilt and when you do, quietly slip it back under our rugs."

[Testies Testies 12 3 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:23PM]

You guys, you guys, it's NOT Motorola that is preventing it, it's eBay!

The eBay seller agreement clearly states you cannot sell a lump of turd on ebay...

[sr1329 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:48PM]

Anyone who actually buys this crap should be responsible for its proper disposal... in the trash.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 3:51PM]

I leave for a little TCB... and I miss the oppertunity to gloat about the iPhone...

[Twitchy Posted Nov 4th 2008 6:13AM]

Didn't Mercedes have a similar contract for Maybach buyers? They had to sell it back to Mercedes in order to avoid it landing in the hands of those who would tarnish the brand?

[idiot Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:37PM]

i don't know what bothers me more, that moto gives a rip about what people do after they've bought their phone or that there is someone who is in the market for a phone like this that would rather buy it on ebay

[iono Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:48PM]

craiglist

[PeterJames Posted Nov 3rd 2008 3:30PM]

Craigslist:

For Sale - Box $800

Free Gift Inside Box - Motorola Aura.

[thejared Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:38PM]

That would violate the first sale doctrine, so it's not enforceable.

[Judah Rosenthal Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:40PM]

I agree. Wonder if Motorola could pay eBay not to sell the phone. Seems extreme but I see where they're coming from. Plus Chinese ripoffs will make it even more vunerable to softening the price/appeal.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:44PM]

Not if they draft it properly. Motorola just needs to make it a right of first refusal to repurchase at the original price with a reasonable liquidated damages clause.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:48PM]

Well, I'm just wondering if Motorola will have enough money to buy back these phones at a fair price...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:49PM]

I agree with First Sale Doctrine violation!

[Shinigami Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:39PM]

Say, how often do you buy Vertu phones off e-bay?

[Raul7 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:45PM]

Problem is, this thing isn't anywhere close to a Vertu..

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:41PM]

this would be an easy thing to achieve, if moto wanted to. Dont sell the phones, only rent or lease them. That would leave them in control.

doubtfully true story anyway, which coupled with the fact that no one actually cares, really adds up to a big 0.

[abhisheksuman Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:42PM]

oh great! this is going to help troubled Moto in boosting the sales of mobiles.


NOT!!!!

[NHAnimator Posted Nov 3rd 2008 2:19PM]

People still do that NOT!!!! thing?

[TheGZeus Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:52PM]

This will not hold up in court.
BMG tried this with CDs, and it was thrown out.

[hotpuck6 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:53PM]

uhhhh, dumb?
Besides, there's always a ton of other ways to sell something besides ebay, which has become a real shit hole in the last few years.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 12:58PM]

I call it bullshit. If they want it to be exclusive they'd make 1000 and stop making it. As a company, you'd want it to sell a lot. If I bought a damn phone, it's mine. I'll do with it what I want. Unless they start leasing me the phone.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 6:17PM]

I call shenanigans


oh, and there are other places to sell phones online besides eBay. Little known fact....

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:00PM]

if you don't think it is true then why are you writing about it? could you not afford the phone call to Motorola's press office for clarification? or were the dumbass "we hate motorola" readership to much to resist pandering to!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:00PM]

There may be some sneaky way of doing this. I think some Ferrari's are only leased and the lease can be pulled if the owner starts acting like an idiot. Motorola is no Ferrari though.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:01PM]

I think the original GM EV1 electric cars where done this way too.

[htd Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:00PM]

moto should lay off the manager who came up with this idea and the department which handles the related matters to 'save cost'.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 4:33PM]

execution is cheaper... plus you can sell the soilent green and make additional profit, then buy an iPhone.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:01PM]

Shouldn't be a problem; I can't imagine anyone wanting to buy this thing anyway.

I've owned two Motorolas and the Ui has been equally terrible with each phone. It makes me miss my Nokia. It's the the one drawback of Verizon.

[ronin691 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:06PM]

Moto's agreement assumes there will be someone willing to pay $2,000.00 for a non 3G phone.

Desperate plea from ( ex ) Moto fan boy: Any Moto employees that read Engadget, please contact Ross Rubin and schedule an interview with him, explaining why the AURA was green lighted and put into production without 3G.

[conscious Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:09PM]

that sounds about as special as the kids riding the short bus.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:12PM]

Are they even allowed to do that???

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:13PM]

p.s. Can someone tell me what my avatar is.
i see it as Mario but some people say it shows up as the Cubs logo

[Testies Testies 12 3 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:24PM]

It's Mario inside of a big red "C"

[Raul7 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 2:09PM]

I see it as a big blue bear in a gigantic 'C'

[Testies Testies 12 3 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 5:14PM]

AAAAhhhw, I see it now,


Thanks Patriks7, I feel so foolish....

[crichton007 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:29PM]

They've had a phone that looked similar to this several years ago and it looked as $hitty this one does. Who will want it?

[wraith404 Posted Nov 3rd 2008 1:38PM]

Only those who have the iPhone "im rich" application are qualified to buy this phone... :D

[Jakejd Posted Nov 3rd 2008 2:12PM]

Hogwash.

It's illegal; they can't, even if they wanted to.

Move on...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 2:27PM]

I pre ordered one and never signed anything?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 2:28PM]

So if anyone wants my Serene it for sale :)

[Ishcabible Posted Nov 3rd 2008 8:09PM]

I'll buy it for $5

[w Posted Nov 3rd 2008 3:11PM]

Why don't they do it like Nokia?
8800 is still pretty exclusive after a few years.... Now compare that to RAZR!