[quixote73]

Thanks to everyone for their input!

I tried Yahoo Japan auctions for the first time, but it didn't go quite as planned.

Recently I had my keitai (Japanese mobile phone) in the shop for some minor repairs, and the shop gave me a different keitai as a loaner to use. I liked it, so I decided to look for the same model as a replacement.

Because it was an older model, however, the shops I went to didn't have it. Someone recommended the Yahoo Japan auction site. I had used eBay before, but I had not used Yahoo Japan Auctions because it is all in Japanese. I decided to take the plunge, however, and I found the same model keitai. I placed a bid, won it, paid for it, and felt very proud of myself that I could navigate all of it in Japanese!

I told the other teacher who I shared an office with, and he congratulated me -- adding at the end while laughing, "I just hope you don't get a pink elephant!"

I received the package today, and was a bit surprised at the box -- it was bigger and heavier than I expected. I placed it on my table, opened it up, pulled out the packaging, and found 30 phones -- white, black, and yes, pink.

I had thought the listing said that the seller had 30 phones to sell -- not that they would be sending 30 phones!

But 30 phones for 900 yen? How could that be right? I picked up one of the phones. It certainly looked and felt like a real keitai. I opened it up, and saw a picture where the screen is, like the keitai you see in the stores. I soon realized that it was a "mock-up", as they say in Japanese.

So yes, I bought 30 fake mobile phones.

I leaned back in my chair and had a good, long laugh. So much for my first attempt!

(And if anyone is in need of a fake keitai, you know where to go!)