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Keyword spamming

Started by BachelorOfComix,

49 posts in this topic

comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

Posted
Posted

The Paypal fees can make you go crazy, but I look at it another way: Offering Paypal unquestionably yields higher end prices than auctions that only accept checks/money orders. And opening up to Canuck/Int. buyers usually has a price-push associated with it too.

 

So I feel that Paypal does pay for itself, as long as you take the right attitude towards the charges. Or you can list a few auctions without it for comparison's sake.

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BronzeBruce13

BronzeBruce13

Posted
Posted

Hey CI,

 

I use the service and maintain 2 different accounts to keep my options open as mentioned above. I agree with the obvious advantages... what I don't like is the extra 1% charge with no explanation in the breakdown online or confirmation email since it's not common. Seems they want to slide it in there quietly. It also seems odd that they charge US accounts and not Canadians.

 

I don't know how long this as been going on, or if its been in place all along and I missed it. I just looked at the web site and discovered it. I don't remember seeing that explanation before... maybe I've been asleep at the wheel?

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Lockjaw

Lockjaw

Posted
Posted

Thank you for clearing that up for me, NOW I understand. I thought ebay frowned on people who put up a listing for 100 comics, and wanted to take the time (like I would) to list/describe EACH comic you have for sale .

 

You are saying that it is okay for me to take forever to individually list all the books in a comic lot with say, around 100 comics for sale, but if I go beyond saying something like "please view my other auctions for other great deals...," and decide to list a bajillion books I have listed on ebay--and point this out in EVERY auction I have running, than I am keyword spamming.

 

Yeah, THAT would be annoying...makes it harder to do things like search for completed auctions. Nice to know what something I would never think of doing is called.

 

Christopher H.

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Lockjaw

Lockjaw

Posted
Posted

That makes more sense...I was thinking, YIKES!, the next time someone sends me $15.00 through Paypal international they are going to ask for $5 to let me accept the funds???!!! My international sales have been for tiny amounts compared to yours.

 

Christopher H.

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lighthouse

lighthouse

Posted
Posted

I understand people wanting to minimize their fees as they add up in a hurry.

 

Definitely true... But as CI pointed out, bid amounts are higher if you accept PayPal than if you don't, usually by more than the amount of the PayPal fee.

 

Two things that bug me that sellers do in violation of the rules:

 

Requiring a minimum purchase amount to use a credit card, usually $10 or $20. This is a violation of every merchant services agreement. And a seller who is reported to VISA or MasterCard for this is at risk of losing their Merchant Services capability. If you advertise that you accept these cards in any capacity, you have to accept them for any amount. Several big-ticket dealers whom I have a great deal of respect for advertise such restrictions in their auctions, and it's not something they are allowed to do.

 

Comic book dealers who offer to ship comic books via Media Mail. Yes, I am aware that nearly everyone on this board is included, here (except FlyingDonut). Technically, you cannot do this. The USPS has the right to confiscate and destroy any comic books shipped via Media Mail. I had two shipments that received such treatment in 2000 and kicked my complaint through six supervisors all the way to the PostMaster General. Shipments processed as media mail are not permitted to contain advertising content (with the exception of incidental ads for products from the same publisher, the kind you see in the back of paperback books). Magazines and Comic Books do not meet the criteria as Media Mail, even though the advertisements included may be long out of date.

 

The relevant USPS eligibility information is here:

USPS Limitations on Media Mail

including the clearly stated: "Books ... of at least eight printed pages ... and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books."

 

The only discounted method by which comic books may be sent is Bound Printed Matter, which has the same time in transit as Media Mail, but has a weight limit of 15 pounds. BPM rates are zoned, and are cheaper than Media Mail for distances up to 1000 miles or so, more expensive than Media Mail for cross-country service.

 

USPS Limitations on Bound Printed Matter

 

This post ran longer than even my average, and might warrant discussion on its own, so I will repeat the Media Mail info in a new thread in Comics General. Please reply there regarding that subject.... Replies regarding PayPal fees and Visa limits are welcome to stay... smile.gif

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chromium

chromium

Posted
Posted

The Paypal fees can make you go crazy, but I look at it another way: Offering Paypal unquestionably yields higher end prices than auctions that only accept checks/money orders. And opening up to Canuck/Int. buyers usually has a price-push associated with it too.

 

My sentiments exactly, I only bid on auctions where the seller accepts paypal, so technically if I win an auction, the seller is out a percentage of the sale, but he does get a higher price, so everything evens out.

Plus of course the fact that he is paid within the hour of the sale.

 

I never understood why the US doesn't use the system of checking accounts more.

Here in Belgium everyone pays everyone else through their checking account, we hardly use checks, money orders, credit cards etc...

 

When I buy something here, I just transfer the money from my checking account to the seller's account which is free of charge, insured and takes 2 days at the most. Come next Summer it will be free of charge all over the European union, so that way I can pay a guy in France instantly, safely and free of charge.

 

When I started buying on ebay I wanted to use a checking account I had in the US, but was surprised that many people were afraid of giving out their account number ?? You can't withdraw money from someone's account if you have their number, you can only deposit !!!

here, people even print their account #s ontheir business cards.... easy peasy

 

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

Posted
Posted

Here' s pretty egregious case of keyword spamming. Note that these books are NOT GRADED!

 

Superboy 200 (9.4 Overstreet $20)

 

Superboy 201 ($12)

 

Superboy 202 ($45)

 

Superboy 203 ($20)

 

Superboy 205 ($45)

 

Part of it is sour grapes, since I want these books in grade. But please! 3X guide (and rising) for ungraded stuff that's already expensive? mad.gif

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

Posted
Posted

doesn't Serpi - the high bidder - run Investment Collectibles and always put out high grade CGCs? I don't buy much from him as he puts out a lot of DCs and older stuff, which is right up most posters' alleys. However, I think this is a case of serpi seeing some "investment" potential and risking the buy raw, slab, and flip. I don't know the demand but these books look real nice.

 

But I concur with Donut as the title reads "File Copy" but description throws in "filed" by original buyer. Also graded 9.8 but "not submitted to CGC"...

 

Egregious, yet ingenious tongue.gif

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CosmicBob

CosmicBob

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Posted

Ok, I know these books pretty well and that 205 is not even close to a 9.8. There's a twist in the bottom left corner to the squarebound spine. In addition you can see flaking off that same corner (happens ALL the time on these DC squarebound books). If this is a 9.8 (and getting $131!!!!!), my copy is an 11.5 and I should get $50,000.00 for it.

 

"File Copy" my butt! Someone is going to be mighty disappointed if they send those in to CGC.

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Rickdogg

Rickdogg

Posted
Posted

I don't mind as much when it is a low feedback; newbie seller since they probably will not have anymore than 3 auction listings, but when it is a powerseller it is annnoying to say the least since they list over a few hundred with title and description spams like this bozo.

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BachelorOfComix

BachelorOfComix

Posted
  • Author
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I'm sick of this keyword spamming. I reported jauito to ebay the last time, but they didn't do anything. I'm gonna report him again & again & again. Give it a try, it's cathartic. If enough of us do it, maybe they'll listen.

 

Cheers,

 

Bachelor of Comics

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Gorgo

Gorgo

Posted
Posted

I agree, I'll do the same. This seller can list these as "reading copies" or something other than "NOT CGC"D BUT STILL NICE," which is the case in every title I'm looking to buy slabbed. When I list unslabbed comics, I never use "CGC" in any part of the auction.

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