comic was advertised on ebay as unrestored, is not, do i return?

[Dr. Balls]

I'm in the crowd that doesn't believe a seller owes grading fees on a book originally sold raw. If you want a blue label slab, that's what you should buy.

 

I don't see the logic to this. The seller is. 100% at fault here, his mistake shouldn't cost the buyer one cent. It has already wasted his time and tied up his cash. Think of stabbing fees as recouping legal fees. The buyer should be made whole. The seller should view this as a lesson in the cost of doing business. If the costs are too high he should probably consider a different line of work.

 

I think there's a bit of logic in it. On one hand, I don't think the seller is responsible for the added services the buyer chooses to invest in for his book after it's been sold. There is an element of gambling with a raw book, and we're reading the not-so-good results right here. On the other hand, one of the tried-and-true ways of proving restoration is to submit it to CGC, so in order for the buyer to be fully protected, he needs to get a resto check after he buys the book.

 

I can see both sides of this argument. I do agree with you that if you're going to be selling high grade silver age keys - you should probably be prepared for something like this, and hopefully the seller backs up his service.

[Bomber-Bob]

A little update. It has shipped; will get back to me soon. It's a 9.2 grade, which falls into the "close enough" category. You hope they error on the low side, but my luck clearly doesnt fall that way on this one.

For added displeasure, in addition to the trimming they also found color touch.

 

I've never been able to figure out the grade on a restored book. Unlike a Green Qualified grade where they ignore the flaw, the Purple label flaw still seems to be included in the grade. Example: the CT is probably downgraded for what it was trying to cover up. The trim is downgraded for loss of paper.

Just speculation but Purple labels seem to get graded harshly.

BTW, sorry this happened to you but rest assured you are not alone.

[CKB]

A little update. It has shipped; will get back to me soon. It's a 9.2 grade, which falls into the "close enough" category. You hope they error on the low side, but my luck clearly doesnt fall that way on this one.

 

For added displeasure, in addition to the trimming they also found color touch.

 

As far as paypal is concerned, not sure how that works. I actually (will) have the comic, so it's not like i can say i never got it, so I would still have to return it. Im at the 11 day mark since purchase and about a little less than a week since I got it in the mail (CGC fast track is just that, fast).

 

I've given the seller all of this information, so hopefully he can just do a straight refund of my costs and he can get a slabbed, 9.2, trimmed and color touched, Amazing Spiderman 50.

 

Thanks again for all the advice. I needed it.

 

This seems to imply the you have not opened the "significantly not as described" (SNAD) dispute with either eBay or Paypal. Run, do not walk, to your computer and open a case first on Paypal and then on eBay. Now.

 

[DiceX]

With just a little looking, I've learned that this seller has sold this exact copy of this book not once, not twice, but three times.

That's not the only one. Look through his sold auctions.

 

He also sells in private auctions. I notice that eBay has hidden that from plain view.

 

I smell a turd, and this guy has the smell on him.

 

 

[DiceX]

I also notice he sells a lot of Sig Series books. Does anyone from the boards know this guy?

 

 

[jop]

Very interesting. I was actually bidding on this book.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Avengers-57-1st-APPEARANCE-OF-THE-VISON-NM-9-2-CGC-PGX-READY-1-55-4-/271277457414?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item3f29658006

 

ebayer for over 18 months though scammers usually aren't around that long with the same ID

 

dunno I just so want to buy it then return it in person.......

[Dick Pontoon]

Very interesting. I was actually bidding on this book.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Avengers-57-1st-APPEARANCE-OF-THE-VISON-NM-9-2-CGC-PGX-READY-1-55-4-/271277457414?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item3f29658006

 

ebayer for over 18 months though scammers usually aren't around that long with the same ID

 

 

Sure they are!

[jop]

Wonder if I posted a question about the book and linked to this topic

[NTHstars]

I do not want to disparage the seller prematurely. He has time to make this right. I'd rather the seller not see me basically thinking this process out out loud throigh this stream.

 

I have opened a dispute with ebay, which is where I'm talking with the seller. I am disappointed, but want to manage this as well as I can.

 

Everyones comments have been most helpful.

[fantastic_four]

Whether or not you get a refund, let this book be a lesson to you--this is why people pay more for slabbed books. You were hoping to get a 9.4 copy of Spidey #50 for cheaper than a CGC 9.4 copy typically goes for, and this is why you got it cheaper. I learned this same lesson on this "Near Mint" copy of Daredevil #1 that I paid Overstreet NM price for at the time. In reality, it's a trimmed 8.0. This book changed the entire course of my collecting focus and buying patterns--ever since then I have done everything possible to never get ripped off again.

 

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Oh Jesus H. Don't go starting this BS of "this is why you need to buy CGC" I buy books all the frikkin time, and have no problems. Learn to spot resto, learn to grade. Trimming is entirely different, and if you think buying a CGC blue guarantees you an unrestored book, you have been pounding the kool-aid and are obviously new around here.

[DiceX]

Very interesting. I was actually bidding on this book.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Avengers-57-1st-APPEARANCE-OF-THE-VISON-NM-9-2-CGC-PGX-READY-1-55-4-/271277457414?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item3f29658006

 

ebayer for over 18 months though scammers usually aren't around that long with the same ID

 

 

Sure they are!

 

Yes, they are.

Looking deeper into this guy's stuff, I think he may be one of the many new incarnations of the notorious Cliffords_Comics.

 

To the buyer, file this with Paypal and eBay immediately. Get your money back and move on.

eBay has let this guy scam people for many years. One of the many reasons I don't do much business there anymore.

 

 

[DiceX]

Oh Jesus H. Don't go starting this BS of "this is why you need to buy CGC" I buy books all the frikkin time, and have no problems. Learn to spot resto, learn to grade. Trimming is entirely different, and if you think buying a CGC blue guarantees you an unrestored book, you have been pounding the kool-aid and are obviously new around here.

 

Truth (thumbs u

 

 

[Columbia Comics]

One of the many reasons I don't do much business there anymore.

 

 

There are still good and honest sellers on eBay (hint hint)

[CKB]

I do not want to disparage the seller prematurely. He has time to make this right. I'd rather the seller not see me basically thinking this process out out loud throigh this stream.

 

I have opened a dispute with ebay, which is where I'm talking with the seller. I am disappointed, but want to manage this as well as I can.

 

Everyones comments have been most helpful.

 

You must also open a dispute with Paypal. This is the one that really hurts and the one that means something. Paypal will immediately freeze the funds if they are in his account. If not, they will severely limit all his business until it is resolved.

 

The eBay dispute is relatively benign and does not impact the seller in any way.

 

What you really do not want to do is have any of the seller's words/writing influence your actions. Your course of action on something like this should be the same no matter how accommodating he seems to be.

 

Given the look of his past sales on eBay, including an obviously restored FF52 and relisting already sold books, and the misgrading on the IM 1 he has listed, you are doing yourself a disservice by giving this seller the benefit of any doubt.

 

[CKB]

Oh Jesus H. Don't go starting this BS of "this is why you need to buy CGC" I buy books all the frikkin time, and have no problems. Learn to spot resto, learn to grade. Trimming is entirely different, and if you think buying a CGC blue guarantees you an unrestored book, you have been pounding the kool-aid and are obviously new around here.

 

Novice collectors are going to be much, much better off spending 1K on Bronze/Silver key books that are CGC graded versus ones that are not. I don't see how that is debatable and I need no Kool-Aid to convince me.

 

[jsilverjanet]

One of the many reasons I don't do much business there anymore.

 

 

There are still good and honest sellers on eBay (hint hint)

 

Agreed. To often eBay is really easy to pick on etc but I know there's a lot of folks here that do business there without any issues. You only hear about the bad instances but there's plenty of transactions made on there without any issues. More often the bad transactions are the exception and not the rule.

 

 

[comicsnyc22]

Oh Jesus H. Don't go starting this BS of "this is why you need to buy CGC" I buy books all the frikkin time, and have no problems. Learn to spot resto, learn to grade. Trimming is entirely different, and if you think buying a CGC blue guarantees you an unrestored book, you have been pounding the kool-aid and are obviously new around here.

 

Dude, even some of the best have been duped by resto and trimming. CGC was duped by trimming. There's a reason why some people would rather pay the premium, especially on higher end books. I bought a low grade ASM #1 and it was reglossed. No one saw that coming and it came back purple.

[wizardseye311]

I can't remember their eBay ID, but back around June and July there was a seller that had an ASM #40 and #50 (and others) for sale every week. They clearly stated in the listings that the books were color touched and trimmed. Perfectly square corners, clean, flat, and they looked really nice in the pics. The seller was very honest about what had been done to the books. Some of the bids got pretty high on those, and they always sold. The problem now is that there quite a few of these out there that are restored. I'm wondering if what the OP ended up with was one of these copies.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Oh Jesus H. Don't go starting this BS of "this is why you need to buy CGC" I buy books all the frikkin time, and have no problems. Learn to spot resto, learn to grade. Trimming is entirely different, and if you think buying a CGC blue guarantees you an unrestored book, you have been pounding the kool-aid and are obviously new around here.

 

Novice collectors are going to be much, much better off spending 1K on Bronze/Silver key books that are CGC graded versus ones that are not. I don't see how that is debatable and I need no Kool-Aid to convince me.

Novice collectors and 1K on a comic book leads me to believe the kool aid drinking has begun.