e-bay categories

[Kevin Boyd]

Given the large numbers of CGC graded books appearing on e-bay, do you feel it would be worthwhile for them to create a graded comics section (or sections)?

 

Kev

 

I really wish they would do it with original art and add a posters and prints category so that I don't have to wade through endless pages of non-original art in the original art section.

[Rickdogg]

Yeah that would be great. Freakin' 4000 CGC comics come up now

[PovertyRow]

Absolutely. As it is now, when I add CGC to a search I get things like "send it to CGC" or "not cgc". Likewise, when I use a "-CGC" to eliminate the term CGC, I end up eliminating those same "not CGC".

[Rickdogg]

Those are the worst. Those that put "CGC 10 MINT," in the title then when you read the item description, it says, "This was hand picked (w/o gloves) & should grade atleast a 10 mint!!! I have 3 feedbacks & it qualifies as a 10 becuase it has never been read"

[blowout]

.........the biggest problen though is not the lack of categories, but the sellers who slip key words in their auctions to flag them for searches..........

 

.......eg blah blah NM comic CGC ready...............

 

....the best one i saw recenlty was DAREDEVIL #1 friend elektra.. (was a listing for the recent elektra #1).......

 

...and what's with ebay letting people list stuff like ASM #300 in the silver age category...?

 

......if there wasn't so much of this happening it would be easy to search for books you wanted.................

 

 

[greggy]

Those people keep listing like that because they can get suckers like you to look at them.

[PovertyRow]

>>...and what's with ebay letting people list stuff like ASM #300 in the silver age category...?<<

 

Don't expect ebay to do ANYTHING about that kind of thing. Many of us movie poster collecxtors have been fighting ebay to get reproductions out of the Originals catageories. They even HAVE a Reproductions category. But ebay says that is beyond their jurisdiction.

 

The thing about ebay - they claim to simply provide a place for people to sell. Other than violating certain illegalities (can't sell human body parts, bootleg recordings of movies, etc) ebay will not intervene.

 

[blowout]

"The thing about ebay - they claim to be simply provide a place for people to sell. Other than violating certain illegalities (can't sell human body parts, bootleg recordings of movies, etc) ebay will not intervene."

 

 

...thats exactly my point, the creation of more categories by ebay will not make any difference, because they don't regulate the categories.............

[Rickdogg]

I look at them to get a good laugh once in a while. Or I just email them & ask them stupid questions to give them a hard time

[PovertyRow]

>>...thats exactly my point, the creation of more categories by ebay will not make any difference, because they don't regulate the categories............. <<

 

Interesting viewpoint, and definitely correct. Because even AFTER searching the cgc categories, you're probably STILL gonna search the rest knowing others are lurking.

 

I have tended to give up using categories. Now I usually start at Comics and just use various search phrases. Maybe something like "195* +horror" or "Atlas +precode" etc.

 

So I have to rethink my initial impulse that a graded category would be a good thing. Ultimately it would be just one more place to have to do the same searches, because, yes, folks will continue to put things in unsuitable categories.

 

[Joanna]

My favorite so far is a seller who listed every book in silver age, regardless of the age, then spent quite a bit of space yelling at people to stop telling him his books were listed wrong. He claimed it was too much trouble to worry about categories.

 

He then went on to say that he was listing too many comics to worry about adding descriptions of the condition. He seemed especially hostile to people who would ask him if there were coupons cut out because, as he put it, "I don't have time to open every comic! I looked at a few of them, and none of those had coupons cut out, so I'm sure the rest of them are fine."

 

He also admonished bidders not to ask him questions about any of the books, because he didn't know anything about comics.

 

He had pages of comics listed, and each auction had the title and number of the issue, then about 7 paragraphs yelling at bidders about all the things he wouldn't do. Gosh, it made me want to buy from him!

 

-- Joanna

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

Welll...? Don't keep us in suspense Joanna! Who is this numb-nut? I wanna send him some rather disturbing emails, uh...I mean inquisitive emails. Yeah, that's it!!

 

And I know I could search him out myself, but I'm too lazy. So spill it, girl!

[Joanna]

Ah, JLA, I really, really wish I had an URL to post here, but I saw this before I found these boards. I don't remember his ebay moniker, just the auctions. He was selling the same issue I was about to list, and I was researching at what people were pricing it. Let me see if he's still out there.

 

This isn't him, but I love the way keeps yelling at the bidders in his instructions:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=715264354

 

And look at the fabulous image on this one (and it's in the gallery, too!)

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=715447220

 

Too many... bad auctions... can't stop... looking...

 

 

must... stop nowww.....

[scottish]

The first seller does come off a little haughty, but I can certainly agree with his shipping cost comments. When I was selling a lot of books (non-comics) on eBay every other bidder would moan and complain about the friggin' shipping cost. I could never figure out WHY they couldn't include it in their maximum bid!

[Joanna]

Oh, don't get me wrong -- as a seller I understand every one of his complaints! But there are ways to say these things in a nonconfrontational manner that is not so off-putting to a potential buyer. To me, a seller who spends little to no time describing the product and the bulk of the auction screaming at the buyer isn't someone I would want to deal with, regardless of their product, their price, their deal. When I buy or sell something on ebay, I'm meticulous about making my part of it as positive as possible. If I buy, I communicate and pay immediately. I don't need a seller yelling at me for imagined transgressions before I ever push the button.

 

My other pet peeve is sellers who blackmail for feedback. "Only if you give me feedback, will I do the same for you" sucks, IMO. Seems to me, if I pay instantly and provide all my shipping details, then my part of the deal is over, and it's the seller who should give me positive feedback right then and there. That's what I do as a seller, and I have no problems getting responses from customers.

 

-- Joanna

 

 

[drbanner]

Seems to me, if I pay instantly and provide all my shipping details, then my part of the deal is over, and it's the seller who should give me positive feedback right then and there.

 

Personally, I leave feedback for all succesful transactions regardless of what the other party does, but as a seller, you have to be careful. For example - I sell, you buy, you pay, I leave positive feedback and ship, you get the item and don't like the grade and proceed to blast me with a negative without consulting me first about a refund or other resolution. In this case, the buyer shafted the seller and now they have no recourse.

 

So...I guess I'm saying that there is a degree of responsibility on the buyer's part to acknowledge receipt of the item. Sometimes buyers email me and say they got the item, but more commonly, the only acknowledgement I get is when feedback appears (which is also fine). If I get no feedback or other indication from the buyer that there was a problem after about two weeks after shipment, I'll leave feedback.

[scottish]

No problem! I see your point of view! I'm also with you on the sellers that hold their feedback hostage. Dweebs!

[fantastic_four]

I agree. The buyer's responsibility doesn't end once he pays, it ends once he proves he's reasonable enough to work with the seller to resolve any problems with the item, which isn't until after he has received it.

 

I've still never sold anything on ebay, and that makes the most sense to me, even as a buyer.

[Joanna]

I do see your point about buyer satisfaction. I've been selling for a few months (which is nothing compared to so many people here), but was in other areas and am fairly new to selling comics. I found comics a difficult place to 'get going' in, because this area is, by necessity, so thoroughly based on trust. Trust of the seller that the books are as described, and trust that the buyer understands what he or she is getting. It took a few buyers taking a chance on me and leaving positive feedback, and buyers coming back for more before my auctions started to sell regularly. (I'm one of those sellers whose minimum is simply the price at which I'm willing to let an item go. I haven't the nerves for those $1 auctions. Tried it, sweated too much, and gave it up).

 

I've been very fortunate so far with my buyers, but the problem of someone being dissatisfied and NOT coming to me first is a worry. I've even quizzed buyers after they got their books, asking them if they felt it was exactly as described, were they satisfied, etc. I don't know that I can withold feedback, because I really do feel strongly that it's my obligation to reward good buyers with speed and care. But I might add a small adendum to my auctions asking buyers to contact me first if there is a problem, as I will strive to make the experience a positive one.

 

Thanks for giving me something to think about.

 

-- Joanna

[PovertyRow]

>>I guess I'm saying that there is a degree of responsibility on the buyer's part to acknowledge receipt of the item. <<

 

Yes. Feedback should be done after the entire transaction is completed. To my mind this means both parties have had the opportunity to bring up any issues before pronouncing the auction truly complete. Then time for feedback.