EBAY: BLOCKED USER LIST 54 54

[jcjames]

eBay has really done it this time.

 

Selling raw comics on eBay comes with such a risk.

 

Even if you have a hassle free 14-day return policy you get dinged on your seller performance on eBay. I had a guy return a book he thought was an VF and I graded it a VF/NM. I let him return it without hesitation but because he went through the automated eBay return process I get dinged even though it was a very civil return process for him which he later thanked me for.

 

Since eBay can't differ in what we all know is subjective grading they just treat as item not as described the customer.

 

Ironically he emails me today saying he wanted it back.....uhhhhhh

Name. You must name names.

 

 

[MetalPSI]

 

I just added an auto-reject price to this listing:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ABSOLUTE-Vertigo-1-Preacher-NM-NICE-Ennis-/191629409714?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

Starting from my "active listings" page, it took me 47 seconds to go through the whole process and get back to my "active listings" page.

 

47 seconds...and I knew going in how much I wanted to auto-reject for (in this case, $50.)

 

47 seconds times 10 listings = 8 minutes.

 

47 seconds times 100 listings = 78 minutes

 

47 seconds times 1000 listings = 13 hours.

 

Now, say you set it up at the same time you list?

 

It takes an extra 10-15 seconds or so to check the box, think about a fair reject threshold, and enter it in.

 

10-15 seconds per item, spread across 1,000 items = almost 3 additional hours of time at 10 seconds, and 4+ hours at 15 seconds.

 

And that's IF you know what a reasonable threshold is, which requires thought that will quickly eat up those 10-15 seconds and add much more.

 

What if you have an item that is $500 at FMV, you price it at $600? Would you take $450? Would you take $500? What if someone comes along and offers $425, and at the time of the offer, you would be perfectly willing to accept that price, considering market changes, needs, and whatnot?

 

With an auto-reject set at $450, you will never, ever know that that person made a $425 offer, and you thus have no way to even dialogue with the potential customer.

 

I have had many, MANY sales where someone offered below what I would sell for, but because the offer came through, and I was able to dialogue with them, my sales "skills" managed to snag a sale at a price BOTH of us found reasonable!

 

Auto-reject? Nope.

 

"So, why not set auto-reject to the price where you KNOW you won't accept?"

 

That's the point! You DON'T know what you might accept later on down the line. It's not a distinct line, but setting an auto-reject MAKES a distinct line, and I NEED to have that fuzzy grey area so that both I and the potential buyer can consider. Things change, circumstances change...what is FMV on August 10 may not be on September 3. That is why the BUYER is obligated to make a reasonable offer based on FMV.

 

Yes, if the price has plummeted in those three weeks to $150, then $150 is a fair price, and setting the auto-reject at $300...means I wouldn't even have the opportunity to check.

 

But...if someone is going to come along and offer $50 for an item I have priced at $2,000...even if FMV is "$1500" (which no one really knows, a copy not having sold in years)...clearly, I am not going to be able to reason with this "buyer", and they have wasted both their, and my, time.

 

And I will say this: when buyers have been too cheap to offer near FMV, and made offers I considered too low, I go and check GPA or completed sales...and have frequently found out that the item is now selling for SUBSTANTIALLY more than my asking price....and you bet I change the price.

 

I've even had customers who COULD have bought the item for my full asking price, which was now below market...but they tried to cheap out on it, I checked the price, and raised it, and they bought it at the higher price.

 

They could have just paid less in the first place! Had they not tried to cheap out, they would have gotten a BETTER deal.

 

It's dumb. If there's something you want, make a reasonable offer for it.

After checking your slate of sales items, your need for seeing all offers makes sense because there's a lot of wiggle-room in there, a lot more than lower-ticket books.

 

 

 

Are you saying my books are overpriced...?

 

 

[jcjames]

 

After checking your slate of sales items, your need for seeing all offers makes sense because there's a lot of wiggle-room in there, a lot more than lower-ticket books.

 

 

Are you saying my books are overpriced...?

 

 

Yeah that totally came across wrong.

 

What I meant was you have a lot of higher-priced stuff - not OVER-priced - but just higher priced which naturally needs more room for negotiating.

 

[NewWorldOrder]

eBay has really done it this time.

 

Selling raw comics on eBay comes with such a risk.

 

Even if you have a hassle free 14-day return policy you get dinged on your seller performance on eBay. I had a guy return a book he thought was an VF and I graded it a VF/NM. I let him return it without hesitation but because he went through the automated eBay return process I get dinged even though it was a very civil return process for him which he later thanked me for.

 

Since eBay can't differ in what we all know is subjective grading they just treat as item not as described the customer.

 

Ironically he emails me today saying he wanted it back.....uhhhhhh

Name. You must name names.

 

 

I am not mad at him. It was a painless return.

 

Mad at the how eBay now penalizes me the seller for doing the right thing.

[NewWorldOrder]

My other question now with eBay if we are forced to take a return and be billed how much is eBay billing us?

 

If I ship a CGC book to Canada for lets say $25 bucks how much is eBay going to charge me to ship if back if the buyer wants to return it?

 

Between:

 

eBay final value fees

PP fees

FVF on shipping

Return Fee

 

Should we all just cancel our selling accounts now before Xmas?

 

I have never seen a company take the people that make eBay all their money and treat us like nothing.

 

I expect more comic book auction sites will be benefiting from these eBay changes.

Edited August 11, 2015 by SPECTRE_nWo

[MetalPSI]

I've pretty much stopped buying on eBay altogether, myself.

 

I've thought about selling on eBay, but it's really looking like it's not worth it

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

After checking your slate of sales items, your need for seeing all offers makes sense because there's a lot of wiggle-room in there, a lot more than lower-ticket books.

 

 

Are you saying my books are overpriced...?

 

 

Yeah that totally came across wrong.

 

What I meant was you have a lot of higher-priced stuff - not OVER-priced - but just higher priced which naturally needs more room for negotiating.

 

 

Oh, no, they're totally overpriced.

 

I mean, really, $2000 for a Warlock #15 9.8 SS just because it's the only 9.8 SS?

 

That's just crazy!

 

[porcupine48]

Moooooom!RMA is asking lots of money for sweet one of a kind (right now)books again!!!!!

Tell him i said to stop!!!

[wombat]

I hate descriptions like this. "CGC FINE+ 6.5"

 

Except of course it is not slabbed. And yes half way through the description it does say the book is not slabbed, but it just seems dishonest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAMPIRELLA-1-WARREN-1969-CGC-FINE-6-5-FRAZETTA-EERIE-CREEPY-FAMOUS-MONSTERS-/321828037832?hash=item4aee7224c8

 

end rant

[kav]

yeah ebay will pull that if notified using cgc on a non cgc book

[Logan510]

 

After checking your slate of sales items, your need for seeing all offers makes sense because there's a lot of wiggle-room in there, a lot more than lower-ticket books.

 

 

Are you saying my books are overpriced...?

 

 

Yeah that totally came across wrong.

 

What I meant was you have a lot of higher-priced stuff - not OVER-priced - but just higher priced which naturally needs more room for negotiating.

 

 

Oh, no, they're totally overpriced.

 

I mean, really, $2000 for a Warlock #15 9.8 SS just because it's the only 9.8 SS?

 

That's just crazy!

 

 

 

I would consider paying that much if Warlock signed it

[Gatchaman]

So I had the same return. My book is the first pic. The second book is the book he sent me back.

 

 

 

 

I tried to make this bait and switch point once. Amazing that it could really happen.

[01TheDude]

I hate descriptions like this. "CGC FINE+ 6.5"

 

Except of course it is not slabbed. And yes half way through the description it does say the book is not slabbed, but it just seems dishonest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAMPIRELLA-1-WARREN-1969-CGC-FINE-6-5-FRAZETTA-EERIE-CREEPY-FAMOUS-MONSTERS-/321828037832?hash=item4aee7224c8

 

end rant

 

I sent them a note that they might want to edit that title.

 

It is not me but some people on the CGC message forum pointed out your book as being "dishonestly labelled" since it is not a CGC slabbed comic. Just a heads up that you might want to edit that out of your title to avoid their warpath.

 

post number 8803856

[Shark]

I hate descriptions like this. "CGC FINE+ 6.5"

 

Except of course it is not slabbed. And yes half way through the description it does say the book is not slabbed, but it just seems dishonest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAMPIRELLA-1-WARREN-1969-CGC-FINE-6-5-FRAZETTA-EERIE-CREEPY-FAMOUS-MONSTERS-/321828037832?hash=item4aee7224c8

 

end rant

 

The one who really pisses me off is eBay seller sharpchoice.com - Mr. "Butchered Mess" who constantly uses the words DOUBLE COVER in ALL of his listings although very few of them (if any) actually have a double cover. He uses the double cover wording to guide potential buyers to his miscut, miswrapped butchered messes of comic books. Apparently, eBay sees nothing wrong with this as they continue to allow him to list this way.

[01TheDude]

I hate descriptions like this. "CGC FINE+ 6.5"

 

Except of course it is not slabbed. And yes half way through the description it does say the book is not slabbed, but it just seems dishonest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAMPIRELLA-1-WARREN-1969-CGC-FINE-6-5-FRAZETTA-EERIE-CREEPY-FAMOUS-MONSTERS-/321828037832?hash=item4aee7224c8

 

end rant

 

I sent them a note that they might want to edit that title.

 

It is not me but some people on the CGC message forum pointed out your book as being "dishonestly labelled" since it is not a CGC slabbed comic. Just a heads up that you might want to edit that out of your title to avoid their warpath.

 

post number 8803856

 

 

well -- what do you know--- I got a reply to my friendly heads up. Apparently this guy has a canned response to anything resembling this type of "criticism". Never mind the fact that I wasn't the person who gives a or wrote the dang post. Nope-- why get all concerned about the FREAKING DETAILS of what is going on.

 

this guy is just pure classic _________ --- well judge for yourself.

 

 

they replied:

 

Dear (me),

 

Thank you for the information. Of course folks can express their opinion on any and all subjects---it's their right and I strongly support that right. I might point out that since grading itself is also "just an opinion" I feel I have the right to voice my opinion as well. One of my opinions is that after grading for CGC for 4 years I have a much better handle on how to grade like they do than the average collector. I'm intimately familiar with their grading system and I'm still considered by some folks (you know who you are) to be an expert in the horror magazine genre. Warren magazines (specifically early Warren horror magazines) are one of the areas of my expertise. If anything, I was considered to be on the strict side when I graded for CGC---please keep this in mind when viewing my auctions. I hope my explanation has helped alleviate some of the tension...I certainly wouldn't want anyone to have a meltdown.

 

- lionsdenbooks

 

Hey hammerhead--- the reason people have a problem with your freaking description is that it FALSELY REPRESENTS YOUR ITEM AS BEING A CGC GRADED/SLABBED COMIC BOOK.

 

Some people don't get it. Avoid.

[Gaard]

 

The one who really pisses me off is eBay seller sharpchoice.com - Mr. "Butchered Mess" who constantly uses the words DOUBLE COVER in ALL of his listings although very few of them (if any) actually have a double cover. He uses the double cover wording to guide potential buyers to his miscut, miswrapped butchered messes of comic books. Apparently, eBay sees nothing wrong with this as they continue to allow him to list this way.

 

My favorites are all the listings with "NOT CGC" in the title. It seems to be quite popular.

 

Mike

[wombat]

So is he saying he worked for CGC as a grader? Even if he does that does give him a free pass on misleading item descriptions.

[revat]

So is he saying he worked for CGC as a grader? Even if he does that does give him a free pass on misleading item descriptions.

 

I used to be a dean at Harvard, but got coked out, and now I dean at city college. So if you graduate from this program, you have a Harvard education. Congrats!

[wombat]

So is he saying he worked for CGC as a grader? Even if he does that does give him a free pass on misleading item descriptions.

 

I used to be a dean at Harvard, but got coked out, and now I dean at city college. So if you graduate from this program, you have a Harvard education. Congrats!

 

Nice. Sign me up.

[Timmay]

I hate descriptions like this. "CGC FINE+ 6.5"

 

Except of course it is not slabbed. And yes half way through the description it does say the book is not slabbed, but it just seems dishonest.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAMPIRELLA-1-WARREN-1969-CGC-FINE-6-5-FRAZETTA-EERIE-CREEPY-FAMOUS-MONSTERS-/321828037832?hash=item4aee7224c8

 

end rant

 

I sent them a note that they might want to edit that title.

 

It is not me but some people on the CGC message forum pointed out your book as being "dishonestly labelled" since it is not a CGC slabbed comic. Just a heads up that you might want to edit that out of your title to avoid their warpath.

 

post number 8803856

 

 

well -- what do you know--- I got a reply to my friendly heads up. Apparently this guy has a canned response to anything resembling this type of "criticism". Never mind the fact that I wasn't the person who gives a or wrote the dang post. Nope-- why get all concerned about the FREAKING DETAILS of what is going on.

 

this guy is just pure classic _________ --- well judge for yourself.

 

 

they replied:

 

Dear (me),

 

Thank you for the information. Of course folks can express their opinion on any and all subjects---it's their right and I strongly support that right. I might point out that since grading itself is also "just an opinion" I feel I have the right to voice my opinion as well. One of my opinions is that after grading for CGC for 4 years I have a much better handle on how to grade like they do than the average collector. I'm intimately familiar with their grading system and I'm still considered by some folks (you know who you are) to be an expert in the horror magazine genre. Warren magazines (specifically early Warren horror magazines) are one of the areas of my expertise. If anything, I was considered to be on the strict side when I graded for CGC---please keep this in mind when viewing my auctions. I hope my explanation has helped alleviate some of the tension...I certainly wouldn't want anyone to have a meltdown.

 

- lionsdenbooks

 

Hey hammerhead--- the reason people have a problem with your freaking description is that it FALSELY REPRESENTS YOUR ITEM AS BEING A CGC GRADED/SLABBED COMIC BOOK.

 

Some people don't get it. Avoid.

 

Report item>listing practices>search and browse manipulation>keyword spamming>type a love note about the item's misleading title.