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Star Wars Hot Topic - A Public Service Announcement

Started by jjeanius,

85 posts in this topic

BeachBum

BeachBum

Posted
Posted
One question

 

1) Why this variant is less expensive now?

 

Because it was only valuable due to people thinking it was sold out and recalled - neither of which turned out to be true :shrug:

 

I started to make a post on all this in Forum Only Selling "General Discussion" when I woke up but decided against it because of the fear of someone accusing me of "Thread Krapping".

 

I could not understand the $$$ being paid for books that had not been "officially" recalled over an ad that was released early but factual.

 

IMO if you are selling something as "Recalled" and it actually isn't then maybe you should let the buyers out of the sale. I would, but that's just me.

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AmazingComics413

AmazingComics413

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Stopped in to Hot Topic today to see if I could outrun the paper shredder, "Hi, do you have the Star Wars variant comic?" The clerk hesitated to answer, "um, yeah, let me check if there are any left." Walked over to the lady who was definitely the manager and whispered in her ear, and she nodded while continuing to stock some counter items. I followed him to the back where he opened a door and got me a book from a stack. I asked if I could buy more than one and he said "No, that's all we have left."

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Semicentennial

Semicentennial

Posted
Posted
One question

 

1) Why this variant is less expensive now?

 

Because it was only valuable due to people thinking it was sold out and recalled - neither of which turned out to be true :shrug:

 

I started to make a post on all this in Forum Only Selling "General Discussion" when I woke up but decided against it because of the fear of someone accusing me of "Thread Krapping".

 

I could not understand the $$$ being paid for books that had not been "officially" recalled over an ad that was released early but factual.

 

IMO if you are selling something as "Recalled" and it actually isn't then maybe you should let the buyers out of the sale. I would, but that's just me.

 

I agree with this.

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mintcollector

mintcollector

Posted
Posted
One question

 

1) Why this variant is less expensive now?

 

Because it was only valuable due to people thinking it was sold out and recalled - neither of which turned out to be true :shrug:

 

I started to make a post on all this in Forum Only Selling "General Discussion" when I woke up but decided against it because of the fear of someone accusing me of "Thread Krapping".

 

I could not understand the $$$ being paid for books that had not been "officially" recalled over an ad that was released early but factual.

 

IMO if you are selling something as "Recalled" and it actually isn't then maybe you should let the buyers out of the sale. I would, but that's just me.

 

I agree with this.

 

Oh I see. So now speculators want 'insurance' against risk. I guess the six month 'buyer protection plan' isn't enough (on eBay at least)? Now they want it on forums too? Sorry you made the risk you live with the consequences...

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BeachBum

BeachBum

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Posted

 

Man this whole thing is a mess. Still, if I had sold the book, I would back out of the sale now that the book is no longer recalled. Prices are going to drop and level out immediately. I wouldn't feel right.

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Beige

Beige

Posted
Posted

Never heard of it.

What's all the fuss about in the first place - ie, why did everyone supposedly want one?

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Beige

Beige

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A manufactured collectible with the hype of it possibly being recalled made people go :screwy:

 

Thanks. What was the back advert people referred to?

This is why I leave moderns alone now. It's just got so silly.

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jjeanius

jjeanius

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I have no issue with paying for what you committed to, but to continue to try and push the book is another issue.

 

Exactly. A deal is a deal, and if you agreed to purchase this book before this news broke, then too bad for you.

 

Wow! Uh......no.

 

Wow - talk about taking one sentence out of context. doh!

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Mayor006

Mayor006

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When I went out this morning I stopped at two different malls looking at both Hot Topics to see if they had any of these. The first one didn't have anything. The second, a much smaller store in a smaller mall, the guy said they only sent him two copies and he sold me one of them. I bought a shirt for my wife and the book was half off because everything was buy something get something 50% off.

 

I agree that enough of these were probably destroyed, or defaced at least to make an adjustment to the print run but I also agree that there's probably a fairly decent sized run. It probably won't be the rarest Star Wars #1 but it will at least be one of the more interesting ones. I MIGHT buy one more variant for an SS book, but that's pretty much it for me on this.

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CAHokie

CAHokie

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Posted
I have no issue with paying for what you committed to, but to continue to try and push the book is another issue.

 

Exactly. A deal is a deal, and if you agreed to purchase this book before this news broke, then too bad for you.

 

Wow! Uh......no.

 

Wow - talk about taking one sentence out of context. doh!

 

Dont worry, he will delete his comment later if it becomes controversial! :D

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jjeanius

jjeanius

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I have no issue with paying for what you committed to, but to continue to try and push the book is another issue.

 

Exactly. A deal is a deal, and if you agreed to purchase this book before this news broke, then too bad for you.

 

Wow! Uh......no.

 

Wow - talk about taking one sentence out of context. doh!

 

Here is the original. Seems the one sentence is not out of context in any way. :makepoint:

 

I have no issue with paying for what you committed to, but to continue to try and push the book is another issue.

 

Exactly. A deal is a deal, and if you agreed to purchase this book before this news broke, then too bad for you. If it kept going up in value, you wouldn't be running back to the seller to offer them more money, right...? That's the whole point of "speculation" - you win some, you lose some - but hopefully you keep your integrity, and your word.

 

At the same time, the news is out now...and this board is supposed to function at a higher level than the normal eBay trolls. As such, boardies should be looking out for each other - not trying to bend each other over for a buck.

 

Alright then, allow me to elaborate:

 

On several occasions I have sold a HOT book on eBay, only to see it cool down a week or two after selling at its peak, and then to have buyers file fraudulent "item not as described" claims in order to get their money back so they can then buy the book back at a lower cost. And yet, I've also sold books well below value (or shortly before the book peaks at a higher price), and never once have I then reneged on a deal, or tried to squeeze the buyer for more money.

 

It's a ridiculous double standard - that sellers should always honor their prices (especially when the prices are below FMV), but buyers have no qualms about backing out on a deal when it financially benefits them to do so. The tenet of "a deal is a deal" should work both ways.

 

So, yeah, a few days ago there *WAS* an internal memo for all HT stores to pull the book and destroy it. That was not fabricated. As a result, prices went through the roof. And, at that time, I voiced the opinion that it was ridiculously overpriced, and cautioned anyone from buying it. I also said that, given the option, I would short it like a stock - sell it all day long @ $200, then wait a month or two, buy them up once prices bottom out again @ $20, and then fill all outstanding orders.

 

I have no problem with the previous sales of this book @ $200 prior to today's news, because both buyers and sellers were making informed decisions based on all information available at that time. Buyers bought the book because they thought this would be their best opportunity to do so - and sellers sold the book because they thought this was their best opportunity to do so. These are the exact same conditions as any other speculative play, and, as with every other play before this one, there are winners and there are losers. To take it one step further, I don't see how this is any different than buying a book as the sole highest graded copy only to later see more of the same book surface on the census...or a book that was previously considered rare, until a warehouse turns up mint cases of the same book. There is always a chance that there are more of them out there.

 

What I *did* have a problem with was sellers that continued to try to squeeze buyers once word got out that the book was once again available at HT for $4.99. That, to me, was extremely dishonest. And so, that's why I started this thread - to inform the unsuspecting buyers that there is no reason to be paying $200 for this book.

 

To be clear: I have not owned a single copy of this book. I did not buy, I did not sell. I was a spectator that (a) cautioned buyers a few days ago about spending lots of money on it, and (b) started this thread to try to warn potential buyers about the fact that the book will once again be on shelves.

 

 

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spidrvacc

spidrvacc

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Posted

Such an interesting topic. If the book suddenly shoots up in value the seller does not get to make more money after a sale but if it suddenly goes down in value then should they refund something or do something.

 

Here is my take. If you sold the book before the recall was called off and the book lost probally 75% of its value then thats it. done deal. if as a buyer you want to do something then more power to you and you would be gaining a customer for life if say you refunded some of the money OR did something to make up for it but you would not be obliged to do anything.,

 

BUT if you knew the recall was called off and especially if your auction still called it a recalled book or you reflected it as rare and recalled , thats not good. Would be like selling a car and not telling someone that there is some damage they cant see without a mechanic. Sure they should bring a mechanic just like a buyer should have did some searching and researched the book and new it was not recalled but still its a gray ethical area. But at this point now that this is confirmed anyone selling this book as a recalled book would be a bit unethical. Again just my opinion..

 

 

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