Ebay Purchase Small Slab Crack - What to do?

[accessndx]

I'm not "that guy" that hassles sellers on Ebay after a purchase to shake them down.

Having said that, I just recently bought a slab. In the Ebay photo there's no apparent slab crack and the seller packed the thing like a champ. Exactly the way I would have wanted him/her to package it.

There was no mention of the damage in the item description, but it didn't state that there wasn't either.

 

So I'm in a conundrum here: the crack doesn't really phase me and it's really just cosmetic. I could have it reholdered (and would if I was going to sell it), but I did pay top GPA $ for it....so you come to expect a wee bit more given the circumstance.

 

The comic was slabbed in 2011, so I'm playing Devil's advocate here: slabs get wear and tear...and even a little bounce will sometimes put a small hairline crack into the outer wall. Sometimes these things even happen when preparing to package the slab (I know it happened to me previously and I contacted the buyer to ask what they wanted me to do).

I can't really tell from the bay picture if there was some hint of the crack, but if it's there I did agree to purchase that item. If there wasn't, I certainly didn't want or expect any slab damage (even minor).

 

Anyway, I'm looking for input. I didn't leave feedback yet but don't want to be unfair, unjust or just a downright to the seller who obviously went out of his way to ensure that nothing would happen.

[PIR8]

I'm not "that guy" that hassles sellers on Ebay after a purchase to shake them down.

Having said that, I just recently bought a slab. In the Ebay photo there's no apparent slab crack and the seller packed the thing like a champ. Exactly the way I would have wanted him/her to package it.

There was no mention of the damage in the item description, but it didn't state that there wasn't either.

 

So I'm in a conundrum here: the crack doesn't really phase me and it's really just cosmetic. I could have it reholdered (and would if I was going to sell it), but I did pay top GPA $ for it....so you come to expect a wee bit more given the circumstance.

 

The comic was slabbed in 2011, so I'm playing Devil's advocate here: slabs get wear and tear...and even a little bounce will sometimes put a small hairline crack into the outer wall. Sometimes these things even happen when preparing to package the slab (I know it happened to me previously and I contacted the buyer to ask what they wanted me to do).

I can't really tell from the bay picture if there was some hint of the crack, but if it's there I did agree to purchase that item. If there wasn't, I certainly didn't want or expect any slab damage (even minor).

 

Anyway, I'm looking for input. I didn't leave feedback yet but don't want to be unfair, unjust or just a downright to the seller who obviously went out of his way to ensure that nothing would happen.

 

I just sold a slab that showed up to the buyer damaged just like you described (slab wasn't cracked when I shipped it out). I offered either a full refund and return, or $25 back for re-holder.

 

Have you reached out to let the seller know? I would do that and see what resolution he offered. Certainly no need to leave bad feedback unless he refuses to address the problem.

[accessndx]

AntBrown: Thanks for your input. I wouldn't leave bad feedback for this seller, and I hadn't intended to. BUT I hadn't left feedback simply because leaving positive feedback would not incentivize them to assist me with any sort of resolution if I thought it were necessary.

 

I'm still strugging with the "is it necessary" part. Maybe this seller didn't inspect the slab edges carefully. I know I do when I ship things out and won't ship if I see something onerus unless I discuss it with the buyer first.

I've had folks say "no problem, send it anyway" and others want credit, whereas others don't want it at all.

 

I'm just troubled because I don't know the status of the item as pictured. As I said, if it were evident the crack was there when I agreed to BIN, I'd drop the whole issue. If it weren't that's a different story.

 

I do think I'm going to reach out to the seller just to mention what I found, but I don't want to ship it back and I don't want a refund. I do want the slab, but wouldn't mind a few bucks to credit for reholder. Just don't want to be the blackmaily type on Ebay. I know what it's like to be a seller, and the buyers have you by the proverbial balls with that negative feedback.

 

I never leave bad feedback unless there's some crazy nonsense going on like German newspapers getting shipped or a box of bricks...

[barryallen-migration]

I always write to the seller first and include clear pictures of the damaged item. I never ask for money off or threaten negative or neutral feedback. Sometimes I will ask to return the item and other times a seller will just offer a full or partial refund. I always give the seller the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to make things right. Do you want to keep the comic? Would you be happy if the seller gave a partial refund? A good seller will want a happy customer coming back for more.

[barryallen-migration]

AntBrown: Thanks for your input. I wouldn't leave bad feedback for this seller, and I hadn't intended to. BUT I hadn't left feedback simply because leaving positive feedback would not incentivize them to assist me with any sort of resolution if I thought it were necessary.

 

I'm still strugging with the "is it necessary" part. Maybe this seller didn't inspect the slab edges carefully. I know I do when I ship things out and won't ship if I see something onerus unless I discuss it with the buyer first.

I've had folks say "no problem, send it anyway" and others want credit, whereas others don't want it at all.

 

I'm just troubled because I don't know the status of the item as pictured. As I said, if it were evident the crack was there when I agreed to BIN, I'd drop the whole issue. If it weren't that's a different story.

 

I do think I'm going to reach out to the seller just to mention what I found, but I don't want to ship it back and I don't want a refund. I do want the slab, but wouldn't mind a few bucks to credit for reholder. Just don't want to be the blackmaily type on Ebay. I know what it's like to be a seller, and the buyers have you by the proverbial balls with that negative feedback.

 

I never leave bad feedback unless there's some crazy nonsense going on like German newspapers getting shipped or a box of bricks...

 

I just read this after I posted and you answered all of my questions. Good luck and let us know what happens. Hopefully the seller will make things right for you. It's tough being an eBay seller and buyer, because we know how much negative feedback and less than 5 stars can hurt us. I always go through mental gymnastics when contacting a seller and take way too long to write an email. The fact that you're posting here first shows you're an honest person and don't want to hassle the seller.

[accessndx]

Barry: Thanks. Will do.

[barryallen-migration]

Barry: Thanks. Will do.

 

Did you hear back from the seller?

[Doohickamabob]

I appreciate the balanced, not-assuming-the-worst-about-the-seller attitude that the OP has. Even if the seller is innocent (such as if the item was cracked in transit, or if the seller sincerely didn't notice the crack and thought the case was pristine), he should know that the item was received how it was received. It would give him incentive to package carefully (or continue being vigilant in packaging carefully), and added awareness to double-check the case before listing. A photo that shows the crack also lets the seller know that the buyer isn't making something up. As to what the seller should do, that's a whole other matter, but when a buyer starts such a communication with a calm and reasonable attitude, it sets a better stage for whatever transpires next.

[the blob]

there was a guy years back buying every slabbed ASM 300 he could get his hands on before the book really popped. he told me the slab i sent him had a crack, i am pretty sure it did not when i sent it out. anyway, after contacting others he had bought from and learning that he e-mailed most of them saying the slabs were cracked and wanted a re-holder fee refund, i offered a full refund plus return shipping as i decided this was his way of getting $15-$20 back after every purchase. he was not interested as he had gotten it for a steal ($99.99 for a 9.4).

[accessndx]

Barry: Thanks. Will do.

 

Did you hear back from the seller?

 

Ya' know what...I procrastinated in getting back to that seller...deliberating too much on what to do.

By the time I finally got around to sending a message I decided that too much time had elapsed to be a credible complaint. I would in essence become "that guy" I had feared.

 

I'm fairly certain that if I had contacted the buyer he'd at least give some credit towards a reholder. But the fault is mine for not being proactive and acting immediately.

 

[nearmint]

I received a broken slab last week. The seller credited me $30. Unfortunately, the reholdering is costing more than twice that.