General discussion thread - keep the other threads clean 29 29

[fastballspecial]

Would a sale listing mystery boxes be allowed if there were no chase items, and the 1 or 2 boxes had the items listed that were in them, along with 10-15 comics that aren't listed? As long as its not a raffle or lottery type thing?Basically showing the value of the box + some mystery items that would be in both equally? I just want to make sure I obey the listing rules on these things..never done one before..Or just list em as Box of Comics 4sale?

 

Or they could just ban mystery box auctions all together......

 

Do we really need to wait until one blows up completely before banning these?

 

Its just a large problem waiting to happen and I don't care how many great sellers have done wonderful mystery boxes. It taints this board in my opinion to even have them.

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2014 by Fastballspecial

[Architecht]

 

At the moment (and feedback is appreciated) I'm looking at it like this:

 

1. "Lucky winners" need to be avoided. That's what makes it a raffle or a give-away. So those are out period.

 

2. Mystery boxes have a secondary purpose - which is to move lower value bulk comics that aren't worth the time to parse and sell separately. That should be possible WITHOUT creating a lucky winner kind of lottery mentality.

 

EXAMPLES:

 

VALID FORMAT

-------------------------

If someone says that EACH mystery box will include something like

 

X common comics value $A to $B in a grade range of THIS

Y collectible comics value $C to $D in a grade range of THIS

Z Key / semi key comics value $E to $F in a grade range of THIS

 

And the boxes will always each be worth $xxx

 

Then that seems ok as it's more about selling a random mix of comics without having to list them all separately, etc. I'm thinking about this like a pack of Magic cards that are a random, but always with a similar composition of rarity / value in each pack. The contents are random, but there isn't a "lucky winner" other than if the randomness happens to give you a comic that you personally happen to like.

 

 

INVALID FORMAT

---------------------------

Some of the above mystery boxes get some big bonus books that are exciting "wins" and some of them do not.

 

No. That's a lucky winner thing and people would find themselves buying a mystery box hoping to be lucky.

 

 

VALID FORMAT

--------------------------

I am selling 4 semi-mystery boxes! Each will be worth $XXX. They will be composed as follows:

 

 

Box #1 -- Awesome Super Hero Tights #1 in 9.8, plus 8 mystery comics worth between X and Y to round out the value of the box.

 

Box #2 -- Alien Mystery Cowboys #17 in 6.0, plus 6 mystery comics worth between X and Y to round out the value of the box.

 

etc.

 

YOU MUST INDICATE WHICH BOX YOU ARE BUYING.

 

 

This allows the seller to sell some random comics without having to call them out. It makes it clear what the big value book is. It is NOT a random chance whether you get the book you were hoping for that got called out. It dictates that you WILL get FMV for what you pay.

 

It might even allow the seller to "theme" the mystery books in a curated way, e.g. "If you like Awesome Super Hero Tights, you will love the mystery books - specially selected recommendations for people who like Awesome Super Hero Tights."

 

 

_________________________________

 

Is it possible for a mystery box seller to pack the box with garbage that they lie is worth X? Yep. But it's also possible for a seller to lie about the grade of a raw book. There is a certain amount of trust and reputation tied up in any transaction.

 

My advice is:

 

1. Remember you buy at your own risk.

 

2. Never buy mystery anything from someone you don't ALREADY trust. Make sure that you appreciate their grading skills and pricing skills first, because a mystery box gives you LESS information to judge that for yourself than a normal sale.

 

3. Only risk the dollars on someone else's judgement that you are comfortable risking based on your own wallet and the trust you have in them as a seller.

 

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

Finally, I will note that, as others have mentioned, the potential for abuse is higher with a mystery box than it is for a normal sale - just by nature. That is not a condemnation of any specific seller, it's just true of the format. That means that if buyers who don't use enough caution, and sellers of a less meticulous nature start transacting, this could become a problem. IF it does, mystery boxes will be gone too.

 

 

 

[jsilverjanet]

Box #1 -- Awesome Super Hero Tights #1 in 9.8, plus 8 mystery comics worth between X and Y to round out the value of the box.

 

per PM

 

[jsilverjanet]

I'll be honest as much as I like comicalgems and his mystery boxes are good, the rest I've participated in have been :tongue:

 

none of them have been anywhere near the value that was described

 

I would be perfectly happy if they went away, that being said I'll probably never buy another one again

[HarveySwick]

 

I missed it! Nice pickup!

[comicalgems]

I'll be honest as much as I like comicalgems and his mystery boxes are good, the rest I've participated in have been :tongue:

 

none of them have been anywhere near the value that was described

 

I would be perfectly happy if they went away, that being said I'll probably never buy another one again

If I hadn't bought a Walking Dead 1 specifically for mystery box purposes I wouldn't even have a thread open right now.

[Jeffro.]

Damn, I can't afford a Alien Mystery Cowboys #17 in 6.0

[Ryan.]

If I don't know what I'm buying, it's a complete pass. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

You're not.

[telerites]

I never look at Mystery Boxes either. My preference is to get rid of them entirely. They take up real estate and get bumped too often.

 

A mystery box really doesn't give the seller a pass on going through and valuing the contents to make it legit here so why not sell as a group lot with one of several pictures. No need to list all the titles and specific grades.

 

 

[Iceman399]

[N/A]

$170 + $20 = $190

 

$190 - 10% eBay fees = $171

 

 

 

Which makes the potential buyer someone not worth dealing with.

[N/A]

I'll be honest as much as I like comicalgems and his mystery boxes are good, the rest I've participated in have been :tongue:

 

none of them have been anywhere near the value that was described

 

I would be perfectly happy if they went away, that being said I'll probably never buy another one again

If I hadn't bought a Walking Dead 1 specifically for mystery box purposes I wouldn't even have a thread open right now.

 

I tried to warn you.

[comicalgems]

I'll be honest as much as I like comicalgems and his mystery boxes are good, the rest I've participated in have been :tongue:

 

none of them have been anywhere near the value that was described

 

I would be perfectly happy if they went away, that being said I'll probably never buy another one again

If I hadn't bought a Walking Dead 1 specifically for mystery box purposes I wouldn't even have a thread open right now.

 

I tried to warn you.

 

I'm not complaining. I think in the current format it'll be gone easily.

[Dick Pontoon]

Ok, so sell them just as a box full of comics and describe em..So it wouldn't be a mystery box really, just a set, with some #1's added in with them..I get it..Just do a complete box set sale..

 

If I'm looking for something specific that's on my want list, then I'm going to sale right past mystery box listings. I get it that some people like gambling on the mystery, especially when the seller has done good MB sales in the past but If I don't know what I'm buying, it's a complete pass. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

 

You're not. To me it would be like throwing money out the window in the hopes it would all blow back in.

[HarveySwick]

[Awax]

[Park]

Damn, I can't afford a Alien Mystery Cowboys #17 in 6.0

 

It's overrated anyways. Arch is just trying to pimp it before it tanks.

[mikenyc]

Then why not just put the items on the floor in groups, describe them and set prices for each group? That way people can see what they are about to buy.

 

I understand the quick thing, but work is involved in selling, period.

 

I'm not addressing this at just you of course. I just think we have more and more mystery boxes because people want to sell things without putting the time required to give a good description and a fair representation of what they are potentially buying to people.

 

Unfortunately, If it's a mystery, it's a gamble.

 

+1

 

Mystery boxes are mind boggling to me. You literally know the only reason they are being sold in that format is because they could not get an equal price by revealing the contents, yet people still participate.

 

People are greedy because they think they're getting a deal by paying half value of a box of stuff they probably don't want. At least when the purchase of a box was a raffle ticket there was a shot at winning a high priced book which enticed a bunch of people to take a shot.

 

Now, as others have said, there is a nice pipeline for dumping drek and instead of flat out saying it's a raffle there are innuendos and circumventions of a three day old rule change.

 

"A fool and his money are soon parted"

 

 

 

[BarryAllen]

Then why not just put the items on the floor in groups, describe them and set prices for each group? That way people can see what they are about to buy.

 

I understand the quick thing, but work is involved in selling, period.

 

I'm not addressing this at just you of course. I just think we have more and more mystery boxes because people want to sell things without putting the time required to give a good description and a fair representation of what they are potentially buying to people.

 

Unfortunately, If it's a mystery, it's a gamble.

 

+1

 

Mystery boxes are mind boggling to me. You literally know the only reason they are being sold in that format is because they could not get an equal price by revealing the contents, yet people still participate.

 

People are greedy because they think they're getting a deal by paying half value of a box of stuff they probably don't want. At least when the purchase of a box was a raffle ticket there was a shot at winning a high priced book which enticed a bunch of people to take a shot.

 

Now, as others have said, there is a nice pipeline for dumping drek and instead of flat out saying it's a raffle there are innuendos and circumventions of a three day old rule change.

 

"A fool and his money are soon parted"

 

 

 

 

 

Or it is just fun...

 

However, I am a bit foolish as well....

 

[Collect0r]

Then why not just put the items on the floor in groups, describe them and set prices for each group? That way people can see what they are about to buy.

 

I understand the quick thing, but work is involved in selling, period.

 

I'm not addressing this at just you of course. I just think we have more and more mystery boxes because people want to sell things without putting the time required to give a good description and a fair representation of what they are potentially buying to people.

 

Unfortunately, If it's a mystery, it's a gamble.

 

And turning this place into a glorified ebay in the process.

 

This