EBay return rate...

[october]

Out of my last 15 comic buys off eBay, I have returned 6 of them. All 6 comics or groups were off by a full two grades at least. I am finally starting to realize that buying raw off the internet from anonymous sellers just isn't worth the hassle. Sure, on the other 9 transactions I paid an average of 30% of guide, but the hassle of returning the drek is really getting to me. Just today I got a King Size Hulk 1 in advertised as 8.5/9.0. It has that great Steranko cover and I was really looking forward to owning one. I would put the actual grade at 6.0/6.5. Two days ago I bought a raw Iron Fist 14 advertised as 8.0. If that transaction doesn't turn out well, I am done buying on eBay if the deal is anything less than a sure thing. How many of your have quit gambling on raw stuff like this? It was fun when I came out ahead 90% of the time, but times have changed...

[The Less Blob]

you get what you pay for a lot of the time

 

i haven't had much of a problem lately, within a grade either way. but i haven't been buying a ton of stuff either.

 

are you hoping to get lucky with low feedback sellers with small scans or are these high feedback sellers with big scans that just don't show the problems?

[FFB]

Out of my last 15 comic buys off eBay, I have returned 6 of them. All 6 comics or groups were off by a full two grades at least. I am finally starting to realize that buying raw off the internet from anonymous sellers just isn't worth the hassle. Sure, on the other 9 transactions I paid an average of 30% of guide, but the hassle of returning the drek is really getting to me. Just today I got a King Size Hulk 1 in advertised as 8.5/9.0. It has that great Steranko cover and I was really looking forward to owning one. I would put the actual grade at 6.0/6.5. Two days ago I bought a raw Iron Fist 14 advertised as 8.0. If that transaction doesn't turn out well, I am done buying on eBay if the deal is anything less than a sure thing. How many of your have quit gambling on raw stuff like this? It was fun when I came out ahead 90% of the time, but times have changed...

 

I used to be frustrated by buying raw on ebay, but now I just press and trim all of my 4.0s and 6.0s up to 9.0s and I'm happy.

[october]

you get what you pay for a lot of the time

 

i haven't had much of a problem lately, within a grade either way. but i haven't been buying a ton of stuff either.

 

are you hoping to get lucky with low feedback sellers with small scans or are these high feedback sellers with big scans that just don't show the problems?

 

Almost always the latter. Here is the Hulk King 1 seller. The guy has over 2,000 positive feedbacks at 99.8%. You would think he could tell a 6.0 from a 9.0.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

[october]

 

I used to be frustrated by buying raw on ebay, but now I just press and trim all of my 4.0s and 6.0s up to 9.0s and I'm happy.

 

Not a bad idea. Now all my books can be NM...

[ft88]

I agree that it is a crapshoot but part of your argument is sort of self defeating. You are looking to pay 30% of guide (can I assume guide of the grade assigned and not 30% of NM?) at the 8.0 to 9.0 level and you expect a 90% success rate.

 

As you have stated you buy from anaonymous sellers - probably because that is the only place where 30% of guide can be done. This explains why brand - even on ebay - matters. And why Showcase New England, Metropolis, CGC board memebers, and others tend to get 70-80% guide or more.

 

Ebay is a pretty good efficient market in and of itself. Getting a 60% (~9/16)success rate at 30% guide is similar to a 90% success rate at 80% guide.

 

Here are my tips for ebay success.

 

Go with low ebay reply's and or new ebay comic sellers.

Look for weak title descriptions.

On your successes, ask the seller if he is selling other items

Look for digital camera shots and not scanner shots.

Stay away from the obvious [embarrassing lack of self control]: "I don't know how to grade but..." or "I would send it to CGC but I just don't have the patience..." or "I need the money to pay for surgery..." etc

Buy lots and not single issues, then resell the stuff you don't want.

Don't expect VFNM, expect VF at best and only pay 50% of VF even then.

Look for good Buy It Nows (which everyone else is doing too)

Don't spend too much money on raw comics from anonymous buyers

 

Ed

[october]

When I say "anonymous", I don't mean some random guy with 6 comic auctions up. I just mean someone I haven't bought from before. That could be someone with thousands of comic sales in the past.

[jordanscott]

i've only just started to buy comics on ebay, but when i do, i always lower the grade listed by 2 full points....

 

if he says 9, i consider what i'd pay for 7....if he says 8....i consider 6...usually, i've found that the sellers either have no idea what they're grading or just throw NM into a description/title for the search hit

 

generally works out for me well since i'm not too worried about getting 9.x or better for the runs i'm trying to complete...

[Point Five]

That sucks, Andy. Like you, I buy almost exclusively raw books via ebay, and I've had rough patches with multiple returns too from time to time.

 

I'm curious, what brings this book down to a 6.0? Back cover problem? It does looks sharp in the photo, and I likely would have bid too...

[nik]

you get what you pay for a lot of the time

 

i haven't had much of a problem lately, within a grade either way. but i haven't been buying a ton of stuff either.

 

are you hoping to get lucky with low feedback sellers with small scans or are these high feedback sellers with big scans that just don't show the problems?

 

Almost always the latter. Here is the Hulk King 1 seller. The guy has over 2,000 positive feedbacks at 99.8%. You would think he could tell a 6.0 from a 9.0.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

I believe this seller is a forum member ,

 

bought from him once, low dollar books, and once was enough.

[october]

That sucks, Andy. Like you, I buy almost exclusively raw books via ebay, and I've had rough patches with multiple returns too from time to time.

 

I'm curious, what brings this book down to a 6.0? Back cover problem? It does looks sharp in the photo, and I likely would have bid too...

 

Yeah, from the photo it looks like a solid 8.5 or better. Unfortunately, there is right edge stress, a right upper corner crease, a right edge tear, and a back cover spine split. How convenient that all the major flaws were hidden in the picture.

[october]

you get what you pay for a lot of the time

 

i haven't had much of a problem lately, within a grade either way. but i haven't been buying a ton of stuff either.

 

are you hoping to get lucky with low feedback sellers with small scans or are these high feedback sellers with big scans that just don't show the problems?

 

Almost always the latter. Here is the Hulk King 1 seller. The guy has over 2,000 positive feedbacks at 99.8%. You would think he could tell a 6.0 from a 9.0.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

I believe this seller is a forum member ,

 

bought from him once, low dollar books, and once was enough.

 

If he is, he needs to PM me because I want a refund.

[nik]

http://boards.collectors-society.com/sho...hat=showmembers

[october]

http://boards.collectors-society.com/sho...hat=showmembers

 

I don't think that's the same guy. This seller isn't from Canada and the eBay link from the forum member's about me page is to a different eBay name.

[jimm94]

Different guy. The seller of the Hulk is aardvarkps, not aardvark88

[The Less Blob]

Have you asked for a refund? If you don't want it for $32, shipping it back to him for $2 and getting your money back would seem worthwhile.

 

the tears and splits would seem to preclude 8.5 land and maybe he missed them? (although the comic is outside of the bag in the picture, so one would think he shouldn't have). i'd have to see the creases to decide whether the book couldn't be at least an 8.0.

 

the photo makes it look nice, although fuzzy enough to knock it down by a grade in my head were I bidding on it.

 

i've bought from him and don't remember having a problem. then again, i mostly buy mid-grade stuff.

[nik]

Why you feeling bad, ask Rocketeer how bad he feels about a certain well known seller from the marketplace

[DKB]

I've been thankfully unfortunate enough that the various things I've picked up in the Marketplace have drained my meager comics budget this summer. With a house and a wedding on the way, I doubt there will be any serious eBay buying anytime soon. But, there will be some serious eBay selling, woo!

[october]

Why you feeling bad, ask Rocketeer how bad he feels about a certain well known seller from the marketplace

 

True. I changed my post, cause I realized it porbably isn't the same guy anyway.

[october]

Have you asked for a refund? If you don't want it for $32, shipping it back to him for $2 and getting your money back would seem worthwhile.

 

the tears and splits would seem to preclude 8.5 land and maybe he missed them? (although the comic is outside of the bag in the picture, so one would think he shouldn't have). i'd have to see the creases to decide whether the book couldn't be at least an 8.0.

 

the photo makes it look nice, although fuzzy enough to knock it down by a grade in my head were I bidding on it.

 

i've bought from him and don't remember having a problem. then again, i mostly buy mid-grade stuff.

 

I asked for a refund. I will post some scans soon. Maybe people will disagree with my grading, but it sure isn't 8.5/9.0 material.