The worst buying comics experiences...

[wrcomics]

I was hit bad by the raw books on E-bay. The grading was simply attrocious. It's one of the main reason I buy only slabbed books anymore. It takes mountain-moving for me to buy a raw book older than 1980 anymore.

 

Pat

 

And this is one of the reasons why life selling on ebay has been hard for me lately. I "do the homework". I grade the books to the best of my ability using the Overstreet guidelines. I use large scans front and back for my auctions (about 12" across). I offer returns on ALL books, not just raw or CGC. I have a great feedback rating, with 0 negs or neutrals in the past year (and as far as I can recall never received a negative for a comic transaction). Unfortunately, even with all this taken into account, ebay has marketed themselves into being an "online flea market" or "bargain bin" with tons of scams as well as items that are grossly misrepresented. Sometimes I feel like I am a victim as much as buyers who are ripped off, because even though I try to do things the right way, the reputation of ebay in general I think is putting a damper on my ability to sell.

 

Ray Hunt

[Kermit the frog]

I was hit bad by the raw books on E-bay. The grading was simply attrocious. It's one of the main reason I buy only slabbed books anymore. It takes mountain-moving for me to buy a raw book older than 1980 anymore.

 

Pat

 

And this is one of the reasons why life selling on ebay has been hard for me lately. I "do the homework". I grade the books to the best of my ability using the Overstreet guidelines. I use large scans front and back for my auctions (about 12" across). I offer returns on ALL books, not just raw or CGC. I have a great feedback rating, with 0 negs or neutrals in the past year (and as far as I can recall never received a negative for a comic transaction). Unfortunately, even with all this taken into account, ebay has marketed themselves into being an "online flea market" or "bargain bin" with tons of scams as well as items that are grossly misrepresented. Sometimes I feel like I am a victim as much as buyers who are ripped off, because even though I try to do things the right way, the reputation of ebay in general I think is putting a damper on my ability to sell.

 

Ray Hunt

 

looks like i've been spared on my ebay experiences...but outside it i've been royally up; BIG TIME!!!

 

i still think ebay still offers a lot of info/signs for a possible safe/good deal...sometimes outside it can be much more dangerous, believe me!!!

 

imho there's nothing more frustrating and depressing for someone that likes comics to have some major bad buying experience...gives biterness to something we tend to love and that's revolting and sad. The opposite of what comics should be...

 

regards

[toro]

Most any raw ebay buys, and pretty much any raw Mile High buys too!

 

The worst was off ebay. Tales of Suspense #48, looked nice, got it for a song which the guy was pizzed about, so it took him forever to send it in an envelope with two extra backing boards. Didn't even write "DO NOT BEND" on it. It was so warped, then he said he would only take a return if it was in the same conditioh that he sent it in!!! Then he gets pizzed again because i wouldn't leave POSITIVE feedback. Awhile later I sent it out for grading and it comes back color touched!

AUUUUGGHHH!!!

[joe_collector]

Awhile later I sent it out for grading and it comes back color touched!

 

Excellent punch line.

[paperheart]

robert beerbohm (detailed elsewhere) and comic heaven's auction. two experiences i will never repeat.

[toro]

robert beerbohm (detailed elsewhere) and comic heaven's auction. two experiences i will never repeat.

Totally forgot about BeerBOMB! I won't repeat that one again either, but that was not an online experience, that was through CBG!!

[skybolt]

I've mentioned this before, but my worst Ebay experience occurred a couple of years ago when this guy took me for $720 and never sent my books. I finally got a hold of him on his cell phone, and he was on a Hawaiian vacation with his girlfriend!

 

I recently decided to take a year off from collecting to save some money.

[Kermit the frog]

I've mentioned this before, but my worst Ebay experience occurred a couple of years ago when this guy took me for $720 and never sent my books. I finally got a hold of him on his cell phone, and he was on a Hawaiian vacation with his girlfriend!

 

I recently decided to take a year off from collecting to save some money.

 

different situations from my side, but the final effect might as well be the same...

 

regards

[Wally's Comics]

True Story:

 

I was in a store in a fly spec of a town on the east coast in NC where I was looking for some Spidey books...

 

I had my at the time girlfriend with me...

 

I asked the store owner if whether or not he ever had an AF-15...

 

 

Believe it or not this guy straight up said "he would trade a AF 15 for the hot date I was with"...

 

I slapped the guy, grabbed him by the shirt and demanded he appologize to her.

 

He emidiately did and that saved him from a much worse turn of events that would've happened if

he didn't.

 

As I left, I told the girl she was worth at least a hundred AF15's; the nerve of that jerk...

 

 

needless to say - I got lucky that night and that helped me over my fury...

 

 

 

[Kermit the frog]

True Story:

 

I was in a store in a fly spec of a town on the east coast in NC where I was looking for some Spidey books...

 

I had my at the time girlfriend with me...

 

I asked the store owner if whether or not he ever had an AF-15...

 

 

Believe it or not this guy straight up said "he would trade a AF 15 for the hot date I was with"...

 

I slapped the guy, grabbed him by the shirt and demanded he appologize to her.

 

He emidiately did and that saved him from a much worse turn of events that would've happened if

he didn't.

 

As I left, I told the girl she was worth at least a hundred AF15's; the nerve of that jerk...

 

 

needless to say - I got lucky that night and that helped me over my fury...

 

 

 

that one was great, well done...

 

regards

[Artboy99]

True Story:

 

I was in a store in a fly spec of a town on the east coast in NC where I was looking for some Spidey books...

 

I had my at the time girlfriend with me...

 

I asked the store owner if whether or not he ever had an AF-15...

 

 

Believe it or not this guy straight up said "he would trade a AF 15 for the hot date I was with"...

 

I slapped the guy, grabbed him by the shirt and demanded he appologize to her.

 

He emidiately did and that saved him from a much worse turn of events that would've happened if

he didn't.

 

As I left, I told the girl she was worth at least a hundred AF15's; the nerve of that jerk...

 

 

needless to say - I got lucky that night and that helped me over my fury...

 

 

 

Absolutely ridiculous.

By the way, you are lucky you didn't get charged with assault.

 

Artboy99

[Stout1a]

I think I may have the winner in this topic. I will mention two names. Leder, Hammer. Leder had a GSXM up on Ebay, I bid on it until I was the high bidder. Hammer saw this bidding and accused me of being a schill. I pretty much told him where too go and the best way too do it. So Hammer get's in touch with Leder and let's him have it. Hammer send's his usual [embarrassing lack of self control]. I will punish you on the price of this book, let's "meet" too discuss it,etc. It got worse as time went by. Hammer keeps sending Leder [embarrassing lack of self control]. Leder bams him from the auction, reports the threats too Ebay. Then Leder sells me the book. I still have the e-mails. He takes the auction off of Ebay. Then Im thinking I got the book. Then I see it re-listed on Ebay. Leder says he didnt re-list, but the book is back up on Ebay. I tell him you sold the book too me, I have the proof. I didnt get the book, Leder didnt sell the book. Leder is by far the worst seller on Ebay. Add Hammer and his antics.......

That is pretty tough too beat.... Here is part of a e-mail I still have..

A few here will remember this. It was for a GSXM 1 9.8

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "christina leder" <christinascollectables@hotmail.com>

To: removed address

Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 12:52 AM

Subject: RE: GSXM 1

 

 

> I'll do it for my BIN price of $6800 . I talked to PGX about holding the

> book & shipping it for me to put the buyer at ease. I'll pay for UPS

> shipping & ins.

>

>>From: removed address

>>To: "christina leder" <christinascollectables@hotmail.com>

>>Subject: GSXM 1

>>Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 00:37:52 -0600

[Sal]

True Story:

 

I was in a store in a fly spec of a town on the east coast in NC where I was looking for some Spidey books...

 

I had my at the time girlfriend with me...

 

I asked the store owner if whether or not he ever had an AF-15...

 

 

Believe it or not this guy straight up said "he would trade a AF 15 for the hot date I was with"...

 

I slapped the guy, grabbed him by the shirt and demanded he appologize to her.

 

He emidiately did and that saved him from a much worse turn of events that would've happened if

he didn't.

 

As I left, I told the girl she was worth at least a hundred AF15's; the nerve of that jerk...

 

 

needless to say - I got lucky that night and that helped me over my fury...

 

 

 

sounds like something you might hear in Manteo. or Wanchese

[joe_collector]

By the way, you are lucky you didn't get charged with assault.

 

Yeah, and then he'd wind up in fake prison, taking illusionary conjugal visits from his gal, until sends sends him a fictitious "Dear John" letter.

 

I especially liked the "I slapped him part"...

[B-Smooth]

I was looking for a copy of Power Pack in 1986 and some guy had the last copy and put it back on the shelf after taking it in the bathroom.

[joe_collector]

TRUE STORY:

 

Back when I was in University, I stopped into the LCS to check out a new collection that had come in. The comics were in the back of the shop, set up on some tables - maybe 10-12 longboxes.

 

There were some very nice books and the prices were good, so I hastily started to pull issues and working my way through the collection. I pulled so much, I went to the cash to buy a shortbox to store them in.

 

Once I was done, I headed to the cash, box in hand but I forgot that I left my wallet in the glove compartment. So I left the box on the counter and zipped off to my car, which was parked a few blocks away. When I got back to the shop, my box and the owner were both gone, so I asked the little geek behind the counter what happened.

 

He told me that a guy (who I had almost ran into on the way back in) had picked up the box and left - the clerk had just come in and assumed they were all paid for. After threatening to murder the little dweeb, I tore off after the guy, but I lost him. I looked up and down the streets, but nada. Then I saw the guy walk out of a building, get into a rusty POS Pacer, and zip down the street.

 

I got in my car and follwed him. He drove around downtown for a bit, then found a parking spot and stopped. It took me a bit to find one myself, and by the time I got back there, he was well down the street. I quickly tore after him, but he ducked into a busy restaurant, and not wanting to make a scene, I went back to his car to wait.

 

I was royally pissed, so as I passed his -brown Pacer, I gave it a sharp kick. Rust flew, his right mirror fell off, and there was a real ugly dent in the driver's side door. I took another shot at the back end, and BAM, in a puff of rust and dirt, the hatchback popped open like a jack-in-the-box.

 

I peered in, hoping to see my comics, but there was just a longbox in the back. The other doors were still locked and I didn't think I had the right angle to get up there to see if I could find the comics I was gonna buy. Not to mention that a few people gave me strange looks, to which I replied "%^%$# POS car... more like a Pacer-Maker", which got them grinning and thinking it was mine.

 

After taking a quick look around for the guy, I removed the longbox and dragged it back to my car, then high-tailed it out of there. I was sure that would hurt the scammer worse than a punch in the head, and I'd get something out of the deal.

 

I never saw him after that, and I never saw my original books again either.

[Smokinghawk]

I bought an advertised NM copy of the Ultimate Spider Man convention sketch limited edition.

 

The seller charged $10 for shipping, then sent it with 2 letter stamps in a plain paper envelope--not even a backing board. When I confronted her, she turned nasty and claimed she had sold a bunch of others with no complaints. I pointed out that her eBay record showed she had sold only one other copy, and that buyer also confirmed to me that his copy was wrecked too.

 

Never got a refund. Got a retaliation neg, which I accepted rather than taking her offer to mutually withdraw feedback.

[sckao]

TRUE STORY:

 

Back when I was in University, I stopped into the LCS to check out a new collection that had come in. The comics were in the back of the shop, set up on some tables - maybe 10-12 longboxes.

 

There were some very nice books and the prices were good, so I hastily started to pull issues and working my way through the collection. I pulled so much, I went to the cash to buy a shortbox to store them in.

 

Once I was done, I headed to the cash, box in hand but I forgot that I left my wallet in the glove compartment. So I left the box on the counter and zipped off to my car, which was parked a few blocks away. When I got back to the shop, my box and the owner were both gone, so I asked the little geek behind the counter what happened.

 

He told me that a guy (who I had almost ran into on the way back in) had picked up the box and left - the clerk had just come in and assumed they were all paid for. After threatening to murder the little dweeb, I tore off after the guy, but I lost him. I looked up and down the streets, but nada. Then I saw the guy walk out of a building, get into a rusty POS Pacer, and zip down the street.

 

I got in my car and follwed him. He drove around downtown for a bit, then found a parking spot and stopped. It took me a bit to find one myself, and by the time I got back there, he was well down the street. I quickly tore after him, but he ducked into a busy restaurant, and not wanting to make a scene, I went back to his car to wait.

 

I was royally pissed, so as I passed his -brown Pacer, I gave it a sharp kick. Rust flew, his right mirror fell off, and there was a real ugly dent in the driver's side door. I took another shot at the back end, and BAM, in a puff of rust and dirt, the hatchback popped open like a jack-in-the-box.

 

I peered in, hoping to see my comics, but there was just a longbox in the back. The other doors were still locked and I didn't think I had the right angle to get up there to see if I could find the comics I was gonna buy. Not to mention that a few people gave me strange looks, to which I replied "%^%$# POS car... more like a Pacer-Maker", which got them grinning and thinking it was mine.

 

After taking a quick look around for the guy, I removed the longbox and dragged it back to my car, then high-tailed it out of there. I was sure that would hurt the scammer worse than a punch in the head, and I'd get something out of the deal.

 

I never saw him after that, and I never saw my original books again either.

 

UH.. So you stole a longbox full of comics from that guy? For comics you hadn't paid for yet at the LCS (Since you didn't have your wallet)?

 

So who lost out on this deal?

 

(I.E. What did the LCS get out of it? And what was in the longbox?)

[joe_collector]

TRUE STORY:

 

Back when I was in University, I stopped into the LCS to check out a new collection that had come in. The comics were in the back of the shop, set up on some tables - maybe 10-12 longboxes.

 

There were some very nice books and the prices were good, so I hastily started to pull issues and working my way through the collection. I pulled so much, I went to the cash to buy a shortbox to store them in.

 

Once I was done, I headed to the cash, box in hand but I forgot that I left my wallet in the glove compartment. So I left the box on the counter and zipped off to my car, which was parked a few blocks away. When I got back to the shop, my box and the owner were both gone, so I asked the little geek behind the counter what happened.

 

He told me that a guy (who I had almost ran into on the way back in) had picked up the box and left - the clerk had just come in and assumed they were all paid for. After threatening to murder the little dweeb, I tore off after the guy, but I lost him. I looked up and down the streets, but nada. Then I saw the guy walk out of a building, get into a rusty POS Pacer, and zip down the street.

 

I got in my car and follwed him. He drove around downtown for a bit, then found a parking spot and stopped. It took me a bit to find one myself, and by the time I got back there, he was well down the street. I quickly tore after him, but he ducked into a busy restaurant, and not wanting to make a scene, I went back to his car to wait.

 

I was royally pissed, so as I passed his -brown Pacer, I gave it a sharp kick. Rust flew, his right mirror fell off, and there was a real ugly dent in the driver's side door. I took another shot at the back end, and BAM, in a puff of rust and dirt, the hatchback popped open like a jack-in-the-box.

 

I peered in, hoping to see my comics, but there was just a longbox in the back. The other doors were still locked and I didn't think I had the right angle to get up there to see if I could find the comics I was gonna buy. Not to mention that a few people gave me strange looks, to which I replied "%^%$# POS car... more like a Pacer-Maker", which got them grinning and thinking it was mine.

 

After taking a quick look around for the guy, I removed the longbox and dragged it back to my car, then high-tailed it out of there. I was sure that would hurt the scammer worse than a punch in the head, and I'd get something out of the deal.

 

I never saw him after that, and I never saw my original books again either.

 

And what was in the longbox?

 

Bullsh!t..... just like the rest of the story.

[sckao]

TRUE STORY:

 

Back when I was in University, I stopped into the LCS to check out a new collection that had come in. The comics were in the back of the shop, set up on some tables - maybe 10-12 longboxes.

 

There were some very nice books and the prices were good, so I hastily started to pull issues and working my way through the collection. I pulled so much, I went to the cash to buy a shortbox to store them in.

 

Once I was done, I headed to the cash, box in hand but I forgot that I left my wallet in the glove compartment. So I left the box on the counter and zipped off to my car, which was parked a few blocks away. When I got back to the shop, my box and the owner were both gone, so I asked the little geek behind the counter what happened.

 

He told me that a guy (who I had almost ran into on the way back in) had picked up the box and left - the clerk had just come in and assumed they were all paid for. After threatening to murder the little dweeb, I tore off after the guy, but I lost him. I looked up and down the streets, but nada. Then I saw the guy walk out of a building, get into a rusty POS Pacer, and zip down the street.

 

I got in my car and follwed him. He drove around downtown for a bit, then found a parking spot and stopped. It took me a bit to find one myself, and by the time I got back there, he was well down the street. I quickly tore after him, but he ducked into a busy restaurant, and not wanting to make a scene, I went back to his car to wait.

 

I was royally pissed, so as I passed his -brown Pacer, I gave it a sharp kick. Rust flew, his right mirror fell off, and there was a real ugly dent in the driver's side door. I took another shot at the back end, and BAM, in a puff of rust and dirt, the hatchback popped open like a jack-in-the-box.

 

I peered in, hoping to see my comics, but there was just a longbox in the back. The other doors were still locked and I didn't think I had the right angle to get up there to see if I could find the comics I was gonna buy. Not to mention that a few people gave me strange looks, to which I replied "%^%$# POS car... more like a Pacer-Maker", which got them grinning and thinking it was mine.

 

After taking a quick look around for the guy, I removed the longbox and dragged it back to my car, then high-tailed it out of there. I was sure that would hurt the scammer worse than a punch in the head, and I'd get something out of the deal.

 

I never saw him after that, and I never saw my original books again either.

 

And what was in the longbox?

 

Bullsh!t..... just like the rest of the story.

 

Two thumbs up.. a truly riveting screenplay, Unfortunately, I could drive a truck through the plotholes! Maybe not on the Sherlock Holmes level.. but definitely Encyclopedia Brown!