Is there.....

[RockMyAmadeus]

...a place on these boards to highlight thieving and non-restoration-disclosing sellers, to alert others to the potential for fraud...?

 

Thanks

[Underdog]

Put your story right here. People will see it.

[Paratrooper]

uhhhh, there was a good one until a particular deuch-bag derailed it with his nonsensical delusional ramblings. I'll start another one later, when I've got some down time.

[Flaming_Telepath]

[RockMyAmadeus]

Ok, here's my first entry:

 

Brandm

 

Sold me an 80 Page Giant #5 graded VG+ 4.5 with "staining on the back cover."

 

I get the book, the back cover and both inside covers are absolutely filled with dark brown foxing. Just filled with it. The only thing that's escaped is the front cover, and that just narrowly (you can see a bit of it along the top edge.)

 

Then, a Batman #113 described as "VG+ 4.5" that looked pretty decent in the scan. I get it....and the entire spine, out to about 1.5 inches, is covered in light pink color touch. Top to bottom. Unmentioned.

 

Of course, now that I KNOW the restoration is there, it's pretty obvious, but that's usually the case. If you don't know, it just looks like moderate spine wear.

 

Then, because I had won THOSE two, I bought another lot to combine shipping (that I wouldn't have bought had I not won the first two, because the shipping cost was too high for just those additional three books.)

 

So, I send the two books back, the seller gives me a refund, including return shipping...but, of course, doesn't compensate me for my wasted time and effort because he lied about the conditions of his books in the first place (lies of omission, that is) and doesn't compensate me for the loss I took in the now NON-combined shipping on the other three which, again, I would never have bought.

 

So I write the seller and say "thanks for the refund, I'm very disappointed about this situation, and I really wish you had noticed these flaws (still giving him the benefit and pointed them out when you listed them. Thanks anyways."

 

The seller replies, poor spelling and all, with a terse "Your welcome."

 

Well, this set me off a bit, cause this person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point wasted my time and ticked me off, so I wrote back saying "no, that wasn't a "thanks for doing a great job" that was a veiled bit of exasperation without being rude."

 

Seller responded with:

 

"Your welcome."

 

So, jerk ticks me off, I fire off a "What, are you TRYING for negative feedback?" e-mail.

 

Seller deletes my e-mail, unread (we both have AOL) and then blocks my e-mails(and for those of you thinking "well, gosh, what did YOU do to deserve that?"...you've gotten the entire gist of the TWO e-mails I sent.)

 

So.

 

Negative feedbacks already left.

 

And it's sad, too, because it wasn't necessary. Seller had perfect feedback. All they had to do was say "I'm sorry, I'll do better next time" and they would have gotten positives from me. Instead, he decided to be a complete arsehole. And, of course, my feedback is trashed, and he lied in his feedback. Big shock there. Dunno how this person_who_is_obnoxiously_self-impressed escaped negative feedback this long. Wife must have left him for an inmate.

 

I just don't understand how good sellers go bad.

 

Anyhoo...a good seller to avoid.

[Monkeyman]

So, I send the two books back, the seller gives me a refund, including return shipping...

 

I guess I must be missing something.

 

As far eBay is concerned this sounds like a great outcome. I can't believe he paid your return shipping. No one has offered me that on a return. And as far as personality is concerned, don't go looking for it on eBay.

 

 

Mike

[Mac Man]

Yeah, I have to agree with Mike on this one. His offering a return on the shipping is pretty generous since most sellers I know don't bother with that. Personality is one thing, but as long as he did the right thing financially, it sounds like the worst he deserved was a neutral feedback. Can't say I completely agree with you on this one.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Yeah, you're missing something.

 

The guy didn't reveal major color touch restoration on a book. The guy didn't reveal major foxing on a book.

 

If he HAD, I wouldn't have bid, or my bid (and everyone else's) would have been significantly lower. I wouldn't have minded either of those books, but only if I had known their flaws before bidding, which would have resulted in a much lower sales price (therein lies the rub.)

 

That the guy did the absolute minimum he SHOULD have done to fix HIS "error" is no point of honor.

 

Call me crazy, but I'm one of those people who thinks sellers should disclose major flaws on their books, flaws not consistent with the grades they've given. Otherwise, even if they give a full refund with return shipping (which they are ethically obligated to do anyways), they've wasted the buyer's time, effort, and money. I don't expect personality; I expect common courtesy.

 

I know, weird, huh?

 

If no one has offered you that, Mike, is it because you've never asked....?

[RockMyAmadeus]

Wow. Tough crowd.

 

Here's the expedient thing: Don't offer return shipping, even if you've made a mistake (or, more likely, just lied about the conditions of the books), and if the buyer asks for it back, get hostile and defensive and hope they back down.

 

Here's the right thing: If a seller makes a mistake, or even a "mistake", then why should a buyer have to PAY....be out money....when the buyer did nothing wrong? Even Dupcak got THAT much right.

 

I'm really sorry you guys don't hold a seller to return shipping when you did nothing wrong but bid on their overgraded items, but you really should. If everyone did it, it wouldn't be considered "pretty generous" but, as it should be: "expected."

 

And....again...the issue isn't that the guy paid for return shipping....the guy sold books with major flaws undisclosed.

 

I'd you guys to understand that more than anyone.

[RockMyAmadeus]

That is, "I'd expect you guys to understand that more than anyone."

[THE_BEYONDER]

I can understand the NEG. It's really all about intent, and whether or not you believe the seller somehow "missed" those defects. He has technically 'made good', but showing zero remorse(no "sorry about that". or "I feel like an arse" responses)....it makes me believe it's serial.

[ArAich]

That is, "I'd expect you guys to understand that more than anyone."

 

 

We understand...a seller refunded your money...you got ticked off and negged him...

So what's your eBay handle???...

[Ze-man]

Rocky, I dont have the time to go dig around Ebay and find the auctions in question so a direct link would really help.

 

And to be quite honest with you it sounds like you bought some VG-ish type books on Ebay for probably well below guide, and were not happy with how many flaws you saw in hand compared to what was listed in the auction. It happens, especially in the grade of the books you bought. YES the CT you mentioned that was missed was a fumble by the dealer, deliberate or not. But until I see the auction I cannot chalk it up to him being a lazy dealer, uninformed, or of a nefarious nature.

 

But overall you should be pretty happy with a dealer who offers a full refund AND return shipping.(and yes I know that is a tool used by many on Ebay to avoid negs while moving tainted goods) As far as reimbursing you for time lost it is debatable, did you want monetary compensation, or just an apology? Because it sounds like he offered fair compensation yet you just wanted more based on his non reaction to you(i.e. took it personal)

 

Yes every transaction should go perfectly, it isn't really that hard to do so. But we all know that's not how Ebay works sometimes, so while you did not come out ahead you also do not have a horror story on your hands either.

 

btw, yeah we are a tuff crowd, but can still feel your pain. We have all been through it countless times ourselves.

 

 

 

 

Ze-

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

Nah, you don't understand, ArAich. You don't understand at all. (Which, honestly, shocks me on THIS board, of all boards.)

 

It's all about attitude, not a refund. It's all about telling your customer to off after you've wasted their time and effort.

 

As far as my user id, you can just check out the seller's user id, I already posted it, so it's not that hard to figure out.

 

You don't get it, and now you're gonna block me, and that's cool. I'd FARRRR rather be blocked than have to deal with overgraded books. I hope, Ar, that you don't ever have to deal with crappy sellers.

 

Thanks for gettin' it, Beyonder.

[ArAich]

Nah, you don't understand, ArAich. You don't understand at all.

 

 

Perhaps I understand more than you think...

 

 

I hope, Ar, that you don't ever have to deal with crappy sellers.

 

 

Been there...done that...

[ArAich]

Link #1...

[Heresy]

He refunded your money and shipping and that is "telling your customer to *spoon* off"? He did what he needed to do and was trying to be done with it; he blocked you to show you he was done with it.

[ArAich]

Good thing you were there to rid him of his stellar feedback...you got him good tiger...

 

Feedback Score: 470

Positive Feedback: 99.8%

 

Members who left a positive: 471

Members who left a negative: 1

 

All positive Feedback: 1000

[RockMyAmadeus]

ZE....

 

Like I said...all I wanted was an apology, or any sign of "man, sorry about that." ANY sign of remorse would have been fine. Instead, this guy turned into a person_who_is_obnoxiously_self-impressed.

 

If I had gotten that, instead of his snide "Your welcome" response, I would have left three positives, and we wouldn't be talking about it. I have never asked any seller to compensate me for my wasted time, but I HAVE mentioned it to each and every one of them.

 

His response very much WAS personal, there's no question about that.

 

I'm glad he refunded my money without incident, but....isn't that what he's SUPPOSED to do? So...I should be happy because someone else did what they were supposed to do.....?

 

As far as the color touch...that's an unforgiveable "miss", especially to that extent, we all know this. The foxing, again, isn't in line with a VG quality book. Nearly every square centimeter of the inside covers was covered in foxing, so that the book looked almost as if it was tanned. This TRULY isn't a case of "well, you called it VG+, and I only think it's a VG." I'm not that anal. Both books were damaged well beyond the VG grade range they were given.

 

His feedback to me, and responses to mine, should tell you he's either had a really bad month, or he's a serial who got caught.

 

As far as horror stories....oh, believe me, I have plenty of them (as do we all.)

 

And it'll never stop until everyone decides they've had enough.

 

Here's one of the auctions:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330121706131

[tth2]

I think what people are trying to tell you is that what happened to you sucked, and the seller definitely sounds like someone to avoid, but there have been much much worse horror stories than yours, so in the grand scheme of things you came out of it pretty well.