Make an Offer, Why?

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I have always been leery towards making offers in the BST because I always figured not much good could come out of it and once again I have proven right.

Scott Levy has some Piedmont Art Stamps in the BST. I was really questioning whether to deal with him after the Brown Old Mill Shenanigans from last year, but I thought I would give him another chance, but that was proven to be a mistake.

Anatomy of a trying to make a deal:

I emailed him inquiring about scans and pricing of cards (non given on BST).

Response: "The listing has been updated. I am too unfamiliar with the issue to price them but I will consider all offers that are presented on a card by card basis."

I gave him prices for one HOFer (same as I recently paid for a similar HOFer on ebay) and all the commons.

Response: "Would you be kind enough to tell me whether there are any scarcities in the set - or is each hard relatively as tough as the others?"

Let me see I give you information about a set know little to nothing about and you want me to give you information on it. I always have loved that from sellers

Scott: "Im guessing the price is in the ballpark on the HOFer. Let me think about it a bit. "

No big deal understandable. No mention of the price I gave for the commons.

The email I get is this: "I got an offer that I could not refuse for the merkle chase Matty and Walsh (couldnt pass up ) The wheat is also on hold. All other cards are available and but likely to be very demanding on all others."

Once again no big deal understandable.

In this process I offered a T206 Carolina bright in possible trade never a mention through the whole process.

At this point I ask for a price on the remaining stamps.

Next email: "Just placed a new listing w/ prices."

Very disappointed, no answer to my inquiry about pricing and just throw the prices up on the BST. Many of these prices are 2 to 3 times what I offered and some totally outrageous with a glorified grades and descriptions added to these cards (these are the most strictly graded item I have ever encountered).

I gave him an offer on the 5 lower grades at this point because the rest were way out of line ($1200 for a raw common ). I find out that 2 were sold right away, so gave him an offer again at the level I have been buying them on ebay and his comment "I'm willing to be flexible on poor commons". Rejected which at this point I really didn't care.

Scott, just has proved once again that they are all about the money and lack serious communication skills. There are so many good sellers out there to buy from and he is not one in my book.

I got this response while typing: "Not really sure why you need to get personal and nasty just because I didn't accept your offer? (In reference to Brown Old Mill situation from last year)

I sell cards as a hobby not a business. I probably had close to ten other people inquire about these cards in some fashion or other - it just easier to throw pricing up there one and for all."

So you would not offer the pricing up to the previous inquirers and just let it be a free for all. Under my book very poor practice.

I will never again make an offer on a card, it just seems to give the seller grounds to were to go. I think many such as this situation you get the "shoot, if he is offering me this it must be going for more". Then you get left high and dry.


Lee