eBay - TNT Collectibles (tntcollectibles58)

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Posted By: Trae R.

First, I will simply say yes, I am frustrated for receiving a negative feedback for this. Especially since I only left an honest to goodness neutral stating exactly what had happened: "Item not quite as described, was refunded portion of price. Overpriced shipping."

I purchased a Honus Wagner lithograph two weeks ago:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190053738771

I received an item that was not as described in the auction. It was blatantly different. The auction states: "This lithograph is in superb condition with NO defects, it is shrink wrapped to preserve it quality until you are ready to Frame it."

Yeah, well this "superb quality, no defect, shrink-wrapped" lithograph came in a poster tube that had to be mended with tape to stay together and inside was a poster that wasn't shrink-wrapped, had dinged up corners and two large crease through it. So I emailed the seller who says: "Sorry about that, I understand your dismay. You can return it for a refund of $20 or you may keep it and I will send you a refund $10 or 50% of your purchase price. John, TNT Collectibles"

I accepted the $10, then realized how bad I got burned on shipping... $15.10 over the cost of the sticker price. I emailed John again and was ignored so I left the neutral, then I get a negative stating: "Questions Quality of item, Accepts 50% Refund Sight unseen, then wants more?" - What a class act! I am polite enough to leave a neutral and this is what I get in return.

Not to mention the seller has a history of this apparently:
http://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=tntcollectibles58&sourceid=Mozilla-search&Dirn=Received%20by&Many=ON

Notice the repeated argument of "Shipping stated up front" - well I understand if you're shipping in a new tube, priority mail, delivery confirmation, etc. then it adds up - but overcharging for profit is piss poor.

I'll do my research next time. Sad.

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Posted By: JK

Looks like you got the old bait and switch - the pictured litho appears to have only a two digit number in the lower left corner, meaning it was not the same number as the one the seller states you would be getting. Pretty scummy - but at least youre only out $25.

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Posted By: Dave

That site for checking ebay negatives...I've gotten where I pretty much always check before I even bid on something nowadays.

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Posted By: nbrazil

I really do think we should be more diligent about leaving negatives. I know we want to keep our positive feedback percentages high....but, in cases where we need to let others know about a bad seller, the best way is either word of mouth (via boards like this) or through ebay feedback. It's one thing if the guy got a profit off of S&H...i can see not giving a negative on that or other similar smaller issues...but not providing the buyer what was actually up for auction deserves a neg. i dont care if he offers a refund....he flat out sent you a different item than what was described.

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Posted By: Scot Reader

This type of retaliation is what makes eBay feedback of limited value. Whenever one is unhappy with a transaction, one has to weigh the benefit of informing others in the eBay community by leaving NFB against the risk of receiving a ruinous retaliatory NFB. It's really too bad.

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Posted By: hrbaker

I am going through a situation right now that will most likely result in me receiving my first negative feedback in nearly seven years on ebay. A seller listed a 1926-29 Frank Frisch Anonymous Exhibit card with a BIN or Best Offer. The listing had a scan of the front (you see where this is going) and the verbiage indicated that it was a "Beautiful" card. I sent an offer which he accepted, I mailed a money order and received the card and man was it beautiful, on the front. The back had moderate damage from being glued in an album at some point. I e-mailed the seller and asked why he neglected to note the back damage on this "Beautiful" card and he said that a back scan would have cost extra money so he did not do it. I asked him how much extra it would have cost to mention it in the write up on the item description - "crickets." He finally e-mailed me back and asked me to propose a solution which I did; 1.) Take the card back, send me a refund and I would eat the postage both ways, or 2.) Refund me one-third of the purchase price at which point I would be happy and go way. My suggestion was made over a week ago and he has not responded to two additional follow up e-mails. I will leave negative feedback and most likely will receive one in return. His POV is that it is my fault for not explicitly asking if there was back damage. I would like to know, am I being unreasonable here? Should I drop it? Should I leave negative feedback?

1926-29 EXHIBIT FRANKIE FRISCH ***BEAUTIFUL CARD**** Item #(200045765345)

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Posted By: davidcycleback

The problem for Trae is a neutral is not a negative, and sometimes indicates the transaction was overall acceptable, or at least was flawed but the seller did some good. Ala, "the item was fine but shipping took longer than seller told me."

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Posted By: Scot Reader

David, A neutral is perceived pretty much as a negative, in my opinion.

HR, it would be a public service for you to leave a negative feedback, although I'm not sure it is in your best interest since it might provoke a retaliatory negative feedback from the seller.

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Posted By: Steve M.

I just don't leave feedback if I am dissatisfied with an item. Why risk retaliatory feedback. I have over 1100 positive, no negs, and I would just as soon keep it that way.

For example a seller advertised an item as an original photograph. Looked good in the scan. When I got it it was affixed to a scrapbook page (pause )and upon removal I saw that there was text printed on the back evidencing that it was just a cutout from a magazine. Now this item cost about $30 so am I willing to jeopardize my feedback record over a $30 item. I don't thnk so! So, I just never gave feedback, ergo, no retaliation.

This is a good place to let your fellow collectors know if there is a bad apple out there.

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Posted By: nbrazil

"David, A neutral is perceived pretty much as a negative, in my opinion."

I partially disagree. Correct me if i am wrong, but a negative feedback impacts your positive feedback rating but a neutral does not.

Additionally, i think most individuals when it comes to buying from big sellers like tnt tend to not focus on neutrals. With so much feedback, one or two neutral, in the mind of most buyers, is probably due to shipping fees or a delayed package. Look at dslsports. Or sandiegowill. Big sellers, a lot of neutrals. A lot of those neutrals for these sellers, at least how it is perceived, is due to slow shipping.

For sellers with a smaller number of transactions...i can see a neutral having an impact.

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Posted By: Dave

I've had one item of recent that a T206 was described in excellent+ condition. Even from pics it looked great. And it probably was in excellent condition. However, due to the idiot just putting the card in a rigid plastic card saver, the card came with two small creases after being put in the card saver loose. By the time I had opened it, the card was hanging half out of the card saver...with the two small creases. I have yet to leave him negative feedback. I'm waiting and hoping the idiot first leaves me feedback, and then I'll leave a negative. Actually put in his auction listings how he takes pride in his shipping. HA.

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Posted By: John E

I was in the same situation as Steve, perfect feedback with a rating over 700. Although my tranactions on Ebay over the past 7+ years been almost entirely positive, I had a few where I would have loved to leave a negative but didn't to protect my perfect score. That was when I decided to set up a seperate account for buying. Using this account I have no qualms about leaving negative feedback when it's deserved. Fortunately I've only had to leave one in the past year and I got one in return, but who cares? As long I don't accumulate enough of them to get kicked off Ebay.

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Posted By: leon

This won't be a popular response but it's the best one for you. Drop it and let it go. If you ding him and he dings you, you won't forget it. You will have to look at that crappy negative forever too. On bad transactions I just let them go. The one other thing is you could wait till the 23rd hour of the last day and ding him then...though I wouldn't want to think about the negativity for that long, personally. I bought about 8 individual auction items from one of those ISoldit on Ebay POS's. On $50 cards they charged me about $11 each to ship them. They are still ready to be given feedback but I have just blown them off. I even called and talked to them and they said it was "the system". I got all individual boxes the same day at home...At least I got good deals on the cards but I thought they sucked for doing it....My recommendation....let it go....

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I never understood the business model of sellers unjustifiably alienating paying customers, as paying customers is something the seller should want.

"Bid in my eBay auctions and you may get a retaliatory negative," is not a line to include in the company jingle.

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Posted By: nbrazil

"I never understood the business model of sellers unjustifiably alienating paying customers"

With small time sellers (i.e. only sell whenever i need to), they do it out of inexperience, lack of common sense and simple lack of...well...empathy? intelligence? tact?

with big time sellers....im not sure what their problem is. Maybe they feel they have enough of a customer base to alienate one or two customers.

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Posted By: Dave

I wasn't aware of the time frame for giving feedback...how long do you have?

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Posted By: leon

Feedback can only be left for 90 days (I believe)....so at 89 days 23 hours and 59 minutes you could probably ding someone and not fear retaliatory feedback...Better double check me though....

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Posted By: Dave

Even if I was crazy enough (could be) to wait that long to leave feedback....cant the person still leave a "response" to your feedback after that?

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Posted By: leon

He could leave a response but not a feedback.....I think....

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Posted By: Steve M.

Yes, they can leave a response but it doesn't appear on your ebay page nor in your feedback count.

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Posted By: Scot Reader

nbrazil, If you leave someone a neutral I would think they are almost as likely to slap you with a negative as if you leave them a negative. And considering some 97%+ of feedback left on ebay is of the positive ilk, a neutral means the transaction was at best in the bottom 3%--in other words a woefully bad experience. In these respects, there's barely a dime's worth of difference between a neutral and a negative. I know when I see a neutral it might as well be a negative. More than a couple on your record screams-out "Avoid!" Scot

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Posted By: Anonymous

I have thought about that "1 minute before 90 days" trick. But I could never figure out when the 90 days stopped ticking......(90 days exactly from end of auction)...(midnight on the 90th day)......(Eastern, Pacific, or Greenwich Mean Time)....etc.

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Posted By: Chris Counts

Trae,

I believe you were being very reasonable in leaving neutral feedback. If the seller left you negative feedback in retaliation for leaving neutral feedback, then the seller is being petty and mean-spirited. With so many great sellers out there in cyberspace, I prefer to avoid those who are petty and mean-spirited. Clearly, this seller must have enough customers ...

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Posted By: J Levine

Trae,
Contact ebay and you can probably get the neg. removed. Bait and switch, sending you a different picture than the one offered is against ebay rules (and often illegal--Adam can correct me on this if not true). If you contact ebay and explain to them you tried to resolve this in a positive fashion, you might be able to fix things. Good luck.

Joshua

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Posted By: Jeff Prillaman

the 90 days doesn't work -- you can leave a negative a year after the fact as long as you have the item number - unless ebay has changed that loophole.

But the best suggestion I have seen (and I use) is to have a buying and a selling account. For the most part I could care less what percentage a buyer has -- i just want to get paid - but your reputation as a seller needs to be protected. Hence you can leave "well-deserved" negs and not really fear retailation when you have separate accounts. The only time I use a buyer's feedback is when there is an issue it enables you to see the characteristics of who you are dealing with.

The other advice is don't bother with a neutral -- especially when 9 times out of 10 it invites a negative -- go ahead and neg right from the start.

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Posted By: howard

Edited because my idea was covered in previous posts.

Howard

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Posted By: joe brennan

I don't think thats right. If you leave feedback on day 90, the clock starts ticking then for the seller. He has 90 days from then. I may be wrong, but I've seen this tried on the CU boards and it doesn't work. Let me rephrase that, it used to not work.

People said it was a million dollar wound. But the government must keep that money, cause I ain't never seen a penny of it.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I don't understand why buyers worry about their feedback. Unless you are a bad buyer, egtting yourself into bad deals, there is NO reason not to leave negs when you have to deal with crappy seller. Sellers don't look at the feedback of buyers unless it's in double digits. Even then, most don't look.

I said this numerous times on this board, I've left something to close to 20 negs in 10 year on eBay and have only gotten 2 in retaliation.

If you are buyer, don't sweat getting a neg. It's a no big deal.

It's because of attitudes like Leon's and other's that would rather not leave a neg that make the whole feedback system a joke.

Jay

I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

for buyer or seller. Not worth the trouble, for all the reason specified above. If someone wants to leave me feedback, fine, I really don't care.

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Posted By: Blach

Are you saying that if I, as a buyer, leave you nice feedback you will not bother. That's bush!!