Recent Ebay experience question

[campyfan39]

Thanks in advance for responses.
I recently purchased a card for about $30 listed as "EX/MT Great". When it arrived I noticed it had the players number written on the back in pencil in two places.

I went back an looked a the listing and yes it was visible in the picture of the back of the card. However, there was no mention of the writing anywhere in the description.

Obviously it on me for not looking at the photos closely enough but I think it is a pretty sneaky thing to do and there is no way a card with writing on it should be listed as EX/MT.
So what do you think: Is this dishonest? Should I return it?

Thanks!

[swarmee]

Tough one. I would personally eat it, and check the photos better next time. If you only planned to get the card graded/resell it, then returning it may be better in that case, if the seller offers refunds.

[campyfan39]

I should add that the card normally sells for about 50 so I got a good price. Also I have no intentions of grading or reselling.
It was a 54 Red Heart Billy Martin.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by campyfan39

Thanks in advance for responses.
I recently purchased a card for about $30 listed as "EX/MT Great". When it arrived I noticed it had the players number written on the back in pencil in two places.

I went back an looked a the listing and yes it was visible in the picture of the back of the card. However, there was no mention of the writing anywhere in the description.

Obviously it on me for not looking at the photos closely enough but I think it is a pretty sneaky thing to do and there is no way a card with writing on it should be listed as EX/MT.
So what do you think: Is this dishonest? Should I return it?

Thanks!

Could have been an honest mistake not to mention in the description area....likely was as the scan showed the marks, so the seller was not making an attempt to hide this flaw. In cases of marks on the back, I have noticed many sellers grade a card for what it would grade w/o the marks and either mention or picture the flaw, kind of like PSA grades something like this with a qualifier at the grade it would be w/o the mark.

I would return it if I were you and leave it there as the flaw was pictured.

[ALR-bishop]

I do not pay much if any attention to how sellers "grade" their cards in their listings. I rely on the scans. If they provide a front and back scan and the card comes as advertised I keep it, even if I missed something that was there to see.

Many sellers say they take returns and if this one does, send it back if you are not happy with it

But if you are not going to grade it or resell it, and you got a good price, and the front looks good, maybe it is a keeper

And while I may take abuse for it, if it was my card and those numbers are in pencil, I would erase them since I don't sell cards

[JollyElm]

The fact the seller didn't mention at all that the card was written on tells you all you need to know. His plausible deniability will probably be, "Well, you can see the writing in the scan, so I did nothing wrong."

Anybody selling cards would be aware of that writing, so how could he possibly NOT include it in the description?? His omission is most certainly a deliberate attempt to be a slimeball.

[brob28]

I think you have the right to return the card if you choose, pictures or not, but I agree with other posters that depending on scarcity and price of the card you may want to keep it as is.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

The fact the seller didn't mention at all that the card was written on tells you all you need to know. His plausible deniability will probably be, "Well, you can see the writing in the scan, so I did nothing wrong."

Anybody selling cards would be aware of that writing, so how could he possibly NOT include it in the description?? His omission is most certainly a deliberate attempt to be a slimeball.

I completely disagree with everything Darren posted. These exact posts are why I hate eBay.

You admit that the seller had good pictures but because you were to lazy to take the time and look at them you should be able to inconvenience the seller. WOW just fricken wow. Maybe you got it $20 cheaper because the other bidder(s) took the time to actually look at the pictures.

Please put on your big boy pants keep the card and hopefully now you know why pictures are provided.

[hcv123]

Firstly I think there are a number of assumptions being thrown around about the sellers integrity and the buyers "inadequacy" that are stories created in the minds of the people posting them.

I agree that what has been posted on both sides of the discussion are all possibilities, but far from the only ones. Here is an additional one - The seller in good faith listed the card and didn't notice the writing. The buyer looked, but didn't notice the writing either.

Without additional dialogue or information to start assuming fault or "fair resolution" is jumping the gun. At this point it seems fair to "assume" shared responsibility - While it would have been clearer and easier for bidders if the writing were mentioned in the description - it wasn't. There was however a clear scan posted that bidders could look at closely and decide for themselves what condition the card was in and ask questions or bid accordingly.

I think the first relevant question is money aside - do you want the card? Based on your original post I am guessing the answer is no. If that is the case I encourage you to own your own oversight and ask the seller if they are open to refunding you. If not, chalk it up to experience, resell the card and forgive yourself for being imperfect (that should be the biggest mistake you make in your life). If you can live with the writing (or consider erasing it as Al suggested) then chalk it up to experience, keep the card and forgive yourself for being imperfect.

In either case - hope any of that helps and have a great day!

[campyfan39]

Thanks for the input. I am going to keep it.

I think the lesson here for me is don't buy something only looking at the pictures on my phone. I think the smallness of the screen caused me to miss the writing and that would not have happened on my pc.

I am going to wait a few days and look for other feedback for recent purchases. I actually remember seeing a few Red Hearts when they were listed that had this same writing on them, one was a Mantle. I didn't bid or watch any of them. However, when I was bored at a car dealership waiting I searched my phone for "ending soonest" and saw it with about 2 minutes left and bid in a hurry, only seeing the pics on my phone and mainly going off the listing off EXMT.

As for "putting on my big boy pants" Ben must have trouble with reading comprehension. In my original post I clearly took responsibility for not looking closely enough.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I completely disagree with everything Darren posted. These exact posts are why I hate eBay.

You admit that the seller had good pictures but because you were to lazy to take the time and look at them you should be able to inconvenience the seller. WOW just fricken wow. Maybe you got it $20 cheaper because the other bidder(s) took the time to actually look at the pictures.

Please put on your big boy pants keep the card and hopefully now you know why pictures are provided.

Time and time again, over and over, every single day, sellers on ebay are being slimeballs. It happens to me constantly. Trimmed cards, unseen creases, sending different cards then what was pictured in the auctions and on and on. Why in hell didn't this seller state that there was writing on this card????? The buyer missed it, so it clearly doesn't immediately jump out at you. The seller gave it his own grade, which means he examined the card, right? Again, why didn't he mention it anywhere in the description???? Because he's obviously being a douche. What are the chances he didn't notice the writing? Almost zero percent. Come on!!

[ALR-bishop]

I have never sold anything on ebay. I have a feedback rating of over 1600 transactions, all as a buyer. I guess I should feel fortunate that my experiences with sellers have not been as bad as Darren's.. Particularly since ebay changed their rules to put buyers in the virtual driver's seat, the vast majority of sellers I have dealt with have been honorable and fair people. On pre war here and on CU, most threads I see about ebay deal with horror stories about buyers.

This is not intended as any comment on the issue Chris has raised here

[Davino]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Time and time again, over and over, every single day, sellers on ebay are being slimeballs. It happens to me constantly. Trimmed cards, unseen creases, sending different cards then what was pictured in the auctions and on and on. Why in hell didn't this seller state that there was writing on this card????? The buyer missed it, so it clearly doesn't immediately jump out at you. The seller gave it his own grade, which means he examined the card, right? Again, why didn't he mention it anywhere in the description???? Because he's obviously being a douche. What are the chances he didn't notice the writing? Almost zero percent. Come on!!

I 100% agree. Ben is misguided.

[mybestbretts]

Most dealers will accept a return if the item is not as described. If you don't
want to keep it discuss your problem with the seller.

If I wanted to keep it anyway, I'd erase the numbers and call it a day.

[1963Topps Set]

I just wanted to know if you considered carefully erasing the numbers since they are in pencil? If you are very careful enough, you should be able to get the job done properly. Just my two cents...

[Rich Klein]

I was about to send someone a card from their want list as part of the CU Secret Santa program. The person wanted cards in about ex and when I originally looked at the card, I treated it as a ex or better card.

When sending, I noticed a very small pen mark with a number on the back and immediately took it out of the holder and will re-price at a level according to condition with the physical damage.

Real lesson, I missed the small marking and guess what, the seller did as well.

It happens