Getting sick of the more obvious frauds

[wonkaticket]

There you go again Jeff getting bogged down in the details. What do you expect honesty and integrity, along with executives of auction houses not shilling and stealing millions from their clients?

[glynparson]

Is asking more than it sells for in auction unethical. Is Walmart unethical is bestbuy, or target , or whole foods, and every other single retailer in the country? Please give me a break.

[Shoele$$]

Originally Posted by glynparson

Is asking more than it sells for in auction unethical. Is Walmart unethical is bestbuy, or target , or whole foods, and every other single retailer in the country? Please give me a break.

There's a big difference between asking for a little profit from what one paid vs. trying to bend over an unsuspecting buyer by asking 2-3 times what it's worth. Come on now. But again, anybody can ask whatever the hell they want for whatever the hell they own.....doesn't mean they're ever gonna see it

Also bad comparison, Bestbuy, Target and Walmart all compete with each other, so competive pricing will always rule the day.

[glynparson]

They match each other you are making the wrong comparison. I was equating those stores to the retailer. You just read what you want to dont you.

[Shoele$$]

Originally Posted by glynparson

They match each other you are making the wrong comparison. I was equating those stores to the retailer. You just read what you want to dont you.

Nope read it as you post it.

[Exhibitman]

Lying is always wrong in trying to sell a card but there is nothing wrong with trying to sell a card for a profit. To be honest, I am tired of hearing people complain about a seller askingt more for a card than they want to pay. It isn't a "rip-off" or an immoral act, it is an offer of merchandise for sale. The nice thing about the market is that if no one wants to pay for a card it won't sell and the seller can either keep it or lower the price to meet the market.

Also, with respect to scans, not all scan manipulations are meant to defraud. It can be difficult to gauge whether your scanner got an accurate read on a card because it in large part depends on your monitor settings and quality. What looks good on one monitor doesn't look right on another. That said, certain AHs and sellers are notorious for jacking up the contrast and saturation on their items--like, for example, one whose leaders are under indictment. Their images sometimes are so saturated that they look like sets from Star Trek. I don't find that particularly difficult to pick up if the card is graded--I just look at the flip because I know what the flip should look like.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

There's a big difference between asking for a little profit from what one paid vs. trying to bend over an unsuspecting buyer by asking 2-3 times what it's worth. Come on now.

I fail to see the problem or a big difference. This seems to be begging for the question of a reasonable profit according to who? What is reasonable if not 2-3 times it's "worth"? 10% markup? 20%? 50?

But again, anybody can ask whatever the hell they want for whatever the hell they own.....doesn't mean they're ever gonna see it

Exactly. So let the seller ask for 2-3x it's "worth". And who again is to say that the 2-3x asking price isn't WORTH it to the buyer? You?

Also bad comparison, Bestbuy, Target and Walmart all compete with each other, so competive pricing will always rule the day.

Unless it's a one-of-a-kind item, then the 2-3x asking price can be compared to other similar items. And even then, history is no guarantee of current or future "worth" or value to the buyer.

Please understand, I'm not trying to pick on you. But the idea of others trying to determine the validity of an agreement freely made between 2 parties really rubs me the wrong way. Regardless of how absurd or unreasonable it seems.

[Shoele$$]

Originally Posted by tschock

So let the seller ask for 2-3x it's "worth". And who again is to say that the 2-3x asking price isn't WORTH it to the buyer? You?

Well I don't know you tell me, is an item sitting on Ebay for 3 years at a ridiculous price just something that I noticed and chose not be an idiot and buy??? The answer is a resounding no and the fact that cards just sit and sit and sit for years further validates my (and other's) whole point. Not to single you out, but If you happen to be one of these "sellers" then more power to you. Hope you have all the time in the world.

On a side note, remember when owners/sellers of real property thought the housing market was going to stay "hot" forever??.....lol......yeah, how'd that turn out?

[kcohen]

We can all stipulate that a seller has every right to ask whatever he wants. That said, I have found over the last few years that certain BST users just come across as cheap hustlers. All of the sudden a card mysteriously increases in value by thousands. Nothing illegal or even unethical I suppose. I just find it tedious and it makes the forum overall less pleasant. But that's just me.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

Well I don't know you tell me, is an item sitting on Ebay for 3 years at a ridiculous price just something that I noticed and chose not be an idiot and buy??? The answer is a resounding no and the fact that cards just sit and sit and sit for years further validates my (and other's) whole point.

I'm sorry, but I fail to see your "whole point" as it relates to my response to SPECIFIC comments you made (hence breaking apart your post into specific quotes and commenting on those specific statements).

"There's a big difference between asking for a little profit from what one paid vs. trying to bend over an unsuspecting buyer..." seems like a value judgement to me. I was just trying to understand what is NOT "trying to bend" someone over (in your opinion) and why 2x might be "bad" (the implication you made) but a 20% markup (or whatever) might not be. I might even agree that the buyer IS an idiot. But that doesn't mean the seller was trying bend someone over. Others have pointed out valid reasons why the asking price is so high. If it's too much, I just pass them by.

Maybe it's just my sore-spot for the "obscene profits" canard that's showing here. Sorry for that.

Not to single you out, but If you happen to be one of these "sellers" then more power to you. Hope you have all the time in the world.

Of course you did, otherwise why why imply, assume, or even need to mention this. For the record, I'm not. And have actually been blocked by a few sellers (one having the same card at the 2010 and 2012 National, and still listed online) for having offered what I considered a reasonable price. Rather than grouse about it, I just moved on. The good thing: That's one more booth I can fly past in Chicago.

On a side note, remember when owners/sellers of real property thought the housing market was going to stay "hot" forever??.....lol......yeah, how'd that turn out?

Again, not sure of your point here as it relates to anything I've said. Unless you are actually agreeing with my statement regarding the basic premise of a contract freely made between 2 parties.

On second thought, it IS a lot like buyer cards. Buy what you like for what you think is a fair price. Probably a general life lesson to boot. Cheers!

[HRBAKER]

These "sellers" are committing no crime, you are not entitled to buy their card at a fair price and you are only wasting your time if you choose to. Move on.

[jlehma13]

After coming back to the hobby after years away like so many of you, I had to educate myself. I have been moderately successful with pick-ups and have had a lot of fun in the process because I have done my due diligence. Sure there are cards that I have made offers on that were declined, only to remain listed for months now. I had one issue with a seller that Ebay had to step in a rectify. Point being, I may shake my head in disbelief for a moment but, ultimately I pass on those sellers that are out of line in one way or another and don't lose a second of sleep over it.
Businesses close everyday. Putting the offenders, and there will always be offenders, on your list and moving on will speed that process up.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

There you go again Jeff getting bogged down in the details. What do you expect honesty and integrity, along with executives of auction houses not shilling and stealing millions from their clients?

Millions? I have a hard time believing it could be more than $70k.