Worst type of eBay "guy"

[Jim65]

Sellers job is to protect against damage, not to provide you with a brand new top loader for free.

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by Jim65

Sellers job is to protect against damage, not to provide you with a brand new top loader for free.

That's not what I'm talking about. I don't begrudge a seller the right to ship in a crappy top loader (although it's always a point in the seller's favor for return business if they can see fit to include a nice one). I'm talking about sellers, and there are shockingly many, who ship in a nice new top loader that they render useless by mummifying it in tape. Or even with a strip of Scotch tape all the way across the top - that stuff doesn't come off. There's plenty of tape that will actually peel off without ruining the top loader.

Bottom line: If you're going to spring for a new top loader in the first place, let the buyer enjoy the benefit of it too!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by ASF123

That's not what I'm talking about. I don't begrudge a seller the right to ship in a crappy top loader (although it's always a point in the seller's favor for return business if they can see fit to include a nice one). I'm talking about sellers, and there are shockingly many, who ship in a nice new top loader that they render useless by mummifying it in tape. Or even with a strip of Scotch tape all the way across the top - that stuff doesn't come off. There's plenty of tape that will actually peel off without ruining the top loader.

Bottom line: If you're going to spring for a new top loader in the first place, let the buyer enjoy the benefit of it too!

Or maybe the buyer can spend twenty five cents of their own if it's so important to them?

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Or maybe the buyer can spend twenty five cents of their own if it's so important to them?

It’s completely unnecessary for both parties to have to buy new top loaders. How is that even controversial?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ASF123

It’s completely unnecessary for both parties to have to buy new top loaders. How is that even controversial?

I agree the buyer should have toploaders to store their cards in. That is way better than using shipping materials to store their cards.

[ASF123]

Ok, let me try this again:

If a seller wants to ship in crappy top loaders, fine. That’s the seller’s right - although as a buyer I give “that’s a nice gesture” bonus points for shipping in nice top loaders.

However: If a seller does choose to ship in nice top loaders, please don’t ruin them with tape. There’s no need for it, and then nobody benefits from the nice top loaders. So why do it?

That’s all I’m saying.

[thecatspajamas]

Sounds like you guys have identified why some sellers choose to ship in crappy toploaders. Get too fancy with it, and next thing you know you'll be having to buy team set bags to put them in too...

[Gorditadogg]

We all know that ebay guy who lists cards for 10 times what they are worth. I hate that guy but I hate it even more when that guy comes over to BST to do the same thing.

A little foreshadowing: I didn't know it at the time, but this guy has a fairly obscure SGC 5 card up on ebay for $165 OBO. A PSA 7 of that card just sold for $60 earlier this month, so you might figure his card is worth $20-25.

This guy also has a listing on BST right now for some low grade cards that are more or less fairly priced. So I bought one and he asked me what else I was interested in, because he was "selling off his collection". He sent me a scan of some cards, including his SGC 5 card and I asked what he wanted for it. (It was a front office exec for a team that my aunt's family once had ownership in. I thought I could show it to her and see if she remembered him.)

How about $190? he said. (Yes, more than what he is asking on ebay!)

I am so annoyed by that ebay/BST guy. Most of the members here are a pleasure to deal with, when a scammer comes around here it is a pain.

[Exhibitman]

Speaking of shipping, I hate:

--The guy who wrecks a perfectly good card saver or toploader with tape, especially the one who tapes the entire opening of a card saver with scotch tape. It is just such a waste. Use the blue tape, people.

--The guy who doesn't seal the top of a toploader at all. Blue tape, team bag, even a folded over post-it will work. I had to send back a nice card a week ago because the jackhole who sold it shipped it in an unsealed toploader and when it got to me it had slipped out of the holder and picked up a nicely dinged corner.

--The guy who puts a card saver or top loader into a padded envelope without a stiffener, and especially the one who sticks a packing peanut in there too. What kind of moron thinks that is going to make it to the customer without damage? Ever see a 1960 Leaf baseball pack? The damn marble just tears through the wax paper.

--The guy who mummifies the card holder in tape. I appreciate the sentiment but if I have to resort to a knife to open the holder you are not protecting the card, you are making it more likely that I will damage it trying to open it.

[Tripredacus]

Long time ago I used to sell items starting at 99c with a reserve but then put the reserve price in the description.

I never did quite understand the point of a reserve price, with the exception that you were selling an item to see if it would sell, or would only sell if it reached a certain price. AKA, not a run of the mill item or something that didn't really mean anything to you. Otherwise, you'd just start the auction at the lowest price you'd sell it for. But of course, especially with an auction website that you can sort things by, you can get more eyeballs onto an item by setting a low starting bid.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Speaking of shipping, I hate:

--The guy who puts a card saver or top loader into a padded envelope without a stiffener, and especially the one who sticks a packing peanut in there too. What kind of moron thinks that is going to make it to the customer without damage? Ever see a 1960 Leaf baseball pack? The damn marble just tears through the wax paper.

People do this because if a envelope isn't at least 1/4" thick, its not eligible for tracking. A few packing peanuts solves that problem.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Jim65

People do this because if a envelope isn't at least 1/4" thick, its not eligible for tracking. A few packing peanuts solves that problem.

Yeah, I never understood that. 1/4" inch isn't that much. between a couple pieces of cardboard and the surrounding packaging and you have yourself an easy 1/4" inch. Anyways, I think if you go deep enough into the handbook, you find an "or"..................as in 1/4" inch.........or........the package is a rigid.

Been shipping that way with tracking for over 20 years without an issue. 1000's of packages.

Well.............maybe one. Over 10 years ago, I think an overzealous clerk sent a package back to me with that 1/4" inch notation, from around the Philadelphia area. Went and dug up in the handbook the full definition of the dimensions of package tracking for 1st Class Mail, brought it back to my branch office, and they just threw it back in the system and it eventually got where it was going.

[vintagechris]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Speaking of shipping, I hate:

--The guy who wrecks a perfectly good card saver or toploader with tape, especially the one who tapes the entire opening of a card saver with scotch tape. It is just such a waste. Use the blue tape, people.

--The guy who doesn't seal the top of a toploader at all. Blue tape, team bag, even a folded over post-it will work. I had to send back a nice card a week ago because the jackhole who sold it shipped it in an unsealed toploader and when it got to me it had slipped out of the holder and picked up a nicely dinged corner.

--The guy who puts a card saver or top loader into a padded envelope without a stiffener, and especially the one who sticks a packing peanut in there too. What kind of moron thinks that is going to make it to the customer without damage? Ever see a 1960 Leaf baseball pack? The damn marble just tears through the wax paper.

--The guy who mummifies the card holder in tape. I appreciate the sentiment but if I have to resort to a knife to open the holder you are not protecting the card, you are making it more likely that I will damage it trying to open it.

Man I agree with all of these. I'll add the guy who sends a graded card in a flimsy bubble mailer with no extra bubble wrap or padding to protect the card. I'm shocked that people send $800 cards this way!

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by Gorditadogg

We all know that ebay guy who lists cards for 10 times what they are worth. I hate that guy but I hate it even more when that guy comes over to BST to do the same thing.

A little foreshadowing: I didn't know it at the time, but this guy has a fairly obscure SGC 5 card up on ebay for $165 OBO. A PSA 7 of that card just sold for $60 earlier this month, so you might figure his card is worth $20-25.

This guy also has a listing on BST right now for some low grade cards that are more or less fairly priced. So I bought one and he asked me what else I was interested in, because he was "selling off his collection". He sent me a scan of some cards, including his SGC 5 card and I asked what he wanted for it. (It was a front office exec for a team that my aunt's family once had ownership in. I thought I could show it to her and see if she remembered him.)

How about $190? he said. (Yes, more than what he is asking on ebay!)

I am so annoyed by that ebay/BST guy. Most of the members here are a pleasure to deal with, when a scammer comes around here it is a pain.

From my 'Collectorisms' thread:
"See also: Trolesaler - a person who’s a member of this site for no other reason than to take advantage of the free access to the B/S/T and hawk their exorbitantly priced cards."

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

From my 'Collectorisms' thread:

"See also: Trolesaler - a person who’s a member of this site for no other reason than to take advantage of the free access to the B/S/T and hawk their exorbitantly priced cards."

That's the guy!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Eric72]

The eBay "guy" who puts "CENTERED" in the title...and the card is 80/20 or worse.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by ASF123

I'm talking about sellers, and there are shockingly many, who ship in a nice new top loader that they render useless by mummifying it in tape.

To make sure the card arrives safely. I've received packages that looked like they were run over and the card inside was undamaged. Better to have too much packing than not enough.

[Mike D.]

On the top loader thing...I much prefer tape to a card that shifted in transit and now has 1 or 2 banged up corners.

So, in my mind:

No Tape < Tape < masking tape < team set bag

People who ship a cheap card in a brand new top loader in a team set bag are going WAY above and beyond and should be considered for knight/saint-hood.

[FrankWakefield]

Well dinosaur that I am, I didn't know that eBay sellers can't leave a negative. That surprises me a bit, it sure creates a problem for a nonpaying buyer.

So sellers, what are you going to do when you message a buyer about leaving feedback first, and he responds with a message that he's got the card and satisfied/happy with it?

Still, I think the seller leaves feedback first. And if they don't, I feel held hostage.

Back when I was last selling stuff, I recall leaving feedback for the buyer when I got back from the post office having mailed the item. Maybe today's buyers aren't as reliable as they were 15-20 years ago.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

Well dinosaur that I am, I didn't know that eBay sellers can't leave a negative. That surprises me a bit, it sure creates a problem for a nonpaying buyer.

So sellers, what are you going to do when you message a buyer about leaving feedback first, and he responds with a message that he's got the card and satisfied/happy with it?

Still, I think the seller leaves feedback first. And if they don't, I feel held hostage.

Back when I was last selling stuff, I recall leaving feedback for the buyer when I got back from the post office having mailed the item. Maybe today's buyers aren't as reliable as they were 15-20 years ago.

"Reliable" seems a luxury nowadays Frank. Life was so much easier and simpler for everyone when they conducted themselves with integrity.

[pbspelly]

I know some people don't see this as a problem, but I get really tired of folks putting items for sale on eBay at prices that no one is ever going to pay. There is a photo of my great grandfather Billy Sullivan on ebay that is worth at most $40-50. It has been listed at $299 for years now. No one is ever going to pay that. Due to my family connection, I am typically willing to pay higher prices for Sullivan memorabilia than other folks, and there's no way I'd pay $299. At least not until decades from now when inflation makes $299 worth what $50 is worth today. If you want to sell something, sell it, but don't use eBay as a place to display your collection.

I really wish eBay had tried harder to incentivize sellers to list items at auction with low starting bids, and then let the market decide the value. That was one of the original intents of the eBay founder Omidyar. He saw it as a way to make markets for used goods and collectibles much more liquid and efficient, so that the market could set the price. I used to sell vintage telephones on eBay. I often had little idea how much they were worth. I'd start them at $9 and let the market tell me. They typically sold for anywhere from $80-200. But eBay moved away from that, and now a lot of sellers don't trust the eBay auctions to give them a fair price. If I were eBay, I would try and figure out a way to require that after a certain period of time, the seller would be incentivized (or pressured) to let the market determine the price. Maybe start charging progressively higher listing fees or something. If you just want to post pictures of your collection go elsewhere.