What do you guys like/not like to see in a Vintage Seller?

[parkplace33]

I tend to view it this way. Sellers (especially at card show) have a ton of extra costs behind the scenes. These include fees, travel, food, lodging, shipping materials, shipping costs. So when I see a price, I tend to only ask what is their best price? That will dictate whether I get the card.

[Exhibitman]

Makes big scans. NOT cell phone photos unless the item is oversized.

Packs properly. A raw toploader or card saver is NOT standard of care. Unless I am selling via the eBay $0.79 1st class envelope for a cheap card, I use cardboard and a mailer.

Uses blue tape. I try not to wreck the holder for the buyer or make extracting the card like busting into Fort Knox.

[ClementeFanOh]

I'm tempted to say that the thing I dislike most about ebay sellers, is that
they are using ebay to sell. However, that snide response dodges the
intent of the question...

I used ebay consistently until the early 2000s, then it fell out of favor with
me due to the standard reasons people often cite- which are profound
enough to have driven me away by themselves. The biggest
issue about many ebay sellers for me, however, is that too many have
"flipped" basic selling concepts on their heads, to make it easier on
themselves. Too many think the idea that "the customer is always right" is
somehow absurd or profane, for starters. Some sellers answer a specific
(and common) question about a card by replying "I don't know much about
cards" or "I'm not comfortable answering you". I like to reply, "Then I'm
not comfortable buying" or "When you are asking Mint price for an item,
you need to understand what the term actually means". Then there are
sellers who don't bother answering at all- really smart! In short, many
sellers forget that they need buyers a LOT more than the buyer "needs"
them. It's a basic concept that has sadly been lost to many on that venue.

Trent King

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by ClementeFanOh

Too many think the idea that "the customer is always right" is somehow absurd or profane

That is such an outdated canard. The fact is that too many times (especially on the 'net) the customer is a rude, argumentative, self-centered, spoiled man-child who thinks that being an asshat is just fine because 'the customer is always right.' Well, they aren't and I won't put up with that sort of BS from anyone just because that person is a 'customer.'

[ClementeFanOh]

Adam- great job of missing the point (I'm astonished.) I'll try easier words...

The problem with too many ebay sellers is that they somehow think the
potential customer should cater to them. Is that an "outdated canard"? Like
it or not, the customer is entitled to make sure 1) the product is as
advertised and 2) the seller has a triple digit IQ. After all, in many cases the
potential customer has no idea who the seller actually is. A buyer who tries
to achieve some small amount of confidence is NOT the issue. It's guys like
you, who are "bothered" to have to type- I know, it's exhausting- who cause
the issues. Are there bad buyers? Of course. But sellers who pop off from the
start are what get to me which, the last time I looked, was the nature of the
original post.

Trent King

[Exhibitman]

Well, then we're both right aren't we?

[steve B]

A mixed group of things for me.

As others have said, good pictures, sensible shipping and combined shipping are a big plus.
As is a fairly concise description that mentions something not easy to see in a scan (which is apparently everything now so many people use the phone where every image is tiny)

But the bargain hunter in me wants the exact opposite.
Annoying description, garish color scheme, barely usable pics or worse, 1 cent start but crazy shipping.... anything that puts other people off a potential bargain.
By all means, PLEASE list more R300s simply as "old baseball card" with a blurry cell phone pic.
Or big lots of valuable bicycle parts with phrasing like "Campagnolo pump head 274 each" - Yes, it really was 274 of them, when they sell for 30-50 each! Plus bunches of other parts. and a 125 buy it now....


I also don't agree with "the customer is always right" but I replace it with "the customer has a right to have all reasonable questions and concerns addressed" And no, asking for a better scan, or asking a complex question with 5 minutes or less remaining is not reasonable. Neither is asking where you item is less than 12 hours after winning it, and days before your mailed payment has any chance of arriving..... Those I wait extra time to be able to answer politely.

[perezfan]

My pet-peeve is when the seller simply states the painfully obvious TPG number grade in the description, and nothing else. Very annoying when they're too lazy to minimally describe is condition.

As an example, creases/wrinkles often do not show up in their provided scans, yet are rarely even described or disclosed. And if the seller fails to answer a very straight-forward question, I just move on to something else. Seems to happen at least 30% of the time.

[BobbyStrawberry]

I had a funny eBay experience just the other day... Made an offer, offer sat there with no response, and then expired. Messaged the seller and asked for their best price, they responded with "why don't you just make me an offer?"

🤣

[hawaiian bam bam]

Any answers to my last post? Thanks