BST Plea

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Posted By: JimB

This has been brought up several times before by me and others, but I will bring it up again because I just encountered a glaring example. Somebody posted a card for sale. They just listed the card and the price. There was no scan, no discussion of condition, and it was raw. Does the seller think somebody is going to buy a raw card with absolutely no information about the condition of the card and no scan. I will bet every single inquiry he gets will request scans. In fact, I would guess that just about every sale on the BST regardless of if the card is graded or not includes buyers wanting to see scans. Why not just post scans in your listing? It would make it easier for everybody involved (including the seller who will not have to send multiple sets of scans to every inquirer). It is not that hard to do. Consider it a necessary skill if you want to sell cards over the internet. Just my .02.
JimB

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Posted By: Rick McQuillan

I agree. It would save a lot of time and hassle

Rick

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Posted By: rand

funny thing is, when that seller wants to buy someone else's cards dont they want to see it to?

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Posted By: Matt

perhaps the image of the card is unflattering and the seller would rather have his foot in the door knowing you might be interested then looking at the image and never talking to him. Or, maybe the seller is just lazy

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Posted By: Rob

Good point JimB, and i agree, post a photo! if you don't have a pic, then at a minimum discuss the condition because 99% of potential buyers will want to know the information anyway. Save yourself the hassle!!

Rob

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Posted By: quan

jim is right.

if my 89 year old grandmother can upload pictures to myspace, i don't buy the excuse that it's too hard here. there are probably other reasons why the seller chooses not to include scans.

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Posted By: Jimmy

Maybe at least have a link if you have a website or another location for your photos. Provide some photos on the BST and add a link that includes more.

Jimmy

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Posted By: Dave F

I know we repeat this stuff every few months it seems..but while we are at it, would be nice if sellers would state in their posts if shipping and insurance is not included in price....

Just the other day I inquired about a card for $400...come to find out it was $420 for shipping and insurance and paypal fees....I'm fine with someone having that stuff..but please state up front your terms for sale

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Posted By: Kenneth A. Cohen

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like to add a buying preference, if not a plea. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with solliciting offers in lieu of a price, I for one won't bother to play the offer game. Just say how much you want for the stinking card(s)! Just my humble opinion.

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Posted By: Dave F

Ken,
I sort of agree. Trade offers are one thing...sometimes it can be pretty fun seeing what kind of offers folks bring of different cards for you cards..but as far as money...probably best to name your price to sell up front.

Seems most the time people dont want to bother making a cash offer afraid it will be insulting. Just my seventeen cents.

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Posted By: andy becker

let me start by saying that i am not a computer wiz, by any means.

i have been selling a lot on the bst lately.....and have much more coming down the pike.
i agree it is prudent to see a scan before purchasing.
BUT, when i have tried to post a scan with multiple cards the net54 website states that the file is too big to post.
so, i list the cards and tell the potential buyers that scans are available.
it is simple to send an email scan.....and i am more than happy to do that.

i really cannot see any excuse for not posting a scan when selling an indiviual card......but a group of cards for sale is different.

i hope that makes sense.....

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Posted By: dstudeba

On the opposite side of Ken's complaint, if someone asks for offers give them offers.

"How much do you want for it?" is not an offer.

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Posted By: T206Collector

...you need to use image-hosting software. It is free in a number of places and easy to use. You upload your scans and then plaste URL links to them. Piece of cake.

HOWEVER... I have recently found success listing cards with SGC grades without scans. Most people e-mail me for them, but some don't. I could see being a little lazy here if I had a dozen or more cards listed.

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Posted By: Matt

dstudeba - usually a seller should dictate the price not the buyer. In my experience, when the seller asks for offers, he has a price in mind and is hoping the buyer offers more then that price so he can make more profit. If one is selling something they should give a price; if they don't they have no right to be insulted when the buyer's offer is lower then what you think the item is worth. Furthermore, once a buyer makes a low offer the seller will have a much harder time getting the buyer to "move" to the number the seller had in mind in the first place.

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Posted By: Tony Andrea

I used to have issues as well with providing scan's of large groups at a somewhat workable
size. I have found a free image hosting site though as T206 Collector has stated is out there,
and it does the sizing for you automatically so sites such as N54 can upload them without any
problems. For all who might need some assistance, please check out Image Shack.
It doesn't get any easier than this. Cut and paste once uploaded...

http://load.imageshack.us/>

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Posted By: bigfish387t

why don't you e-mail the person in question directly. That could be a more effective approach.

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Posted By: Paul Kaufman

It is ridiculous not to provide scans on the BST thread if you are selling one or two cards. I can understand a lack of scans if you are selling a group of cards, a set or near set. Including a scan only makes the card more saleable to the buyer, who will undoubtedly want a scan anyway. Not many cards are sold "sight unseen" these days, even graded cards.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

Feeling a little heat?

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Posted By: bigfish387t

I understand the points and the time issue. It really does not bother me to e-mail someone to ask for scans. For one thing, I can blow up the scans that are e-mailed allowing me to see the card alot better. I guess I am one of the only ones that doesn't mind.

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Posted By: Matt

bigfish - I don't think this is directed at you since there have been about half a dozen posts in the last 24 hours of ppl selling things with no scans.

A great solution is to use imageshack since it's free, allows you to post huge images, and provides a thumbnail for forum posting so the user can enlarge if they want to - like I posted in this thread on the BST:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/376260/thread/1188955126/last-1190242757/WTB+T206+Mordecai+Brown+%28Portrait%29

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Posted By: bigfish387t

Thank you. I will check this out.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

You are one of the persons in question.

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Posted By: bigfish387t

Then just e-mail me for a scan. People seem to have enough time to sit here and write about this stuff. Why not just e-mail the person for a scan so you can blow the card up to see paperloss, creases, trimming, and other things that you might not be able to detect in the posting. You can either ask for a scan and buy the card, or pass on it. You do have a choice.

I understand the points made above but see this issue as a small one.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

I have and will continue to do so. You and I have many successful transactions together under our belts. It's just so, so easy to post a scan. Sign up with PhotoBucket or any of the other sites mentioned here. It's free and easy.

As our esteemed moderator would say...best regards!

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Posted By: bigfish387t

Thanks Steve

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Posted By: dstudeba

dstudeba - usually a seller should dictate the price not the buyer. In my experience, when the seller asks for offers, he has a price in mind and is hoping the buyer offers more then that price so he can make more profit. If one is selling something they should give a price; if they don't they have no right to be insulted when the buyer's offer is lower then what you think the item is worth. Furthermore, once a buyer makes a low offer the seller will have a much harder time getting the buyer to "move" to the number the seller had in mind in the first place.

Usually, fine. But in certain cases a person might have something they want to take offers on. For instance they might not have a good gauge on what it is worth. Therefore they ask for offers. What part did I say they had a right to be insulted by low offers? If you ask for offers, I think you should expect some low offers. All I asked for was to make an offer instead of asking for the price. Once your offer is declined then you can ask about a counter offer.

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Posted By: JimB

Toby,
My comments were not directed at any individual, but at a general habit on the BST. If it was one person only, I would e-mail them directly. I am hoping to affect a change on the board as a whole. I know not everyone will post scans now, but I must dare to dream...
JimB

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Posted By: Jason L

I feel the love on this Board!
There's nothing like conflict resolution to warm the cockles...



JimB,
continue to dream the impossible dream!
I should know (Go Cubbies!)

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Posted By: leon

I am eating popcorn on the sidelines for this one. If anyone is going to to grab a soda get me one and I will pay ya' back........

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

PHOTOBUCKET. They have a deal with N54, so while I'm typing this message, there's a little link for photobucket.com. Click on the link, log in, upload the photo, click on the URL (link) for the photo, insert it in the body and the photo is perfect every time.

You can do it with any other hosting services too but Photobucket is free and integrated easily with N54. Don't make it more difficult than it has to be.

JMO........

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

One of my favorites, which I see from time to time:

"Scans will be posted later tonight but reservations to purchase the card(s) can be made before then."

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Posted By: George H. Counter

"...Why not just post scans in your listing? It would make it easier for everybody involved..."

Hope Jim "The Flip" Manos is reading

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Posted By: Joe D.

on the flipside -

in defense of the b/s/t seller:

when a seller lists a price (even if they mention they will consider offers) ---

I don't think "What is the lowest you will take for this card" is an appropriate response.

The seller already went first - and in good faith listed a price.
Asking for another reduced price (or the lowest) before you even mention a price you are willing to pay - is bad form in my opinion.

If your interest is sincere as a buyer, and the seller listed a price, make an offer.

jmho.


agree?

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Posted By: Matt

Joe - on the BST forum I agree 100%. On ebay, I disagree. Often the "buy it now" price the seller puts is some "pie in the sky" wish and asking what he would really want to make the transaction is a valid question.

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Posted By: Bob

For the impulse buyer (and aren't there a lot of us out there), seeing a scan accompanying a BST card listing often results in a sale which might not occur if there is a bare card designation with no scan.
Just a thought, just my 2 cents worth.
tbob

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Posted By: Rick McQuillan

I buy quite a lot from the BST. If I see a card that I may be interested in with out a scan, it usually goes like this:

1. I email the seller and ask for scans.
2. I receive the scans - sometimes in 10 minutes, sometimes in 10 hours, sometimes it is two days.
3. If I like the condition and I feel that the price is right, I email the seller.
4. The seller responds, sometimes in 10 minutes, sometimes in 10 hours, sometimes it is two days. Usually the response is, "sorry, someone beat you to it".


It the scans are posted it goes like this:

1. I look at the scans and the price. If the card isn't in the condition that I am looking for or the price isn't right, I forget it and move on. The seller doesn't get bombarded with requests for scans.

2. If I like the card and the price is right, I email the seller and tell him that I will take it.

3. The sellers emails me back and says OK and I pay for it with PayPal within a few minutes.



It isn't a big deal either way, but it seems that the sellers can move items more quickly and sell more cards with scans in the post.

We all have our own reasons for doing things a particular way, and I am not trying to say what is right or wrong. If someone posts a Elberfeld Washington Portrait I will take the time to ask for a scan.

The other issue is that everyone has a different view on the condition of a card. I might think that a G/VG card should present well, maybe have a crease and some corner wear. Some people may have a card that is almost torn in half and call it G/VG. So a scan reduces these types of grading questions.

Take care!
Rick

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Matt, there have been times that I've listed "Make Offers" on the B/S/T because honestly I have no clue what something should sell for.

I recently sold my Roy Ellam postcard which pictured Ellam in a minor league uniform and was obviously the same photo that was used to make his T206 card. Why shouldn't I ask for offers??? I had no clue what to expect for that postcard.

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Posted By: JimB

"I don't think "What is the lowest you will take for this card" is an appropriate response."


I just thought of the perfect response to this: What is the absolute most you will pay for this card? I will let you know if it meets my minimum.
JimB

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Most of the whining on this thread is dead-on right in my opinion. I hate the lack of scans and some of the dickering around that goes on. What about the card that you see on BST that is listed for double the price for what it's worth? Or double the price the exact card just sold for at auction a few days before? I find all of these things tend to irk me.

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Posted By: Dave F

I know this is breaking the rules...but I have a T206 common in poor condition...almost tore in half, but not completely. I'm asking $1250. I don't have scans...but shipping is on me

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Can you do any better on shipping?

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Posted By: Joe D.

what is the lowest price you will accept for that card?

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Posted By: Dave F

Rob- How much better on the shipping do you need?

Joe- well I dont know, what is the most you'll pay?