posted on June 8, 2001 09:53:10 AM newi am a fulltime antique dealer and do it for a living and also sell on ebay for a living
That comment leads me to believe they knew exactly what they were doing.
They should have apologized profusely & offered you a FULL refund.
I always check feedback before I bid, and if need be I get the condition in writing via email before I place a bid. Sadly there are still lots of weasels selling on eBay.
posted on June 8, 2001 10:16:42 AM new
Some sellers are now using their own grading system to show what they consider Excellent, Very Good, Good, etc. when they sell china and glassware. They put it in their TOS and I like that as it gives me an idea what to expect when I purchase from them and so far I have not been disappointed with them.
If it only says good condition and does not mention chips or cracks or flaws I do e-mail before bidding to find out for sure. "Good condition with no chips or cracks" should arrive with no chips or cracks and I will accept slight wear on the piece.
I had my "seller from hell" last September because she claimed that if she started the bid under $10 she did not have to disclose condition even though she admitted to me that she knew about it when she listed it. I gave her 2 negatives and she retaliated. She now has about 18 negs but she did become a Powerseller.
I know longer "give in" to bad sellers. If an item is misrepresented and the seller allows a return it is still a big pain to e-mail and go through the explanation and repackage the item and wait for a refund.
I also sell and have had many compliments on the condition of the china. It leads me to believe that there are quite a few disappointed buyers in that category.
posted on June 8, 2001 11:10:49 AM new
brooklynguy, my fault? Don't think so. I have excellent feedback and have been around since 1998. I was friendly in the first email, it was only after she denied the old chips were there and blamed it on the post office that I told her how it was. Why do you think she offered me a $6 refund? Because she knew she was wrong. She said that she did not state in the auction that they were perfect or mint, so I should not have expected them to. I did not expect that.
It is very obvious from her feedback that she has a problem with the truth. reddeer is right, she is a weasal, and there are plenty more like her on ebay. We are only talking about $35 or so here. If they are allowed to get away with that, it will be something even bigger the next time. Heather
posted on June 8, 2001 11:52:07 AM new
This goes beyond arguing about the subjective terms "very good" or "used" condition. The way to avoid this problem, and the way a good seller describes his merchandise, is to use your eyes and common sense and give facts, not opinions.
I know that my opinion of the condition of an item may differ from yours so when I describe an item I have for auction, I will go into great detail about what I see when I look at the item. Surely, the bowls MAY have looked pretty good "for their age," but why wouldn't you have added that the platinum band was wearing away? I would have mentioned that. They are objective facts, not my "opinion."
The duty is on the seller to accurately describe the merchandise. It's right in front of you! The buyer can't see it, hold it, or examine it. You must be the "eyes" for the buyer. If a seller can't do that, they are remiss.
I get tired of hearing that buyers should e-mail to verify condition. Do I have to ask, "Is it really blue?" or "Is it really an XXX widget?" If the ad states it's an XX widget, color blue, and in mint condition, then it better be so when it arrives.
posted on June 8, 2001 06:23:58 PM new
CleverGirl:
>BTW, despite the highly structured and codified grading system for coins, I still think it's incredibly subjective. You buy a Mint coin and when you take it in to sell it, they'll ALWAYS tell you it's AU (About Uncirculated) -- or worse. Major reason why I stopped collecting them<
Any grading system is subjective. And when you go to sell a coin, the object of the dealer is to get it as cheap as possible, and "low balling" grades is common. Whenever I wanted to sell a group of my coins I always went to a major show. When the dealers have hundreds of competators within walking distance, they make honest offers. What I would get offered by walking into someones shop, I can often get double or triple that offer by walking the floor of a major show. And I am a very tough grader when I buy
posted on June 8, 2001 06:44:59 PM new
Reminds me of a story the local card dealer told me last week. Customer comes in, selects a card selling for $35. Asks the dealer, after scrutinizing the card, would you call this card near mint? The dealer replied "the condition is $35".
Point is, anytime a dealer grades their own stuff, there is potential for problems. That's why I won't buy anything but generic stuff without a good scan.
