Genius eBay seller here

[Zan]

Long read so I apologize in advance, but be patient here, it's getting better and better here. Keeping the seller's name anonymous but if there is reason to do so I will out him.

The below card is up for auction, was a $119.00 starting price w/ $249 BIN.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271819720306?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The card is graded Authentic, but in the listing he states that the card would cross as a 3, or VG. This is when I asked him this:

Dear ***

Can you guarantee that this card has not been trimmed or doctored in any way?

- broth6 (me)

with a response of

Dear broth6

the guy i bought it from just wanted it graded A. he did not want a number grade for some reason, it does measure up correct and i cant see any flaws or tampering on the card. it's really nice actually and i thought of breaking it out myself!
thanks for the interest

- ***

Still not convinced, I ask him another question

Dear ***

Okay, that's helpful. If I buy it from you, submit it to SGC and it comes back trimmed, altered, etc could you offer me a refund?

- broth6

Response being:

Dear broth6

since it's already in a holder i can't gaurantee it if you crack it out. sorry

- ***

Dear ***

I wouldn't crack it out, I would submit it within it's current slab. SGC would then determine the card while it's in it's current slab if it has been unaltered

- broth6

Now is where it gets interesting

Dear broth6

i generally won't accept a refund on graded cards

- ***

Dear ***

See now you're just covering yourself. You say in your listing “if regraded would be a 3". If I regrade it and it turns out to be altered I should be offered a refund because the item wouldn't be as described

- broth6

Dear broth6

reason i'm covering myself is because it's already graded. i didn't grade it and i do belive it would get a 3 if re graded. i'm not sure of many people who take refunds on graded cards.

- ***

Dear ***

Understood. All the risk would be on the buyer. I can't take the risk at $249

- broth6

Pay attention here, proof meeting pudding

Dear broth6

if you use buy it now i gaurantee it will get a number grade, but at the 119 min bid you cant go wrong number grade or not

- ***

Dear ***

But you would not provide a refund if it is denied?

- broth6

Dear broth6

i will give a refund if it dosent get broken out of holder and dosent get a number grade. if they crack it out and won't grade it i will not give a refund,

- ***

This is when I bid on the card, not using the BIN option

Dear broth6

i see you placed a bid on the Greenberg. you know the refund offer was only good if you used buy it now?

- ***

My response, knowing now he is only in it for the money:

Dear ***

Sorry, I didn't realize that. Why would the terms change depending on how I bid on the card?

- broth6

Dear broth6

read the previous emails I said I would guarantee if you used buy it now at 249. not if bid on. I will not offer any refunds if the auction goes to close. you may want to retract your bid. the terms didn't change, I was only offering the deal to be nice if you paid the 249 by using buy it now.

- ***

Ownage beings now

Dear ***

I only see that if I use the BIN you guarantee that it will get a number grade. Which you can't do since you aren't employed at SGC. You then also said that you would give a refund if the card wasn't broken out and wasn't given a number grade. You never once indicated that the terms were only applicable using the BIN feature.

- broth6

Then he gets real mature

Dear broth6

MY card I can do what I want with it. learn how to read and stop playing games. if you are that stupid get some help

- ***

Dear ***

Yes, it is your card, and you can do with it what you want. This sounds like YOU need to learn how to read, negotiate effectively and maybe learn how to buy a card that you can actually make money on. You might need some help with that reading and comprehending part though, I'd suggest grade school for that.

- broth6

Dear broth6

have a great life pal. I was trying to work with you. card is relisted if you want to buy it now.

- ***


SO THE QUESTION IS, should I offer him my high bid for it?

 

[mrmopar]

This link kinda takes the anonymity out of the story.

Keeping the seller's name anonymous but if there is reason to do so I will out him.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271819720306?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[goobmcnasty]

This link kinda takes the anonymity out of the story.

I laughed. Sorry.

 

[jmc280zx]

Honestly you sound like an ass and that you are trying to play games... Not sure what the point of posting this on here except to try and sound like a keyboard thug...

Sent from my XT1060 using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[RStadlerASU22]

Not sure the seller did much wrong..?? I wouldn't guarantee any grade myself. I understand there was misunderstanding on bidding / BIN , but he went further with a guarantee than I would have.

I suggest paying a price that if it doesn't grade numerically that you can recoup most / all in its "A" state

Ryan

 

[Pine Tar]

I have to join the group and say, you did come off a little heavy on your end. But not completely piling on here either. Just move on from the card.....

 

[gamecockfanatic]

agree with the other replies......first time he even mentioned a refund it noted that it was if you hit the BIN (though he added that at 119 , you couldnt go wrong even withoiut a number).....i read it from that point on as thwe refund offer was only valid if the BIN was used......i consider myself extremely patient with buyers , but i think even i would have ceased communications and added to my blocked bidder list halfway through that exchange....

 

[smapdi]

The only thing is it wouldn't be a 3 with that giant crease. Probably 1-1.5. Differences in grading opinions are why we have grading services in the first place. There are other 1934 Diamond Stars Greenbergs in the world. If you don't like that card at that price, don't buy it.

 

[Nate Colbert 17]

If the seller states it will cross over to a "3", he is promising something he cannot guarantee.

If it doesn't grade as a "3", I would think the seller has a moral, but perhaps not an EBay, obligation to issue a full refund.

 

[Doerrcollector]

Did he raise the price to $299 BIN in the relist? That's kinda shady & odd....

All that being said I wouldn't buy the card either unless it has a actually grade---only way I want to see a vintage card only AUTH graded is with an auto on it. Otherwise it raises major red flags for trimming, altering, etc... I wouldn't touch this copy with a ten foot pole, unless it's one of the only error versions of the card, then I might consider it depending on the exact questions Zan was asking. Legit questions in my mind, and definitely a red flag for only offering a refund for the BIN.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[sportscardtheory]

I mean, unless the OP is completely uninformed, he has to know that the A "grade" means the card is almost certainly altered in some way and the card will never get a 3 with that huge crease. Seems like he was just messing with the seller. There is a PSA 5.5 available for under $1,000, so I'm guessing a 3 would be around $300-$500? Meaning the OP wants a $300-$500 card for $120 or he bails on the transaction. Who is supposed to be the jerk here. lol

 

[Dilferules]

Buyers need to buy a card for what it is, not for what they hope it might be. To me this is no different from those annoying buyers that buy raw cards then want to return them after they grade 8.5 or 9 instead of 9.5 or 10. You're buying that card graded "A", which means it might be trimmed or otherwise altered. What you decide to do with it after you buy it is of no business or consequence to the seller. Asking for a grade guarantee over and over after being denied is just being annoying and jerking him around. Honestly if I were the seller I would have blocked you from bidding because you come off as a huge pain here. And this is not coming from a "seller" perspective, I buy probably a thousand cards on ebay a year and sell less than ten.

Oh and it seemed clear to me he was only offering the guarantee if you hit the BIN.

 

[UMich92]

My issue with the listing is the statement "I'm sure it could be re graded for a numerical grade." With that statement in the listing, if the card comes back altered, trimmed, etc., the buyer should be able to file an item not as described claim.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

Buyers need to buy a card for what it is, not for what they hope it might be. To me this is no different from those annoying buyers that buy raw cards then want to return them after they grade 8.5 or 9 instead of 9.5 or 10. You're buying that card graded "A", which means it might be trimmed or otherwise altered. What you decide to do with it after you buy it is of no business or consequence to the seller. Asking for a grade guarantee over and over after being denied is just being annoying and jerking him around. Honestly if I were the seller I would have blocked you from bidding because you come off as a huge pain here. And this is not coming from a "seller" perspective, I buy probably a thousand cards on ebay a year and sell less than ten.

Oh and it seemed clear to me he was only offering the guarantee if you hit the BIN.

This should be the key to any transaction. You SHOULD know what you are potentially buying when a card is graded "A". It guarantees that the card is not a counterfeit.....Not anything else.

I feel like the buyer has unrealistic expectations for this transaction...The seller was more than accommodating IMHO. If I was the seller you would be blocked also.

As a side note. As sellers, we are not graders and don't ask me what I think it might grade and if I think that it will grade a 10. Don't ask me about every picky detail about a card. I will do the best I can to sell and represent a good quality product. Every once in a while I accidentally list a card with a flaw. It is unintentional though and I will make good and never give you the run around. If you ask me too many questions then I will assume you are going to be a pain and the risk that I will have an unsuccessful transaction with you will be very high. Therefore, one of the things I tell a potential buyer and avoid a potential hassle is this. " I don't believe you will be pleased with this card, but thanks for the interest". At that point I will block him and all worries are put to rest. This also ends a potentially nasty verbal relay!!!!!

 

[Johnny G]

I'd stay away at this point. The relationship has already gone sour so why risk a possible future issue?