Dealer policies with a tinge of "attitude"...
Piano1
Posts: 233 ✭✭✭
Well, I was looking at a coin from Peru listed on eBay (1788 2 Reales) and went to read the seller's description of the coin. I deliberately left the particular eBay listing off of this note but if anyone is interested....um...well...never mind. This policy IS POSTED on eBay by a seller. Other than a healthy number of misspellings, lack of spacing, commas, questionable capitalization, wrong words, and the like, I detect a very faint sense of disillusion on the part of the seller. These policies make ME just want to buy, and buy, and then buy some more from this guy...not to mention him making me feel warm and fuzzy all over! 😫 Enjoy!
Piano1
"NEW POLICY: SHIPPING TO DOMESTIC ADDRESSES ONLY. NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING.
Your want a description? Here’s your description:
I’m selling coins and currency to serious buyers who want good deals and don’t need to be coddled the entire way.If that’s you, join the fun.If not, just keep on looking elsewhere because you’re not worth by trouble.
Answers to common questions:
DOMESTIC Shipping is FREE, I still get Questions every single day from folks who can’t seem to figure out the giant FREE SHIPPING Banner on every page.
FOREIGN Shipping: NOPE
Commonly asked questions:
Q. “Is this coin (Insert precious metal here)”
A.You figure it out.If you don’t know what you are looking at, do some research.
Q.Do You Combine Shipping?
A.Can’t you read?
Q. I bought this my mistake, can you cancel?
A.I’ll go ahead and start that unpaid item case for you
Q.I’d like to return a TPG (PCGS, NGC, ANACS, PMG) certified item
A.Welcome to my BBL List and various other industry blacklists of my choosing (There are FEW exceptions, I have encountered misattributions on more obscure coins that significantly affect value more frequently.That’s legitimate)
Q. Why are you so mean?
A. Because a person really develops some think skin after years of putting up with nonsense. I provide Numismatic items at no reserve, with plenty of bargain opportunities, I expect buyers to put forth some effort in taking the time to research the items they are buying. This is a hobby, it’s supposed to be fun.99.999% of folks have that figured out. You can to.
Q.I’d like to return this item because of a genuine issue (Wrong item sent, it happens, nobody’s perfect. There are other real reasons)
A.Go ahead and initiate a return using the returns center, you will receive a label at our cost and be refunded upon receipt AND Inspection.
Q. I’d like to return an item for a frivolous reason (I already had one, my dog/cat/toddler placed an absentee bid).
A.You’d be surprised how many dogs/cats/toddler’s know how to login, search for items that their parents routinely buy, and go through the four step process of placing a bid.You’d be really surprised how many dogs/cats/toddlers seem to know the exact market price of a coin for that matter. Just cut the baloney. Expect a few unkind words if I think your story don’t hold water.
Q.I have a resale license, can you remove the sales tax?
A.For California, ONLY If we have a SIGNED PHYSICAL COPY of your resale card on file and it passes verification and is up to date.
For the new Interstate sales tax. As of February 28, I CANNOT Remove out of state sales tax. That will likely change at some point. Please refer to the Wayfair vs. South Dakota supreme court ruling and it’s repercussions. This issue is big and not easily resolved at the moment.
Q. I’m located outside the US, Why do I not see tracking immediately?
A. Because we don't ship internationally anymore. All International order will summarily be canceled
Comments
That's what's called "Biting off your nose in spite of your face". What a D!(&.
I know who the seller is, I have bought many coins from him. Although I wouldn't sell my coins this way, I don't have a problem with how he does it. He's pretty clear upfront about how it works and anybody who can't figure out from his listings what to expect only have themselves to blame.
BTW... he must have a decent following, he gets pretty good prices for most of his coins.
edited to add...
He runs pretty much everything as a 99 cent open/no reserve auction. Isn't that what people keep complaining there's not enough of, anymore?
If you think this dealer is bad, I'm guessing they could tell you far worse stories about clients they have dealt with.
That all seems perfectly reasonable to me, not seeing a problem there. (No, I'm not the dealer in question nor do I know who it is.)
I've bought from that seller before and it was a smooth process.
That's his style; it might make some steer clear but enough people buy from him that the prices are often strong (auction end results).
Nothing wrong with truth and honesty!!
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
Have bought and sold a decent amount of material with him. No BS, and probably one of the easiest world dealers to work with. Several years of selling coins on ebay will make you rough around the edges.
My eBay page: https://www.ebay.com/usr/alvareznumismatics
I suspect this is TCN (full store spelling not used here to protect the innocent)? If not, in either case, love the commentary by the dealer, just wish he/she would learn to spell and apply grammar appropriately.
Successful transactions with-Boosibri,lkeigwin,TomB,Broadstruck,coinsarefun,Type2,jom,ProfLiz, UltraHighRelief,Barndog,EXOJUNKIE,ldhair,fivecents,paesan,Crusty...
I like this guy!
I've been a seller and a buyer for many years on eBay and have had MANY more unpleasant and goofy experiences as a seller than as a buyer.
I would like to know the sellers ebay id. Seems to be a legitimate seller and would like to check out his inventory.
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
The most amusing "conditions" I've seen on eBay are from that "Noah's Ark" mob - they have a dozen aliases, all vaguely religious or Noah's Ark-themed. They keep getting NARUed, because they keep getting reported for selling fake ancient coins and/or mis-identifying things (or other violations of eBay's coin selling policy), and they're clearly sick and tired of people trying to "help" them by pointing out that they're wrong. Here's the spiel from one of their latest offerings (An old Russian coin being marketed as "Coin Medallion Russian Unknown Ukraine Europe Maybe Copper Bronze RARE 9.6 gram") :
I've cropped out a lot of their keyword-spamming (which they are also probably being NARUed for). Speaking as someone who actually does sell things on behalf of a religious charity, I can say I find their claims of being a religious charity are not credible. No real religious charity wants to have anything to do with selling fake coins, and would willingly offer a refund if a coin they sold proved to be fake.
This kind of "belligerently wilful ignorance" is, to me, clear evidence that they know exactly what they're selling, and are shameless in their pursuit of profits above truth.
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"
Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD.
I just dealt with someone who offered returns in which there may be a service fee involved. I did not like the coin in hand and started the return. About a week later I received a "partial refund". I asked the seller about this and he replied that it was a restocking fee. Which was 10%. It was only a $300 coin, but...read and understand the terms before you pull the trigger.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore...
Interesting, because I’ve had 4 ebay sellers try to scam me (the buyer) over the last month. I always read where the ebay buyers create odd scenarios and problems, but rarely do I hear about sellers stealing from the customers. Surely I cannot be the only one this happens to on a regular basis?
It's never happened to me in 25 years on eBay. Then again, I ignore listings with red flags.
Define "scam me".
Scam: not mail the item, mail the wrong/different item, mail an empty package, mail the package to a different random address
I must admit that the dealer's "terms" were a bit of a turn-off when I read them. Now, having read the many comments resulting from my post, I can see some valid points as to why the seller's "terms" are as they are. Years ago when I was also selling on eBay (just restarted last week after maybe a 6 or 7-year sabbatical) I can remember only 1 incident when I was a bit ticked off at a buyer. All went well with the sale, including payment...a few weeks later the buyer demanded a full refund because he found an identical one (proof foreign coin in case) at a lower price. Well, I'm not into hassles so I refunded...including postage...and got the coin back. So, maybe I should put THAT incident back in my active memory banks.
Still, I am very polite as a seller and have yet to experience any negatives. I say "yet"...I've only sold 7 things since my return to eBay. And, true confession time, I did bid on 3 inexpensive items from the seller discussed here. Probably won't win them but it's worth a shot. You can bet your --- that I won't ask any stupid questions, though!
Piano1
I do not shop E-Bay, but I did get a good laugh about the dog/cat thing.
A few years back I was following an auction on Heritage. I was bidding on a coin and had just decided to drop out when my ginger cat Elliot leapt up on my computer desk. He executed a perfect landing on my hand on the mouse and me click the bid box. I call it my kitty cat coin.
May I assume Elliot was bidding on one of the silver coins from the Isle of Man featuring differing varieties of cats? Good thing she didn't hit the "mouse" on one of their gold coins featuring cats. That would have set you back cats.https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces50975.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125570604248?hash=item1d3c975cd8:g:tLwAAOSwBitjUCIj&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA0H4/t0CXTNQ9mhh2sh8blFdfU016+Oyx6mwwkp25u9zA+zAMsNBBByRJnD8lmW6lc8BqU4gLN3UUKEnPmPCcVcuQRLoFZSNS9nPUN09Na/TsSdQkpD8xffwxrXnZ8a6H8LfM/vw+OL4a5QbhDXVjYDYp/XOKoQiMDApcrM7OWVnX4tcLDUSFGCgGOEzWktU1VqnZmlkZNE9jKO7+NGnTP9WgyzXbaWIFsqqPV1RrRwLeJ2NgqnMMAeHRe7xC8Th+KT1y8A3ljo3rsRwrVCi0OQs=|tkp:Bk9SR7LQ98PZYQ
Piano1
I like it, sans the misspellings; funny, straight up, and assuming his auctions are clean with no shills, would bid and buy.
I did business as a seller for many years on Ebay, and I do not blame this guy for all the rules. There are a few morons out there that ruin it for everyone. You try to be as nice and professional as possible, but that isn't good enough for a few jerks.
You have to put yourself in the sellers position to understand the attitude. If you don't like it, there are plenty of other sellers there.
As far as buying from sellers I have never done business with, I will always buy a few cheap items first, to see how well those transactions go before purchasing more expensive items.
I've only dealt with coins and other collectibles, with folks who have a good track record. I've been lucky.
I alway say, "A bad attitude is better than no attitude."
Overland Trail Collection Showcase
Dahlonega Type Set-2008 PCGS Best Exhibited Set
File a claim with eBay, they give you your money back and take it from the seller. Problem solved.
I think rouble-rousing terms in a kitschy sort of way is rather entertaining. However, when I am dealing with real people, I lead with respect and demand it in return. Generally, I have no problems because I do not waste a lot of time, I throw out reasonable offers, and honor them whenever someone agrees. I don't kick tires, but happy to chat and look at what a dealer wants to show me. I have a few dealers that I call "buddies" at this point, so it's working.
All that said, some coin dealers are an interesting breed of rude. I will not deal with those dealers regardless of their material. The coins are critical, but the buying experience is also important to me.
I am a newer collector (started April 2020), and I primarily focus on U.S. Half Cents and Type Coins. Early copper is my favorite.
Is his name Richard?
I’ve consigned for years to eBay sellers and paid them fairly to handle the listings and all the buyer crap that comes with it. Whenever I think about doing it myself, I recall threads like these and drop that idea immediately.
Clearly you didn't read the rest of the thread. Multiple people on the thread have done business with them.
The complaints are overdone. I do thousands of eBay transactions per year and sometimes go the entire year without any buyer issues. Go to a medical review website and you will quickly be convinced that everyone who has surgery is either dead or disfigured.
I have never sold on ebay... and rarely buy anything there. Years ago (25-30) I bought a lot of stuff... was a new venue then and a prolific source of material for one of my hobbies. I have not had seller problems, but based on what I have read (here and elsewhere), I can understand why a seller might (has) posted such information. Anyone who has worked in retail (real life) can attest to how strange, weird, frustrating, some of the public can be. Cheers, RickO
I never worked retail so I can't relate in THAT regard, but I just completed a 5-year volunteer term as Maintenance Coordinator for our condo association. Most residents were pleasant to work with but it's the few "challenging" residents that made me appreciate when I honored my commitment and completed my term. Ya' just can't make everyone happy I guess. I'm sure selling on E-Bay (or elsewhere) presents its list of "challenges" too. So far, I've been lucky. Presently I'm awaiting feedback on all but 1 sale...seems that packages using the USPS/eBay services are taking a long time these days. I'm at 100% positive based on my prior buying and selling years ago. Feedback is important to me because I would feel pretty bad if someone isn't happy. Piano1
Well...I just got notification of my first return...ever! I offered a Masonic Token on one side of a U.S. Seated Liberty Dime from the 1850's. The buyer started a return action because it isn't a Masonic Token. Buyer is requesting a refund ()which I DID just authorize). I did look up Mason tokens prior to my listing the piece and thought that mine was a good match Obviously, the buyer did not look at the photos in my listing. I'll return the $7 for the token though buyer had to pay shipping for the piece to him.
Here is the description in my listing.
"Thanks for stopping by! This piece is a Mason or Masonic medal drawn onto an old U.S. Dime from either 1853, 1854, or 1855. The exact date is difficult to determine but the arrow at the date indicates it is from that time period. The symbol of the Masons is artistically done but I don't know what the purpose of the token/medal was. Perhaps worn as part of a pin? Perhaps proof of Masonic membership?
Anyway, I don't collect this type of thing so I am offering it here on eBay very reasonably. There are no returns on this item but I expect that it holds a lot of history for someone who is interested in Masonic history and the organization's participation in the history of the United States.
Upon sale of this item, it will be shipped within 2 days of eBay's verification of payment in a protective holder, wrapped, and sent in a padded mailer.
Again, thanks!!"
Here is the reason for the return...
"Refund received
Mar 11
Return started
Return Reason
Doesn't match description or photos
Details
This is NOT Masonic, it is Order United American Mechanics This organization used a symbol that appears similar to the Masonic square and compasses. It consists of the typical Masonic square and compasses, with an arm holding a hammer in the center. The Masonic would have had a "G" inside and the token isn t Masonic."
Something isn't quite right here in my humble opinion since this item "was not returnable" according to my listing and obviously, the buyer didn't examine the photos before purchasing. Oh well, my first unhappy buyer on eBay. Why am I not feeling guilty???
Piano1
Several years ago, I contacted eBay customer service about a return request (buyer wanted me to pay the return postage) for a coin that was described as toned and included a picture showing a toned coin. Buyer complained because they didn't want a coin with toning. During the conversation with CS, I was told that eBay does not require the buyer to either read the description or look at any images provided. Sure, it's a stupid policy but what are you going to do?
Hi, MasonG. Yup. That's a stupid policy on eBay's part but I guess I understand if they don't want to find themselves in the middle of every dispute between buyer and seller.
OK, my buyer didn't read the description or look at the photos. Fine, but my listing DOES state no returns on this item. Oh well...a friend once told me "that's why God invented chocolate AND vanilla". Works for me in this case. Heck...it's $7 and if he wants the $4 shipping, I'll send him a check for that too. E-Bay is already refunding the $7. Maybe I'll fly out to his place and wash his car, buy a few pizzas for the family, and give them all passes to Disneyland so they can all meet their relative from snow White; DOPEY!
Piano1
I feel for him. Can’t say really blame him. Lame eBay buyers, flake outs can take their toll. What is hilarious is when the flake out (or scammer) botches the return and does not return by deadline or too stupid providing any tracking. Then no return allowed lol. I believe there are a lot of scammers who initiate returns thinking sellers will refund before item received back. Well we are on to them - no free rides in numismatics!
AS a major seller on E-Bay (sold 10 coins this year) here's what I figured out. It's purely my personal observation.
1) SOME BUYERS SHOULD NOT BUY FROM SOME SELLERS.
2)SOME SELLERS SHOULD NOT SELL TO SOME BUYERS.
Sometimes the fit is just not there and problems ensue from forced interactions.
NUFF said.
OK. I see your point(s). The problem is, how would anyone know who to sell to or who to buy from? I guess someone could compile a massive directory somehow but then people would complain that their constitutional rights were violated or some such thing. I guess there are risks in either role as buyer or seller. 99% of the time I have learned, people are great but occasionally, a clunker squeaks in to muddy the waters. Piano1
eBay has its share of bad buyers. A seller has no control over this (it’s not like these people have a dunce badge) and can only block them after the incident.
It’s not necessarily a matter of fit. There are some really sorry trash buyers on eBay just like there are on bourse at shows. Of course at a show I don’t owe them anything except the item they paid for or payment for the item I purchased from them. I maintain a professional attitude / profile at both and shake off as background radiation any negative attitude or outgoing expression of players. I am there to buy and sell. RCI is a tough business but fun.
To be fair, you did list it incorrectly.
Ha. We've done eBay since 1998 and have seen some funny TOS over the years. This guy is legendary for his TOS...in fact I think that there's been a thread about him here in the past.
Guys like him are actually easy to deal with if you have a brain and know how to read.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
After all these years, though, there's still no way for buyers to block sellers. I really wish there were.
Sellers blocking buyers is of marginal utility anyway as buyers will just use an alternate account. In the worst cases they'll have their associates buy for them.
About the policies in the OP, one problem is that the customers he's trying to weed out won't be bothered to read his policies in the first place. So it's mainly just entertainment.
Sellers can be excluded when doing searches.
Yeah I think everyone knows that.
As a relative "newbie" on eBay, I didn't know that sellers could be excluded. I guess I have more exploration to do on the site. So far, all has been great with the sellers that my wife and I have purchased from. Not only coins! 😉
Piano1