Is This Consignor Crazy?

Sethro

PSA 8 Cello Pack Sold a Month Ago

Same Exact Pack Being Consigned!

How much more does this guy think he's going to get, especially factoring in shipping costs and consignment fees?

calgarycollector

You are overlooking emotion. I buy way to much given I collect anything of interest. I often then have to dump items to buy something I really want.

Logical no, profitable no, what I often do yes. Situations change for each of us and the wife has a way of reeling me in when I'm over buying :-(

yankeeno7

It will go for nice profit cuz friends and family members are ready to have an all out bidding war on it.

KbKards

It could be just a coincidence that the bidder at $18 currently has the same number of feedback as the original winner.

Dpeck100

2binklargo( 438)

This is the buyer who won the pack and consigned it.

Here is the profile for the bidder in question.


Bidding Details
Bidder Information
Bidder: g***n( 438)
Feedback: 100%Positive
Item description: Item Title: 1976 Topps Baseball Unopened CELLO Pack Rangers Top PSA 8 NM-MT
Bids on this item: 1
30-Day Summary
Total bids: 54
Items bid on: 43
Bid activity (%) with this seller: 35%
Bid retractions: 0
Bid retractions (6 months): 2





Bidder Information
Bidder: 0***k( 619)
Feedback: 100%Positive


This is what my EBAY ID looks like when someone else clicks on it.


This is a tough call.

ludedude

Stupid question... but on the pack it says with gum. Where is the gum?

gemint

<< <i>Stupid question... but on the pack it says with gum. Where is the gum? >>



It's wedged in the middle. When you look at a mid-70s cello pack from the side, you'll see the cards tightly bowed around the gum which is located near the middle of the card stack. This era of cellos typically aren't good candidates for high grade cards due to the fact the cellophane is wrapped so tightly around the cards.

Probstein123

anyone here ever brave enough to actually chew 1976 gum ?

itzagoner

couple years ago i tried some 2nd series '72 Topps baseball....tripped hard.

i saw the ghosts of Ty Cobb and several Kennedys.

Southsider

I couldn't resist the temptation to try some gum from the '85 Topps football wax packs I ripped a few years back. Ugh, it was pretty nasty stuff, and I cherry picked the gum that looked the least gross. I can only imagine how well an additional decade or more would have on the taste of Topps gum.

ludedude

<< <i>

<< <i>Stupid question... but on the pack it says with gum. Where is the gum? >>



It's wedged in the middle. When you look at a mid-70s cello pack from the side, you'll see the cards tightly bowed around the gum which is located near the middle of the card stack. This era of cellos typically aren't good candidates for high grade cards due to the fact the cellophane is wrapped so tightly around the cards. >>



I always bought the wax packs and the gum was always on top. I learned something new today, thanks for the answer!

galaxy27

<< <i>couple years ago i tried some 2nd series '72 Topps baseball....tripped hard.

i saw the ghosts of Ty Cobb and several Kennedys. >>



I must admit, this elicited a chuckle. Surprised you didn't have your stomach pumped, J!

Maurice

Chewing 37 year old gum isn't brave. Brave would be to stop accepting consignments from the guys that have been caught bidding on their consignments.

mlbfan2

If you do eat some Topps gum from the 70s, try washing it down with some Crystal Pepsi from the 90s.
link

JHS5120

<< <i>Chewing 37 year old gum isn't brave. Brave would be to stop accepting consignments from the guys that have been caught bidding on their consignments. >>




Brave would be speaking to a man face to face rather than hiding behind a computer monitor

KbKards

Chewing 37 year old gum isn't brave. Brave would be to stop accepting consignments from the guys that have been caught bidding on their consignments.

The full bidder ID would be viewable by the seller by Clicking Here

If the ID's match then perhaps a brave course of action would be to end the listing early and sell to the current high bidder.

Dodgerfanjohn

<< <i>

<< <i>Chewing 37 year old gum isn't brave. Brave would be to stop accepting consignments from the guys that have been caught bidding on their consignments. >>




Brave would be speaking to a man face to face rather than hiding behind a computer monitor >>



This type of Internet comment ALWAYS cracks me up. Lol like two grown men are gonna go at it or whatever. So utterly dumb.

Sethro

<< <i>anyone here ever brave enough to actually chew 1976 gum ? >>



I actually tried some from a 79 cello pack I ripped. It was gross and didn't congeal. Just all sandy and cardboard tasting.

Doublestriker

+1

I tried 1980 topps gum and actually liked it even though it disentegrated in my mouth..HA

1all

<< <i>2binklargo( 438)

This is the buyer who won the pack and consigned it.

Here is the profile for the bidder in question.

Bidding Details
Bidder Information
Bidder: g***n( 438)
Feedback: 100%Positive
Item description: Item Title: 1976 Topps Baseball Unopened CELLO Pack Rangers Top PSA 8 NM-MT
Bids on this item: 1
30-Day Summary
Total bids: 54
Items bid on: 43
Bid activity (%) with this seller: 35%
Bid retractions: 0
Bid retractions (6 months): 2

This is a tough call. >>




Looks like both feedbacks jumped to 439 at the same time, hmmm, coincidence? Blatantly bidding on your own consignment with the same username you used to win the item is about a smart as buying a 1971 Grocery Cello for $113.... Wait, he did that too! LINK!

1all

He bid on this consignment too - 1977 Topps Baseball Unopened CELLO Pack Angels Top PSA 7 NM

He originally won the pack here - 1977 Topps BB Unopened Cello Pack - PSA 7 - Angels Team Card

esquiresports

Maybe I'm in the minority (definitely in the minority of those who post), but I don't have any issues with a guy bidding $18 in an auction we all know will bring at least $75, regardless of his motivation (e.g., to more easily track the card, etc.).

1all

<< <i>Maybe I'm in the minority (definitely in the minority of those who post), but I don't have any issues with a guy bidding $18 in an auction we all know will bring at least $75, regardless of his motivation (e.g., to more easily track the card, etc.). >>



Maybe that was just his first bid. Check out this one:

Original buy - 1972 OPC PSA 9 Wax Pack Sealed Canadian Topps O PEE CHEE 2nd Series Baseball 72
Consignment - 1972 O-Pee-Chee OPC Baseball Unopened Wax Pack 2nd Series PSA 9 MINT

He's bid 3 times so far on his consignment $15, $25, $45. At what point do you begin to have issues with it?

esquiresports

I'd start to have issues with it if he's bidding at lowest price I could see the item selling for (I realize this is subjective) and really have an issue if he is the underbidder.

I don't get the point of bidding multiple times at a price that is well below what the product will sell for.

elsnorto

<< <i>Maybe I'm in the minority (definitely in the minority of those who post), but I don't have any issues with a guy bidding $18 in an auction we all know will bring at least $75, regardless of his motivation (e.g., to more easily track the card, etc.). >>



I can't imagine many reputable sellers, buyers, or marketplace operators believe shilling is fine as long as it doesn't (appear to) impact the hammer price. So as long as the shiller isn't the direct underbidder to the winner, you think there is no issue shilling? Where do you set the bar between shilling that is OK and shilling that is not?

And as far as tracking the card... eBay provides a watch list and I don't believe for one minute that a person with 400+ feedback on eBay doesn't know that.

Snorto~

RipublicaninMass

<< <i>

<< <i>anyone here ever brave enough to actually chew 1976 gum ? >>



I actually tried some from a 79 cello pack I ripped. It was gross and didn't congeal. Just all sandy and cardboard tasting. >>



ditto. rather unpleasant

bbuckner22

<< <i>And as far as tracking the card... eBay provides a watch list and I don't believe for one minute that a person with 400+ feedback on eBay doesn't know that. >>


+1
I guess as long as Ebay continues to look the other way on this on going issue, why should Rick care either?

elsnorto

<< <i>

<< <i>And as far as tracking the card... eBay provides a watch list and I don't believe for one minute that a person with 400+ feedback on eBay doesn't know that. >>


+1
I guess as long as Ebay continues to look the other way on this on going issue, why should Rick care either? >>



I don't disagree with you about eBay not caring about shilling in general enough to do anything about it. It would seem code could be developed to match account information and check if one person's account is bidding on another of their accounts listings. That wouldn't catch everyone, but it would catch a good many. Then again, as many have speculated before, that may go against their best short-term interests by reducing hammer prices and their commissions as a result.

That said, when you throw a consignment into the mix, I am not sure how eBay could know when a consignor is bidding on their own item listed by a consignee.

As far as Rick, he is one of the hobby's largest eBay consignees who, I would imagine, derives a good amount of his income from his consignment operation. So he should care for the same reason any business owner should... a bad reputation is bad for business. But how much can Rick reasonably really do about the problem?

I know he has taken heat for not responding to threads calling out suspecting shilling on his listings and I think that criticism is fair. It seems both reasonable and in his best interest to investigate and act upon instances where a clear case of shilling can be made. But those cases appear to be few and far between, so other than this what can he (or any consignor) do to eliminate shilling?

I personally will never buy from Rick again or use him to sell any of my items should I ever wish to use a consignor, so I am not what you would call a fan, but even *I* think some people are being a bit unrealistic/unfair in their expectations that he somehow eliminate all shilling going on with his listings. So what am I missing?

Snorto~

GR

Crazy enough to just get FREE advertising on a sports forum for his item!

EchoCanyon

<< <i>Crazy enough to just get FREE advertising on a sports forum for his item! >>



+1

Sethro

<< <i>

<< <i>Crazy enough to just get FREE advertising on a sports forum for his item! >>



+1 >>



Yeah. Guy buys the pack knowing that he's going to resell it a month later and that someone will notice and start talking about it on a sportscard website, therefore giving him free advertising.

EchoCanyon

about 2 hours left...pack was bought for $124...it's at $116 now

grote15

<< <i>about 2 hours left...pack was bought for $124...it's at $116 now >>



The bidder with 11 feedbacks is basically the only reason it's even at that price.

Maurice

<< <i>The bidder with 11 feedbacks is basically the only reason it's even at that price. >>


And the bidder with 11 feedbacks just so happens to also be bidding on the 1977 pack consigned by the same person as noted in 1all's post at the top of this page.

handyman

Geeze thats a lot of bidding action.
Bidder 11 is really active in these packs.

grote15

<< <i>Geeze thats a lot of bidding action.
Bidder 11 is really active in these packs. >>



Just on the packs that the seller the OP referenced had originally tried selling on their own, unfortunately..

EchoCanyon

sold

handyman

he did well on that 1972 OPC
What was the end take on all of them?

MrKnowthanx

How about this one.... I bought one a few months back for less than $20.00. Man he really does do well for his clients. Maybe I am missing something. When I decide to sell, if I ever do, I will be calling Rick.

digicat

Bo Jackson stuff has been through the roof in the past few months. 1988 Topps football PSA 10s are all selling in that range, not just Ricks.

ESPN just named Bo Jackson the "Greatest Athlete of All Time." That'll probably add some more juice to his cards.

Maurice

grote15

<< <i>

>>



Very unfortunate and sad for the winner with 319 FB who was bid up for no valid reason. I believe that 2binklargo was originally bidding but to Rick's credit, I believe he was blocked, but obviously he had an alt.

bbuckner22

Wonder if after the fact as a seller you can cancel bids for an item. Sure looks like the winner was run up by, most likely the consigner of the pack. Nothing raises a red like the old raise my bid $3 a crack and 94% bid history.

grote15

Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where shilling auctions has become almost commonplace...I don't see any way to effectively stop it. In this case, the transparency ebay provides is rather superficial..

handyman

Speaking of packs.
1975 PSA 9 Cello
Love the pack. But something doesnt seem right here eh?