What do you think about this selling situation?
pengvin67
Posts: 142 ✭✭
Hello out there,
Was just curious of opinions on this type of buyer. I had a 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky RC BVG 6 ExMt listed on Ebay for $849.99. I was sent a message by an ebayer (on Monday March 13th) on what my low cost to move the card would be. I sent a message to the buyer that I would do $725 delivered through a PayPal invoice. He says that he would do $650 and that is pushing it for a BGS 6 ExMt. I agree to the counter-offer as I've had some unexpected home repair bills, so could use the cash of course. Send the invoice on the evening of the 13th of March and the buyer says he will pay in the morning. Pays on the morning of the 14th (Tuesday) and I ship Priority mail with insurance for $650 that same morning. Card is delivered on the 16th, but the buyer doesn't pick it up from the USPS until the 17th.
On the 17th, buyer sends a text message that he really should have asked about the 'low' grade and states that the bottom left corner area is jacked and it can only be crossed to a PSA 5. Not worth more than $500 and it's not a $650 card for sure. He says he hasn't decided what to do, but it's only a $500 card to him. I state that is was graded by BGS with no creases and it's a pretty nice card for the BGS grade. So he texts back that it's only a $500 card because of the issues with the card. He tells me that he paid with PP credit so no issues returning it. I told him I would never sell the card as a $500 card and even if it's a PSA 5 it's still a $650 card at least. I ask him on what his intentions are, just flipping it? He says he'll decide over the weekend, but it's not a $650 card to him. I told him that I wouldn't give him $150 back because that would be ridiculous and I offer a refund of $50 (just to be nice). I told him in my years of collecting, flipping that I have never returned a card and had a card returned to me save for damage during transit. I told him that I think he just wants to flip the card without having to do any work since he could easily cross it over and then relist or just relist the BGS 6 for whatever. He never responds.
Today he sends a message stating he's returning the card and it has to do with the fact that it's not for him and his collection and not for 'flipping nonsense'. I just say, ok, I'm deducting the shipping I paid to deliver to him considering he could have just asked for pictures before I sent it.
It's not a 'major' situation, but I feel irritated by it.
Just curious what you would think as a seller....
Comments
Flipper's remorse. He sounds like a real tool. Just accept the return and relist. It's unfortunate but there are many tirekickers out there on ebay land.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Yeah, I accepted the return, but I feel like he should cover the shipping cost for when I shipped him the card. It's only $18 but I don't feel like I should have to pay $18 for him to inspect the card. He just keeps insisting it's a $500 card, but my point is the card is worth whatever someone will pay. Someone may pay $700 or $800 depending on their views, right? Just have patience and move on. I'll have to just add more pictures to my listing, to avoid this. Thanks for the reply!
I would not have gone nearly as far as you did. You agreed to a price on the card and he knew the grade. Just because he gets buyers remorse, or flippers remorse as Tim stated, is not a legit reason for a return. By your message above he has changed his tune several times regarding grade, reason for return.... No matter what you do for this buyer he will not be satisfied. I would tell him you own the card, and tell him that his reason for return he sent you via email is not satisfactory and there is nothing wrong with the card. I would also tell him he can push the issue with eBay/PayPal, and he will pay the return shipping cost.
For future reference when you get situations like this they are a huge red flag and just avoid them. I politely tell buyers I am pretty solid on my price, and I don't mind taking a little off price if it is warranted; however some buyers take it as a license to try and nudge you down on every aspect of the deal.
Kendall, you're absolutely right. Generally speaking, I try to be a fair seller, but this buyer is definitely looking to play the game. I think I would have been better off with telling him to take It up with PayPal, but I felt like they would always side with a seller for whatever reason. I should have held my guns a little more, but it's the first time I've experienced this as a seller. Next time I'll put no refunds/returns on the invoice and move on. Thanks for the advice!
I only take full refunds never a partial, and I move on and block. What is the buyers ebay i.d. so I can avoid this.
Pm if you don't wanna out him publicly
You're welcome and I have had people do some silly stuff on potential sales, and the frustration level can be a pain sometimes. Had one guy who became a stalker sending me crazy messages because I would not bring the price down on a card. Unfortunately eBay sales can be a microcosm of real life, and like real life there are some crazy folks out there. The more you can avoid them the better
The guy is trying to squeeze you out of some extra money and is using the card, and PayPal, as leverage. Good for you telling him to return it.
Open in front of a postal employee, if possible.
Sorry this happened. I know what it's like to move something low for bills, or whatever.
+1
IT CAN'T BE A TRUE PLAYOFF UNLESS THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONS ARE INCLUDED
always$be$closing
He does have 3000+ feedback with 100 percent positive, so I'm not exactly sure what his thought process was on this particular card. I'm not sure why he didn't just request pictures or close-ups beforehand and not have to waste so much time. It is what it is, but I appreciate the feedback. I felt pretty irritated and I thought, well, maybe I'm just being too sensitive, but it's nice to know a few of you share my view. Thanks again!
Mullins...that's really good advice to open in front of an USPS employee. I just thought to myself, what if he sent back an empty box? I hope it isn't something crazy like that!
Only accept paypal gift on items like this. If you have good feedback as a seller, the buyer shouldnt have an issue with it. I have done this recently on a $3000 item and it worked out ok. If he gifts it, then starts the BS, you can tell him to stick it
Don't forget to block him once you get the card back. As well, opening in front of a Postal employee (or better yet employees) would be a sound way to protect yourself. I wouldn't mind knowing the tirekicker either, so as to block him.
For the OP, I think you are generous with the buyer in this situation, although that is not necessarily bad, as it probably saves you headaches from it in the future. For myself, when I do off-ebay sales through regular paypal, I do not accept returns. (For ebay, I accept 30 day returns, no questions asked, even on graded cards.) One of the reasons that I give a greater discount through Paypal is exactly for the reason of no returns. Although I think it's likely you would lose a seller case through ebay, I don't know if that is necessarily the case through Paypal. I think Paypal transactions have much fewer protections for buyers than ebay. Unless the buyer does a credit card chargeback, I think you would win the case on Paypal. Saying all this, I've never had a case go through Paypal as a seller, so I could be wrong. I did have a case as a buyer where the seller never shipped the card, and even on such an easy case like that, it took me an entire month to get my money back. It was a huge pain.
Lou Gehrig Master Set
Non-Registry Collection
Game Used Cards Collection
I appreciate the incoming messages. It is a learning experience and it's always helpful to get the opinions of those who have been there and done that. I think I was a little generous with the buyer and I wish I would have put No Refunds/Returns in the PayPal invoice. I will deduct the amount I had to spend to ship him the card in the first place (around $18) from his refund. I feel like it's a complete wash then, save some time running to the USPS. Thanks guys....
Oh, I listed his ebay handle in an earlier message...
You'll get more than $18 more for that item from the next buyer, so don't worry, you'll actually come out ahead some $ rather than out that amount. GLWTS