So I get this message today from an unhappy ebay buyer......2/20/11 Update 1st post

SUMORADA · February 17, 2011 6:35AM

So it looks like I might get a neg from this guy......

From the buyer...His ebay ID is..( matthewprymak )

Hey Beers,
The 3-MS69 2007 Silver Eagles that you have sent me, have all been tampered with. All the cases have been opened and the coins they have been switched with are not ms69 coins. I am very unhappy. All the cases have been pryed open and the correct coin has been swithed with a scraped or nicked coin. Can you please make this right.

This guy has (5) feedback and has yet to leave feedback for anyone....maybe he wants his first to be a neg...

My reply to him was.......

They have not been tampered with in any way, but that's not the point, the point is you are not happy so just return them!

now he sends me this message......a few minutes ago !

So are you going to pay the shipping, because I am not at fault with this. I was born at night, but not last night. I would have loved to keep these coins and not gone through all this hassle

Any suggestions would be appreciated.......

Edited to link the auction.....
Link

2/20/11 Update......
On Fri. I called ebay and reported this guy, this morning I checked my feedback and found this from him...

No neg... a + A little mis communication with an issue, resolved it with a non-biased party

I do not know what his meaning is but, it's over and no neg.

DennisH · February 17, 2011 6:41AM

My first suggestion is to post his eBay name so I can block him from bidding in my auctions.
The second one is to say return postage is on him, unless your auction specifically addresses this.
Number three is to show eBay any correspondence that suggests he'll use feedback extortion.

JapanJohn · February 17, 2011 6:42AM

Pay the shipping and be done with it and him. Small price to pay in my opinion.

John

MFH · February 17, 2011 6:43AM

He's going to neg you no matter how helpful you are;
maybe he doesn't understand the term "Stock Photo".

That's probably why he thinks you switched coins on him
as the serial numbers don't jive.

Have him ship back the coins insured with signiture
confirmation - and refund all his initial charges upon
receipt of the three ASE's in question.

Then, BLOCK him !!

Russ · February 17, 2011 6:43AM

I would have responded to his first message by asking him what he sees in the slabs that makes him think they've been opened. Sometimes buyers see the little nubs on the edges of NGC slabs and mistakenly think that means tampering.

Russ, NCNE

MadMarty · February 17, 2011 6:44AM

Refund him return shipping and block him. Not worth it. The question is, what happends if he cracked the slabs and replaced the coins?

Ahrensdad · February 17, 2011 6:45AM

I sure hope he doesn't send back slabs that have been pried open...by him. I think I would agree to pay the shipping and be done with him as well. I think that will be your least loss. Heck, silver took a nice run up today, I'm sure you'll be able to resell them.

Andrew

greghansen · February 17, 2011 6:52AM

It will be a minor bump in the road of EBAY weirdo's unless it turns out he opened the slabs and returned crap coins in them. Agree to pay the return freight and hope he is just an unknwledgeable collector who has been weirded out by articles about counterfeit slabs.

Oh yea...I'm waiting for the ebay name... He's already blocked in my mind...just waiting to get the ID.

drei3ree · February 17, 2011 6:54AM

<< I sure hope he doesn't send back slabs that have been pried open... >>

...or a box of rocks! He could then show "proof" of return shipping and file a charge back on his credit card...FYI As a seller, you are at the mercy of the buyer's honesty.

vann · February 17, 2011 6:56AM

<< Refund him return shipping and block him. Not worth it. The question is, what happends if he cracked the slabs and replaced the coins? >>

MS69 ASE's are just bullion and going for little over spot anywho so why anyone would want to switch them is a mystery (unless they switch them with fake coins). Return his money and move on. You can get your eBay and PayPal fees back and you will probably make up the shipping loss when you resell them. Insist on paying for the return shipping and send him a prepaid flat rate envelope with tracking so you can open his package in front of the postal clerk in case he tries sending you a box of rocks.

AUandAG · February 17, 2011 6:56AM

Blocked.......Can he take a pic of the pried open slabs and send you the pic?
Weird correspondence for sure. I'm inclined to tell him to pound sand as they
are graded by NGC. Not your grade. I would not take a return and would gladly
accept the negative if that's what he's going to do.

bob

SUMORADA · February 17, 2011 7:00AM

I have not replied since his last message 20 minutes ago....

now he sends me this......

I have a Question, are you going to put the money in my account first before I send them back? How do I know that you will credit my account when you recieve the coins. Or should i go through ebay's resolution center to solve this situation?

drei3ree · February 17, 2011 7:01AM

Selling on eBay is a very dangerous game.

sonofagunk · February 17, 2011 7:01AM

you are getting a neg no matter what.

drwstr123 · February 17, 2011 7:02AM

I hope he sends a birthday card , I mean after this intimacy.
Er...you do know what just happened?
Blocked.

57loaded · February 17, 2011 7:02AM

Eric, with your stellar reputation! Shame on them!!!!

also can't you limit your buyers to having more than "X" number of feedbacks...to help stop this in the ifrst place?

BAJJERFAN · February 17, 2011 7:02AM

<< 

<< I sure hope he doesn't send back slabs that have been pried open... >>

...or a box of rocks! He could then show "proof" of return shipping and file a charge back on his credit card...FYI As a seller, you are at the mercy of the buyer's honesty. >>

Doesn't he have to have proof that the seller received the returned items and not just that he shipped them? If there is any possibility that he could return junk in place of the coins, I would open the box at the counter in front of a witness.

MsMorrisine · February 17, 2011 7:05AM

my first thought is "did he try to open them?"

If they've been opened, it'd be easy to tell.

perhaps enlighten the person with some cracking web pages and some cracking youtube videos. I think once he sees what it takes, he'd realize it'd be easy to tell if they've been tampered with.

perhaps he will change his mind on "opened and substiituted".
(probably then he'll just want his money back, and you two can slowly part ways without a negative)

ebaybuyer · February 17, 2011 7:08AM

my guess is that he is gonna neg you no matter what, i would explain to him that the coins have to be returned prior to any refund. if he doesnt like that, ask him to send you some sort of proof of his "tampered slab" claim. ive done over 3800 transactions, and just in the last few years has it become more and more apparent that the buyers are becoming more and more dishonest

drei3ree · February 17, 2011 7:08AM

How many of us open packages in front of the postal worker and then ask the postal worker for a sworn declaration of the box's contents? Plus, there are about 1000 variations on how the return shipping con game can be played. I've dealt with many of them and have never won as the seller!

Studio60 · February 17, 2011 7:16AM

On a related note: Why does your eBay ad state in bold, block lettering you have 100% feedback when you don't?

I too would have him return the coins and issue a complete refund including postage but have him mail the coins first.

BAJJERFAN · February 17, 2011 7:20AM

<< How many of us open packages in front of the postal worker and then ask the postal worker for a sworn declaration of the box's contents? Plus, there are about 1000 variations on how the return shipping con game can be played. I've dealt with many of them and have never won as the seller! >>

Ask before you open the package or make arrangements ahead of time.

BigE · February 17, 2011 7:20AM

He probably opened them because he is hearing a high pitched whining sound and wanted to check them for hidden micro radios

,seriously though, i would just stick to the stated rules in the auction and make him pay for returns and tell him before he sends them back that they had better not be opened. Whats going to happen is whats going to happen why waste your money paying for a return? Unless you e-mail him and say you wont pay until he leaves you good feedback

----------------BigE

vann · February 17, 2011 7:24AM

<< How many of us open packages in front of the postal worker and then ask the postal worker for a sworn declaration of the box's contents? Plus, there are about 1000 variations on how the return shipping con game can be played. I've dealt with many of them and have never won as the seller! >>

If he outright switches the slabs (little to gain in this case by returning lower quality coins) it's your word against his since he could ay that is what he was sent. By sending him a mailing label requiring a signature for delivery you can pick it up at the post office and have the post office video of opening the the package at the counter upon receipt and will have documented proof of the contents returned in the case of a discrepancy with the items returned.

Tdec1000 · February 17, 2011 7:24AM

<< He probably opened them because he is hearing a high pitched whining sound and wanted to check them for hidden micro radios

,seriously though, i would just stick to the stated rules in the auction and make him pay for returns and tell him before he sends them back that they had better not be opened. Whats going to happen is whats going to happen why waste your money paying for a return? Unless you e-mail him and say you wont pay until he leaves you good feedback

----------------BigE >>

You can't do that either BigE. That is feedback extorsion as well.

Sumorada, you are at the mercy of the buyer. This is a lose lose situation you are dealing with and I am sorry for you. I can't stand idiots as much as the next guy! I would tell him to send you some photos of the coins and ask exactly what he is talking about. If the pictures are of slabs already cracked then you have some proof to ebay that the buyer is trying to scam you.

Tom

coinguy1 · February 17, 2011 7:29AM

My guess is that the guy is not trying to pull a fast one. But, that he is inexperienced, expected better quality in MS69's, saw some marks on the holders and assumed the worst. Be understanding and kind and try to educate him and you might avoid a negative.

SamByrd · February 17, 2011 7:41AM

<< My guess is that the guy is not trying to pull a fast one. But, that he is inexperienced, expected better quality in MS69's, saw some marks on the holders and assumed the worst. Be understanding and kind and try to educate him and you might avoid a negative.

>>

again the voice of reason

ajman · February 17, 2011 7:43AM

I think I would contact eBay and open a dispute with him first, especially if I knew that the coins I sent him were good and I thought that he's trying to scam me. I don't know how this works with eBay but maybe head him off at the pass and try to protect yourself in some way.

MsMorrisine · February 17, 2011 7:44AM

I kinda agree with Mark too.

Educate the guy.

you might can pull this out without a negative and ennd up haviing the guy think you're not a scam.

Coinlearner · February 17, 2011 7:44AM

Just reply as nice as can be, and ask this "buyer" to ship back signature confrimation. He will have a record of receipt to show ebay/PP should you "take the coins an run"

......BLOCKED thanks

notwilight · February 17, 2011 7:46AM

<< I would have responded to his first message by asking him what he sees in the slabs that makes him think they've been opened. Sometimes buyers see the little nubs on the edges of NGC slabs and mistakenly think that means tampering.

Russ, NCNE >>

And then they look at them through a microscope.

one minor concern is that HE might have opened the slabs and exchanged the coins and you'll get back exactly what he described.

--Jerry

dsessom · February 17, 2011 7:52AM

I have to agree with Mark, and further, I'd pay return postage and all. Have the buyer return them and if they have been cracked out just sell them as raw bullion to partially recoop your losses, and if they guy turns out to be jerk, or trying to deceive you, block him. I always try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt first, until they prove deceptive.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes..

SUMORADA · February 17, 2011 8:04AM

I just sent him this reply.....

Hello again,
The most important thing to me is that you are happy, if you look at my feedback profile you will see that 5794 people who have had dealings with me were more then pleased, I also know that the coins sent to you were not tampered with in anyway and they have been in my posession since I removed them from the US Mint Green Monster Box and took them to NGC for grading,
Again, as it states in the auction we do take returns for any reason, once the items are returned in the condition that they were shipped I will gladly refund all of the money you paid including the original shipping but I will not pay the return shipping.

Thank you

MsMorrisine · February 17, 2011 8:14AM

send him a link to this video and note the cracked pieces lying in the towel.

Dollar2007 · February 17, 2011 8:16AM

I would probably pay return shipping as annoyed and mad as I am sure you are, it could quell this situation and possibly prevent a negative feedback.

jesbroken · February 17, 2011 8:32AM

I would pay the shipping both ways, after the coins that I sold them were returned in the same condition as I shipped them. I would also demand that the coins be shipped insured and tell them that the package will be opened in front of your Postal clerk upon arrival. I have done this before and so far no erroneous contents. Regardless, if this person is a crook or stupid you are at his mercy with ebay. I would make the best of a bad situation. Best of luck.
Jim

MsMorrisine · February 17, 2011 8:39AM

<< send him a link to this video and note the cracked pieces lying in the towel. >>

And here is an NGC web page specifically made for eBay buyers about tamper evident slabs

drwstr123 · February 17, 2011 8:40AM

"Regardless, if this person is a crook or stupid you are at his mercy with ebay."
Thank ya eBay.

SUMORADA · February 17, 2011 8:46AM

And here is an NGC web page specifically made for eBay buyers about tamper evident slabs

Good idea..

mrpotatoheadd · February 17, 2011 8:48AM

I had a buyer return a coin a while back because when he showed it to the guy at his local coin store, the shop owner told him the slab had been cracked open and the coin had been replaced by a counterfeit. I took the coin back, refunded the payment and sent the slab to NGC for inspection.

The verdict- coin authentic, nothing wrong with the slab.

jsf · February 17, 2011 8:57AM

It's right there in the ebay boilerplate type of stuff under Returns, ..."buyer pays return shipping."

...but more often than not the buyer breezes right by that part of the auction description.

As ebay pointed out to me, even though the buyer obviously misreads an auction, it is your, the seller's, responsibility to finalize the deal so that the buyer is happy.

sucks, don't it?

pay the idiot's return shipping and block him.

MilesWaits · February 17, 2011 8:58AM

Good reply to the buyer Sumorada.

The challenge for him to pay return postage may put more emphais on his part to consider his options.

Rather than feeling like there is only one accountable party - you.

He is BLOCKED.

Miles

Bochiman · February 17, 2011 9:00AM

That sucks, sorry to hear this is happening.
I want to believe like Mark posted, but I am thinking he may have been trying to get money back and keep the items.

segoja · February 17, 2011 9:28AM

You should have jsut had him send them all back and cover the shipping.

Have you tried calling the guy? that works in many cases, but I think it might be too late. You've clearly angered this guy.

In any case, thanks for the bidder info...he is blocked.

joebb21 · February 17, 2011 9:40AM

I am surprised you all would give in so easily.
I would call ebay and say that the seller has had over 500 positive transactions over the last 6 months.

Look at his volume. Do you really think he would be so stupid to send cracked coins to try and getting away with $100?

That is ludicrous.

I would chance the negative and let the buyer scam others.
We can't keep letting these ebay %%@ get away with it.

I sold a coin where the buyer said blah blah give me a discount. I said if you dont like it, then send it back and get a refund.
Didnt hear from him again.

Casman · February 17, 2011 9:54AM

I'd guess that the buyer is an absolute scammer and not really as uneducated as some would like to believe. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. So since we're in the real world and not fantasy land all I can say is this m

rs BLOCKED...

Actually, maybe he's really unhappy with his last purchase: A Mens Thong...Bet he tries to return that too...

123cents · February 17, 2011 10:10AM

<< That sucks, sorry to hear this is happening.
I want to believe like Mark posted, but I am thinking he may have been trying to get money back and keep the items. >>

timber100 · February 17, 2011 10:16AM

Sorry to hear of the BS you are going thru, buyer BLOCKED

tideman · February 17, 2011 10:19AM

I'll add a little story of my own. I had a few unopened proof sets I placed on ebay. They were from 1950-1955. No reserve, all sold quickly. I kept one each for myself. They were 100% orginal and authentic; they were passed down by a relative who purchased them new. One buyer bought two sets and immediately came back and stated they were not original, been taken out of mint packaging. etc. He called me a crook. I was pissed and opened all of my own sets; as expected, they were spot on. I questioned the guy, and after doing so, it was obvious he had switched the coins. I refused to refund him knowing I would lose, and I did. When I received the return, it was easy to see he switched on me. Bottom line: as a seller you are basically out of luck, with few exceptions.

MadMax67 · February 17, 2011 10:51AM

<< Refund him return shipping and block him. Not worth it. The question is, what happends if he cracked the slabs and replaced the coins? >>

My thoughts exactly sounds like he cherry picked your ASE SE's

cmerlo1 · February 17, 2011 10:53AM

Blocked. Thanks for the heads-up. No time for this guy's s**t.

So I get this message today from an unhappy ebay buyer......2/20/11 Update 1st post

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