|
Post by 10incher on Oct 26, 2010 22:31:00 GMT -6
Shup, totally agree MOC means the figure itself is mint on card and doesn't refer to the packaging as being mint. I do the same thing, post large pics of my sale items on Ebay so buyers can be the judge of condition themselves. Looks like a case of the buyer not taking the time to look at the picture thoroughly and not quite understanding collecting terminology. Its MOMC that means Mint figure on mint card.
|
|
dfunk7
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by dfunk7 on Oct 27, 2010 0:07:41 GMT -6
There are so many people including members here that feel you have to spell out every single thing as if they dont even look at the pictures at all, Its completely absurd way of buying IMO - The number 1 thing I do is carefully review the picture, #2 read the item despription, #3 optional - ask a question about any concerns
IMO the system should be common sense, however these days its not
I have a feeling this economy has simply drummed up many many more scammers looking for credits back to help save money - and with ebay the way it is they know they can get away with it alot easier
I have probably 50 people on my blocked bidders list, Generally Ill block anyone even if its just hear say to not have to deal with it
Scammers or just tards - either way its insane
|
|
|
Post by bowspearer on Oct 27, 2010 14:30:02 GMT -6
I hate to say it Shup, in the case of eBay, the answer to "Do I need to list all the damage to the card when there is a picture that shows the condition. Do I need to stat that I make no claim to the condition of the card that he will not read." is yes. Unfortunately for the longest time, cowboys were listing borken figures as decent or selling things, taking the money and not sending them and then leaving retaliatory feedback, and because of that sellers now have to dot every single i and cross every single t. It's why I genereally buy from eBay as opposed to selling on it these days on the off chance I accidentally make a mistake with my listing. Look at it this way, if nothing is listed in the description about the damage, then the buyer has every right to bring up a complaint over the item under eBay rules. However in the case of that listing, if you put in the description "X corner bent and small dent in top of bubble" then if the buyer doesn't read the description, then they have noone to blame but themselves for not reading the description and you're covered under eBay rules. It takes about 5 seconds to type up but makes a world of difference to how covered you are. I'd take it as a learning experience for 2 reasons- you might be aware of the damage but other people aren't as likely to be aware of it, so while the photo might genuinely seem adequate for you in terms of showing the damage, it might not be for others. If there looks like there's damage there, I'll always ask, but sometimes it isn't that obvious from the photos that there is damage. That said, I haven't seen the listing, so I don't know how many photos were shown of the item and from what angle they were taken. The other reason I was referring to before, is this. That situation is very fishy and that's putting it mildly. I use partial refunds, but for the simple reason that shipping costs when dealing internationally (which is about the only way you can collect in Australia) are so astronomically high that you're better off looking at compensation and being left with something you're less than happy with than wind up losing $30-$60 and winging up with nothing at all. However I generally have a golden rule of the partial refund being an option that is beneficial to both parties - ie costing less to the seller than the losses they'd make from havign to refund the shipping costs from when they sent it. The only 3 exceptions are one case where there was blatantly obvious and significant damage to a lot of M.A.S.K. toys that had not only been left out of the description, but hidden through carefully angled photographs, a MIB DOE vehicle lot where the toys were thrown in a big box with no padding whatsoever and the boxes were beaten up as a result, and a mint loose with box Power Base (which Chad was a referee for Paypal on funnily enough), had the parts wrapped in bubblewrap showed into the toy's box which was wrapped in brown paper and sent on its way. No surprise that it arrived with a gaping hole in it, the tank missing and the left turret nozzle smashed. I'm bringing these up because while I don't think that partial refunds are bad; I think there needs to be a sense of scale here. If he's asking for half of everything back, then yeah, you're getting pretty screwed over there. To begin with, a bent card can usually be fixed with heavy books placed carefully around the bubble on a flat surface- that's not even grounds to need compensation because it can be fixed up itself. With the bubble though, that's overkill right there- unless we're talking about say, the size of a pen end or bigger on a 3 3/4" blister, then really it shouldn't be an issue and even then really no more than $5-$10 at the most should be a fair partial- unless the bubble has a crease from being crushed or something, then it's a different story. There's definitely a fast one being pulled there Shup and you definitely have a right to be less than happy about it- especially as he clearly didn't even know about the line before bidding. I do think this raises another issue though. With carded stuff, I don't think it's necessarily new collectors in the past few years though, with many long term collectors are now making the switch over to packaged stuff. I've been collecting, really since I was a kid (most people had an "off" phase with toys but I never did. Now I had a few brief bushes with boxed/carded collecting as a teenager (at 12 I bought a boxed Soundwave when the Chinese releases for Transformers showed up in Australia- then stupidly gave it away for charity and at 15, I bought a set of 4 Exosquad Jumptroops which I still have from a toy sale closing down on clearance), but for the most part, I didn't care. With my Beast Wars stuff, I generally kept the boxes and stored my large stuff in it, but really I didn't make the move to being a boxed/carded collector until my mid 20s- about the same time alot of other people did. I think the price 10 years from now comes into it, but I think it's more that people are realising that the supplies of boxed and carded stuff is drying up more and more, and that while the loose stuff will go up to some extent, the carded stuff will skyrocket. I think it's more a case of "how much can I sell this for 10 years from now" than "how many internal organs will I have to sell on the black market to be able to afford this 10 years from now" . As such I think there needs to be some common sense when you're listing carded or boxed stuff too. Look at it this way. When you list a loose action figure (let's face it, it's virtually impossible to get true loose mint), there's a huge range in their condition. Some have have slight joint wear, some can have joints that have developed a "gravity feature". Some can have perfect paint, others can have next to no paint. Some can be intact, others can have parts broken off. Some can have all their acessories, and others can have no accessories at all. Yet all are classed as loose. It's the same thing here. Sure, MOC does not mean mint card, but what doesn't make it mint? Are there bends, creases, cracks or dents to the bubble? Is there writing or glue residue? Again, there are varying degrees of this yet all are technically MOC. Really what it comes down to is what a person can live with. Some people have no problem with what fits into the category of "store bought" (which with the exception of writing and price tickets) is where I tend to be at. Others want case fresh. The flip side of that is also knowing what you're in for. Often there can be damage there that if you'd known about upfront, you're fine with, but the not knowing and finding out down the track can cause a leftdown- in the same way that getting a figure whose condition you would have been fine with had you known how loose the joints were, but getting the impression they were tighter than they were, only to discover they were much looser when you actually got the item. I think this is definitely a learning experience Shuo, but at the same time, I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with someone who's trying to scam you from what you've been saying.
|
|
|
Post by victoryleo19 on Oct 27, 2010 14:54:36 GMT -6
i agree with you shup, and the other comments. ebay has turned into a one sided battle, and they always take the side of the buyer unfortunately. (well it seems that was at least). it sounds to me like that guy was only interested in reselling, or getting it graded by the AFA to resell anyways. i think most toy collectors have been around the block long enough to know what condition something is from the picture on ebay. theres so many dealers out there just trying to make a buck, that its difficult to just move something along in the toy world. ebay is getting worse and worse every year.
|
|
|
Post by rocklord74 on Oct 27, 2010 20:58:40 GMT -6
Whenever I list an auction on ebay I just use the generic term "played with condition" if it's loose or "shelf wear" if it's boxed. I try and take good pics of it and point out damage if it has a bad spot. Trick photography is pretty low, don't hide the damage but show it. I've had a couple of buyers over the years complain about a few things but with ebay sticking up for the buyers I had to kiss their ass and I have given partial refunds. Overall though I haven't had any real horrible experiences to make me want to stop selling on ebay, it's a place to make a quick buck if needed.
|
|
|
Post by kylefromdirtnapp on Oct 27, 2010 21:25:13 GMT -6
Geez, I think I'll just rip all my crap off the card before I sell it to avoid all the anal, whiny buyers. If you're gonna knit-pick every little spec, you should only buy graded shit. Really, it doesn't matter what you do. Either bend over or take a negative. Every time I see less then 100% from a seller, I check that shit. Almost every time, it's some newbie or some prick that thinks everything they buy should look like it came straight off the line at a toy factory. Then there are the sellers who don't collect toys. If it's something fragile, I'll nicely ask the seller to pack it carefully, because I am a collector.
|
|
|
Post by Ebessan on Oct 28, 2010 5:17:06 GMT -6
I've been screwed so many times on loose stuff that I can't fathom collecting MOCs.
|
|
geomagno
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by geomagno on Mar 20, 2011 8:15:22 GMT -6
Because of the new feedback rules the seller has to put all the info possible. Having a buyer return an item for a refund is a pain the butt - you have to eat the shipping cost then go to the trouble of reselling it. And as a buyer, I expect to know everything about condition before bidding. I don't want to be unpleasantly surprised when I received an item.
|
|
|
Post by Megatron on Mar 20, 2011 9:34:27 GMT -6
Here's my biggest beef why do people find something really don't like it but "Collect" it because it's cool??? EX: I see a green/red dino that looks OK I don't collect Dino's but I am going to keep it because it's "Cool" (OR because I know I can get a boatload of cash down the road.... : Alot of people today collect stuff in all honestly to collect and don't have a clue about the toy line itself or care they are just band wagon jumpers and don't do their "homework" And you also have people that think that everything is worth big money and they are going to send their kids to college or pay their house off with the toys they have..Please this is just like the Comic Book/Trading Card rage that went on on the past that was the same thing. Honestly I don't have to make top $$$ of of EVERYTHING I own and that's the problem today everyone things that they can & should even though the majority of things out are not worth as much as people think. Or they stupidly go on and e-bay and listen to most of the dirtbag sellers their saying things are "rare" or "hard to come by" b.s. or and this one I REALLY get pissed about is people selling pieces of a playset or figure for ten times what the whole figure would go for when the item really isn't rare but common... I want the old days back when I could go and collect my lines without any dirt bag losers jacking up prices and cornering the market....
|
|
|
Post by Ghouldrool on Mar 20, 2011 9:52:16 GMT -6
Are you a Transformers collector, Megatron? Because yeah, that market is probably one of the most terrible ones to be in right now. I dislike Transformers, so I steer clear - but I often have to scroll through pages upon pages of TF crap on the Bay because practically ALL stores are filled with TF stuff that's all ridiculously expensive. Vintage SW has gone that way but is rapidly cooling and the JOE market is probably still ludicrous for complete figures, too. Weapons alone can and will probably cost you more than the figures themselves in Ebay stores. That said, who would consider buying from Ebay stores, anyway? You KNOW prices there are inflated because small time collector/dealers (those who collect themselves but run a webshop or store for their surplus) will always charge more than what the item is worth. What is problematic is that it leads to other collectors getting the ol' dollar sign in their eyes and starting stores too, and pretty soon are bidding up lots just so they can fill their stores. I've seen it dozens of times: The first couple bids on a lot are always the hoarders looking to complete and resell -you only stand a chance if the lot goes beyond the projected profit margin. Myself, I thrive on mislisted unknown brandless crap - I'm nuts about Chap Mei lines and thankfully, not many dealers around hoarding that stuff! But if I were a die hard Transformers or Joe collector? Yeah, that'd be a tough cookie.
|
|
|
Post by Megatron on Mar 20, 2011 10:26:12 GMT -6
Hey Ghouldrool you hit alot of points in the thread so here's what I collect: G1 Transformers Vintage G.I. Joe (80's) Vintage Star Wars MOTU Big Jim Micronauts MEGO Superheroes etc. You get where I cam going just because it's old people think it's invaluable I look at it this way I collect toys as a HOBBY because it brings me back to when I was a kid and some say to pass on to my kids nephews,nieces etc. but too many people are not any they throw all kinds of crazy money at toys JUST TO SAY THEY HAVE THEM or because they can...How dumb is that?? if I an get a part for $.35 compared to $5 from some loser with an E-Bay store I'll wait and I always wait because things come around and your right too many people are doing this because too many dumb ass people pay those prices..... Are you a Transformers collector, Megatron? Because yeah, that market is probably one of the most terrible ones to be in right now. I dislike Transformers, so I steer clear - but I often have to scroll through pages upon pages of TF crap on the Bay because practically ALL stores are filled with TF stuff that's all ridiculously expensive. Vintage SW has gone that way but is rapidly cooling and the JOE market is probably still ludicrous for complete figures, too. Weapons alone can and will probably cost you more than the figures themselves in Ebay stores. That said, who would consider buying from Ebay stores, anyway? You KNOW prices there are inflated because small time collector/dealers (those who collect themselves but run a webshop or store for their surplus) will always charge more than what the item is worth. What is problematic is that it leads to other collectors getting the ol' dollar sign in their eyes and starting stores too, and pretty soon are bidding up lots just so they can fill their stores. I've seen it dozens of times: The first couple bids on a lot are always the hoarders looking to complete and resell -you only stand a chance if the lot goes beyond the projected profit margin. Myself, I thrive on mislisted unknown brandless crap - I'm nuts about Chap Mei lines and thankfully, not many dealers around hoarding that stuff! But if I were a die hard Transformers or Joe collector? Yeah, that'd be a tough cookie.
|
|
|
Post by 3 3/4"collector on Mar 20, 2011 11:05:36 GMT -6
i have never had an interest in carded figures, it just seems so stressful and space consuming. ive been collecting since about 90 and i have always just sort of cringed anytime i meet anyone that is concerned with value. there is no way i expect to make money on my collection someday and thats not what i collect for. surely theres better ways people can invest their money if a future profit is what they are after. what is fun about nitpicking every detail of the figure and card. collectors today are so greedy in my opinion, there are some figures i have been watching on ebay for months and months, they have a buy it now price of 2 or 3 times what anyone will ever pay. and they say make an offer, so anytime i make an offer they send me a counter offer that is literally $3 or $5 off what they are asking. and these are things they are asking like $150 for. why even say make an offer if you are only going to accept like .50% less than the buy it now. 6 months later that figure is still there with the same price, meanwhile 10 of the same thing have sold for half and a third of the price. never mind i am rambling like crazy, there is just too much i want to say on this and its all mixing up.
|
|
|
Post by slm2024 on Mar 20, 2011 11:44:32 GMT -6
value collecting is the lowest form of toy collecting. anytime i get involved in a conversation with someone new about toys, the second they mention value my interest and excitement in the dialogue instantly drains. i do generally like to pick up vintage stuff carded though, but it helps if the card/bubble is super trashed! these hardcore nitpickers tend to treat that stuff the same as loose figures, meaning i usually get it for a reasonable price. once recieved, i rip it open and add the minty figure to my collection...
i totally hear you on the space consuming side of collecting carded stuff! i've kept all of my dc direct stuff carded so far. mainly for 2 reasons: 1) some of the packaging design is neat, and minimalistic (meaning there isn't an ocean of cardbacking outside of the area concealed within the bubble, and the bubble also isn't much bigger than the figure, so it all is consolidated quite nicely). 2) instead of finding a way to work those 100 or so figures onto yet another shelf, they consume a wall by means of hanging by the tab on tacks. the moment i can work a new shelving unit into my toy room, those suckers are getting ripped open and gathered there.
collecting for rarity is something else i don't really understand. sure, it's nice to know you found something super rare, but to collect for the sole purpose of finding rare items is kind of stupid in my opinion. i love scoring a nice rare piece, but i have some totally common pieces (i.e., majority of the original motu line) that i enjoy more than some of the tougher to come by stuff. if rarity is what drives a collector, than its not a love for toys. those toys can be interchanged with any given "collectible." the whole dollar sign in all aspects of collecting, be it toys, cookie jars, thimbles, etc. sort of casts a shadow of dread over the whole hobby to me. so i try not to think about that and let it bother me. i know its going to be there, because people are stupid (in general), and like that redneck comedian says: "you can't fix stupid."
|
|
|
Post by Ghouldrool on Mar 20, 2011 12:30:12 GMT -6
A good rule of thumb would be: if there's a printed price guide for it, find something else to collect. *smirk*
|
|
geomagno
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by geomagno on Mar 20, 2011 12:32:24 GMT -6
I disagree with the "value collecting" comment. Anyone can walk into a toy store (or on ebay) and pay top dollar for every figure in a collection just to say 'hey, I've got a collection'. But then the collecting part is over because you've overpaid and bought everything. I look for deals of course, which means it takes a lot of time to complete a collection - that's the fun part right? But I don't buy anything that I can't resell and get my money back from (or make money on). And yes, that makes it an investment. If you can't get your money back on something then the hobby becomes a money pit, and I can't afford too many of them.
And that's how I can justify spending so much time and money on toys.
Hey I enjoy the nostalgia part like everyone else, which is why I started collecting, but in the end we all work for a living. And I'm not going to throw my money away on something of no value just because it gives me the warm fuzzy feeling when I set it on a shelf or it looks pretty in a display case (like my sister's Snow Babies). How many times have you been to a flea market and saw tables of Hallmark Precious Moments figurines? At some point each of those figurines cost someone $12 each (or more) and gave that person the warm fuzzy...and now you can buy them for $1. I never see tables of Micronauts. too bad.
|
|
|
Post by mrjayberry on Mar 20, 2011 12:54:34 GMT -6
The joy for me has always been in the hunt.
|
|
|
Post by slm2024 on Mar 20, 2011 12:56:42 GMT -6
getting your money back is one thing, or maybe at most a small profit. completely raping another collectors wallet is another. when i see a motu sorceress staff listed on ebay for $10-$20, it's ridiculous. i found a sorceress with staff at a second hand store bagged with a bunch of junk for a total of $5. years down the road, if i ever decide to unload it, i'm looking at $2-$3 at tops, just out of respect for others like me who might need it, without draining them financially for something i got at next to nothing...
|
|
geomagno
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by geomagno on Mar 20, 2011 13:20:17 GMT -6
Yeah, it does piss me off to no end to see a collector open a store on ebay and ask $50 for a figure which should go for $20. Being a collector, they know it's overpriced and are hoping to take advantage of the situation. And like someone else mentioned - they accept 'best offer' but will come down $2!
I think I've seen sellers like that disguised as collectors pop up on websites like this...or maybe it was another forum. Yes, that must be it.
Anyone want to buy some Snow Babies?
|
|
|
Post by slm2024 on Mar 20, 2011 14:16:55 GMT -6
Anyone want to buy some Snow Babies? my ex-wife had those things. those are the babies that have that crystalized coating over them to mimmick snow, but actually just collects dust and random dirt particles so they shortly end up looking like a filthy child, right? yeah, i don't miss those eye-sores at all!
|
|
|
Post by anna on Mar 20, 2011 15:17:46 GMT -6
If monetary value i8s why you collect that's the wrong reason to., For example I know of someone who started to collect gold cions cause well they're gold but a month later they sold the coins they had bought and got LESS then what they had paid so because they collected for worth they lost money I on the other hand on the day they bought the coins bought a frew things a few toys I still have clearly I bought for the right reasons lol!
And about packages and they're worth I think this whole "If the package is wrecked in any way so the value is decreased" thing is kinda silly my question for them is "What are you collecting?< The toy or the package?" That's why I open everything and prefer to get loose.
|
|
biged98
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by biged98 on Mar 20, 2011 15:24:23 GMT -6
I am with you anna, i prefer my stuff loose as well, I agree with shruptine if the picture spells it out for you there should be no issues, the only time you shouldhave to give a detailed description is if a picture is small and not distinguished. As for the selling part of it although some will say a figure is only worht $20.00 that realy depends on who is buying it, to one it may only be a $20 figure but to someone else who really wants it they may pay $40-$50 for it. I am one that collects and deals although i don't hoard things off ebay, I wish i could be a strict collector but as such in life the job I do does not pay enough to cover all the bills so I have to rely on dealing in toys.
|
|
|
Post by slm2024 on Mar 20, 2011 15:40:56 GMT -6
If monetary value i8s why you collect that's the wrong reason to., For example I know of someone who started to collect gold coins cause well they're gold but a month later they sold the coins they had bought and got LESS then what they had paid so because they collected for worth they lost money I on the other hand on the day they bought the coins bought a frew things a few toys I still have clearly I bought for the right reasons lol! And about packages and they're worth I think this whole "If the package is wrecked in any way so the value is decreased" thing is kinda silly my question for them is "What are you collecting?< The toy or the package?" That's why I open everything and prefer to get loose. i couldn't have said it better myself! (at least the second part) and in reference to the coin story, i know someone whose grandfather collected coins, and he kept his collection in an enormous suitcase. as he got older, he eventually had to move in with his daughter and son-in-law, as tends to happen with old people who can't really take care of themselves anymore. anyways, when he was "forced" to move in, he was constantly paranoid that his mischievous grand-kids would steal his valued coin collection.....until one day he walked upstairs from his makeshift apartment in the basement and stated "i think someone left their suitcase full of money in your basement." his prized collection of great value suddenly became a case of money at face value that he didn't even remember was his due to his degrading memory. so, basically, collect for the moment, as a hobby, and what you like. like biged said, pay what you want based on how much you want a specific toy, not what is told to you to be the market value....and as for nitpicking package condition: you can fight entropy as long as you want, but in the end, you will lose, and the nature of decay will prevail!
|
|
biged98
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by biged98 on Mar 20, 2011 16:02:48 GMT -6
Well put, could not be said better!
|
|
geomagno
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by geomagno on Mar 20, 2011 18:28:29 GMT -6
I think the gold coin example is a poor one. He was not a collector, he was a gold speculator. I agree about the market value of items. Sadly, a figure may not be worth $50 but if an idiot is willing to spend that then, in the end, it was worth $50. And that idiot just drove the price up for you and me (as collectors, not sellers). As for collecting - whatever reason you choose to collect is the right reason because it's YOUR reason. You shouldn't let others influence how you spend your money or assemble items. I prefer to collect for the fun of it, but in the long run ----- I'm not going to lose money on it! which is why I don't collect Snow babies...
|
|
biged98
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by biged98 on Mar 20, 2011 20:14:20 GMT -6
I hear ya, sadly my wife collects the snowbabies with minnie mouse on them.
|
|
geomagno
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by geomagno on Mar 21, 2011 10:53:29 GMT -6
She doesn't complain about your collection does she? My girlfriend used to make fun of my Micronaut obsession but now I've got her collecting Strawberry Shortcakes that she had as a little girl. Hah!
|
|
|
Post by 3 3/4"collector on Mar 23, 2011 12:11:19 GMT -6
i dont look at my toys any different than everything else i buy. my car, clothes, tv, computer and anything else i buy only decreases in value. i never expect to make money or even get my money back. but thats fine because i buy things to keep not to hold for awhile. and i dont know why it bothers me but it does, the second anyone starts talking about value of their toys i get turned off.
|
|
biged98
Guest
May 15, 2024 21:09:57 GMT -6
|
Post by biged98 on Mar 24, 2011 17:53:05 GMT -6
My wife is great, when she goes to any store she automatically checks toys, every holiday she will buy me something for my collection
|
|
|
Post by brcthrift on Mar 25, 2011 10:03:14 GMT -6
My rule of thiumb is if I find it in the wild or in a poorly labled lot on ebay it is fair game to sell for as much profit as possible. If I buy it from a fellow collector I have to hold on to it, even if I could make a good profit.
For me it is all about the hunt, so I sell more than I buy anyway.
|
|
|
Post by slm2024 on Mar 25, 2011 14:49:54 GMT -6
on the other side of the ball.... i hate when sellers list something and state that buyers need to look at the picture for condition, and then they provide a super blurry beyond dark crappy picture.....and then don't respond to questions when i ask them due to the shatty photo not providing my answers.
|
|