Graded cards in eBay auctions -- should they be returnable or not?

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Posted By: Marc S.

Unless there is some substantial ommision of the cards grade/value that is perpetrated by the seller or if the scan is altered in such a way to have a material impact on what the card actually looks like vis a vis how it is represented in the auction.

I think the responsibility lies in the arms of the buyers. If they are not happy with the scans -- the buyer can and should ask questions, ask for additional scans, etc. As long as the seller provides adequate scans and documentation as to the card's condition, the buyer can make their judgments there and then.

Obviously personally viewing a card is always preferable. However, scanners have developed well enough that any high $$$ card can be scanned in minute detail for a very small cost. Thus, if sellers do not or will not provide better scans of the front and back of a card, the buyer is not obligated to bid on them.

The two main pet peeves I have are:

A) Sellers actually sending a different card than pictured. This mainly affects modern cards -- and it does not happen much anymore, but it used to be somewhat standard practice for some crooked sellers on EBay. (Bid on my Mantle PSA 7 -- with a scan of a different PSA 7 with 50/50 centering....)

B) Buyers complaining about the graded card they receive. Grading is a subjective practice, and none of us will always agree with the graders. Nonetheless if the buyer does not ask questions in advance, they should not hold the buyer liable for their own failure.

Additionally, there used to be one or two Ebay sellers who had liberal return policies. However, they had to stop them after buyers of graded cards were not able to flip them for a profit within a week or two (and they would return the card with a note on how it was overgraded, etc.).