Utter Frustration:

[Exhibitman]

The description is always at the top; the boilerplate is in a section I actually caption "the fine print". Hey, I'm a lawyer, that's what I do. That is also why I (try to) put jokes and puns into it, so the people who read it might enjoy it.

As for offers and such, I cover that too in the fine print:

1. Please don't email me with lowball offers; the minimum bid or the floor below which offers are automatically rejected represents the minimum I am willing to take for the item.

2. I do not end listings early unless I screwed up the listing so if you absolutely, positively gotta have it, please use the BIN or the fixed price. Also, when I use the Best Offer option I am actually looking for reasonable offers, so don't hesitate to make a reasonable offer because you never know... That said, please note that I nearly always put an automatic rejection floor on any listing where I use a best offer option. That means that lowball offers are automatically rejected; I never even see them. If your offer is below the automatic rejection floor I have established, it means I am not interested in selling the item for your offer. Not that I don't respect you, not that I am offended, just that your offer is too low...

As for antagonistic, there is a difference between a clear, polite statement of the terms of a transaction and an antagonistic one. "Please don't email me with lowball offers" is a polite request not to do so. I prefer it when a seller states terms and conditions of sale up front where I can read them before I decide to bid or buy. That's why I devote a paragraph to shipping and explain that I do not ship outside eBay's system and I do not lie on customs forms. You live in Croatia and want the item, you are going to pay for eBay global shipping and I will declare it at full value, and you should know that up-front, before you bid.

Sorry for the slight thread-jacking. Returning to the OP, I collect a cousin's stuff (my avatar, Ray Miller) and I have definitely overpaid for certain "Ray" items. Not the level this seller is asking, but still way over 'market' so that I could be sure to get the item. If you have the money and you want it, make your best offer. Don't whine, don't tell the seller how you gotta have it or how much it means to your family, just make the offer clearly and politely and see what happens.

[mattjc1983]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The description is always at the top; the boilerplate is in a section I actually caption "the fine print". Hey, I'm a lawyer, that's what I do. That is also why I (try to) put jokes and puns into it, so the people who read it might enjoy it.

As for offers and such, I cover that too in the fine print:

1. Please don't email me with lowball offers; the minimum bid or the floor below which offers are automatically rejected represents the minimum I am willing to take for the item.

2. I do not end listings early unless I screwed up the listing so if you absolutely, positively gotta have it, please use the BIN or the fixed price. Also, when I use the Best Offer option I am actually looking for reasonable offers, so don't hesitate to make a reasonable offer because you never know... That said, please note that I nearly always put an automatic rejection floor on any listing where I use a best offer option. That means that lowball offers are automatically rejected; I never even see them. If your offer is below the automatic rejection floor I have established, it means I am not interested in selling the item for your offer. Not that I don't respect you, not that I am offended, just that your offer is too low...

As for antagonistic, there is a difference between a clear, polite statement of the terms of a transaction and an antagonistic one. "Please don't email me with lowball offers" is a polite request not to do so. I prefer it when a seller states terms and conditions of sale up front where I can read them before I decide to bid or buy. That's why I devote a paragraph to shipping and explain that I do not ship outside eBay's system and I do not lie on customs forms. You live in Croatia and want the item, you are going to pay for eBay global shipping and I will declare it at full value, and you should know that up-front, before you bid.

Sorry for the slight thread-jacking. Returning to the OP, I collect a cousin's stuff (my avatar, Ray Miller) and I have definitely overpaid for certain "Ray" items. Not the level this seller is asking, but still way over 'market' so that I could be sure to get the item. If you have the money and you want it, make your best offer. Don't whine, don't tell the seller how you gotta have it or how much it means to your family, just make the offer clearly and politely and see what happens.

Fair enough. God knows there are enough eBay horror stories that I certainly don't assume the worst of the seller when a listing gets legalistic. I don't want to personally mess with it as a potential buyer, but I definitely see why sellers get to that point, and it has its place.


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[iwantitiwinit]

It's only a predicament if you buy it. 5500 is nuts, probably more than he ever made in a year. Take that 5500 and buy something you can interact with and will give you some type of physical enjoyment like a used motorcycle, several cases of relatively fine wine, a vacation, etc. Its a piece of cardboard. If the money was of totally no consequence I could see it but since it would make a dent then. Let it go. Just my opinion.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit

It's only a predicament if you buy it. 5500 is nuts, probably more than he ever made in a year. Take that 5500 and buy something you can interact with and will give you some type of physical enjoyment like a used motorcycle, several cases of relatively fine wine, a vacation, etc. Its a piece of cardboard. If the money was of totally no consequence I could see it but since it would make a dent then. Let it go. Just my opinion.

I agree but I would also never spend more than a few hundred for any piece of cardboard. I would get all of Roberts great suggestions for $5500. You can get a decent used 600cc Ninja(mid life crisis $2000, 2 cases of decent wine $500, and a vacation so fun you won't remember most of it for 10 days in the Netherlands for the remaining $3000. From personal experience that year was way better than any piece of cardboard and I still have the bike.

[scotty21690]

Here's an idea....why doesn't the OP submit an offer he feels is a reasonable price for the card ($1200 for example) and then everyone who sees this thread submits a lowball offer of $500 or less to make the OP's offer seem worthy of accepting.

[clydepepper]

I, the OP, just had a $375 offer declined. Not sure I want to go as high as you suggest...but I did paid double to complete my Morrell Meats Koufax collection earlier this year so maybe I will...