Sad State of the Hobby

[griffon512]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Your sister, who doesn't know much about baseball cards, tells you she sold a card on ebay for $500. Curious, you ask for the link and when you look at it, at first it looks like a reasonable deal - an ungraded T206 common in very nice shape for $500. But you look a little closer at this Joe Doyle card and notice it has the N.Y. Nat'l designation behind his name.

Does Judge Patrick:
1. Get on the phone immediately and tell his sister not to ship that card, because it is worth something north of a million dollars?
2. Tell his sister she just threw away a million bucks, but what's more important is, she maintained her integrity?

Two people make a verbal agreement on a deal for $1,000, but nothing is written down. Another person hears of the deal before payment is exchanged and offers $50,000 for the same card. The buyer at $50,000 needs confirmation right away that the deal is done. The seller reluctantly says yes, thinking they will pay the original buyer at $1,000 an extra $5,000 to satisfy them despite not getting the card. Upon promising an extra $5,000, the buyer says it is not enough and wants an extra $20,000. The seller says there wasn't written agreement in the first place so the $5,000 is generous. Who is right and who is wrong?

One can think of increasingly unlikely scenarios and debate that question until the end of time. It's not very relevant. The point is, a verbally confirmed deal should be a deal with extremely limited exception, the OP is right to be upset how this went down and shouldn't be vilified for either pursuing a very good deal, or doing a small amount of research to see who screwed him over and lied about it for some extra bucks in a rising market.

[Jim65]

The seller is wrong for lying about the reason, he should've admitted he made a mistake.

OP is wrong for getting so upset, when there was no money lost. You left a negative feedback, move on.

[Johnny630]

Think of it this way the hobby has always been full of shady characters there’s just more of them now because people see money. Another good way to think of it is; forget about it, move on, the cards probably sucked anyway.

Life is to short and there are many more deals to be had.

[Huysmans]

Heaven Forfend!!! The OP actually looked up someone who ripped him off on a platform the individual WILLINGLY posts his personal information on, for THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE???? Criminal!!! How dare he do what trillions of people do constantly and without second thought and look someone up online! The nerve!

Also Ran-jodh, how dare you not do what the hypocrites here mentioned. You should be assisting the useless seller, and do all of his work completely for him. This is 2021, no eBay seller should be expected to have any integrity, keep their word or know what they're selling...... that's everyone else's job... and shame on you for not helping him get every dollar he "deserves".

He's a new father after all!!!! .... and so much more important than you or what's right apparently....

[campyfan39]

Perhaps the guy who lied to the OP is posting on this thread? Only way I can explain the moral relativism.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Heaven Forfend!!! The OP actually looked up someone who ripped him off on a platform the individual

How was he ripped off? He lost no money.

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by Jim65

How was he ripped off? He lost no money.

He lost the difference between the market value, the cost to purchase another one, and the discounted cost one (the benefit of his bargain) that was the subject of his transaction.

Let's say you are in the market for a new car. The market value for the model you want is $40k. You negotiate a deal with a dealer for $35k. After the sale, the dealer then refunds your money and then sells it to another customer for $40k.

Now, if you want that same car, you are forced to pay $40k on the open market. You will have to pay $5k more. You have lost this amount. You have lost the benefit of the bargain you negotiated.

I think anyone would be unhappy with this result.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

He lost the difference between the market value, the cost to purchase another one, and the discounted cost one (the benefit of his bargain) that was the subject of his transaction.

Let's say you are in the market for a new car. The market value for the model you want is $40k. You negotiate a deal with a dealer for $35k. After the sale, the dealer then refunds your money and then sells it to another customer for $40k.

Now, if you want that same car, you are forced to pay $40k on the open market. You will have to pay $5k more. You have lost this amount. You have lost the benefit of the bargain you negotiated.

I think anyone would be unhappy with this result.

Unhappy? Of course.

I disagree, if OP is not out money, he wasn't ripped off. He's exactly the same as before the deal. I guess we see it different.

[Leon]

There aren't trillions of people.

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Heaven Forfend!!! The OP actually looked up someone who ripped him off on a platform the individual WILLINGLY posts his personal information on, for THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE???? Criminal!!! How dare he do what trillions of people do constantly and without second thought and look someone up online! The nerve!

Also Ran-jodh, how dare you not do what the hypocrites here mentioned. You should be assisting the useless seller, and do all of his work completely for him. This is 2021, no eBay seller should be expected to have any integrity, keep their word or know what they're selling...... that's everyone else's job... and shame on you for not helping him get every dollar he "deserves".

He's a new father after all!!!! .... and so much more important than you or what's right apparently....

[Chris-Counts]

This is the best advice I've seen all day. At my first card shows in the early 1970s, there were always a couple guys waiting by the door who were ready to flash a crisp $100 at anybody that wandered off the street carrying a shoebox. I learned at a young age that you need to be educated and skeptical, and you can't take your eyes off your stuff.

As for eBay transactions, I try not to get too excited about any purchase until I'm holding it in my hand. And yes, there will always be another good deal waiting right around the corner, if you're willing to put the work in. In fact, when these crazy prices take their inevitable downturn, I suspect there will be even more good deals to be had, to the disappointment of many who bought at the peak.

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Think of it this way the hobby has always been full of shady characters there’s just more of them now because people see money. Another good way to think of it is; forget about it, move on, the cards probably sucked anyway.

Life is to short and there are many more deals to be had.

[68Hawk]

I didn't need to hear about the seller's family. As opposed to what some others on here have suggested is fair , they had no part in the transgression and need no mention or be parceled into ridicule. If any of you dodgy characters felt put out dealing with me and got in to mentioning my family on here I'd be googling YOUR address.
You want to mention a bad ebay transaction I think is all good.

[ASF123]

On the flip side, I have had a number of occasions where I could have bought something at an extremely low price due to the seller not knowing the market and trusting me. On those occasions I am always honest with the buyer and will give them a fair price for what they are selling. This, too, is a matter of integrity for me.

I think this is a different situation than an anonymous eBay transaction between strangers, though. Right?

[GaryPassamonte]

Originally Posted by ASF123

I think this is a different situation than an anonymous eBay transaction between strangers, though. Right?

I don't really believe so. I may be old fashioned, but I don't think it's right to take advantage of anyone.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by ASF123

I think this is a different situation than an anonymous eBay transaction between strangers, though. Right?

I found out a board member was fishing through my Ebay wins, and emailing sellers offering more money for completed auctions! The guy had the nerve to look me in the face and deny it, until ultimately, I put the cards on the table, or didnt.

In fact he had given me cards to grade, and I refused to return them until I was reimbursed for one of the cards. An Ebay seller specifically told me the name and the town of the person who had offered him more and told him to cancel the sale! Of course I had offered him a $200 direct paypal payment for this information, which he did not take.

Some call me an ass, I like to think I'm shrewd. After a handful of specific cards get " lost or misplaced, damaged by their daughter, etc" one has to open their eyes that something is amiss.

I'll say again, I've met some of the nicest, kindest people in the hobby, but also some of the worst!