What do you guys like/not like to see in a Vintage Seller?

[Casey2296]

2019 prices.


Ba Dum Tsss...

[G1911]

I actually want to see HIGH shipping charges.

I don't think most people are dumb enough to ignore the shipping, and bid/buy based on total price to them. I calculate price+shipping+tax for everything and make my decisions based on that figure. Shipping fees are not subject to sales tax, which is over a 10% rate for me.

A card for $25 and free shipping costs me more than a card for $21 and $4 shipping. I like to see big shipping charges in an auction, the more of the cost applied there the less my total price is.

[Bill77]

Speaking of tape, I hate it when I receive a card in an envelope that has been completely covered in tape. It may seem like it would be a good idea when it is raining for days, but man is it a pain to get the envelope open when there is no opening for a knife or letter opener.

I also hate to see every listing for prewar cards on ebay with the word rare in the description. It isn't rare when there are 3-10 more copies of the card available, especially if you are selling the other 3-10 copies.

As far as shipping goes if the seller doesn't combine shipping, I will buy one card unless the shipping is a dollar or less. When I finished my T87 set one seller had 7 of the last 8 cards I needed but didn't combine shipping at $3 each on $1 cards. Another seller had 7 cards I needed and did combine shipping. Guess who got the money.

I also hate that ebay taxes shipping and doesn't give out ebay bonus bucks for shipping that they tax you for. Which is why when bonus bucks are available, I try to buy something with free shipping to increase the bonus bucks I earn, which usually only become available after I buy something expensive.

[Zact]

I dislike overgrading of condition and or vague or nonstandard verbiage to describe cards.
There are many big name sellers on eBay that consistently over grade by 1-2 grades on vintage raw. For example they describe the vintage card as near mint to mint etc and you can clearly see from the scans or images that the card is 1-2 graded lower by psa sgc standards. I can not see myself purchasing from these businesses. This also happens all the time on the bst boards. I am mostly in the 50s-70s sections. Condition is overstated a high percentage of the time. Another dislike on eBay social media and these boards is poor image quality of items being offered for sale trade.

[hawaiian bam bam]

Do you guys like auctions vs buy it now?

Who are the big time sellers on eBay? I know Greg Morris must be #1 and deans cards and the batters box are pretty big. But those are the only three I know. Any others?

Also, does it bother anyone when sellers use a fluorescent color background on their item listings like a fluorescent pink or yellow or green? Greg Morris uses blue and bathers box uses black which I think are the standard. Which color background do you prefer? Thanks

[parkplace33]

I tend to view it this way. Sellers (especially at card show) have a ton of extra costs behind the scenes. These include fees, travel, food, lodging, shipping materials, shipping costs. So when I see a price, I tend to only ask what is their best price? That will dictate whether I get the card.

[Exhibitman]

Makes big scans. NOT cell phone photos unless the item is oversized.

Packs properly. A raw toploader or card saver is NOT standard of care. Unless I am selling via the eBay $0.79 1st class envelope for a cheap card, I use cardboard and a mailer.

Uses blue tape. I try not to wreck the holder for the buyer or make extracting the card like busting into Fort Knox.

[perezfan]

My pet-peeve is when the seller simply states the painfully obvious TPG number grade in the description, and nothing else. Very annoying when they're too lazy to minimally describe is condition.

As an example, creases/wrinkles often do not show up in their provided scans, yet are rarely even described or disclosed. And if the seller fails to answer a very straight-forward question, I just move on to something else. Seems to happen at least 30% of the time.

[Dandor]

Originally Posted by hawaiian bam bam

Do you guys like auctions vs buy it now?

Who are the big time sellers on eBay? I know Greg Morris must be #1 and deans cards and the batters box are pretty big. But those are the only three I know. Any others?

Also, does it bother anyone when sellers use a fluorescent color background on their item listings like a fluorescent pink or yellow or green? Greg Morris uses blue and bathers box uses black which I think are the standard. Which color background do you prefer? Thanks

I prefer BIN's and typically that is when I get the best prices. People get carried away on auctions, especially with Greg Morris cards.

I stay away from Greg Morris and Deans cards. Way too expensive compared to other sellers. I know people trust them, but the markup for that trust is insane. There are many sellers for vintage I trust on eBay and they do a great job disclosing issues and giving a decent grade on the card.

I prefer black for the backgrounds, but really don't care. The quality of the image and card being out of the penny sleeve/top loader is the most important thing.

[hawaiian bam bam]

Thank you! I appreciate your thoughts on this! I see some cards photo taken in a top loader and some have wild colored backgrounds and I’m like … no no no! I think a black background is just fine. Even though Greg Morris the leader in the vintage card industry uses a blue background!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by G1911

Shipping fees are not subject to sales tax, which is over a 10% rate for me.

They shouldn't be, but eBay certainly charges me tax on all S&H fees. I'm amazed they've been getting away with it for so long. It's criminal, no?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

They shouldn't be, but eBay certainly charges me tax on all S&H fees. I'm amazed they've been getting away with it for so long. It's criminal, no?

eBay only charges me sales tax on the BIN/bid value, not including the shipping. I just went and double checked orders, there's no sales tax on the shipping on my buys. It may work differently in different shipping address jurisdictions as there are so many local and county laws and rates.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

They shouldn't be, but eBay certainly charges me tax on all S&H fees. I'm amazed they've been getting away with it for so long. It's criminal, no?

Just so you know, sales (and use) taxes vary from state to state. Five states do not charge any sales taxes at all, and for the rest, some charge sales tax on some things, and some on others.

Some states may also include and charge sales tax on the S&H fees while others don't. I live in Ohio, which does charge the sales tax on the cost of cards I may buy on Ebay, plus also on the S&H costs to have them shipped to me. Some other states may not charge sales tax on the S&H feels. You have to look at the laws in effect for the state in which you have items you purchase off Ebay shipped to, to see if they're also going to charge you sales tax on those Ebay shipping fees. Hope this helps explain.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by BobC

Just so you know, sales (and use) taxes vary from state to state. Five states do not charge any sales taxes at all, and for the rest, some charge sales tax on some things, and some on others.

Some states may also include and charge sales tax on the S&H fees while others don't. I live in Ohio, which does charge the sales tax on the cost of cards I may buy on Ebay, plus also on the S&H costs to have them shipped to me. Some other states may not charge sales tax on the S&H feels. You have to look at the laws in effect for the state in which you have items you purchase off Ebay shipped to, to see if they're also going to charge you sales tax on those Ebay shipping fees. Hope this helps explain.

I was aware of most, but not all of that. Thanks. Being Canadian, I'm forced to ship many things to U.S. addresses because American sellers can't, won't or don't know how to ship up here. Either that or they refuse to stray away from the colossal eBay scam that they've cutely named the Global Shipping Program. $20 S&H for a 99 cent item. I have things shipped to a few different states, all of which charge tax on the shipping.

[perezfan]

Describe the card - not the slab. Don't just say something like "PSA 4" and be done with it. Wrinkles/creases often do not show up in scans, and returns are a pain in the ass for both parties.

Reinforce the card with cardboard when packaging/shipping

Combine shipping cost on multiple purchases

Use blue painters tape on the toploader

[BobC]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

I was aware of most, but not all of that. Thanks. Being Canadian, I'm forced to ship many things to U.S. addresses because American sellers can't, won't or don't know how to ship up here. Either that or they refuse to stray away from the colossal eBay scam that they've cutely named the Global Shipping Program. $20 S&H for a 99 cent item. I have things shipped to a few different states, all of which charge tax on the shipping.

I hear you, and completely understand the thinking, and the unfair position it can put sellers like yourself in the middle of. It sucks, but there isn't a lot any of us can really do about it unfortunately. And I've yet to hear anyone say something totally positive about the GSP.

And then getting stuck having to pay sales tax in some cases on those GSP charges is just adding insult to injury. It throws an unfair disadvantage at sellers, like yourself, when competing against other sellers that don't have to saddle their potential customers with such GSP charges, and then tack on the added sales tax charged on those GSP fees as well.

[Exhibitman]

As far as the GSP goes, it is all defensive. I don't like it as a seller, but it is a lot better to lose the sale than having to eat chargebacks from unscrupulous international purchasers. Unfortunately, we in the states don't have a cheap, trackable international shipping mechanism, so you either use the GSP or you risk being defrauded. The honest folks get lumped in with the dishonest sacks of dung.

It does make for some weird outcomes. I had a buyer from Japan take down 25+ lots of cards I had then have a cow over the shipping costs. I even offered to refund him 90% of the costs since it was all going to go into one box anyway, but he refused to close and I had to file over two dozen non-paying bidder claims against him to get my eBay fees back.

[edhans]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

They shouldn't be, but eBay certainly charges me tax on all S&H fees. I'm amazed they've been getting away with it for so long. It's criminal, no?

Shipping has been taxable in New York for a couple decades now.