Feeling a little insulted.

[Revenant]

I just won an auction on eBay a few hours ago and, as I like to do, I took the Cert# the seller had given in the item description and tried to add it to the registry set the coin is meant for. I like to confirm that the number is valid, indicates the coin and grade that I paid for and see how what I paid compares with Numismedia values (no matter what you think of them it still makes a fun comparison). The auction is over at this point, I've won and paid; the coin is mine all that remains is delivery.

 

In this case the Registry came back saying that the number isn't valid. I couldn't read the number off the picture of the slab so I decided to ask the seller for the number indicating that the one he listed didn't work. This was my exact wording:

 

Could you please provide me with the certification number for the coin? I checked the certification number you provided in the description and it's not in the NGC database.

 

This is what I got back:

 

"If you'd like [i would] cancel the sale. Sorry I misread the #. Its 1757693-075. Look that up. I paid more for this coin than to even respond to this, but oh well."

 

Now, this last sentence especially rubbed me the wrong way. It's not my problem if no one else wanted the coin enough to bid. It's not my problem if the rest of the coins ended for $30-40 and this one ended at $11. That's eBay and there was no reserve placed on the coin. To say that your customer is not worth responding to, just be cause the sale price is low, that's a bad position to take much less admit to the customer.

 

I'm not canceling the sale. The new number worked and I think that would actually make him happy. I don't want to give him that, so I responded with:

 

"No, I would still like to have the coin for reasons that I'm sure are obvious to you. I just wanted to make sure the Cert# was valid. Thank You."

 

Did I miss something or was the seller kind of a jerk? Was I curt in my initial message?

 

I'm attaching his picture of the coin. Ended for $11.02 + shipping, handling and insurance.

[MarkFeld]

If I were the buyer, I wouldn't have been insulted by the seller's reply, but if you wish to be, that is your choice.

 

On the other hand, under the circumstances, if I were the seller and received your message, including "No, I would still like to have the coin for reasons that I'm sure are obvious to you", I might feel as if you were rubbing salt into the wound.

[TomB]

In my opinion you read more into the seller's comments than might have been present. Additionally, you wrote more back to the seller than required.

[gmarguli]

His last line makes me think he is a jerk.

[bsshog40]

Well I kind of disagree. I think I would've been a little insulted also. The sellers response to me showed that he may have been a little irratated and disappointed that his coin sold less than he thought it should. I do believe he did take this out on the buyer. For whatever reason, my response still would have been no less than what Rev responded with. I see no reasons for not determining the validation of a certifed coin with all of the bull that is on Ebay right now. Now I would just sit back and wait for the coin and end any further communication with the buyer unless problems with shipping occur.

[braddick]

Or, you may have simply caught him at a bad moment. eBay closing prices can be frustrating at times.

[WoodenJefferson]

I've had so many "discourteous" e-mails from sellers who think they got ripped, I've learned to ignor them.

 

I did have a few sellers congratulate me on getting their items at such a cheap auction price...they said I was astute for recognizing the item for what it was and bidding early! Imagine that...those are nice sellers!

 

Accept the coin and everytime you look at it, you'll know you "stole it" from him, well, at least that what he thinks anyways.

 

To the victor go the spoils!

[EZ_E]

To the victor go the spoils!

 

I'm still waiting.......

[Oldtrader3]

The coin is a $40/$45 coin. I can understand why the seller may feel badly about the price that he received for the coin. This sounds like sellers remorse. I don't think that it was anything more than that or anything personal.

[jesbroken]

I've had the same issue a couple of times with sellers that did not get their price and once I even had one apologize for their curt remarks. Just mark it down as sour grapes-the seller may be a great person having a bad day.Great steal by the way!

Jim

[jgrinz]

Also you cannot always go by what is on the coin in the picture. Larger companies have two or three of the same coin and do not take three pictures.

I actually purchased a coin that when I entered the number was STILL owned by someone in the registry. NGC actually had to the swappping of the number to me.

 

AS I am apt to do, a Curt response from a seller usually gets a courtesy curt rebuttal from me . hheheh

 

I would not feel insulted I would feel "VICTORIOUS" hmmm can I use that phrase legally hehehhe

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kryptonitecomics]

Yes I would have felt insulted but would have continued with the transaction as well.....then I would leave positive feedback if I received the coin but would make mention of his communication. Folks in this thread are making a lot of excusses for this jerk but the bottom line is...you did nothing wrong by asking for the cert and his communication to you was anything but friendly and customer service oriented.

[CHABSENTIA]

I always check the Cerification number before I bid and if I have a question then I ask at that point.

 

Given the same situation I don't think I would have been insulted by the reply. You have a lot of jerks on Ebay witrh both the Buyers and Sellers and he might have thought that you were trying to get out of the sale because you were upset about the certification number. Instead of saying " you got a good deal" he just said "the bid ended at less than I paid for it".

[Oldtrader3]

Jgrinz give the seller a break and don't be so "VICTORIOUS" that he got low balled on his coin. It might happen to you someday! Hehehe!

[BillJones]

I know of few eBay sellers who have buddies bid the coin up for them when it is going too cheap. I can stand a few insults if I am getting a $40 coin for $11. Some sellers would not have let you own the coin for a quarter of its value. So yea, I can see why the seller is not a happy camper.

[PCcoins]

That's part of the hunt on ebay! If you want a certain price for a coin put a reserve on it or start the bidding at a higher price.

 

I just bought this on ebay for $10.50! Bad pics and old holder. Looks to have nice toning from mint set but the scanner won't pick up on this. I haven't received yet.

 

 

[Revenant]

I know of few eBay sellers who have buddies bid the coin up for them when it is going too cheap. I can stand a few insults if I am getting a $40 coin for $11. Some sellers would not have let you own the coin for a quarter of its value. So yea, I can see why the seller is not a happy camper.

 

Well we'll see won't we? I don't have the coin in hand yet.

[Revenant]

That's part of the hunt on ebay! If you want a certain price for a coin put a reserve on it or start the bidding at a higher price.

 

I just bought this on ebay for $10.50! Bad pics and old holder. Looks to have nice toning from mint set but the scanner won't pick up on this. I haven't received yet.

 

 

Good going PC. Not my cup of tea but to each their own.

[jgrinz]

Jgrinz give the seller a break and don't be so "VICTORIOUS" that he got low balled on his coin. It might happen to you someday! Hehehe!

 

I wasn't Victorious - REV was ...

 

It has - It does and will continue to happen to me - Thats why we are able to SET YOUR OUR OWN START AND RESERVES and if you take a gamble by NOT using these Selling options too bad for him/me or any other seller.

 

I would, just to jerk the guy around, put it back on EBAY for 10 dolllars more and watch it sell and let him know about it and say thanks ... hahahah - That would be funny to see what kind of comments we would see then ...

 

I am not that ballzy though...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Revenant]

I would, just to jerk the guy around, put it back on EBAY for 10 dolllars more and watch it sell and let him know about it and say thanks ... hahahah - That would be funny to see what kind of comments we would see then ...

 

I could be that nasty except for 1 thing: I actually want the coin. I have a place for it in the certified cents set I'm building.

[Revenant]

One thing I will say for this. I honestly hadn't guessed the value of the coin at much more than $25. I wouldn't have thought it was valued $40-45 so I guess I underestimated the deal I got on this thing which contributed to me not understanding what some of the others see as his mild irritation. As Mark and (I think) Tom pointed out I was a little snitty in my reply but I don't like feeling dismissed and marginalized, which is how I felt when he said it wasn't even worth it to reply.

 

I'm just going to watch, wait, and see if he honors the sale. I don't think it would be the first time that a seller has just kept a coin and tried to claim that USPS ate it.

[Houston Investor]

Give the seller a break for cryin out loud. You got a $50 coin for $11! I would not nit pick the seller about the cert#. Just wait until you get the coin to worry about that stuff. The seller is probably shocked (and hacked it got away for that) but the bay is slow during the summer months. He is learning the folly of starting an auction too cheap. But if you have some fresh investment cash threre may be some good picks out there.

 

That seller would do better by burying nice stuff like that in the bank box for awhile and bringing out a junk box at a show with coins from $1 to $10 that he has priced double bubble. One really bad show I had the junk box outsold the slabbed matrerial on Friday and Saturday. So Saturday night I took all the nice stuff home and came back Sunday with 2 plastic tubs full of $1 - $25 junk essentially priced double bubble - had fun and made some good money off that and then went out Sunday afternoon, shopped the bourse, and bought some slabs people were discounting because they had a really bad show. There are shows that are good selling shows, others are good buying shows - if your in the coin buisness you have to roll with the punches. Don't have everything in inventory - a good cash position helps when the right buy comes along.

[Revenant]

Parker, the seller's bad decisions leave me little pity. He had several other cents for sale that he started at $19.99. One of the few reasons I got a $50 coin for $11 is that he started this particular auction low.

[kryptonitecomics]

Again I see people making excuses for the seller and telling the buyer the seller has a right to be ticked off so please understand his crappy e-mail....

 

2 simple facts here......

 

#1 the seller listed the coin as he wanted to list it and no one held a gun to his head as far as we know

 

#2 Revenant bid on the coin in accordance with all Ebay policies and procedures...he did nothing wrong and it is not his problem in the least if the seller screwed himself.....the seller has no right to get snippy...after all he made an error in his listing by putting the incorrect cert number....but again...somehow this is Revenant fault?

 

It's not to often I disagree with what most folks posting in a thread but I keep waiting for the J/K after each of your posts an yet none have come.....

 

I have ripped coins from Ebay seller and I have been ripped royally.....the one thing I have never done was give attitude to a buyer because he got a coin cheap....and I never will...it's called customer service folks?

 

 

[Oldtrader3]

Boy this stupid hobby is cold hearted sometimes. Try being an empathic human instead of someone who has no feelings for the other guy. No wonder charities have such a hard time nowadays. I hope that my children are more empathic toward other humans then some of you are, frankly. If you take offense, good, maybe it will make you think about what you do and how you are perceived by others.

[kryptonitecomics]

This isn't about a charity....this is about buying at selling at auction....the whole point of bidding on auctions is to get what you want for as little as possible?

 

So now we are supposed to feel bad for consignors and sellers if they don't get full market value? I sold off my whole collection via heritage and took a bath because I did not place reserves....not one part of me blamed the buyers for not bidding high enough.....I just don't get the argument.

 

Anyone who knows me outside of this forum knows I am a warm and caring indivdual....my kids want for nothing.....my friends are treated like royalty.....I bought food and clothing for folks who had none this month.....

 

this isn't about having compassion or having a heart at all.....my goodness

[ant]

i dont know what braught on the bashing but its happening alot lately. the man gives his opinion and you bring up his divorce! what a shame!

[jgrinz]

Boy this stupid hobby is cold hearted sometimes.

 

 

This has nothing to do with the hobby and everything to do with a BAD BUSINESS decision. It is so blatantly obvious.

 

To bring up a persons personal life in this discussion is reprehensible - I second the 'shaming' of you in public.

 

This thread should be terminated.

 

[kryptonitecomics]

I learned a lot from my divorce....but not about Ebay selling......as far as I can remember I have never really had a problem with anyone on these boards.....Even when Pat (braddick) and I went at it across the street.....he didn't bring up my divorce?

 

Not sure what that has to do with the discussion.....I know I have a heart and I know I am a good person....like I said.....I just bought a friend that lost her job $300 bucks worth of food and then she had a neighbor who had a daughter that had no clothes and I took her on a $500 shopping spree at Sears if you would like to see the receipts? I am not a wealthy man.....I lost pretty much everything a few years back......but I do consider myself a good business man and when I sell on Ebay......whatever I get is whatever I get and I don't want any pity party thrown for me......

[ldhair]

Shane. I agree with your post. If you put something in an auction you will have good and bad results. If the seller gets upset, he should be doing something different. He should be thankful for every bid he gets.