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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,314 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1083 Posts |
What would you do? I sold an old quarter on ebay February 11th. The winning bidder was an East Coast dealer who sent me an email and said the coin was bent slightly at the date and he wanted his money back. I am almost certain that this coin was not bent while in my possession, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and offered a full refund. It is now almost three weeks past the close of this auction and two weeks past the date I offered a refund. My ebay ad plainly states all items must be returned within seven days in order to receive a refund. It does not state that a refund can be approved within seven days and than you keep the coin for a month! I emailed him again today and asked his intentions, But I am inclined to say the coin is now his. I am sure that will cost me my first negative, but this isn't fair to a seller. I have returned coins to sellers and they go back in the mail the same day I receive them. What would you do? Colin |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
830 Posts |
If your auction plainly stated that the return period is for seven days, I'd do what you already did: email him and ask his intentions. If he doesn't respond in a week or so, consider the coin his, and non-returnable at that point.
Another suggestion: always keep high resolution photos of your coins so you can compare the returned coin with the one you sent out. Good photos could save you from getting ripped off by "buyers" who return a different item. Also state in the auction that the item must be returned in it's original unopened container (sealed flip, stapled 2x2, whatever).
Hope this turns out okay for you.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
Okie, I've had similar experiences. I would keep sending him emails asking his intentions. If after a few days or maybe even a week or two, you still don't hear back from him, send him a final message stating that you consider the matter closed. If your emailer has Return Receipt capability, use it although don't expect much since few people bother sending the receipt. Keep all outgoing and incoming messages.
I consider nonresponsiveness to emails the epitome of incivility. However, I have to make allowances for spamblockers installed at recipients' ISPs so in a situation such as yours, I might consider phoning him. I had a coin sale a couple months ago where the online Delivery Confirmation showed that the item had arrived at his post office, but had not been picked up. I sent a number of emails, but just no response. Also, no feedback posted for the auction. I finally phoned him only to learn that he not only had picked up the coin (the PO had not rescanned it), but had resold it. He apparently was just too lazy to reply to my emails.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1083 Posts |
I just got it in the mail. It has damage (looks like it was bent just slightly with a pair of needle nose pliers) that wasn't there when I listed the coin, but the listing picture isn't conclusive. This was a somewhat valuable 1805 Draped Bust quarter that is now basically junk. Of course he declined insurance on the shipping. I am going to return his money and change my future listings to "Sold as Is". If you sell long enough on ebay you encounter everything negative that is out there. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
quote:
I am going to return his money and change my future listings to "Sold as Is". If you sell long enough on ebay you encounter everything negative that is out there.
Ain't that the truth. There's a lot of seriously disturbed people out there and while I've run into a lot of them, I still have a lot more to encounter. While I sell mostly slabbed coins, I do sell some raw coins from time to time. What you might do is enclose them in tamper-detectable flips or other protectors, seal them in Scotch tape, and state that they must remain undisturbed in the original holders (i.e., cannot be removed) if they are to be returned. Not a perfect system, but cuts down on what you experienced. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1083 Posts |
Thanks Fred - that is good advice. Where does one get those flips that seal?
Colin
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2254 Posts |
Just curious, but wouldn't it be possible to see where the coin was "held" in order to bend it? Even with the plastic protectors on pliers, you would think there would be some kind of marking just from the pressure/force needed to do this to a coin....
Also, if it's noticeable that the coin is now bent, I would say a few pics of the edge of the coin, or cross section if you will, would stop this from happening again.
As Fred stated though, it seems having these in some kind of sealed holder would work also. You can always put a defining mark on the holder to know if someone opened it and resealed. Some kind of outside scribe that someone wouldn't notice when they opened it to try something like this nitwit did.....JMHO
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
They're just regular 2x2 mylar flip holders with a piece of Scotch tape holding the ends shut. Here's one supplier: http://www.kcshop.com/MylarHoldersandSafeFlips.htm with images of the different types. Not an endorsement of this particular supplier; just the first one to come up on a Google for mylar flips. I add a thumb print on the tape to make it a little more tamper resistant, making sure the tape doesn't block the view of the coin. Some sellers use cardboard 2x2 coin holders with the plastic window and staples - also available from the above supplier. The staples make the package even more tamper resistant, but I quit using them years ago when I scratched a coin removing the staples. Also not perfect. Sonically-sealed plastic encapsulations are the most tamper resistant, but even so, there are still those few who work hard at replacing coins in slabs with lower grade coins, then resealing them without anyone being able to detect the break in the seal without looking very closely. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1083 Posts |
JMHO, I will take better pictures in the future. The quarter is quite thin and would be easy to bend. Fred, I was asking about the heat sealed holders I have seen? All things considered I am just going to stop offering refunds. I am basically an honest person who tries to describe all defects. From now on , you win the bid - you own the coin - provided I get paid. By the way my Morgan GSA dollar was never paid by the winning bidder. I am feeling pretty low about ebay right now. Colin |
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,314 |
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Posted 02/24/2007 12:30 pm
