How should a seller reply to condition questions?

viperdays · 01-19-2013, 02:29 PM

So, I literally get the same question everyday with my auctions and I know others do too....

"Hi, any spine creases in front or back of the book, sharp corners?"

Buyer looking for gem books from raw auctions.

My long winded reply.

"Hello. Thanks for the ? my reply is standard as such . I have multiple copies as I speculate and buy HUNDREDS of each book wholesale. With collectors expecting/wanting GEM books from raw auctions it just isn't realistic and that is why I designate autions as NM. VF/nm is 9.0 and NM designations start at 9.2 . I would never sell a book that is mangled and , dinged to hell etc and describe it as NM. Unless one is buying in bulk and therefore gets to cherry pick through 20,50, 100 or 500 books ANY seller who lists a book as a possible 9.8-9.9 is CRAZY.notice still how I threw in "possible" to cover my butt. from the raw shipping from Diamond to distributors to stores/dealers than to collectors makes it unrealistic. Not trying to be vague maybe the book grades out a 9.8 or 9.2, if that's your plan, and the photo posted is a stock photo btw. I couldn't imagine as a bulk seller trying to scan say 50 J Scott Campbell Savage Wolverine #1's variants, cataloging them individually and matching them up with scans to auctions to then ship to collectors. Sorry, for the long winded reply. Perhaps I should place this in my descriptions too.As a seller I love variant books etc but as a collector I see mid 90's coming around again and the proliferation of big dealers paying off cgc for higher % of 9.8's is already here. Have you ever compared 9.8's side by side and noticed the flaws from one to the other and questioned how in the heck is this a 9.8 or perhaps a lower graded book having more eye appeal than a higher graded one. As long as something is handled by a human and not a machine the variables are far too great LOL"

I am 38 ,been a buyer/trader/seller of sportscards,nonsports cards, toys, comics etc etc etc since I was 10 so I have personally seen and been apart of the late 80's early 90's sportscard crash and the mid 90's comics crash. I guess I just wish grading hadn't become such a big player in trading cards and comics. I am a collector and a seller and a speculator. But find the questions that are more or less asking "hey, is this book PERFECT" tiresome. I guess one could just point someone to a graded auction as that is the only GUARANTEED way of getting what they are asking for.

This I am hoping would be a good post to get replies from all sides...

We are going to be in the mid 90's in the next 18-24 months with variants, bagged editions, limited editions, holofoil,glow in the dark, huge print runs etc etc etc . NOTHING is ever just for kids in todays world. Django dolls 500-800/ WHAT?!?!?

jasonadkins · 01-19-2013, 04:15 PM

Sounds like a fair reply to me. I just had a buyer send me an email about a Midtown ASM #700 that had that tiny top left corner issue. I told him the book should still be a 9.4 or 9.6 and to check all of the other ebay auctions with high quality scans; virtually every cover of ASM 700 has that top left corner issue since it's a double issue. He then left me positive feedback the next day.

IndySportsCards · 01-19-2013, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonadkins

Sounds like a fair reply to me. I just had a buyer send me an email about a Midtown ASM #700 that had that tiny top left corner issue. I told him the book should still be a 9.4 or 9.6 and to check all of the other ebay auctions with high quality scans; virtually every cover of ASM 700 has that top left corner issue since it's a double issue. He then left me positive feedback the next day.

Yeah, the ASM #700's were a nightmare as far as those corners and the average buyer may not know that, so your response was actually pretty informative for him. Not every buyer is as savvy as us on condition/printings etc..

chalado · 01-19-2013, 05:21 PM

I just take hi-res photos of the corners and spine and then send them a link to the photos. Hasn't failed me yet.

viperdays · 01-19-2013, 06:21 PM

Thanks. I didn't want to ignore the question and I didn't want to come off as an a$$ either. I am glad I passed the non d-bag test. Thanks guys

01-19-2013, 02:29 PM	#1
viperdays Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 250	How should a seller reply to condition questions? So, I literally get the same question everyday with my auctions and I know others do too.... "Hi, any spine creases in front or back of the book, sharp corners?" Buyer looking for gem books from raw auctions. My long winded reply. "Hello. Thanks for the ? my reply is standard as such . I have multiple copies as I speculate and buy HUNDREDS of each book wholesale. With collectors expecting/wanting GEM books from raw auctions it just isn't realistic and that is why I designate autions as NM. VF/nm is 9.0 and NM designations start at 9.2 . I would never sell a book that is mangled and , dinged to hell etc and describe it as NM. Unless one is buying in bulk and therefore gets to cherry pick through 20,50, 100 or 500 books ANY seller who lists a book as a possible 9.8-9.9 is CRAZY.notice still how I threw in "possible" to cover my butt. from the raw shipping from Diamond to distributors to stores/dealers than to collectors makes it unrealistic. Not trying to be vague maybe the book grades out a 9.8 or 9.2, if that's your plan, and the photo posted is a stock photo btw. I couldn't imagine as a bulk seller trying to scan say 50 J Scott Campbell Savage Wolverine #1's variants, cataloging them individually and matching them up with scans to auctions to then ship to collectors. Sorry, for the long winded reply. Perhaps I should place this in my descriptions too.As a seller I love variant books etc but as a collector I see mid 90's coming around again and the proliferation of big dealers paying off cgc for higher % of 9.8's is already here. Have you ever compared 9.8's side by side and noticed the flaws from one to the other and questioned how in the heck is this a 9.8 or perhaps a lower graded book having more eye appeal than a higher graded one. As long as something is handled by a human and not a machine the variables are far too great LOL" I am 38 ,been a buyer/trader/seller of sportscards,nonsports cards, toys, comics etc etc etc since I was 10 so I have personally seen and been apart of the late 80's early 90's sportscard crash and the mid 90's comics crash. I guess I just wish grading hadn't become such a big player in trading cards and comics. I am a collector and a seller and a speculator. But find the questions that are more or less asking "hey, is this book PERFECT" tiresome. I guess one could just point someone to a graded auction as that is the only GUARANTEED way of getting what they are asking for. This I am hoping would be a good post to get replies from all sides... We are going to be in the mid 90's in the next 18-24 months with variants, bagged editions, limited editions, holofoil,glow in the dark, huge print runs etc etc etc . NOTHING is ever just for kids in todays world. Django dolls 500-800/ WHAT?!?!? Last edited by viperdays; 01-19-2013 at 02:37 PM.

01-19-2013, 04:15 PM	#2
jasonadkins Banned Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 3,233 stripsidecomics	Sounds like a fair reply to me. I just had a buyer send me an email about a Midtown ASM #700 that had that tiny top left corner issue. I told him the book should still be a 9.4 or 9.6 and to check all of the other ebay auctions with high quality scans; virtually every cover of ASM 700 has that top left corner issue since it's a double issue. He then left me positive feedback the next day.

01-19-2013, 05:21 PM	#4
chalado Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 1,432	I just take hi-res photos of the corners and spine and then send them a link to the photos. Hasn't failed me yet.

01-19-2013, 06:21 PM	#5
viperdays Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 250	Thanks. I didn't want to ignore the question and I didn't want to come off as an a$$ either. I am glad I passed the non d-bag test. Thanks guys