Overgrading Discogs sellers....

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by sunking101, Sep 22, 2021.

  1. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    Yep. I prefer eBay because you can see images of what you’re buying. And if someone takes the time to post pictures of the deadwax, or closeups of flaws on the sleeve, you can guess that they’re grading accurately.
     
  2. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    Yep. I recently sold a record on eBay and felt that the buyer tried to extort a partial refund from me by making ridiculous claims about how damaged the record was. I cleaned it and play-graded it before listing and selling it, and his complaints were totally made up, in my opinion. Or he was your typical obsessive compulsive weirdo who shouldn’t mess with vinyl in the first place.

    While I’ve issued refunds before rather than argue with idiots like this, on this occasion, I just said leave negative feedback or open a case with eBay/PayPal or do whatever you feel you have to do. He didn’t do anything.
     
    Rattlin' Bones likes this.
  3. Rattlin' Bones

    Rattlin' Bones Grumpy Old Deaf Drummer

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Just the kind of seller attitude I'm now trying to avoid. Geez dude take pics of every album you sell. Most eBay sellers do that. No pics no money from me.


     
    SoNineties likes this.
  4. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Just ask your discogs (potential) seller for pictures, and if they don't provide them then move on.

    I got asked for pictures last week and sent two good ones. It w3as the slight cover wear he wanted to see.

    This is the feedback I just got this morning from the Discogs buyer:

    Proper grade and quick ship. Had pictures available - super helpful! Thank you
    feedback left on: 02-Dec-21 05:30 PM
     
    black sheriff likes this.
  5. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    No pics-no munny.
     
  6. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    I’m aware that you can do that on Discogs. I prefer buying on eBay because you don’t to ask every single seller to show you pictures of every single item. On eBay, the pictures are already there. And if an eBay seller uses stock photos, blurry photos, or just a photo of the sleeve, but not photos of the label and the record, I move on. Without having to message them.
     
    Porkpie likes this.
  7. Leugi

    Leugi Forum Resident

    Location:
    DC
    Not selling currently


    I usually provide a picture but getting a request for a pic on a $2.99 cd, providing it and never so much as a thank you..lame

    2400 positives , 4 neutral, 0 negative out of 3600… positive feedback on 64% of transactions… I am doing ok
     
    Dave likes this.
  8. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I'm a member of a few record collecting groups on Facebook and I visit the Discogs forums daily.

    Had I not been selling before I joined those groups I probably would've waited much longer to sell simply because of some of the buyer comments I came across. Some are legit, but some sound like they really shouldn't be buying records online no matter how many pictures you send them. So many of them are so unreasonable. Luckily I've not run into any issues on Discogs, eBay or here.
     
  9. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Doesn't bother me that much. I bought a lot of cds and lps off of Discogs and I only asked for a photos a few times and I reserved that for higher end items or for lps where I needed to confirm specific pressing details before hand.

    A $3 cd? I don't need a photo for that unless the grade was pretty bad and in those cases I'd probably pass anyway.

    I'd have no problem buying from @Leugi and because I'm a seller myself, I get where he's coming from. As I said upthread, the biggest complaint from sellers on Discogs, wrt to photo requests, is that they hardly ever convert to sale and never hear back at all.

    Even with eBay, the photos aren't always that useful but I still buy and I've bought from sellers who had no photo up at all. Doesn't happen much these days though as most have something up.

    I upload photos on eBay because buyers expect it, but on Discogs, I don't take photos of the cds unless it's a high end one and I do put "photos available" in the comments section to let buyers know I have them ready. But I wouldn't bother photographing a $5 cd and provide a link to those photos.

    Once a buyer asked me to explain one of my grading notes. I did and I offered to send him photos. He didn't want them as my answer was enough and he bought the cd. Everyone happy, job done.

    I think people over rely on photos. They rarely give you a good idea of the actual grade of the record. They are good for cover grading verification and if you need to verify pressing details they can be helpful but most sellers that upload photos of the actual lp just use any old photo, sometimes out of focus. It's pretty easy to make a VG record look NM just by using different lighting, photographing the label to ensure the light doesn't pick up all the spindle marks, etc.
     
  10. norliss

    norliss Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cardiff, Wales
    To-date, my one Discogs purchase of used records went like this...

    Seller described them both as being NM (cover and vinyl). And fair enough, the covers definitely were: they could probably have passed for having just been taken out of the cellophane. Unfortunately, the surface of neither was what I'd call NM (lots of hairline marks/ scuffs) but then they were both modern-day releases so I'd not be surprised if that's what they mostly looked like after having been removed from the paper inner-sleeves. Ok, not to worry - it's how they play that concerns me.

    The first record had a very significant edge warp such that I don't think it's good for a cartridge and I wouldn't have wanted to play it repeatedly. The second had some sort of stitching on side B causing a bunch of crackling throughout much of a whole track. I contacted the seller and he said something like "Sorry, I obviously don't have the same kind of gear/ ears as you to have noticed these things". And he could well have been telling the truth. Initially he asked how much of a rebate would make me want to keep the records, to which I said I just wanted to return them as I'd not want to play them. He just refunded me the entire amount without even wanting me to return them.

    So, his actions were honourable in the end but you do have to wonder....
     
  11. Ace-Spacely

    Ace-Spacely Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    So, I am adding this experience I just had.. Looking for an EX/EX copy of an LP. Doesn't matter the title or how old it is.. Excellent all the way around is Excellent all the way around. No exceptions.. Because sellers can't post their own pics on Discogs I tent to ask for pics of the actual cover and record and I ask if there are any visable markings on the vinyl.. One seller totally was out of left field. Advertised is was NM when it was actually G.. This was after she sent me the incorrect title. So, return it goes.. Another seller refused to send me pics, asked me what I needed them for. I responded that I want to ensure I am buying the exact release I am looking for. Then he came back with another stupid response with was rather wise.. So forget him... Bottom line, if I'm paying $75 for an LP. I want what I want.. That's not too much to ask...
     
  12. Leugi

    Leugi Forum Resident

    Location:
    DC
    Ok well I bought about six tango records the past couple weeks -separate transactions-on discogs and eBay and all are better than advertised and were cheap…between $5-$15

    All scores…

    I think one has to know what they are doing..I rarely have issues
     
    Strat-Mangler and Rattlin' Bones like this.
  13. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I don't see the OP as whining. When I buy a record online, I ask a lot of questions. Online, I'm having to rely on the seller's senses to determine what the actual condition of the record is. Unless I'm familiar with the seller, I don't know if they grade a record as tightly as I do. There are some records that I want a NM copy. I pay a premium for NM. If I pay a premium for the NM condition of a record, I don't want an overpriced VG copy in that case.

    As far as grading goes, the goldmine standard does not grant a sliding scale for age. A record from 1950 is to be graded exactly the same as a record from 1990. I've bought 60 yo records that were graded NM and were pop free throughout (these were cleaned before playing). As far as sealed records go, all a seller need say is "Sealed and presumed mint. No refunds on sealed records". Buying a sealed record is always a crapshoot. It may be pristine or it may be warped or damaged. I've never complained about a vintage sealed record being damaged because there is no way a seller can be sure of condition if it is sealed. The key is for the seller and buyer to be on the same page as what the actual condition is. Buyers need to ask a lot of questions BEFORE money is spent. Sellers need to ask questions of buyers about what they are expecting of a record being purchased.
     
    chazz101s likes this.
  14. Leugi

    Leugi Forum Resident

    Location:
    DC
    Give me a break. It’s an LP not an automobile.
     
  15. IllinoisCheesehead

    IllinoisCheesehead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    What I think you have are a lot of people selling records on Discogs who aren't really into playing vinyl. They're just capitalizing on the resurgent popularity of vinyl. I have bought several used records from several different SHMF members and have never had a problem with any of them being over graded. On the other hand, I have purchased from 4 different sellers on Discogs and only 2 out of the 4 delivered records that actually matched up with their gradings. I think the difference is that most SHMF sellers are selling from their personal collection. Most Discogs sellers are just reselling.

    The main issue I have with Discogs is that they, along with the sellers, discourage honest feedback. I don't trust the seller ratings because most of them have been bought. A seller would rather refund some or all of the sale than get a non-positive review. I even had one seller harass me via email multiple times after the sale because I left a neutral review. Not negative, mind you. Neutral. He even went so far as to leave me neutral buyer feedback whining about my review.
     
    Porkpie, Rattlin' Bones and JMR like this.
  16. Leugi

    Leugi Forum Resident

    Location:
    DC
    Seller ratings are a start

    You have to know how to decode them
     
  17. Rattlin' Bones

    Rattlin' Bones Grumpy Old Deaf Drummer

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Yes excellent point.

    On eBay I occasionally see a seller who states they're selling off or reducing their jazz collection they've been accumulating over x number of years. They generally include lots of pics and info - they're collectors.They generally include info on how the album plays because, after all, that's what we're after - what it sounds like not what the vinyl looks like. I like buying from folks like that.

    Other folks who don't have time to listen to what they're selling are just capitalizing on the resurgent popularity of vinyl. They have too many albums to list and sell they don't have time to listen to them.It's a difference in the sellers and their motivations as IllinoisCheesehead said.

     
  18. Leugi

    Leugi Forum Resident

    Location:
    DC
    Of course the more information the seller lists the more you will likely pay.

    Most of my great scores have been when a seller listed an item with very little info. The seller not knowing what they are doing can work to one’s advantage

    one time on eBay a seller listed an original Tina Brooks True Blue LP for $70 buy it now with little info … I bought it and resold it for $2000 a few weeks later…

    buyers want it all.. NM play graded multiple pics tons of info..questions answered ..and cheap


    Life doesn’t tend to work like that
     
  19. bmh5879

    bmh5879 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    Here's a listing I came across. How do you grade it NM and then say corners are bending and bottom is unglued. Most sellers really don't know how to accurately grade.

    Media Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
    Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
    Some slight bending at corners on inner sleeve. Outer sleeve has slight corner bending and partially unglued bottom seam. Vinyl’s in beautiful shape.
     
    Porkpie likes this.
  20. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    At least there is enough info there to know the seller’s grading is questionable, at best.
     
    eddiel likes this.
  21. bmh5879

    bmh5879 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    Yeah it's an easy pass. I never anything without a description.
     
  22. LitHum05

    LitHum05 El Disco es Cultura

    Location:
    Virginia
    That's not as bad as I've deal with. A few months ago, I picked up a copy of Daft Punk's "RAM" sealed original from 2013. Turns out it was a reissue from the 2020s and seller (who now has like a 37% approval) wouldn't return my money because I had opened the wrong record he sent. He wouldn't even consider a partial refund in that case. Obviously I sent in a bad review and he retaliated. But Discogs wouldn't erase his crappy review of my otherwise spotless buyer profile.

    Sorry, rant over.
     
    Rattlin' Bones likes this.
  23. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    You did not go directly to paypal after contacting him about "his" error and not getting him to agree to a return?
     
    Rattlin' Bones likes this.
  24. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    Asking that the visual M or NM grades on Discogs be accurate is not asking for much: there is no room for subjectivity.
     
    Rattlin' Bones likes this.
  25. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    Utterly disgusting. I'm sorry this happened to you.
     
    LitHum05 likes this.

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