Caution: 'new', 'unplayed' "Five Leaves Left" 2nd pressing currently on Ebay

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Eno_Fan, Jul 11, 2019.

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  1. Eno_Fan

    Eno_Fan Staring into the abyss: Brockman BIF, Pilbara WA Thread Starter

    Location:
    Izieu, France
    I saw this new listing -- Nick Drake LP Five leaves left UK Pink Island Rim 2nd press A-3U B-3U NEW UNUSED | eBay -- and was highly tempted at £250, but decided to do my diligence.

    Here's what I asked him:

    "Given the starting price of this item, is there anything to attest to this being truly Unplayed rather than simply a used LP without any surface- or spindle-marks? Saying that you "...used to work for Island Records" doesn't really add any support or accord with your earlier statement in a previous listing (Catch This Beat The Rocksteady Years LP - Collectors Edition Island Records | eBay ) that "...I've no experience selling records". If this is just a Mint LP then please say so and I will make my offer accordingly, but as it stands this looks more like an optimistic item description by a retro/bric-a-brac seller..."

    Here's what he said in reply (after making me a private offer of £190):

    "...ok MINT condition, i'll change it. yes and photos are not excellent as phone broken and using old lumix camera. yes, bric a brac seller aged 53, but it's true i worked at island and was hoping this would help authenticate this, sorry if that seems off. sorry i'm not a professional record seller! thanks for your comments. will change the listing unless you accept this offer. all the best.

    Another speculative fraud off of the radar...
     
  2. Christian Hill

    Christian Hill It's all in the mind

    Location:
    Boston
    Nothing in his reply is proof of being a fraud
     
  3. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Sounds like an honest answer to me. Certainly not indicative of fraud.
     
    Man at C&A and Christian Hill like this.
  4. joefont

    joefont Senior Member

    I agree!
     
    Christian Hill likes this.
  5. Eno_Fan

    Eno_Fan Staring into the abyss: Brockman BIF, Pilbara WA Thread Starter

    Location:
    Izieu, France
    Then buy the disc -- as an unplayed early-70s all-analogue, master-sourced FLL for £250 is an absolute bargain and probably the last one on the planet.

    Alternatively, re-read the post and see where I asked the seller if this LP was "...truly Unplayed rather than simply a used LP without any surface- or spindle-marks" and "...If this is just a Mint LP then please say so", whereupon she replied "...ok MINT condition, i'll change it --- will change the listing unless you accept this offer".

    There's very little to not understand here -- the seller listed an expensive LP as 'New' and 'Unplayed' but it's actually only Mint, by her own admission, followed by agreement to revise the listing. That's attempted deception, i.e., a fraudulent claim. Look it up.

    I can explain this to you but I can't understand it for you, so go-ahead -- you keep people like her in business (if making vintage vinyl-buying a greater minefield for the rest of us). I ask pointed questions of sellers to strip away any optimistic / speculative nonsense. Clearly we are not all so discriminating or incisive.

    Unplayed is a State (like Sealed) -- it has implicit meaning; it is not a Grading or 'opinion'.
     
  6. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    ``It's obvious the seller is not an expert record dealer and made a mistake in grading. Of course it isn't "new" if it was pressed 50 years ago. Unplayed is likely an observation by an inexperienced seller. Cut some slack man!
     
  7. Christian Hill

    Christian Hill It's all in the mind

    Location:
    Boston

    feel better now?
     
  8. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    The seller has pretty decent feedback for having close to 1500 transactions. Plus he graded the cover G+ and LP as Excellent. To me, that is being very conservative from what I can tell. The only issue I see is him putting it as 'New' but that's a common mistake found on Ebay. It's also how you do get people to look at your item. While I try to avoid Ebay, it seems like they automatically choose New unless you go in and check that it's not. In a way, it could work to the buyer's benefit. If something is described as new but isn't, you can twist their arm to refund you even if they don't accept returns. It's technically not the 'item described.'
     
    Lost In The Flood likes this.
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