Discrepancy on eBay Transaction: Your Opinion?

Hello, and Season's Greetings--

I recently purchased a relatively rare King label LP through eBay for what seemed to be a reasonable buy-it-now price. Here is the complete, exact description:

Decent copy overall, vinyl is visually G+ with several small points of wear, but retains much gloss and plays more like VG/VG+, sounds great really. Original, rare cover variant in decent overall condition with a bit of clear tape along seams and odd pen scribble to front as shown in photo. Very rare in any condition, sounds great.

The cover was stated as VG condition above the seller's description on the ad page.

Record arrived, and I threw it on my mono turntable. Song 1, side 1 would not play because of a skip in the run-in grooves. I then tried it on my stereo system and found the same exact problem. I don't mind pops & crackles--and I expected them per the description--but I have no interest in a record that skips, and I would not have bought it if the skipping had been disclosed ("plays more like VG/VG+, sounds great really").

Further, the cover shows that a sticker had been ripped off at some point, and it took a chunk of the graphics with it. Someone did his own restoration artwork in this area that I didn't pick up on via the photo; it wasn't mentioned in the description. There is "pen scribble" that, again, I was expecting, but not someone's own crude restoration artwork.

I sent the seller a friendly email 2 or 3 days ago basically stating what I just wrote above, and asking if we may undo the transaction. No response. I finally did the SNAD form though eBay this morning, and I just got this reply from the seller:

"I graded this accurately and fairly, and I do not accept returns as it says right in my listings. This is utterly ridiculous, returning a record graded in the G range for being in the G range. I really dont think so.

It played fine for me, and I never noticed this so-called "recreation" but I think it all falls well within the grade and my pictures were detailed enough and my grading strict enough that I didn't falsely advertise anything. I dont know why you think buying records in the G range will bring you some perfect item, but perhpas you ahould focus on cheaper records if you cant afford the rare ones in the condition you're after. I already spoke with ebay and they said they will back me all the way. I literally just got off the phone with them. I do not offer returns, especially not on G range items, and the ebay representative told me that they will honor my sellers policy, per the contractual agreement that you entered when you purchased the item. If you want to leave negative feedback in retaliation it will be removed, per my conversation with ebay a moment ago. Thats all the time I have for this."

Pretty shocking response. I wasn't expecting a "perfect record," but rather one with pops & crackles that plays through without skipping. As a reassurance, will eBay back me on this regardless of his "no returns" policy? As we have reached an impasse, do I still have to wait until Jan 1 for eBay to step in, as per their confirmation of my SNAD claim? Do I even bother replying to the seller at this point?

Curious to know your opinion(s).

Thanks...

 

Firstly, doesn't mater if the seller says he doesn't take returns. If you paid by PayPal, you can initiate a dispute on eBay for a product not being as described.

Secondly, never buy LPs in anything but VG+ condition at the bare minimum. Myself, I only buy NM or better. I avoid a lot of hassle that way.

 

Thank you, Mangler. I have never understood the point of, "looks G+ but plays VG/VG+..." Which is it, G+ or VG+? The guy specifically put "sounds great" TWICE in the description, which I realize is subjective, but combined with the fact that there was no mention at all of "filler copy only" or "may skip," I figured I was buying a so-so record that would play through with moderate pops & crackles. This record is a complete frisbee that skips from the outset--before ANY music even plays.

What would be the protocol: do I have no choice but to wait the prescribed one week to escalate the claim though eBay? We have obviously reached an impasse here, and there is no sense in waiting one week at this juncture as nothing will change.

Thank you.

 

Yes, wait a week and then pursue a refund through ebay. I would take the seller's tirade as an attempt to intimidate you into conceding your right to satisfaction. Ignore him, pursue your refund through ebay (the seller will have to pay return postage), then avoid that seller in the future. I wouldn't bother with feedback, either; let him stew over that by himself.

 

The part where he said eBay will take his side, that is B.S. intended to try to prevent you from making a claim.

Make the claim.

 

I suspect that his conversation with Ebay was entirely fictional - as we already know, Ebay sides with the buyer, rather than the vendor. A record with a skip is not as described - use that angle. Good advice regarding only buying NM records (and CDs for that matter).

 

Vinyl collectors can be an odd bunch and that's putting it mildly. I had a The Doors S/T album, an Analogue Productions pressing, which had a rather alarming-looking gash on one of the sides but it played perfectly with no hint of anything ; pop, crackle, etc. It didn't matter to some who either didn't believe me when I mentioned it plays flawlessly regardless or they didn't want an album with one ugly-looking side. Either way, I dropped the price on it and eventually someone bought it. That person confirmed it plays perfectly with no noise regardless of the mark.

Personally, I don't see the point of buying G or VG vinyl. NM or nothing for me. Yes, the cost is higher but so what? I'd rather have 50 either perfect or near-perfect LPs than 100 or trashed ones which sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies... but that's me.

Don't wait a week. File a claim immediately.

 

Hi, and thanks again for weighing in.

Point taken on only buying VG+ and better records, but this is one of those where a VG+ copy is north of $100. I wouldn't have minded a record with pops & crackles here, but this "plays more like VG/VG+, sounds great really" copy has multiple skips/sticks and is unplayable.

I did start the request-a-return process this morning, which is when the seller gave me the (nasty) reply I posted above. The note from eBay said something to the effect of, "if you cannot work it out with the seller by 1/1/20, notify us then and we will step in." As I recall, a dispute could be escalated by either party at any point a few years back, but evidently they have a 1-week period for an attempt at amicable resolution. Unless I'm missing something, it appears there is no way to ask eBay to make a decision before January 1st.

I also seem to remember that a claim could be made through eBay or PayPal at one point. Is that still the case? I did pay through PayPal for this one, but I opted to use my credit card on file as the source of payment instead of my linked checking account. When I go into my PayPal account now, I'm not seeing the transaction--or any of my recent credit card/PayPal payments for that matter--in my history. Weird. In a dispute like this, does it matter if I paid through PayPal with a credit card or with my linked checking account?

If the guy put, "G+ condition--just a filler copy to say you own it. May or may not play through," then I would understand (I would have passed). In a case like this where I point out that a described "sounds great" record skips and a part of the not-disclosed ripped cover has been "restored," can I be fairly certain that eBay will decide in my favor?

 

Yes. The record is Significantly Not As Described.

One or a few bad apples don't spoil the whole bunch who sell records online.

 

caveat emptor

 

There's only so much due diligence that can be performed when buying a record sight-unseen. The guy said, "plays VG...sounds great really," but in actuality the record is riddled with skips. I would have been happy with moderate background noise, but I have no use for a record that can't play.

Hopefully eBay will agree with me.

 

As an update on this one, I checked into the "My eBay" page since today is the day I was instructed to escalate the claim, and sure enough, I found "Open Requests (1)" under the Buying Reminders tab in the upper left corner of the page. When I clicked on it, I was prompted through the brief history of our correspondence until I was asked to click a link for eBay to step in. It has been a long time since I've done one of these, and I was expecting I'd have to write a brief synopsis to plead my case, but no: upon clicking the link, I was immediately greeted by another link to print the return label, which I did.

I then noted I had two messages in my eBay mailbox. The first, weirdly, was dated a few hours earlier, and it was a message from eBay advising that the SELLER had requested eBay's intervention for a decision. The second had just come in and informed me that eBay had decided in my favor, along wth their apology for the inconvenience. It said I had 10 days to mail the record back, and I will be refunded as soon as the online tracking confirms delivery to the seller.

The fact that the seller was so brazen ("I just got off the phone with eBay, and they will back me all the way") had me doubting the fact that I would be denied a return on this unplayable record. I'm not going to leave negative feedback or contact the guy--I will be happy to have the $$ returned and I will move on.

For the new year I will cut down on buying stuff in general, and certainly lesser-quality records (even though this was one of the rarer King LPs).

 

The feedback system only works if people take the time to write feedback, good or bad. In this case, not writing negative feedback would be a disservice to future buyers as they wouldn't be made aware of the seller's attitude problem and his inaccurate descriptions.

 

I wasn't even thinking about that aspect, but you're right. It won't have any bearing on me getting my $$ back if I were to leave feedback now, would it?

 

No. They won't, for instance, take back the funds they refunded you because you left a negative feedback entry. And, FYI, for a number of years, sellers have been unable to leave negative feedback to buyers.