Negative experiences on Hoffman marketplace *

totally agree!

 

I do have one thing to say about the famous 4th of July sale rip-off. I purchased from this guy. All the records were described accurately. The one thing I can say is he personally hand delivered the records without charge for shipping and handling (to a relative of mine). That is Grade A service. I do hope nothing has happened to the man and that maybe his dignity can be restored here one day if he is still around.

 

I do think that the iTrader feedback system can be confusing. I have sold exactly one thing at SHF, in response to a WTB ad in the classifieds. The buyer had trouble figuring out how to put in feedback and had never done it before despite having bought on SHF site previously, but eventually I was able to guide him in how to do it. No big deal, but I bet some of the people who don't give feedback may be doing it for this reason.

I wanted also to mention one thing I did over at Ebay once. I had purchased a cheap CD (maybe $3 plus shipping) that had been listed as "mint" or "near mint" or something like that. The CD had scratches on it, but wasn't similar to a library item or something like that, so it was sort of in the range that a person who is not any kind of collector might think was fine. It was so cheap that it really wasn't worth sending back to the seller and wasting postage on it. Since I didn't want to return it, and I didn't think it was fair to give bad feedback if I didn't give them a chance to see it and refund my money, I just wrote to them and said "the CD has scratches and is not mint. Please write back and promise to never list a CD that has scratches as mint again and we will call the transaction closed". They did write back and said they promised. I kind of think and hope that was a more memorable moment and might change behavior in the future more than just a negative feedback that they could write off to some negative part of my personality. Maybe it was obnoxious, I don't know...but there it is.

 

I've never had a bad experience buying here, although one person I bought a disc from without any problems stiffed almost every other person who bought things off of him in the same thread.

I have had experiences where the condition of the booklets/jewel boxes/slipcases wasn't exactly as described, but close enough that I didn't really care. Never had a CD or LP incorrectly graded, though.

 

I've gotten regular jewel cases cracked.
No big deal for me.
It takes like 5 seconds to change it.
Not worth the negative feedback (as it doesn't happen often).

Darryl

 

I haven't had many transactions here, but I actually had the opposite happen to me. The seller decided the disc was in worse shape than described, refunded my money and sent me the CD anyway.

 

I have only had one transaction go bad on ebay, and I have NEVER had a problem here with anyone. I am thankful for this forum and the marketplace, and for the good people here.

"One Bad Apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl!"

 

Doesn't do us much good if burned buyer does not put in any feedback does it.

 

that reminds me, where is the Osmonds LP I ordered from you over 2 months ago?

 

I've made a couple hundred purchases on here. There was only one time - and it was a big one - where I was completely ripped off (yes, I left negative feedback and that person was banned). There have been a few other times where an item I bought wasn't in the advertised condition but in all of those instances things were worked out amicably.

Needles to say, I'm extremely glad we have the classifieds on SH.tv.

 

Many of the transactions I've made on the marketplace are among the most satisfying I've made over the internet. It seems that as fellow music fans/collectors, the sellers here put a great deal of effort into ensuring that their buyers are satisfied. Layers of protective packaging, honest descriptions and delivery times taking only a few days (from domestic sellers) are commonplace in my experience here, while rarities or just dumb luck from Amazon or eBay sellers.

 

lol...give it one more try before you give up on love..er, I mean the forum marketplace

 

This happened to me. I've been buying cds here for years and only had one bad guy. When I left negative feedback, he gave me negative feedback for no reason than to get even.

Another thing, while we are venting, I've left a lot of feedback here and never received any feedback in return. Most all the sellers in this forum have sold me cds and I'm sure they will say I'm fast, informative, and respectful. the few times that I've sold cds here, they were very cheap and in great shape, but I still have a red mark from this one guy. What are you gonna do?

 

You can't force people to use the system, and it's clunky add-on design doesn't help (though it's better than nothing..)

I just find the numbers interesting - you can see who's been doing a lot of trading, and that sort of gives some confidence.

 

As the Christmas season approaches, it reminds me a bad experience I had last year. It went like this.

I was putting up lists of vinyl and developed a number of people who bought 4, 5 and 6 times from me on the forums. Regulars numbered maybe a dozen, or 15 people tops. Right before Christmas I posted a fresh list of LPs, and the regulars swooped in and grabbed the best of the lot within 4 hours. PMs came in as the usual standard for claiming the LPs. Payments came in within seconds on most all. And I was sure that this was another successful run like that other dozen or so lists I had posted.

I was happy that I would have a bit of extra spending money for the holidays, and happy that forums members would be getting these really nice and clean LPs in fresh new poly liners and rice paper sleeves, and shipped with combined shipping costs.

I was planning a short drive out of town. And the last days for sending out packages for pre-Christmas expected arrival was approaching in less than two days. I packed up everything right away, and decided to try and make all those shipments get to the post office the day after they were claimed on the forums. Then I would have that work out of the way and have nothing to worry about regarding these LPs when I got back.

Out of the dozen or so people who bought them, four buyers had not yet paid. But this was not a biggie because they had bought from me before, and always paid via paypal, sometimes after payday, and the value of the LP packages was not really that high. Nothing outstanding over $45 a package.

So I packed up all packages, put addresses on them and took everything to the post office including the packages that payment had not yet arrived for.

With everything sent out and gone, I posted a message on the forums that all packages were sent out right away in hopes that by Christmas Eve no later, that postman would arrive in Dearborn, MI, Bakersfield, CA, etc. with these records. And thank you all, merry Christmas!!!!

As I was out of town and checking my emails, I see several emails from paypal "You've Got Money"!!!!! which is always a nice thing when you are out of town and spending a little more than usual. The record money was coming in from my regulars.

However, one email arrived and said Jeff! I just received a package of LPs from you. First off, I never agreed to buy them, I was simply putting them on hold, and going to decide later. Two, I have bought records for years, and nobody sends out before payment arrives, I know you had good intentions, but this was not appropriate, and I do not want these LPs.

I emailed back and said fine, just write "Return to Sender" on box, and drop it back into the mail. The message from this buyer had a nasty and hostile tone as if I had been really out of line for packing up these records and sending before payment had arrived. He had bought from me at least four times before.

I emailed back and said, I know nothing about records on hold, it is not the way I work it. I list, buyer claims, and pays, and it is a done deal. But no worries, just return LPs please.

Would be buyer sends another message saying that the reason that they will not be buying any music for the foreseeable future is that there has been a medical crises, and bills are bound to be high. I answered back that I understand totally.

In January this member is not around for about two or three weeks, and when he appears, he is buying Bowie RCA CDs, and asking questions about UK Beatles albums in Marketplace, and has continued to PM and buy music (from other sellers) in Marketplace.

I emailed him and said that I was glad to see he got over his medical issues quickly and was back in action so soon.

So if I had to do it over again, and decide to send out items before payment arrives to my regulars who have previously (combined) bought hundreds of dollars in LPs from me, I would do it the same again.

Isn't that a nice holiday story that gives you a warm cozy feeling!

 

I think the marketplace could be improved by the mandatory addition of photos along with the grading. I know that this is already possible - but you hardly ever see it done. It's not hard these days to do a high quality digital picture. This REALLY helps as grading for covers especially can be subjective. Also, for example, a decent picture of the label without spindle marks can also give a good idea of how much it's been played. Or close up's of corners with/without dings. It all assists in building up a picture of the item on offer.

 

I'm not giving up on the Forum marketplace, but I'm about to give up on you....it's now been 6 1/2 months, and I still haven't received the Osmonds record

 

Well, that'd be difficult for members like me who don't have a scanner or a digital camera or whatever one needs to post photos. Would they not be allowed to sell stuff here anymore??

 

I do not think photos should be mandatory. If I can't trust the seller's word here, then I shouldn't buy.

 

I think our marketplace is great, I've gotten a lot of nice things here for fair prices... that being said, it is just like any other marketplace, and there is always going to be a bad apple or two in the bunch.

In my own limited experience here I've experienced a few... shall we say "enthusiastic" gradings, as well as one flat-out ripoff and one very unpleasant, uh, "misunderstanding". But, the other 95% of my transactions have been great (exemplary really some of the fellows selling here), and you just chalk up the bad ones (which are a very small minority) to experience... that's the price you pay for interacting with other humans, it takes all kinds.

We must be realistic though, no place is perfect. And I'd agree that it would be nice to have a little more hi-tech feedback system but I'm not sure it would really have an impact on the (small) percentage of bad apples.

 

I'd rather a forum member get my money than eBay.

Darryl

 

Twice for me. Both transactions were for non-delivery of items. The first one was for $60. I left negative feedback, and for some unexplained reason, my negative comments were removed by a Gort. The second time was for $500+ in the infamous vinyl sale of last summer.

 

I just went through a series of transactions over the past 10 days or so and I have to tell you I am glad this marketplace exists. All of the people I dealt with are just the best when it comes to payment and communication. I did get in to a bit of a comical dance in one transaction but it was all good as far as the experience goes. If I was left to sell on eBay or Audiogon I probably wouldn't be much involved. Usually I am only trying to sell things here that members of this forum will see the value in and normally my stuff goes pretty quickly. I have misjudged the market and overpriced a couple of items but in the end they all sell. So, thanks everyone.

 

There are a minority who struggle with technology. So I agree that this wouldn't work for them.