Does the buyer take on a certain "caveat" when they purchase a card and the seller offers free shipping using a PWE?
The reason I am asking is because I won an auction for a 2013 Topps Chrome Nick Franklin rookie card. It was only .79 cents and I figured it would be a nice addition to my Seattle Mariners collection. I knew the card was being shipped using just a plain white envelope but the auction showed the card in a rigid top loader so I figured it would be safe in transit.
I received the card today and instead of a rigid top loader that the card was pictured with in the auction the card was shipped using a flimsy UltraPro top loader and the card was damaged with a nice crease running about 1/3 of the way across the back. I never use these flimsy top loaders because they are to weak to use in shipping, to large to fit properly in a binder or box and they are notorious for pinching the cards. He didn't even use a penny sleeve, which is also visible in the auction photo.
Do I ding the seller for shipping the card in the UltraPro top loader, thus allowing the card to get damaged in transit, or do I let it go because I took a chance knowing that it was being shipped in an envelope (though I thought it was coming in a rigid top loader) and it was under a buck and an easy card to replace?
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| Posted with rigid top loader |
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| Received with a flimsy top loader |
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| Damaged section |
That's a tough one. I think you have the right to expect a card to be shipped securely, but you're taking a chance on a PWE. Thankfully it wasn't a valuable card, but I still feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteOpen a case, get your money back. Principle of it. Then neutral feedback.
ReplyDeleteContact the seller, give them a chance to rectify the situation/refund your money. etc.
ReplyDeleteIt is the seller's responsibility to get the item to you in the same condition that it left them in, regardless of the method of packing. Unless there is an agreement between the two of you that you would accept the chance at loss, it is his fault. I have made some trades where in I have accepted full responsibility for the method of shipping (ie. cheap as possible for all involved.
In the future, time permitted, email and ask the seller how the card is to be packed/shipped. Even offer to give him an extra.50 to cover better packing.
I agree with Richard and Greg both, especially with the photo in the rigid toploader.
ReplyDeleteI sent the seller an email letting him know about the damage, most likely due to the way it was shipped. I don't really expect much considering the value of the card, I would probably be satisfied with a apology for the poor packaging.
ReplyDeleteThose soft "CARD SAVER"s are NOT. They are OK for a LCS to display and sell stuff in, but not for much of anything else. It really sucks that the seller shows it in a nice rigid top-loader then ships it in a cheap flimsy card-saver.
ReplyDeleteAt least it wasn't a case of the seller charging $2 or $3 for shipping and then sending in PWE that only cost 49cents. I've had that happen many times.
The problem is many sellers on Ebay (and other places) are not collectors and don't think about or care HOW they ship stuff they just shove it into a PWE because it is the cheapest way to ship and the card "fits".
The seller apologized and told me he will send another one. It is a cheap card but I do appreciate that he is willing to make things right
ReplyDelete