This is not so much a shady dealer as a snooty dealer, but it makes for a good story.  So, I inquire about this auction:




** expired/removed eBay auction **




Notice, he's charging $9.75 for Priority Mail.  I ask:

Dear collectableguy,

I would think you could fit these items in a small, flat-rate, Priority Mail box. It's about the size of a video cassette, and if you pay on-line, the cost would only be $4.80 and include free delivery confirmation. My main concern would be whether you would be able to pack them so they wouldn't be damaged in transit. Is this an acceptable option for you and for shipping safely? Thanks for considering my interest.

- benjoshuasdad

He replies:

Dear benjoshuasdad,

I now about Small Flat Rate boxes I use them when I can- there is NO way I could safely pack these in a box this small. I don't do on-line printing of postage because it would cost me big money in ink & supplies. I don't like being told by a potential buyer what to do......so I'm not considering anything from you...........

- collectableguy

He is not in the Christmas spirit.  I did not write back nor plan to.  I did, however, add him to my block list.

So many sellers don't seem to understand simple courtesy to a customer.

He could have just said, "No.  I am not comfortable at all with the smaller box."

I suspect it is the medium.  Sometimes we type things that we would not say face to face.

I've made 2 purchases from collectibleguy in the past & he was always friendly with me, but then I never made any shipping suggestions to him, either.  

I did have another seller send me a message after I left him positive feedback but stated that his shipping was a little high.  ($6.16 or something like that to send a package with $3.75ish postage.)  He sent me a breakdown of all his costs.  It's been a while since I've bought padded envelopes & I no longer remember the price he quoted me, but it seemed high.  The kicker, though, was that he included a 90 cent fee for tape and gas to drive to the post office.  

I wrote him back and politely stated that I was sorry if he felt my comment was unfair, but I had given him a positive instead of a neutral or a neg & I still felt that his shipping fees were a little steep.  He then messaged me again to say that he wasn't mad, but he felt that he needed to educate people who had never sold on eBay as to the true cost of shipping.  I have sold on eBay before, although not in a while, (not RPG stuff, just used books) & I know I ate it once or twice on shipping, but I'd rather do that & hope it all evens out in the end than charge someone a buck to pay for my gas.  At this point I was wishing I had left him a neg or at least a neutral.

Now I don't bother commenting on a seller's shipping costs, I just put it all in their DSRs.

I think most non US buyers don't mind a handling fee of $1-$3 per package because the cost of shipping is so much higher anyway.  $5 starts getting to be a lot.  Also, the people who charge a handling fee per item should just be avoided at all costs.

Kingofpain89 wrote:Here is something that IMHO needs to be posted here:

http://mxyzplk.wordpress.com/2009/12/11 ... big-crook/

I did a search on the forum and didnt find any mention of it elsewhere.  Based on what I read and saw in the linked .pdf, actionseller99, AKA Jim Shipman of Outlaw Press may be someone to avoid on Ebay.  Not that he screws buyers out of their money or doesnt ship merchandise, but apparently he has been using artwork in his products that isnt his to use.

I dont know about anything other than what I read, but if this is truth, the guy deserves zero support from me.  If anyone else affliliated with the industry knows anything more about this I would be interested to hear it.

I also wonder if the Tolkien Estate has any qualms about him using "Khazad Khizim" on one of the products. Shades of Balrog and Ent and Hobbit from the early TSR days.

Kingofpain89 wrote:Here is something that IMHO needs to be posted here:

http://mxyzplk.wordpress.com/2009/12/11 ... big-crook/

I did a search on the forum and didnt find any mention of it elsewhere.  Based on what I read and saw in the linked .pdf, actionseller99, AKA Jim Shipman of Outlaw Press may be someone to avoid on Ebay.  Not that he screws buyers out of their money or doesnt ship merchandise, but apparently he has been using artwork in his products that isnt his to use.

I dont know about anything other than what I read, but if this is truth, the guy deserves zero support from me.  If anyone else affliliated with the industry knows anything more about this I would be interested to hear it.

Follow the link to the PDF.  It isn't just one or two pieces.  It's a lot...and probably more not yet identified.

This is ugly.

Yes...it's probably also collectible.  

Kingofpain89 wrote:I did a search on the forum and didnt find any mention of it elsewhere.  Based on what I read and saw in the linked .pdf, actionseller99, AKA Jim Shipman of Outlaw Press may be someone to avoid on Ebay.  Not that he screws buyers out of their money or doesnt ship merchandise, but apparently he has been using artwork in his products that isnt his to use.

Thanks, although this is not news. Over the years I've gotten the impression from the silent majority, with a few honorable exceptions, that distribution of pirated gaming material was AOK - and it makes little-to-no difference whether that's charged for, or not. Why RPGs should be "fair game" but artwork-theft (which was actually there all along) induces righteous indignation is a good question for the community in general.

I'm pretty sure he's shipping "genuine articles" without problems at the same time, too, otherwise someone here who just bought a number of comics 'zines from him is going to be pretty miffed.

miffed is a nice way to put it... I know he was selling "reprints" of a zine he had.. anyway we will see.. I didn't realise till after who it was.. fingers crossed..

Brette:)

no, but it wasn't going to cost me much to find out..
For the most pary I haven't aquired this stuff due to its.. um.. history and legality.. the Pandemonium have the right covers..
The auctions imply he is selling his own stuff.. getting out??

Brette:)