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Is this worthy of complaint?
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Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:26 pm

I was excited to win the listing and have truly been looking forward to the items arriving at my door.
Well they arrived this afternoon and I am not so excited now.
Quote from the listings description.

These books are in excellent to near mint condition. They have no water damage and are from a smoke free home.

Close up Photo of one of the books in that listing.

Is this not water damage?
Or some form of liquid damage?
The stains are on 46 of the 76 pages in the book plus the front cover, which is also stained (mostly inside front cover).
Most of the staining is on the bottom edges of the pages, but it is obvious.

Is this worthy of complaint, or am I being an asshat?
FWIW: There are other issues as well, but this one seems pretty obvious to me as a clear error by the seller.

"Guys, I am starting to think Tegel Manor might be haunted..."
Stated by me as a PC during a run of Tegel Manor DMed by killjoy at NTRPGCon 2010

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Mars
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:53 pm

If you paid any kind of money for these, I would probably bring it to the seller's attention.

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 6:59 pm

At the time I thought it was plenty... really too much.

Since the stained book is Warlock's Tower (Balboa Games) now I feel like I paid WAY more than I wish I had.
If the stains had been described and/or shown in a picture, then I would not have been bidding at all (most likely).
Stains like that are one of my most hated problems.

"Guys, I am starting to think Tegel Manor might be haunted..."
Stated by me as a PC during a run of Tegel Manor DMed by killjoy at NTRPGCon 2010

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Blackmoor
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:19 pm

Gnat the Beggar wrote:At the time I thought it was plenty... really too much.

Since the stained book is Warlock's Tower (Balboa Games) now I feel like I paid WAY more than I wish I had.
If the stains had been described and/or shown in a picture, then I would not have been bidding at all (most likely).
Stains like that are one of my most hated problems.

Tell him you would like to return it.

Games can get you through times of no money but money can not get you through times of no games!!

misterspock
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:38 pm

Yeah you should be able to return it since it would fall under that Ebay buyer protection thing, right?

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:50 pm

misterspock wrote:Yeah you should be able to return it since it would fall under that Ebay buyer protection thing, right?

It should and ebay is pretty much set on buyers being able to return items. If Gnat wouldn't have bid on it in the first place in this condition it sounds like he would be better off returning it and getting his money back.

"You get more with a kind word and an excruciator than with just a kind word."

MetaSigma
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 8:33 pm

I concur. In my admittedly limited experience returning things on eBay, even if the seller lists the item as "no returns accepted", if you push eBay/PayPal (whichever) settles the dispute in favor of the buyer, refund for a return. You'll probably have to pay shipping, though.

Ithaca Dragon
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Kingofpain89
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 10:48 pm

Gnat the Beggar wrote:At the time I thought it was plenty... really too much.

Since the stained book is Warlock's Tower (Balboa Games) now I feel like I paid WAY more than I wish I had.
If the stains had been described and/or shown in a picture, then I would not have been bidding at all (most likely).
Stains like that are one of my most hated problems.

I guess if the auction ended at the bid I put in, I probably wouldnt mind all that much if it was just the water stain. But I dont know what the other issues are that you didnt disclose.

Seller lied about the condition of the books in the auction description.
You arent happy with the condition of the books.
You just need to decide if you are going to ask for a full or partial refund.
Whatever you do....dont send the books back until you have cleared it with the seller/Ebay first! And make sure you put tracking on the return shipment so you dont get screwed and have to go through getting a credit card refund.

You did pay with a credit card? Right? :lol:

You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 12:18 am

I was not sure if anyone else would feel that the liquid stains were enough to be worried over.

I wrote the seller right after posting this thread.
Will see what seller suggests (if anything) to ease my concerns.

While it was not stated in the listing and not shown well enough in the single picture; all four books have a name written in ink on the front cover at the top right corner.
I noticed one of them in the enlarged picture (The Solo Module), but did not notice the same thing for the other three books with the single picture (even the enlarged picture was not enough, unless you knew what to look for and where).

The Staining is my main concern in this case though.
I can live with the written name on the cover of all the books, though I do wish the seller had noted that as well.

"Guys, I am starting to think Tegel Manor might be haunted..."
Stated by me as a PC during a run of Tegel Manor DMed by killjoy at NTRPGCon 2010

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Last edited by Gnat the Beggar on Wed May 04, 2011 1:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mars
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 12:59 am

Name written on front cover is more of a problem than the staining when describing books as "excellent to near mint condition" IMHO. The seller may have missed the staining but the name on front cover is a clear sign that the seller way overestimated condition.

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:04 am

Gnat the Beggar wrote:I was not sure if anyone else would feel that the liquid stains were enough to be worried over.

I wrote the seller right after posting this thread.
Will see what seller suggests (if anything) to ease my concerns.

While it was not stated in the listing and not shown well enough in the single picture; all four books have a name written in ink on the front cover at the top right corner.
I noticed one of them in the enlarged picture (The Solo Module), but did not even notice the same ting in the other three with the single picture (even the enlarged picture was not enough, unless you knew what to look for and where).

The Staining is my main concern in this case though.
I can live with the written name on the cover of all the books, though I do wish the seller had noted that as well.

Is this the $157 lot? Gnat, get a refund and return these.

"You get more with a kind word and an excruciator than with just a kind word."

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:28 am

Kingofpain89 wrote: You did pay with a credit card? Right?

Yes, I do so with ALL my E-Bay purchases over $40 now.
Learned that one the hard way, after basically ignoring the great advice from folks before that previous incident with Ptolus.

JasonZavoda wrote:Is this the $157 lot?
Gnat, get a refund and return these.

With the stains and writing on the front cover of all four books, I will either get a partial refund and keep the books; or a full refund and send them back.
I do not think this seller is going to be a problem as he has a Very good history and it goes a LONG way back too.
Ya never know though.
Not sure why the seller blew it so badly on this listing, but I looked at some previous purchases/sales and saw nothing like this (at least nothing obvious to me).

"Guys, I am starting to think Tegel Manor might be haunted..."
Stated by me as a PC during a run of Tegel Manor DMed by killjoy at NTRPGCon 2010

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Last edited by Gnat the Beggar on Fri May 06, 2011 12:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:47 am

Gnat the Beggar wrote:With the stains and writing on the front cover of all four books, I will either get a large rebate and keep the books; or a full refund and send them back.
I do not think this seller is going to be a problem as he has a Very good history and it goes a LONG way back too.
Ya never know though.
Not sure why the seller blew it so badly on this listing, but I looked at some previous purchases/sales and saw nothing like this (at least nothing obvious to me).

If the seller is good about rebates or refunds they can usually keep a good set of feedback and DSRs. I was selling on ebay since '97 and had three negs (2 from customers who never paid) and not many neutrals before they did this yearly feedback rating thing because I went out of my way to make things right if they went wrong.

"You get more with a kind word and an excruciator than with just a kind word."

Deadlord
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 4:32 pm

We all miss things at times, but to describe them as NM was a serious stretch. I'd make him an offer on what you think they SHOULD have gone for.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Badmike
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Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:13 pm

I swear by Gnat's latest buys alone sellers are getting ridiculous lately. I would be embarrassed to even sell something that beat to shit.

Mike B.

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Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 12:29 am

Seller made it right with partial refund.

I am satisifed and I think he is OK with it as well.

Here is a link to the listing on e-Bay

** eBay auction listing blocked. Please enable cookies in your browser for this site and for eBay! **

Once again, the seller has made it right and I have posted positive feedback for the seller already.

I am keeping all four of the books I bought from this seller and I listed my old copies of both The Complete Warlock (BIN has already been hit) and Warlock's Tower (BIN with offer button option still on e-Bay).

My copy of Warlock's Tower is in better condition (overall) with no writing, but I am not worried about the liquid stains and the name in ink (I can live with it for now) and I have no doubt my old copy would sell for more in any case.

My BIN is about 25% lower than the only other copy on e-Bay right now and IMO my copy is at least as nice if not nicer.

So this is NOT a complaint, but more like a "what would I have done" thing.

If I had listed those four books, the two pictures below would have been added to the single picture the seller posted.

With explanations in the description.

"Guys, I am starting to think Tegel Manor might be haunted..."
Stated by me as a PC during a run of Tegel Manor DMed by killjoy at NTRPGCon 2010

Charter Member of the ATM

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