Removed only for pictures ?? (1 Viewer)

[Kurt]

Is anybody else suspicious of claims that an item was removed only to take the pictures to sell it? Why would they not just use the pictures easily available on so many websites? Besides, it has more value if they can claim it’s never been removed from the box.

 

[theBaron]

"Trust, but verify" and "Caveat emptor" are two pieces of very good advice.

Prosit!
Brad

 

[kogu]

It's a good question and I would like to explain my point of view.
If it is a dealer, they most likely will use the readily available photos from the manufacturer's websites and that is fine with me.
If it is a private seller I much more prefer to see photos of the particular figure or set I am about to bid on, preferably front and back view.
If the figure is in mint condition and it comes in the original box which is in good condition, that is all one can ask for.
Every now and then it happens that you buy figures from dealers and a piece is chipped or broken. No big deal, as all the sellers I am dealing with will replace it. With a private seller that is much more of a hassle and I rather see the original piece.
Also, anybody can download photos of figures and advertise them for sale. Ebay is a wonderful opportunity to buy and sell stuff but there is also a lot of not so honest stuff going on, so seeing a picture of the very item I like to get, makes me feel more comfortable.
I am an active ebayer with currently a 100% positive feedback of 2500+
The feedback was received pretty much only with transactions in the toy soldier hobby, both buying and selling, I would say about 50/50
I had a lot of toy soldier sets during the last couple of years that I did not display. Sometimes I was lucky and made a bulk purchase. Some of the set I wanted for myself, others I had no use for. When I listed them for sale I used just that sentence "Removed from the box only for photos" and it was simply like that. I was sure that the piece is as I stated and the interested buyer could actually see what he's getting.
Happy Collecting!
Konrad

 

[kilted vampire]

How many times did you get something in the mail broken? When was it broken? Before the dealer got it? Before the seller got it? Before the buyer got it? Taking pictures verifies the item was sent in good condition. Try telling the insurance people "Oh I did not open it because it was mint. I am not sure if it was intact before I sent it." Yeah, that is going to work. NOT! Honest people will list it as having been on display. Or taking it out for pictures or never left the box? C'mon? Really? I have lots of stuff that I inspected and put back. Not once have I ever not taken a look at it and assumed it was in "mint " condition.

I may not sell a whole lot on ebay but I am not crazy or that dumb! I like to see what I am paying for. One assumes that on ebay that both parties are honest, and the picture is (hopefully) an accurate representation.

 

[Spitfrnd]

As a buyer, I agree with KV and Kogo. I would hope the seller is not using stock pictures of something that he is selling me unless, like a dvd for instance, it is so standard that it doesn't matter. I don't know why anyone would pay more for something fragile that has not been examined previously.

 

[Louis A. Cortez]

As an EBay buyer, I agree with KV too. I want to see the item I am attempting to buy. Good question, it made me think on how I bid on the stuff I buy.

 

[theBaron]

And sometimes, any picture is better than no picture at all. That really drives me nuts, when a seller has an auction for something, especially printed material, but doesn't put up a picture.

I understand that some folks don't have access to a camera (heck, I still don't have a digital camera), but if you're going to be a seller on eBay for the long haul, it should be considered an investment in your physical plant.

Take 2 auctions for the same item, one with a picture, and one without, and I think the one with the picture will do better almost every time. You could even start the bidding for the one with a picture at a higher price, and I still think that some buyers would think for a while before they would let price trump a visual depiction of the item.

That bugs me with eBay auctions, that, and "old". "It's old, therefore, it's more valuable." Not always, Charlie.

And the sellers who throw other toy soldier maker names in their titles, even though the figures they're selling were made by someone else. "Britains" crops up in a lot of auction titles and descriptions, for toy soldiers from the same era, and in the same genre, but are not Britains.

Well, I stand by my original post in this thread, always trust but verify and let the buyer beware. We need to do our homework at all times.

Sorry, didn't mean for it to turn into a rant, prost!
Brad