What makes me hate eBay

Since the release of 2009 Topps Series 1 I have been trying to get my mitts on a black parallel of Adam Lind. I missed a couple early on because I knew that eventually the price would level out on them. So now about 10 months later I finally win one on eBay or $3.50 and $1.95 shipping. Sweet.

Not really.

I go to the post office yesterday to check my mailbox only to find that they have placed a yellow card in my mailbox indicating that a piece of mail was too large and they are holding it. Or in this case that my mail is destroyed and I need to pick up the pieces. How all of this even made it to me is amazing. The envelope, that's right, a PLAIN WHITE F-ING ENVELOPE, was open, ripped, and destroyed, along with my poor Adam Lind card. Card was inside a toploader that was too large, and ironically there was a team bag taped to the inside of the greeting card, yes the seller attached it to a f-ing greeting card, yet did not place the toploader inside the bag.

Now at this point yesterday I was steaming mad. I emailed the seller who appeared to be willing to work with me, said after I sent him the pictures of the damaged card he would refund my money. I send him the 4 pictures I am posting here, and his response after is:

"The Ebay Return Policy is to return the item, then get a refund. I can see no damage to the card at all. Sure, the envelope was damaged, but your photos show no damage at all to the top loader and your photo of the card is in a torn soft sleeve that could not have been torn due to the fact that the top loader was sealed in a team set bag and taped to the rigid card. As soon as the card is returned, I will refund your payment per Ebay return policy. Please do not do any intentional damage to the card"

Now why the hell would I buy a card and then rip it, to get a refund? Why bother to buy something only to destroy it and send it back. Now I'm flippin' angry and ready to blow my top. I really want to know why the f- this dude thinks that it would have been ripped. So now I have written him 2 not nice e-mails because I am ready to scream. I just opened disputes with eBay and PayPal as well. I suggest you all avoid purchasing any items from mikegrove7 on eBay because he ships in PLAIN WHITE ENVELOPES and uses a greeting card as "protection".

UPDATE: The sellers response to the card being damaged and me filing a complaint...

"I've been doing this for 10 years and always the same way. The card WAS placed in a soft sleeve, then in a toploader, it was then placed upside down inside the team bag and the team bag was sealed and taped to the rigid card stock. There is NO VISIBLE DAMAGE to the card shown in your pictures. Only damage to the soft sleeve. I will be investigating this with Ebay Seller Services tomorrow. This is the 3rd time I have sold this card on ebay. The first 2 times the buyer never paid and the buyers account was closed. I will be reporting this matter to Ebay along with your complaint for them to research any connections between these accounts. I have offered you a FULL refund for the return of the card. This is Ebay Policy. "

The white envelope shippers

Nothing irks me more than getting a card from eBay in a white envelope when I pay $3 or more for shipping. If I pay less than that, it's understandable because I paid for the cost it would take for a stamp and envelope. $2.50 in a white envelope even bothers me a little. It's borderline.

However, yesterday I got a white envelope with three cards in top loaders. It was mailed with a .42 cent stamp and I paid $3.75 for shipping for the lot.

I'm tired of the excuses of "eBay fees are too much. I have to recoup my money somehow." We sell on eBay too. We know about the fees. We know it sucks, but we don't rip people off. Don't try telling me that you lowered the price of the item, so you had to jack up the price of shipping only to send me cards in a white envelope.

So here is the post. Marie and I buy enough on eBay that I'm going to start the white envelope shippers list.

After talking to a seller and they refuse to give a partial refund on shipping (I don't want it all, just what is fair), their eBay name will make it to the list below.

Update: The seller emailed back and refunded some of the shipping without any arguments. He said he refunded because he cares. That was sweet of him. So, he doesn't make the list.

But let this be a warning to you sellers out there. I got this list and I am willing to use it!!!!!!!

1. Mikegrove7