Off-Topic Forum

or - Don't **** with Dan (that would be "mess", yeah, yeah, that's the ticket)

I collect the cards of Hudson Valley Renegades, and this year's Topps Pro Debut set has 2 of the 'Gades (John Doxakis and Greg Jones) in the base set and all parallels, and one of those players is also in the "Distiguished Debut Medallions" and the Autograph set (Jones). So, there were 2 of the orange parallel auto cards on ebay very recently. One was a BIN and the other was an auction. The auction ended yesterday at $6.50 (plus shipping). The BIN remained there are $35. So I figured I would offer what the other one sold at. What happened next is fodder for comedy shows. LOL OK, so the offer went through - it asn't auto-declined. That was a good sign, I thought. Maybe it would have been better. Well, for the seller.

So, the $6.50 offer goes to them (for the card they have listed at $34.95), and they send back a counter-offer of $33.95.

So, I send them a nice little note, simply explaining my rationale (with typo, oops):

One of these just sold for $6.50. This iwhy I made you that offer.
I would consider going to $7, but no higher.
Thank you,
Dan (9:54 AM)

I got the following messages while I was out today:

So we are going to ignore the green /99 that sold for 13? And the 2 gold /50 that sold for 13 and 18? (9:57 AM)

&

Or the 4 most recent base autos that sold for 8, 5, 5, and 6, so based on that and the parallels i sent you just now also, your saying i should value the /25 at the base auto price? (10:00 AM)

& then

Well? (10:41 AM)

I guess I hadn't answered back soon enough for them. (By this point, I was out watching my son compete in the county amateur golf tournament.) I return home around 3:00 PM and am greeted with these messages, So I respond to the second of the ones that mention OTHER cards.

I'm simply comparing exact cards, so yes, I am ignoring the other cards that are not exactly the same.
Apples to apples, not apples to oranges. Or in this case, truly, oranges with oranges.
Thanks for responding. All the best! (3:05 PM)

And the response:

Sadly not how it works, but good luck (3:06 PM)

At this point, I'm thinking they are just sitting there waiting for my reply, so I gave another reply:

Um, yes, actually, that IS how it works, but you keep your delusions of that price fixated in your head.
I see you've been on ebay since 2014. I've been on here since 1998. I also doubt you worked for a card company (yes, I did). So, yes, I do know how the hobby/industry (whichever aspect you wish to focus on) works.
I wished you all the best in the last correspondence with you, and I was met with derision. Second item of proof that you sadly don't know how to do business. Being rude to potential customers is never a good look.
Again, I wish you a very good day, and all the best. Please take care, and stay safe. (3:12 PM)

Now, it starts to get FUN:

You low balled and im the rude one? You want something for nothing and im rude, and in the business since 1993, doing shows and ebay off and on, oh ya which card company did you work for? (3:14 PM)

They seriously ARE waiting for my replies. They're writing back lightning fast. I wish their actual customer service was as effiecient. Now, they asked, so I have to answer. LOL And:

The offer I made was exactly in line with a sale from yesterday. Your price is over-inflated. That is not the definition of a low-ball offer.
I have been in the hobby since 1978. I worked for a card shop starting in 1981, have done shows, started online in the newsgroup forums, and then progressed to Beckett Markeplace (before it became what it is today), and then to ebay and a few other card sites. I worked for 7 years for Star International (86-93).
And so yes, you have been rude. I am keeping the communications professional.
Again, have a great day. Be safe and stay healthy. I wish you nothing but the best. (3:40 PM)

So now that I refuted the expertise aspect, they try a different tact:

You made an offer inline to a auction that ended on a Thursday which is historically one of the worst days to end auctions. Next 1 comp is not where a price gets set. The over all comps i gave you put the card more in line at 20-25, but good luck keep low balling people, that gets you everywhere (3:44 PM)

You notice what I notice? (Other than the fact that my replies are like 20-30 minuteds and theirs is coming back like lightning.) If you didn't notice, keep reading, I noticed, and I call them out on it:

Again, it was not a lowball offer. And since sports cards are not an essential item, I've done quite well with making offers and having them be accepted or at least countered in a reasonable range.
Which brings me to another point, you've just admitted you were "high-balling" me on the counter-offer.If it's more in line with 20-25, then why do you ask for almost 34? I know, "It was to counter your ridiculous low-ball offer." I can see the counter-point already. Please, don't bother responding to that point, because I already know where you'll go with it.
So, I do wonder why you continue to send me messages. Do you think you're going to change my mind on a silly baseball card? Just bored on a Friday and have nothing else to do? Need a friend? If you're in need of someone to talk to, fine. I'm okay with that, but let's turn the topic away from the orange auto card. That topic has been run into the ground, and neither one of us are budging on it. If there's anything else going on, and I'm being serious here - if you're really in need of someone, there are hotlines for that stuff. Now, I'm worried about you.
Please take care of yourself, and stay well. (3:53 PM)

To which they could only muster this reply:

stay douchy my friend, stay douchy (3:59 PM)

And I had to let them know how I really felt about this, I zinged this back, and got no response:

No need for me to be - you're handling that on own very well. (4:11 PM)

At this point, I was laughing SO hard, and was wondering how I was going to be able to share it. It was too funny NOT to share. Was I a bit rude in there, sure I was, but only in response to theirs, and then I loved the hotline bit.

I'm going to guess a couple things here:

1 - I'm not getting that card from them
2 - I'm on their blocked bidder's list

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

Me:

*stands*

*applause*

I was rolling once I read the Thursday argument. Like seriously man?

Umm... wow

You should have told him to put it in an auction and see what it goes for.  That would be the way to find out what it was really worth.    Place your bid at $7 and it will sell for $7.25

Being retired I have fun with all the calls we get.    I pull their legs and see what happen.   I tell them my wife will not talk to me so I have all day to talk to them.   I had one guy stating they fixed my Apple computer a few months back and they see it is having problems again.    I told them I do not have an Apple but did have a orange and a banana .  Then he told me what I could do with the banana.

Just priceless.

As I sit and watch Kyle Seager homer against Verlander...

Good read.  They are out there and live among us!  Thanks!!

That was seriously funny stuff, i was laughing out loud and my wife is looking at me like i need a hotline or something!!

I don't really get why he continued the exchange, it was obvious you wasn't going above 7 bucks (even if you did, I'd say 10 to be safe), nowhere near what he wanted.  Having said that, initially, I don't think he was being too rude.  You explained your rationale why you felt 7 was a fair price, and he responded why his price was 30 bucks plus (which still seems high to me).  Even his "Well" comment while on the surface may have seemed rude, it may have been more of a "are you interested in it at a higher price".  As a seller if I had an issue with you I would have blocked you at that point (not for anything you did necessairily but it would appear you wasn't interested in paying anywhere near what I priced it at) or at least ignored your contact.  As a buyer, I would have blocked him (I forgot if you could do that), based on him not really being reasonable for overinflating prices on cards. Plus I understand someone replying quickly, but that did seem like he was looking for an arguement. I'm sure on his side he was probably thinking it was just as funny as you do, at least until you mentioned how long you have been in the business and working for STAR.  That's when he really turned to me.

At any rate, I hope you get the card, and when you do, he'll probably be still trying to sell his.  I'd say you dodged a bullet not buying from him.  He reminds me of the guy on COMC that when you make an offer, they decline it then RAISE the price.

I strongly suggest we dub you "Dan the Auction Troll-Slayer of TCDB" !!  

Kudos to you, sir!