Watch Out For Mystic Stamp Co. "Stealth Buyers" On HipStamp

I've been hit multiple times now. My only returns on Hipstamp in the last 3 years are all from user "lcgstamps" who is actually a stealth buyer for Mystic Stamp Co. They use Hipstamp as an approval service, fishing for material they can mark up outrageously.

They don't do the same thing on ebay because ebay has a blocked buyer list whereas Hipstamp does not.

Revenue- are they attempting to switch material?

No. Nothing fraudulent/criminal, just annoying and IMO deceptive.

Honestly I'd believe it. Mystic probably pays heftily even to get their search results at the top of google for practically any stamp search. Disgusting.

So if I spot a stamp for sale, buy it and sell it for more, I am bad?

If doing so with one stamp is "just annoying" what do you call folks who buy collections and large lots at auction to sell the parts for more money?

Now if I can't flip it then try to return it to the original seller, yes that is poor practice. If one does have a high return rate ebay can block you, perhaps hip should too.

The selling of the item for more is NOT the problem, it is the return without a rational reason which is the problem.

Lest people think I'm complaing/ranting about the wrong issue, it's not that they flip for profit. It's the manner in which they apparently go about acquiring merchandise, masquerading as someone else, and the rate of returns. Also, there's no communication prior to the return, the returned stamps just show up in the mail out of the blue with an amount to be refunded.

This from the same company that forces you to OPT OUT of approvals and then tenaciously keep sending them.

Buying from one seller in order to sell for a profit to someone else happens all the time. If you want to blame anyone, blame the ultimate buyer who should probably do some homework AND save a little money. Some buyers, though, have a relationship with a certain seller and will only buy from very few sellers.

I do find it a bit shady that they are buying and then returning. I assume the returns are not due to faults, but due to change of mind. Like their buyer changed their mind, or had previously purchased it elsewhere. How is that the original seller's problem, though? After all, ebay is not running an approval service!

MM?

Returns without prior approval will be refused or lost !

This is an issue of the Hip Stamp business model where in it, it allows such returns and you as seller must honor the return. In that regard there was this neutral feedback for the buyer ID you reference:




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User names are codes and designed to protect folk's identity. As seller, you learn the "name" and address of the buyer to complete a transaction.

That said, I am asking for more information as to the basis for your comment I quoted. At this point, I cannot decide to agree or disagree with your position regarding e-market places and masquerading folks.

Even some brick and mortar auction firms do not know if I am the buyer when they sell an item because there is one agent I use which buys the material in their name, takes delivery and then ships the material to their client(s), collecting the auction price including hammer, agent fee and shipping. Other agents do the same for some buyers.

[Edited for English]

Parcelpostguy,

I'm not sure what you're asking. This isn't a public auction where agents are involved.

Username that purchases is "lcgstamps" (not Mystic Stamps or anything associated with it), the payment comes from an account tied to a woman's name, not a business entity of any kind, and the return shipments originate from Mystic Stamp Co.

Based on some buried documentation on Hipstamp's website, I have formally asked this buyer to not purchase from me again. That's apparently the first step before you can request that Hipstamp do anything, and only if the buyer ignores the request. It's somewhat unspecific as to what actions Hipstamp will actually take, if any.

Alas, they will probably show up again under another name.

I wonder if this Mystic account had a shipping address in Camden, NY or if they managed to disguise it better It's kind of a head scratcher that they would be so hard up for material they would resort to this especially before the market really took off in 2020 Does Mystic play in the SAN auction space (Kelleher, Dutch Country, Rasdale, etc)? We hear about certain ebay dealers driving up those auction prices, I wonder if Mystic does also.

I've had a very good buyer of my items on ebay who turned out to be a Mystic buyer and never had anything but good transactions. Items were shipped to Camden and I never even thought twice about it. Maybe I've been selling low and she buys at good prices, but that's on me, so I have no qualms about selling to her.

Sure do. They employee a lot of people and move a whole lot of material. Need to feed the beast.

Mystic purchased one of the largest intact WW collections Siegel ever offered a few years back for high six figures.

Sale 1143, Lot 3946:

https://siegelauctions.com/lot_grd....mitNext=Next

This explanation (or one similar) is what I was asking for. Yes, I find it disturbing to sell to Ms A and get the return from Business B. I wonder if Hip Stamp approves of such disconnect? I have not used Hip, but from what I have read, its customer service is beneath that of ebay's and as such you may never get an answer from Hip.

Now if Ms A buys, pays and returns, no harm in my book; but I would strongly dislike issuing a refund to essentially a non-involved third party to the original deal.

Since I believe you then refund to the account from which you were paid, not directly to Mystic, perhaps this is a Mystic employee doing some minor embezzlement of company postage and mailing services? An inquiry to Mystic directly might shake things up if it is unaware of the employee's behavior.