Desktop Philately - A Cautionary Ebay Tale

A recent ebay non-sale left a bad taste in my mouth, I'll share some of the details here. I don't want to name and shame, it is a waste of time.




The high bidder contacted me a day after the sale, asserting that this item was a "laser copy" and demanding I either cancel the sale or report him to ebay. He had purchased a second item too, and advised me "he wasn't paying for that either".

I don't much care about the $200+ he stiffed me. I will resell them in the future. But, two things annoy me:

1) It's a genuine stamp IMHO, and the complainant is 100% wrong. The later printings of these have typically a sharp impression. The presence of a numeral cancel (this an early strike of the Montreal 4R21 hammer) is perfectly in keeping with a later printing order. There are even traces of offset on the back, which is quite normal.

2) The high bidder didn't contact me during the sale to voice his concerns, he deliberately sabotaged my auction.

I cancelled the sales.

If it's who I think it is, he posts on his board occasionally. But, I'm not 100% sure. I asked him to share his observations why it was a "laser copy", that hasn't happened.

For me, the cautionary part is that we are all slowly becoming desktop philatelists, so sure from our computers and stamp dens of what is real and fake. Stamps must be examined with real eyes, held in tongs, and measured in person to give us the true collecting experience.

I realize this discussion can go in any direction you wish, feel free to share and rant.

The sun looks very dark. Just local oxidation?

My phone camera has washed out the colour a bit... has virtually no oxidation.

My guess is that the buyer went over his budget by a lot and had a really bad case of guilt/buyers remorse. Otherwise why bother bidding based upon scans and then declare that based upon scans that the stamp is a fake.

That is my humble opinion.

Edit To Add:

Reinforcing my POV above, the buyer could have paid for and taken delivery of the item and then asked for a refund after examining the item in hand.

Buyer's remorse crossed my mind, thanks for your input. If that's the truth, I wish he had said so.

1) It that a #1 or #4 Canada stamp?

2) When you posted it, did you mention it had a rip in the lower left corner?

3) Personally I would not pay $200 for a damaged stamp

just my opinion


Trodent

If you retained possession of the item, he didn't "stiff" you. I mean, it sucks that he backed out with some unfounded claims, and that it also impacted your other sale, but you haven't really been harmed, have you?

Try that one on an auction house. Just because it is ebay does not mean that you are not entering into an agreement when you bid and win something.

May have kept possession of the item, but the posting time, trouble and listing expense hits your pocketbook, not the backout buyer. The images, as long as they were both shown, were clear and show the tear and possible thin at top and he should have asked questions before pulling the trigger! And Rogdcam is correct in mentioning that regarding auctions, because that buyer would be cut from any auction houses allowable bidder list, and could potentialy be cut or prevented from bidding at other auctions. The rules are there for a reason, so everyone knows what to expect and how it works.

I did mention the fault LL in description, for what it's worth.

It also works the other way round. I recently had a lot cancelled by the seller for a made up excuse. I bought the lot for what I thought was a very good price only to have the seller suddenly refuse to send it and then refund the price saying he "did not feel comfortable selling it to me". What ever that means

I strongly suspect that the seller found another buyer privately who offered more and decided to sell it to them. Nothing I can prove of course but it goes to show that it does work both ways.

AQ

Just started selling on ebay and find it, if not a bit full of unusual buyers (Yes and probably sellers, too), but the most vexing thing is grasping their charges. Sold approximately $275.00 at auction and Buy It Now, and received only $115.00. Can't figure it out. Will provide all specifics to any ebay expert seller who is willing to assist.