manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Hi, I just had to open this topic because I just got complimented on Ebay for saying that a marble that I listed, a MF Christianson 5 color brick that I showed to all of you in the marble id section to verify that it was MF and not Akro,.....was not in very good condition. The guy, his name is Mike and his ebay handle is hannchan 1 , actually sent two separate 'questions' telling me how refreshing it was that I was 'honest and accurate in my discriptions'. It has made me feel good all over. I'm bringing this up because it seems to me that honesty in marble discriptions is not something that is very prevalent. People hide behind things like saying that they aren't experts and so the potential buyer should look at the pictures and yet the pictures, conviently? don't show all of the sides of the marbles. I had one person get very mad at me because he always displayed his marbles loaded onto a glass flower frog and he would show many pictures, but all he would do is turn the flower frog a bit, he would never turn the marbles and so no matter how many pictures he had, you only got to see one side of the marbles. I suggested that he might sell more if he turned the marbles instead of the frog. How dare I question his methods!!!! Have you been complimented on your honesty? Has it ever helped you sell something that you might not have sold? Have you run into people who are deliberate in their cover up of the condition of marbles they are selling? What did you do? How did you respond and what was the result? I'm thinking that if we all became marble police and sent ebay some sort of a petition asking them to do better in backing up their own policies when it comes to marbles. There is just way too much word spamming and dishonesty there and it is hurting and confusing beginning collectors. Tell me what you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I once contacted another seller that one of his marbles isnt a old handmade but a new one. He answered that he is completely sure that it IS a old one. I even told another collector and asked him to contact the seller and confirm what i said. The seller didnt care much, i think he still offers his marble as an old handmade one.. I didnt sell much marbles yet, only handmades. I always try to get all of the marble on the photos, especially the damaged parts. I also start all my auctions at 1€ because i believe that it will hit the price its worth. So i don't really got much money for the ones i sold. When i am selling marbles i dont want to make money but give other collectors a chance to get marbles for what they are worth. I was never complimented for this i jut got asked if i could make the shipping cheaper... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Oh gosh, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I think making assumptions from pictures posted on ebay ads can often be very very wrong. And that one short kind message to a seller is enough. I also think someone should have many many years collecting before contacting sellers even if it is really a blatant mistake. I also think putting up posts hoping to get some kind of support for someones actions is not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausman Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Amen Galen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I don't think ebay would be responsive to us no matter how many people contacted them. If a company with an active trademark to protect threatened them with legal action, they might care. But the last time I read their policies the kind of fraud I most object to didn't even seem to be against their rules. The things they most often consider rules violations seem to be things which stop them from getting money. If fraud raises the amount of money they can get -- like when someone forges an Akro box and convinces someone that it's real -- then they're happy to collect the bigger fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manylittle Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 It seems that I have offended someone and for that I apologize. In no way was I trying to 'gain support' for my actions. Mike's messages to me made me feel so 'warm all over good' that I wanted to share them with the people in this community that I respect so much and many of whom, I know would understand, and perhaps, celebrate that 'good feeling' with me. You don't get enough good things happening in a day and when they do, you want to share them. I'm very sorry that my intentions were mis-understood. In no way, was I trying to toot my own horn. I'm sorry it was taken that way and again, I apologize. At the same time I thought that it would be a good opportunity to bring up what I see is sometimes blatent dishonesty from many ebay listers and to try and come up with some sort of a way to fight back. I'm sorry that that back fired. I do understand, now that my enthusiasm has waned a bit, that trying to get ebay to do anything would never work. I do disagree that no one should correct a mistake by an ebay seller unless one has had many, many years in the industry, but by the way, I do. Most of my buying and selling of marbles have been through my own walk-in antiques store, which I have owned for 26 years, but I have been fascinated by marbles for longer than that. I don't think that it is someone's extreme and long lived knowledge that should dictate when and if a mistake on ebay should be brought up to the seller. I myself go by several criteria. If, by studying a person's selling history, I can become reasonably certain that the person is generally trying to describe his items to the best of his or her ability, but that they really don't know much about marbles, then that is a message to me that if I stepped in with advice on their particular mistake and where to go on the internet to learn more about marbles and where to go for help on id'ing the ones that they were not certain of,.....that it might be accepted in the spirit in which it was meant....and usually it is. Several people that I have contacted over the years, still send me pictures now and then, asking for advice. If I can't help, I give them the URL's of several marble forums with good experts that are willing to help, including this one. I use other criteria too, but I don't want to make this too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Sorry to be blunt but going by the exchanges you had with Zaboo (yes I have seen some of them)you need a lot more experience before making statements about marbles someone is selling.. Buying and selling marbles or making clay balls does not necessarily give one much knowledge at all. it is easy to see you are interested in increasing your knowledge of marbles. you have 2 eyes 2 ears and only one mouth. I was always told it is that way for good reason. Maybe if you would examine your remarks to Dani it may be easier to see why she banned you. And yes you made bold statements about marbles that you were only guessing about there condition. Dani knows a polished marble as well as anyone and has handled many thousands more marbles than you will ever see. And the post asking what a ballot marble is shows that you have much knowledge to gain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotcomdz Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Hannchan1 is a regular buyer from me. Great person and as long as you go out of your way to "TRY" then you can't be faulted. I have used a local professional six times to verify a grade that I bought a marble at. One is currently listed on ebay and I stated as much in the listing. I bought it graded at 9.6 and I'm selling it at 9.6 professionally graded. It's a fabulous blue oxblood. As inexperienced collectors all you can do is try and be as descriptive as you canand come close!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Who in the U.S.A. decided they were qualified enough to professionally grade marbles with a number system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeperman Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I was thinking the same thing, Galen. So many self proclaimed "experts" out there. It is funny how the few that would generally be excepted as about as close as you can get, won't have anything to do with the title "proffesional/expert". They know better. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I look for one type marble, "Mint" that means no damage of any type, ticks, dings, scratches, pocket wear, pin points, fractures(incuding annealing fractures) etc. ect. To me any damage that appears to look pro production and even a lot of production dings and fractures(tough to prove they happened in the process) keep a marble from being mint. Plain and simple. The damage I do see as OK would be touch spots on hand mades and melted edge bubble pops. I try and learn each sellers point system as everyone grades different. I knew with Marblalan that if the marble was not at least a 9.6 there would be damage. I use different numbers with others. Some have to be 9.8. I usuall ask for a list of any damage if there is not a detailed description. Which usually means I am not going to buy that marble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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