I feel I need to get things of my chest, and hopefully there are others who can give me some tips on how not to get all worked up about the status of were one lives.
1) You're excluded from good purchases
50% of all cards that I am willing to drop some serious money on are always USA buyers only. Of these, even though I write messages to the sellers, 80% they usually return that they only deal with US buyers. The 19% don't reply. 1% says that they can do it and everything works out for the best.
Ex. A Jim Jackson Exqusite Ohio State Auto - Auction. Starting bid was $19.99, the card went for - $19.99! One bidder. And there I was - willing to drop at least $35.00
2) Shipping
I collect players that don't produce to high prices. A normal auto Jeff Taylor card usually goes for $5-8. Add shipping - +$5-8! I "double the card value" through the shipping. Then you have those who have had cusomer losing their packages in the mail, and the seller now only uses Insured Express Ultra fast shipping, cost $45.99. Super. Add to that that it doesn't go faster getting the card.
Ex. I bought an ungraded Lew Alcindor Topps Rc for $70 - the only seller who shipped to Sweden. PERIOD. That seller only shipped using the method mentioned above - add another $46. Time to get the card: three weeks. I mentioned the time of delivery in my seller review on Ebay, and all freakin hell broke lose. I got a long e-mail from the seller telling me I was an idiot not to have mentioned this prior to buying the card, and that this seller made a living out of this yada yada yada. All I said was that "The card is great. Expensive and slow shipping."
3) Grading
I am not a HUGE fan of buying cards that are graded - mostly because I can't calculate the value of the card. Buyer 1 has a Kobe Topps Chrome RC PSA 9 - Asking price $1,000 Buyer 2 has the same card BGS 9, $2,500 - Both cards sold. I just get skeptic when I don't understand something - don't get me started on real estate valuation.
However, I do have cards that I would like to get graded - because it would be the best way to keep them safe from damage. Or at least that what they should be for. I bought a Karl Malone Fleer RC and it is rattling around in it's case.
But, and here's the kick, to get cards graded I need to apply more than $100 plus get the slowest grading time, and shipping time, and everything that could mean that you could cut the price down - in order to make a call the whole thing worth it.
4) Time zones
I've lost too many auctions because close to all auctions end when I need to be a sleep. I bid before going to bed, and wake up to see that one person bid an hour before the auction ended, and won.
I'm working out a way to solve this, but it's not easy.
5) NO LCS
I said this on another thread. I miss it. It was so much fun heading their during the 90's - to chat to collectors and bust a pack. Now they're all gone. Seriously. They are ALL gone.
That's it. Sorry for this. As I said - needed to get it off my chest.
4)
1) You're excluded from good purchases
50% of all cards that I am willing to drop some serious money on are always USA buyers only. Of these, even though I write messages to the sellers, 80% they usually return that they only deal with US buyers. The 19% don't reply. 1% says that they can do it and everything works out for the best.
Ex. A Jim Jackson Exqusite Ohio State Auto - Auction. Starting bid was $19.99, the card went for - $19.99! One bidder. And there I was - willing to drop at least $35.00
2) Shipping
I collect players that don't produce to high prices. A normal auto Jeff Taylor card usually goes for $5-8. Add shipping - +$5-8! I "double the card value" through the shipping. Then you have those who have had cusomer losing their packages in the mail, and the seller now only uses Insured Express Ultra fast shipping, cost $45.99. Super. Add to that that it doesn't go faster getting the card.
Ex. I bought an ungraded Lew Alcindor Topps Rc for $70 - the only seller who shipped to Sweden. PERIOD. That seller only shipped using the method mentioned above - add another $46. Time to get the card: three weeks. I mentioned the time of delivery in my seller review on Ebay, and all freakin hell broke lose. I got a long e-mail from the seller telling me I was an idiot not to have mentioned this prior to buying the card, and that this seller made a living out of this yada yada yada. All I said was that "The card is great. Expensive and slow shipping."
3) Grading
I am not a HUGE fan of buying cards that are graded - mostly because I can't calculate the value of the card. Buyer 1 has a Kobe Topps Chrome RC PSA 9 - Asking price $1,000 Buyer 2 has the same card BGS 9, $2,500 - Both cards sold. I just get skeptic when I don't understand something - don't get me started on real estate valuation.
However, I do have cards that I would like to get graded - because it would be the best way to keep them safe from damage. Or at least that what they should be for. I bought a Karl Malone Fleer RC and it is rattling around in it's case.
But, and here's the kick, to get cards graded I need to apply more than $100 plus get the slowest grading time, and shipping time, and everything that could mean that you could cut the price down - in order to make a call the whole thing worth it.
4) Time zones
I've lost too many auctions because close to all auctions end when I need to be a sleep. I bid before going to bed, and wake up to see that one person bid an hour before the auction ended, and won.
I'm working out a way to solve this, but it's not easy.
5) NO LCS
I said this on another thread. I miss it. It was so much fun heading their during the 90's - to chat to collectors and bust a pack. Now they're all gone. Seriously. They are ALL gone.
That's it. Sorry for this. As I said - needed to get it off my chest.
4)
PC - Jeff Taylor #44 Charlotte Bobcats - 42/110 = 38%
Also looking for Jim Jackson autograph cards.
Also looking for Jim Jackson autograph cards.