Thanks again. I will keep it in mind as tomorrow I contact eBay over the phone before contacting the buyer.
But, my case seems more complex: I am station in the Caribbean, shipped with UPS FROM the Caribbean but usually receive shipments at a courier in Florida. So I have to see how he can ship it back from the point of origin (Santo Domingo not continental USA)
Something else I have pictures of all the boxes before shipping, perhaps I can take note of the serial numbers and use that as a confirmation of him sending me the correct one? Perhaps that would deter the buyer if he is indeed a scammer?
Thanks for the quick response. This is what makes me wonder of his true intentions: he is stating that the item is broken/ripped. I have read already tons of posts/blogs/threads about empty box scam and switcheroo scam. He could easily send me the boxes filled with nothing and print a 4 pound label online and ship it with tracking. In the meantime, I have frozen funds due to this.
2-> A buyer with a feedback score of 78 buys 2 booster boxes.
3-> Becomes impatient and a day after MM is released he opens a case against me stating that he hadn't received his purchase.
4-> I message him the following:
"Dear buyer, I am sorry for the experience as I can assure you it hasn't been that late since the item description stated: "This is a presale thus the product(s) will ship within 5 days of the release date June 7th." Those 5 days ended yesterday so I am currently one day late. They got sent out today to the shipping company (EPS) but your tracking number will be sent tomorrow, alongside the package. If you feel that it is too late, I can offer you an instant refund or tomorrow you can have your tracking number. Hopefully this is enough of a solution for you."
5-> Tracking through UPS 3 day express shows he gets his package a couple of days afterwards (1Z1A77866644828648)
6-> I get this message today:
"Hi, The 2 boxes finally arrived today. But when I opened the UPS packing, the boxes were found to be DAMAGED/OPENED. I have taken pictures of them, if you tell me how to, I'd be glad to send these pictures through (sorry I'm new to ebay and don't know how to attach pictures here). PS: I have left the boxes at it's current state and did not proceed to count the number of packs within the boxes because that will probably further damage the box itself. Thanks, Michael" (emphasis is mine)
7-> Closes the case (since he received the item) and immediately opens another one (item doesn't match description) and writes the following:
"I've received 19 of Modern Master boxes through the mail since June 9th from numerous sellers, and none of them arrived in this condition. There's a part of the boxes that appears to be CUT off intentionally to get inside of it. I do not believe this is just regular damage during transportation. Please call me at 925-XXX-XXXX (YYYYYYY) if you would like to discuss this directly on the phone. Thanks, YYYYYYY"
8-> Checking his feedback the following pop up: Kid Icarus (one of the largest sellers on eBay only said "Inpatient" and also submitted a winning best offer on an approx. US$500 Zendikar full art land lot. Only in June 2013 he has won over 50 different MTG items/lots.
I am thinking of calling eBay, asking for a Supervisor and explaining the situation. As far as I understand there is no proof whatsoever that the case was damaged (trust me, Guarocuya is my real name and I am a judge stationed in the Dominican Republic - my feedback is 100% built over 4 years) and every other buyer of a MM box from me was also in California and have not complained about damaged items.
He started pointing fingers at me by saying he does think it was intentional and seem extremely shady when telling me in another message that he took pictures but that he doesn't know how to "attach" since he is "new" to eBay.
I know that I can have the full backing of UPS for shipment in case there was any damage during transit but as I understand PayPal does not cover this.
Naya Aggro is definitely a large part of the current meta, as much as it is constantly changing. I for one am a former Blitz player turned Aggro (Naya of course) due to recent extraordinary results.
Well, following up on distributor's pricing to retail stores,a normal box costs around ~US$76 now a days and this is going for ~US$90 something. Although I don't have access to costs of the former Alara all foil boxes, this jump in price cannot be only because of Tarmogoyf or the one foil assured per booster.
I cannot tell if the price gouging going on will be justified but it seems WOTC has something more in store than just the cards spoiled.
I have 300+ feedback, mostly accrued as a buyer myself. The items in question are sealed booster boxes. My actions will be tracking and delivery confirmation. Anybody else thinks that insurance is needed here?
This is the first time I sell products on a certain auction site and have taken steps to try to ensure a good experience, posting 3 items worth US$215.00 each of MTG goods with free shipping and whatnot.
I have very good feedback but only as a buyer. Those 3 items I posted where approximately US$15-US$20 less than the going rate so they sold in a matter of hours but the buyers both have a feedback score of 1!
I could try to track their purchase by messaging the seller in said feedback but, given that they already payed for through PayPal, and both have a verified address, would it be ok to just ship?
Or is this a case of possible competitors quickly buying my items since they were indeed the cheapest?
I would suggest against it since we are only splashing 5 red sources of the only 4 red cards in the deck: Falkenrath Aristocrat. If we start playing more red then we would need to up the red count and dilute the Orzhov side of it.
Lumping midrange decks in with control is pretty disingenuous. Take out american midrange and jund midrange, and actual control decks only make up 12% of the meta. When you consider that Esper control was actually one of the most popular decks early in the season, it looks like people are abandoning control in general. Even now at the end of the GTC season, I haven't heard of a single control deck that's actually managed to win a PTQ or GP. Everyone keeps saying Esper is good, but the results don't really back it up...
Yes, it is quite a jump for some but so is trying to correctly locate Tempo.
About Esper, I think it does fine. SCG Inv Atlanta had 3 of them in its Top 8 including 2nd place (14 days ago), SCG Open Atlanta had 1 in its Top 4 (14 days ago) and PTQ Theros in Santa Clara had 1 in 3rd place (13 days ago)
If we count MTGO there's obviously more. It might be waning so that could explain it's diminishing popularity.
But, my case seems more complex: I am station in the Caribbean, shipped with UPS FROM the Caribbean but usually receive shipments at a courier in Florida. So I have to see how he can ship it back from the point of origin (Santo Domingo not continental USA)
Something else I have pictures of all the boxes before shipping, perhaps I can take note of the serial numbers and use that as a confirmation of him sending me the correct one? Perhaps that would deter the buyer if he is indeed a scammer?
Also, he is requesting a "replacement" item.
I come to you as a fellow MTG player/judge/buyer who decided to try it's hand at selling a few MM cases. This is what's happening:
1-> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251275718702?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1561.l2649 That was the original post. First time selling in a long time. I have 100% feedback built over several years.
2-> A buyer with a feedback score of 78 buys 2 booster boxes.
3-> Becomes impatient and a day after MM is released he opens a case against me stating that he hadn't received his purchase.
4-> I message him the following:
"Dear buyer, I am sorry for the experience as I can assure you it hasn't been that late since the item description stated: "This is a presale thus the product(s) will ship within 5 days of the release date June 7th." Those 5 days ended yesterday so I am currently one day late. They got sent out today to the shipping company (EPS) but your tracking number will be sent tomorrow, alongside the package. If you feel that it is too late, I can offer you an instant refund or tomorrow you can have your tracking number. Hopefully this is enough of a solution for you."
5-> Tracking through UPS 3 day express shows he gets his package a couple of days afterwards (1Z1A77866644828648)
6-> I get this message today:
"Hi, The 2 boxes finally arrived today. But when I opened the UPS packing, the boxes were found to be DAMAGED/OPENED. I have taken pictures of them, if you tell me how to, I'd be glad to send these pictures through (sorry I'm new to ebay and don't know how to attach pictures here). PS: I have left the boxes at it's current state and did not proceed to count the number of packs within the boxes because that will probably further damage the box itself. Thanks, Michael" (emphasis is mine)
7-> Closes the case (since he received the item) and immediately opens another one (item doesn't match description) and writes the following:
"I've received 19 of Modern Master boxes through the mail since June 9th from numerous sellers, and none of them arrived in this condition. There's a part of the boxes that appears to be CUT off intentionally to get inside of it. I do not believe this is just regular damage during transportation. Please call me at 925-XXX-XXXX (YYYYYYY) if you would like to discuss this directly on the phone. Thanks, YYYYYYY"
8-> Checking his feedback the following pop up: Kid Icarus (one of the largest sellers on eBay only said "Inpatient" and also submitted a winning best offer on an approx. US$500 Zendikar full art land lot. Only in June 2013 he has won over 50 different MTG items/lots.
I am thinking of calling eBay, asking for a Supervisor and explaining the situation. As far as I understand there is no proof whatsoever that the case was damaged (trust me, Guarocuya is my real name and I am a judge stationed in the Dominican Republic - my feedback is 100% built over 4 years) and every other buyer of a MM box from me was also in California and have not complained about damaged items.
He started pointing fingers at me by saying he does think it was intentional and seem extremely shady when telling me in another message that he took pictures but that he doesn't know how to "attach" since he is "new" to eBay.
I know that I can have the full backing of UPS for shipment in case there was any damage during transit but as I understand PayPal does not cover this.
Any ideas?
Naya Aggro is definitely a large part of the current meta, as much as it is constantly changing. I for one am a former Blitz player turned Aggro (Naya of course) due to recent extraordinary results.
4 Woodland Cemetery
4 Overgrown Tomb
2 Golgari Guildgate
4 Desecration Demon
4 Geralf's Messenger
4 Thragtusk
2 Disciple of Bolas
3 Tragic Slip
3 Mutilate
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Victim of Night
1 Putrefy
3 Liliana of the Veil
2 Garruk Relentless
3 Cremate
1 Deadbridge Chant
4 Duress
1 Mutilate
2 Underworld Connections
3 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Vraska the Unseen
Taken from:http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/deck.asp?deck_id=1126972
4 Bloodthrone Vampire
4 Diregraf Ghoul
4 Falkenrath Aristocrat
4 Geralf's Messenger
4 Gravecrawler
4 Knight of Infamy
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Mark of Mutiny
2 Pillar of Flame
4 Blood Crypt
4 Dragonskull Summit
1 Mountain
12 Swamp
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Devour Flesh
1 Dreadbore
3 Duress
1 Electrickery
3 Flames of the Firebrand
2 Tormod's Crypt
Will ask about Event Decks for sure.
I cannot tell if the price gouging going on will be justified but it seems WOTC has something more in store than just the cards spoiled.
I have 300+ feedback, mostly accrued as a buyer myself. The items in question are sealed booster boxes. My actions will be tracking and delivery confirmation. Anybody else thinks that insurance is needed here?
This is the first time I sell products on a certain auction site and have taken steps to try to ensure a good experience, posting 3 items worth US$215.00 each of MTG goods with free shipping and whatnot.
I have very good feedback but only as a buyer. Those 3 items I posted where approximately US$15-US$20 less than the going rate so they sold in a matter of hours but the buyers both have a feedback score of 1!
I could try to track their purchase by messaging the seller in said feedback but, given that they already payed for through PayPal, and both have a verified address, would it be ok to just ship?
Or is this a case of possible competitors quickly buying my items since they were indeed the cheapest?
Thanks for your time guys!
4 Blood Artist
3 Blood Scrivener
3 Cartel Aristocrat
3 Diregraf Ghoul
4 Falkenrath Aristocrat
4 Geralf's Messenger
4 Gravecrawler
Planeswalker 3
3 Liliana of the Veil
Sorcery 4
4 Lingering Souls
2 Orzhov Charm
2 Tragic Slip
Land 24
4 Blood Crypt
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Sacred Foundry
5 Swamp
3 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Tragic Slip
3 Gloom Surgeon
2 Victim of Night
2 Tormod's Crypt
Yes, it is quite a jump for some but so is trying to correctly locate Tempo.
About Esper, I think it does fine. SCG Inv Atlanta had 3 of them in its Top 8 including 2nd place (14 days ago), SCG Open Atlanta had 1 in its Top 4 (14 days ago) and PTQ Theros in Santa Clara had 1 in 3rd place (13 days ago)
If we count MTGO there's obviously more. It might be waning so that could explain it's diminishing popularity.