upriver
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posted on May 27, 2004 11:06:56 PM new
What's your favorite -- or should I say most aggravating -- crappy description.
Here's an example of the one that bugs me:
"The Montreal bottle has a chip to the top rear & the two tone Sussex has a couple of very minor nibbles to the top. Otherwise perfect!"
Otherwise perfect? HUH! This is like saying you're selling a window that has a hole in it, but hey, otherwise it's perfect.
So what's bugging you these days?
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kiara
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posted on May 27, 2004 11:34:15 PM new
"This plate is in excellent condition - there is a small chip on the back of the plate."
"Both are flawless with one tiny itsy bitsy discrepancy, the small one has the smallest chip on the ridge."
"With one tiny chip on the rim (top center scallop in Photo1), this piece is in otherwise flawless condition."
And I found this one tonight and don't really know what his Mom had in 1969 that was so scary:
"THIS COIN DOT TUMBLER COMES FROM HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES OF GLASS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT, NOW I'M SELLING IT, ONLY BECAUSE MY WIFES MEDICAL BILLS ARE SO HIGH. I WAS JUST LAID OFF A JOB I HAD BEEN AT FOR 10 YEARS AS A TIG WELDER, NOW I CAN'T EVEN FING WORK. SHE IS 45 AND I'M 41 AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I''VE GONE THROUGH IT. MY MOM HAD IT IN 1969 AND I WAS SIX AND DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT IT WAS SCARY. I APOLOGIZE FOR SPILLING MY GUTS, BUT IT SOMETIMES HELPS TAKE A LOAD OFF. THANK YOU"
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mcjane
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posted on May 28, 2004 12:27:30 AM new
Like new, only worn once.
Then the picture shows a misshapen gunny sack of a item that even the GoodWill would reject.
Bowl is in perfect condition except for a few tiny flea bites.
I guess without the flea bites the seller would have to say this bowl is in better than perfect condition!
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on May 28, 2004 02:16:04 AM new
I love one I saw that the seller stated the item was in great working condition but was "cosmetically challenged" - guess that's better then saying looks like crap!!!
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classicrock000
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posted on May 28, 2004 03:34:05 AM new
"THIS COIN DOT TUMBLER COMES FROM HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES OF GLASS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT, NOW I'M SELLING IT, ONLY BECAUSE MY WIFES MEDICAL BILLS ARE SO HIGH. I WAS JUST LAID OFF A JOB I HAD BEEN AT FOR 10 YEARS AS A TIG WELDER, NOW I CAN'T EVEN FING WORK. SHE IS 45 AND I'M 41 AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I''VE GONE THROUGH IT. MY MOM HAD IT IN 1969 AND I WAS SIX AND DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT IT WAS SCARY. I APOLOGIZE FOR SPILLING MY GUTS, BUT IT SOMETIMES HELPS TAKE A LOAD OFF. THANK YOU"
WELL PAL, ALL I CAN SAY IS "ITS SUCKS TO BE YOU"
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capolady
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posted on May 28, 2004 05:19:30 AM new
"looks like capodimonte"
"resembles Van Briggle"
"reminds me of Meissen"
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!!!
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stopwhining
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posted on May 28, 2004 05:21:12 AM new
i would bid on their auctions and then when it comes time to pay,i would say,i dont have any money,but i will send you an IOU,otherwise this would have been a perfect transaction made in heaven.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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paloma91
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posted on May 28, 2004 05:54:07 AM new
The most over used crap description:
"New or almost new condition with a slightly run down appearance. This ran until my kid jumped up and down on it. Doesnt run right now but is easy to fix a a soldering iron and glue. May need a touch of plaster to fill in the holes"
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earthmum
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posted on May 28, 2004 05:59:23 AM new
Title reads "Beautiful 14k Gold Bracelet, 15.6 Grams!" Description includes (somewhere in the middle of the TOS) "layered with 10 mils 14k gold."
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upriver
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posted on May 28, 2004 06:48:15 AM new
Then there's the dolts selling books who have no idea whatsoever what they're describing.
The Independent Online Bookseller's Association for instance, provides this definition for "FINE" condition: FINE (F): Approaches the above (Near Fine), but not crisp. May show signs of having been carefully read, but no real defects or faults.
But all the time I run into stuff like this: fine: slight browning of page edges, a little more so to dj edges. Dj has clipped section at bottom of front flap. Gift inscription on half-title page.
This person's book is Very Good, at best, and probably not even that.
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ArtNouveau
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posted on May 28, 2004 11:04:23 AM new
Upriver, you hit one of my biggest pet peeves.
Julia auctions and a few others run periodic art glass auctions. This stuff runs into the thousands of dollars (Tiffany, Galle, Loetz, etc.). With no definition of terms, their usual description is: Good to Excellent condition.
Now what does that mean???
…The area with the large crack and huge chip is in good condition. The other areas of the piece are flawless?
How do they expect to sell high-end merchandise with such a low-end description?
Here are others I often see on ebay: Good condition for its age, or Condition commensurate with age.
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classicrock000
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posted on May 28, 2004 06:43:40 PM new
The one I love is describing something that is RARE..lol there aint NOTHING rare on ebay anymore.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on May 28, 2004 06:50:09 PM new
The one time I found something at a garage sale that turned out to be rare, I didn't use that word because I didn't know exactly what I had.
It was an Orange Crush sodajerk's cloth hat, probably from the Forties or earlier. Went for about $100, as I recall.
I don't know why people even bother using RARE. The people who know the collectibles know it's not rare, and the people who don't know are probably not going to pay the price you're trying to justify by using the word RARE. So what's the point?
--
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cblev65252
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posted on May 28, 2004 06:54:31 PM new
Okay, I do a search for a baby doll shirt. Those of you old enough to remember the '70s know what they are. I get page after page of t-shirts. They are not t-shirts people! And I love the baby doll shirts that are really pajamas. If you can't tell the difference between a shirt and pajamas, I'd like to be at your house as you leave for work in the morning.
Of course, there's always the classic "vintage" for new items - really prevalent in the clothing auctions. Antique for items clearly from the 1950's - oh, please, I was born in the 1950's and I'm hardly antique (yet).
Sapphire ring - this lab created sapphire. . . please put "lab created" in your title and quit making me waste my time.
Art Deco ring. . .clearly Art Nouveau and a reproduction at that.
Beautiful landscape painting. . . .try landscape "print". Boy, the list goes on and on.
Cheryl
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bob9585
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posted on May 28, 2004 07:00:25 PM new
I disagree, I believe that the word RARE has a pronounced effect on the dunderheads out there. Look how many of them try to sell their Barbies at yard sales for $50.00 because they're '"old"(pre 1995) or "rare"
( ..just like it on Antique Road Show for $10,000).
As was said above, those who appreciate what a rare item is don't need to be told.
I'm not gonna bid $100 for an Old Orange Crush Hat cause I'm not a fan or collector of those items.
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Libra63
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posted on May 28, 2004 09:47:02 PM new
I don't think many things are RARE on eBay.
The one I like is the auction for the Rare Bakelite Bracelet. Right below it was another auction for the identical bracelet.
Now rare is the Northwoods Carnival Plate, the beer can (can't remember the name) and the fishing lure.
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zircon4
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posted on May 29, 2004 07:41:58 AM new
Huge 1ct anything.
Museum quality gem.
Both are a load of crap and savagely overused. And people 'forgetting' to mention lab in the title.
Regards,
Adrian
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OhMsLucy
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posted on May 29, 2004 07:53:51 AM new
Hi everybody,
Like Earthmum, one that annoys me a lot is 14K when it's electroplated junk.
I had been using vintage to distinguish from new. But one thing I noticed is a distinct lack of "vintage" in keywords used in ViewTracker. So I don't think I'll use it unless there's plenty of room in the title.
I was gratified the other day to see this in my feedback. "Great transaction, wonderful srvc and packaging...good understanding of vintage!"
It was for the no-copyright Corde crochet purse pattern book that started the first brouhaha.
Lucy
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ArtNouveau
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posted on May 29, 2004 10:31:44 AM new
Cheryl reminded me of something near and dear: “Lovely Art Nouveau/Art Deco Whatever”
PICK ONE dammit.
These styles couldn’t be more dissimilar and if you can’t tell the difference, you have no business claiming to know. Of course, if you’re that unknowledgable, maybe something will go at a good price for me!!
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rustygumbo
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posted on May 29, 2004 11:31:30 AM new
I find it quite amusing that many of you complain about how people give descriptions. I would say that 99.9% of the people who list on ebay are NOT professionals.
How many times have you described dinner somewhere as, "the dinner was great, but don't order the salad" or "everything was perfect except the soup."
I would rather have someone describe it as "perfect except for..." than have them say, "excellent condition" and then get something that would be in excellent condition except it was missing something or something was chipped or broken. At least they are giving you the heads up that there is something wrong with it to begin with.
The worst descriptions are the misleading ones that give no info, and then you receive a piece of junk that is worthless. We should really concentrate on those who mislead us or don't tell us what is wrong with something.
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stonecold613
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posted on May 29, 2004 01:04:35 PM new
Most Over-Used Crap Description
Mint sports cards.
Ok, they might be mint, but they are all crap.
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on May 29, 2004 02:55:09 PM new
Rusty - you got it right!!!
We sellers have to come up with inventive ways to say something negative in a positive way. But at least we are saying it.
I just love the listings that say something like - see photos for condition. Now that's a crock - you can touch up anything if you know how to do it.
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Japerton
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posted on May 29, 2004 08:12:37 PM new
Amen RG...
At least when someone tries to sell a "mint" lens that means at least it's in very good condition...versus the seller who has the dinged up number sans a good shot of an f1.8 or 1.4 or (dim the lights) f1.2 wide open so you can see down the barrel!
Nope, I'll forgive them, though they drive me nuts and turn in the keyword spammers, deceptive describers and fee avoiders...ask me what I do with my time? Well, I'm shopping da##it! A couple clicks can help dump the chumps.
Anyhow...
~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~
Avatar wish list....
...and he must possess a kind eye...
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buyhigh
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posted on May 29, 2004 09:55:13 PM new
Antique such and such. I have seen certain type collectable items that the seller knew nothing about which were at best 20 yrs old but beat up and trashed. Apparently their condition made them "Antique" and naturally being "Antique" this made their condition acceptable as well as being valuable.
buyhigh
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