unforum

[Rand0m]

I was in dispute with that seller about a black card that was damaged in transit (padded envelope - no use against pressure applied hard to a small area, as if the package had been stabbed - a stiff-backed envelope would have protected it). It was very difficult to translate what he was saying into English, but he seemed quite narked with me - then shut up immediately, never to be heard from again, when I asked what that note on his auctions meant...

(In fairness to him, that was just one transaction - all the others I have had with him, single cards every time, went just fine and I have said so in feedback.)

[domroberts]

A word of advice following on from this discussuion.

I'd avoid this seller "xxsammisamxx" like the plague. I've only had one dealing (I assumed it was a her? It is a chav-speak person anyway which is good enough reason to block them) and it was not pleasant at all.

It goes back to when #202 Mother Tongue was being solved. I was certain I had a solve so decided to buy a second card from eBay and requested that the silver panel be scratched off and the code sent in the meantime, after I'd paid for it. I thought nothing of this request and assumed any seller would be fine with it (I would have been if it were me).

I got 3 delaying-tactics emails written in appalling English from this seller, questioning my intent and what would happen if the code came off (it was a black! It only happens with silvers?!) then absolutely nothing more. Three days later the card came through unscratched. I had already purchased a third from a much kinder seller who sent the code through immediately. I left positive feedback - I couldnt leave negative or neutral as the card had arrived in the stated condition - but with a note stating that the seller wasn't friendly or helpful. I then received neutral feedback back stating that I had been rude and was now blocked. I hadn't been rude at all, and incidentally wasn't blocked either, but I have now removed this seller from appearing in all my PXC searches. It isn't difficult to do this on the "favourite search" pages.

The fact that I got emails questioning my trustworthiness (when I have a high 100% positive feedback), also very badly written emails, an ignored although fair request, a highly unfair feedback rating, and also a blatant lie, all makes me incredibly dubious of this seller and utterly unwilling to partake in any further transaction with them.

I am relating this story here as I dont want others to be caught out. I am shocked but not surprised that sellers like "xxsammisamxx" on eBay are tampering with packs. Contrast this with Firebox.com, who are always so friendly, and even sent me free sweets with my last order of 12 packs!! I know where my hard-earned will go in the future.

"Caveat emptor" as the Romans would no doubt bellow in your ear.

Dom

[poozle]

[domroberts]

Hmm. I wonder why my first thought was "Ooo I bet that is going to get photocopied and flogged at three times the price..."

Hell, its just good to feel bitter about such people who only play the game for profit

[gopipgo]

[domroberts]

Yeah, I know thats not proof of tampering. If you look back through her/his feedback though, there have been a couple of "neutrals" left for low silver/black content where the auction has been modified *after* purchase to state this. Its all very suspicious.

Id like my earlier post to be viewed more as a "caveat emptor" message than an accusation, but I for one will never trade with that seller again.

On a brighter note, feeling hot and in need of card-shaped goodness today, I risked buying 10 packs from a Borders store. I was very chuffed to find a very good result of 2 silvers and 5 blacks within. I only need a few blacks and silvers now, and had been looking to eBay to get individuals from last week. I love opening packs though, so I was pleased I took the risk.

Thinking about it today, when I have bought from stores, I always get more high value cards. Here are my PCX purchases that I roughly remembered today :

Starter set of 60 cards on ebay - not applicable as cards not in packs
Forbidden Planet, 4 packs - no silvers, 2 blacks
10 packs on eBay - no silvers, 1 black
4 packs on eBay - no silvers or blacks
12 packs from Firebox W3 only - 2 silvers, 3 blacks
4 packs from Borders - no silvers, 1 black
2 packs from official starter kit - no silvers or blacks
10 packs from Borders - 2 silvers, 5 blacks

To me, it seems the odds of getting silvers is one in 5-6 packs, and blacks as 1 in 2-3 packs. I'll be bearing this in mind in the future.

All these figures are not enough to be certain, but I think Ill stick with proper shops and the joy of opening packs for when I buy those. Now requiring only 1 black and a handful of silvers to complete my set so far, I guess Ill be resorting to paying £10 a pop on eBay for individuals. This game is too bloody addictive!

Oh joy to be an honest player though...

[ChalcoDoror]

[Mikeyj]

I think that might be a little immoral, surely the point is that whoever buys it the money is going to go to the NSPCC ("Won't somebody think of the children?!") If you really don't want a particular person to have it, I suggest you attempt to outbid them, then everyone's a winner

[Joe]

[domroberts]

Play-doh scented perfume?! Oooo. I wish I could get Reeses Peanut Butter Cup scented aftershave too *drools*

Makes me hope there are more 'scratch n sniff' in Wave 4. I notice a black card called "Whipsmart Hot Fudge" - That would get my tastebuds in drool overdrive!!!

[poozle]

[thereverendeg]

definitely a scam?

[Joe]

[xnera]

I don't think the absence of silvers is THAT suspicious. I've bought about 25 packs or so, from a variety of sellers, and only got two silvers.

Only one black is kind of suspicious, but again, I haven't gotten that many from the packs I've bought. I have six blacks, and two of those came from trades or from individual purchase.

I'm afraid that it's hard to prove a scam in this case. It all has to do with probabilities. If there is a 1 in 5 chance that a pack will have a purple card, that doesn't mean you're guarenteed to get a purple by buying five packs. It means that each individual pack you purchased has a 20% chance of having a purple in it.

Personally, I choose not to purchase from that seller because the lack of proper english is a turn-off to me. It immediately made me wonder how professional the business is, if the seller can't even use spellcheck. I don't see anything wrong with leaving neutral or negative feedback if you're not happy with the service. But like it's been said before in this thread, the only way to guarentee getting blacks and silvers is to purchase them individual or trade for them. Probably cheaper in the long run, too.

I've almost completed my collection of wave 1-3--mostly blacks and silvers left--so I'm not buying any more packs, unless I run out of trading stock. Seems silly to buy packs trying to get high cards, when they're so rare.

edit:

[poozle]

For anyone worried about buying from ebay just don't, buy from a trusted store (borders, firebox, etc.).