Just when I thought nothing about eBay sellers could surprise me anymore, I learned I was mistaken when a card-backed envelope bearing the legend 'Please Do Not Bend' arrived at Castel Crivens today. Inside was a replacement magazine for one I'd acquired only recently but which had a little discolouration on the back cover, hence me obtaining another copy.
Take a look above at what met my startled eyes when I opened the envelope - the mag was folded vertically in half, though it hadn't been in the seller's listing. I immediately contacted the seller, who claimed it wasn't folded, merely 'placed in half' because the mag 'does not fit well in these style envelopes', though as you can see from a photo I took, below, it fits perfectly fine.
Anyway, long story short, the seller eventually issued a refund and I immediately purchased another copy from a different source. However, the question remains - just where the hell do these numpties come from? 'Placed in half' indeed. Words almost fail me (and that would never do as then you'd have nothing to read).
I always post in sturdy cardboard so the contents cannot be damaged easily, also the comic/book will be polythene bagged inside for waterproofing. I don't like those envelopes which are paper but cardboard backed as they are still open to damage from at least one side of the envelope. Clearly in this case the comic has been folded. Reminds me of the time I bought a Christmas Whoopee! on eBay and the seller had folded the comic - not lengthwise as in your case - but widthwise - so not only putting a fold in it but damaging the spine as well. Clearly the seller was not a comic dealer and had no understanding of how precious they are. I feel your pain, Kid.
ReplyDeleteThese type of envelopes are useless for single comics, M, because they remain flexible, and once they're thrown into a postie's sack with other packages consisting of different sizes, shapes, and weights pressing into it, there's little chance of the contents surviving undamaged, especially in the case of glossy-covered US comics. It's almost the equivalent of sending a 20-piece China tea set in a jiffy bag.
DeleteThe usual response I get when I point out the unsuitability of these envelopes is "I've sent out hundreds of comics in them and no one's ever complained before", proving only that some people don't seem to care about crinkles and creases, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't as well. I want my comics to arrive in the condition sent - with the exception of this current example, which should never have been 'placed in half' (give me strength) to begin with.
Thankfully, there are quite a few sellers who wrap their comics in robust cardboard fold-over 'twister' mailers, but it wouldn't hurt if more did so.
I have to admit that was just a stupid thing to do even if the seller wasn't aware of collectables like comics.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly stupid, McS. My senses are still reeling from the immense stupidity of it. Am I dreaming? Alas, no - it's real.
DeleteKid, if you still have the folded issue, place it between two flat boards, or hardback books, and leave it under a rug for a week. Then inspect the issue and see how flat it has become. Win, Win, refund and a back-up flat comic for free. 'What a major pratt for folding it in the first place!'
ReplyDeleteEven if such a course of action flattened it slightly, it would never get rid of the crease on every page throughout the issue. I've already ironed each page individually just in case anyone I know might be prepared to accept a less-than-perfect copy (the lower left-hand corner is missing a couple of millimetres throughout the issue as well), which would save me throwing it out. Just think - a comic which survived in mostly decent condition for over 50 years has been rendered uncollectable by a moron. The seller said they'd sent out other comics like that and had received no complaints, but I assume that's only because the buyers were rendered speechless by such stupidity.
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