WARNING: Do NOT buy from embark1010 on eBay

[MisterJive47]

So I've had fairly good luck buying and selling 78s on eBay over the past 13 years, but I suppose this lucky number finally brought bad luck to rear its head. I purchased four records from this seller, THREE of which were top titles by Don Redman in fantastic condition... until I recieved them in the mail. I thankfully got a prompt refund. I would've left neutral feedback and left it at that, but after politely informing him that he failed to pack them in any form of acceptable manner (I gave him instructions when I paid, mind you), this is the response I recieved...

 

Thanks, I know. I've already refunded a couple that were worth over $100 a piece.
Basically I bought a big collection for dirt cheap and I'm keeping the good stuff !
Have always shipped LPs and see that this is a different game. Several broken records.
Not willing to be a pro packer and have my house full of expensive boxes and peanuts, so I am using bubble wrap, cardboard and a prayer.
It is what it is. Thank you and I'm sorry about what happened to yours.

 

This is clearly not a real collector. A collector doesn't have a blatant disregard for destroying history. Really sad. He has several more rare discs listed right now and I hate to consider their likely fate...

[phonogfp]

That is indeed a curious attitude on the part of the seller.  Being a "pro packer" doesn't require what he thinks - only the capacity to give a darn.  You'd think he would be interested in the money he's losing.  His laziness is costing him.

 

George P.

[MisterJive47]

Yes George, that was probably the most surprising part of it. I've never seen such an apathetic attitude from someone selling music that must, in some way shape or form, perceive himself as a "collector". I can't imagine throwing away that kind of time and money on eBay as a seller.

Also, he doesn't own a 78rpm player, but bought a large collection of them and is "saving the good ones" for himself. WHAT ON EARTH does he have then? He's conservatively grading excellent condition records by Don Redman, Cab Calloway, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Bennie Moten, Isham Jones, and even some lateral cut Edison discs and selling them like this. 🤨😢 Talk about willful ignorance. This is why eBay has a bad name in the collector community.

 

I left him negative feedback this morning. It's literally been several years since I've done that last, but I don't want to see others waste their time also.

[CurtA]

As Abraham Lincoln once said:  "you can't fix stupid..." 😉

[Valecnik]

It's really annoying how many reports there continue to be here on this forum, on Facebook and elsewhere about a seller irrresponsibly packing records or machines resulting in disaster.  Very often the purchaser gives specific instructions which are promply ignored.  I've been a victim myself.  Most recenlty an eBAY seller mailed me a NOS Edison Diamond Disc in a manila envelope with that thin layer of bubble wrap glued on the inside and no other packing whatsoever.  The record was delivered having torn right through the envelope and folded over to keep the record from falling out completely, probably at the post office.  Needless to say it was damaged and I could not get a refund because I only learned about it 3 or 4 months later when I was back in the USA.

 

Machines are yet another story.  Often beautiful 110-120 years old near perfect examples are totally smashed.

 

[CurtA]

I always send a message to the seller BEFORE paying for the item, with specific shipping instructions and expressing my willingness to pay for any additional charges that arise.  I ask for a written agreement to these terms for future proof.  If the seller refuses my request, I cancel the transaction and payment.  A broken item is worthless and I don't want to deal with the problem after the fact.

[CurtA]

"Not willing to be a pro packer and have my house full of expensive boxes and peanuts, so I am using bubble wrap, cardboard and a prayer."

 

This guy should be kicked off eBay... he's not a "seller", he's a narcissistic dumb a$$...

[MisterJive47]

15 minutes ago, CurtA said:

"Not willing to be a pro packer and have my house full of expensive boxes and peanuts, so I am using bubble wrap, cardboard and a prayer."

 

This guy should be kicked off eBay... he's not a "seller", he's a narcissistic dumb a$$...

Oh, I left him negative feedback for all four items. I hadn't left a negative feedback on eBay in YEARS, but I felt this was more than justified. Obviously he's p*$$ed about it, because I left all four, but he has SEVERAL positive feedbacks that complain about his packing quality,  even on LPs. Hate to see another schmuck like myself get duped.

[nippers_lounge]

And this is why I only buy from reliable record dealers on eBay with very high feedback!

[MisterJive47]

3 hours ago, nippers_lounge said:

And this is why I only buy from reliable record dealers on eBay with very high feedback!

Whilst I agree with you, the irony of this is that he had 100% "positive" selling feedback (most of which was for selling records), five stars across the board, and had been on eBay for as long as myself. It wasn't until I started seriously scrolling through his feedback after the fact that I saw all the poor commentary of his packing. I've had better results with some people with only 50 or so feedback and a year-old account than some of these eBayers that appear to be "seasoned" sellers.

Needless to say though, I do have a set of sellers I deal with regularly for individual records. Repeat business is often my policy when I actually find a reliable person.

[MisterJive47]

Conversely, I once had to cancel a set of multiple bids on a self-proclaimed "expert seller" because he wouldn't combine shipping on 5 separate 10" 78s. He was trying to charge me $15 shipping PER record! He argued that he only used those expensive custom 78rpm record mailers (that I've never once seen anyone use in practice) and that he wouldn't compromise his superior shipping methods on these rare treasures (common 40s big band 78s). 🤔🙄😂

[nippers_lounge]

6 hours ago, MisterJive47 said:

Whilst I agree with you, the irony of this is that he had 100% "positive" selling feedback (most of which was for selling records), five stars across the board, and had been on eBay for as long as myself. It wasn't until I started seriously scrolling through his feedback after the fact that I saw all the poor commentary of his packing. I've had better results with some people with only 50 or so feedback and a year-old account than some of these eBayers that appear to be "seasoned" sellers.

Needless to say though, I do have a set of sellers I deal with regularly for individual records. Repeat business is often my policy when I actually find a reliable person.

Goes too show, I don’t know everything?

[nippers_lounge]

6 hours ago, MisterJive47 said:

Conversely, I once had to cancel a set of multiple bids on a self-proclaimed "expert seller" because he wouldn't combine shipping on 5 separate 10" 78s. He was trying to charge me $15 shipping PER record! He argued that he only used those expensive custom 78rpm record mailers (that I've never once seen anyone use in practice) and that he wouldn't compromise his superior shipping methods on these rare treasures (common 40s big band 78s). 🤔🙄😂

Sorry that happened.  

[MisterJive47]

2 hours ago, nippers_lounge said:

Goes too show, I don’t know everything?

It's sad that it's still not enough these days to avoid the idiots by looking at feedback. Worse still, it's essentially due to the fact that eBay's feedback system is fundamentally broken, PARTIALLY due to customers such as myself and others who are often gun-shy of leaving a negative feedback on sellers profiles.

[CurtA]

"PARTIALLY due to customers such as myself and others who are often gun-shy of leaving a negative feedback on sellers profiles."

 

DON'T leave seller feedback until AFTER receiving positive feedback.  Then you  can leave whatever you want... IF negative feedback is deserved - leave it.  Otherwise, there is no point to a feedback system. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by CurtA