So recently, I had the good fortune to snag a ridiculous deal on eBay that seemed too good to be true. Since all of the signs seemed to indicate it was legit, I decided to take the chance and scoop it up before anyone else could (even if it turned out to be a regular Charizard):
To my surprise, it was completely legit! However, I received a sincere message (shortly after the card was shipped) from the seller stating that the card had been listed and sold by mistake, but that he chose to honor the sale.
Now the sad part: Today, the Charizard arrived, and it’s gorgeous . . . so much so that it can make being a compassionate human being difficult . In the end, though, I knew I couldn’t keep it under these conditions (nor could I bring myself to resell it back to seller at double the cost).
Final Thoughts: Tomorrow Charizard will be making his way back home; however, I wanted to share this unique experience with you all and remind you to be kind and compassionate to one another; this hobby is really more about the amazing people behind it, not the cardboard we collect. As a seller, I once mistakenly shipped a PSA Graded 1st Edition Base Set Holo to the wrong costumer, who was fully understanding and returned it . . . it’s nice to know our community can be supportive!
*On a side note, the seller did send me a small gift of “burrito money” on PayPal . . . nothing like eating Chipotle with my visiting Charizard!
*Question for Discussion: Is it unethical to buy an item or lot that it listed significantly under market-value? I do love looking for good deals, but also don’t want to take advantage of people.
Seriously good too see something like this happening within the hobby,
This is how business and collecting is supposed too be conducted and not the exception, I wish sometimes we could get all collectors on the same page,
At least you got the burrito That’s 100% worth it,
Hats off to you Sir!
Like I said, someone did something similar to this for me last year . . . I’m sure we’ve all been there before. I sent the seller this picture today with a fun message about how Charizard would be staying with some friends before boarding the plane back home tomorrow:
Props for ultimately doing the right thing, though I can’t help but feel like the seller wrote the perfect message to get the card back. Just the right amount of guilt combined with allowing you to make the final decision, but that’s probably just my cynicism
A nice story nonetheless, the world needs more empathy.
Insane. Would NEVER have assumed they would have sent it at all. Congrats on being a better person than probably 90% of the world, was no small feat to send it back.
To me, it depends on the situation and price. The difference between a good deal and taking advantage of people is that in a good deal the seller knows exactly what they selling and its value. This is just my opinion though.
P.S. It’s great that you did the moral thing and returned it. a good moral compass is something that few have in the face of money
P.S.S. My friend bought a limited edition 9 11 Porsche from a gambler in Las Vegas. He payed extremely under market value for the car since the guy needed cash fast. Was that immoral or unethical?
The thing with this is its the sellers responsibility. I don’t believe anyone should feel bad if a seller is too lazy to take the time to look at pricing. And in the end, 99% of the time the seller is happy to have made some money and the buyer is happy to score a huge deal. Nothing morally wrong with pouncing on an uneducated seller’s listing.
. In the end, though, I knew I couldn’t keep it under these conditions (nor could I bring myself to resell it back to seller at double the cost).
!
a good moral compass is something that few have in the face of money