What would you do?

Mr.Segment

Mr.Segment

Tennalaga Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2011
Location
Oslo
So, I just bought this 45 I've been looking for for some 2-3 years. First time I've seen it online/lists. I win it for $125 and I am quite pleased. Of course it arrives with a very faint hairline crack. The seller is in the lower 300s in feedback, might not even have spotted it. What the f to do? I have a hard time deciding. The crack is not possible to hear & I do not want to be perceived as one of those Euro goons that always try to scam sellers re: condition.

I am a bit of a condition freak, but on the other hand, it's not like I plan to sell it & I certainly am not going to "flip" it. If I contact the seller and he offers me a complete refund upon return I have to return something that I REALLY want. If I try to talk the price down I come across as a scammer.

What would you do?
 
Contact the seller and tell him it has a faint hairline crack and ask him how he'd like to proceed. If he's a honest seller and he offers you a partial refund you may want to take it ( I wouldn't) Then again, there are sellers who sell records with hairlines that don't mention it knowing they will give a partial refund if the seller asks. Either way he owes you something without you feeling like a goon.
 
Yeah, this 45 did not get it's hairline crack in the mail. Too good packaging for that to happen. So it's either he knew and that's why he sold it or it's too hard to spot without being extremely on the look-out for it. As I am.
 
Is it the sort of thing you can take a clear photo of to send him? That way you can establish that the crack does exist. It's possible he didn't notice a hairline crack.
 
The same thing happened to me a couple of times. Once with Tommy Jett on Jox, another was the Kidds on Nestor, a very rare Canadian 45. The hairlines in both cases are so fine that they don't affect play, and you can only notice them if you really look hard or flex the record. I just took the attitude that the sellers probably didn't notice them, and the hairlines won't bother me anyway. But that would only be the case with a very fine hairline.
 
bosshoss said:
The same thing happened to me a couple of times. Once with Tommy Jett on Jox, another was the Kidds on Nestor, a very rare Canadian 45. The hairlines in both cases are so fine that they don't affect play, and you can only notice them if you really look hard or flex the record. I just took the attitude that the sellers probably didn't notice them, and the hairlines won't bother me anyway. But that would only be the case with a very fine hairline.
Click to expand...
True, but if it's an expensive record and it the crack wasn't in the description a partial refund is still in order.
 
Frantic said:
True, but if it's an expensive record and it the crack wasn't in the description a partial refund is still in order.
Click to expand...

I got an answer from the seller today. He is offering a full refund but is very surprised at my request since he had a picture of the record in his auction and had described the vinyl very well(His description: VG++):rolleyes:

May be a language barrier here, I don't think he knows what a hairline crack is (he is French)
 
Mr.Segment said:
I got an answer from the seller today. He is offering a full refund but is very surprised at my request since he had a picture of the record in his auction and had described the vinyl very well(His description: VG++):rolleyes:

May be a language barrier here, I don't think he knows what a hairline crack is (he is French)
Click to expand...

Great news!
 
Mr.Segment said:
So, I just bought this 45 I've been looking for for some 2-3 years. First time I've seen it online/lists. I win it for $125 and I am quite pleased. Of course it arrives with a very faint hairline crack. The seller is in the lower 300s in feedback, might not even have spotted it. What the f to do? I have a hard time deciding. The crack is not possible to hear & I do not want to be perceived as one of those Euro goons that always try to scam sellers re: condition.

I am a bit of a condition freak, but on the other hand, it's not like I plan to sell it & I certainly am not going to "flip" it. If I contact the seller and he offers me a complete refund upon return I have to return something that I REALLY want. If I try to talk the price down I come across as a scammer.

What would you do?
Click to expand...

Thomas I know that quandary all to well ! For me it usually arises when I receive a record that audibly meets the grading but visually falls considerably short . In those cases I put the seller on my personal "beware" list and put in a lower or no bid the next time . I only ask for a refund if I'm totally dissatisfied with a record , because I'm usually stuck with the return postage in that case .
 
the dreaded hairline crack has had me in this quandry too...

Last year I bought a copy of The Troggs debut single 'Lost Girl' on CBS. The record doesn't show up too often and the price was right. Seller described it as VG+ which it would have been but for the hairline crack. This was never mentioned in the description.

I wanted the record to complete my Troggs 45s collection so kept it without getting back to the seller.
I decided not to make a big deal of it but did not leave any feedback.... either positive or negative.
 
The thing is though, that if a 45 has a hairline crack, that is something I will always remember. Almost like not owning a proper copy. Because it is broken. But seing as a proper copy would probably go for much more and this one plays real good I think I'll keep it. I'll just pester the seller a bit first.
 
Mr.Segment said:
The thing is though, that if a 45 has a hairline crack, that is something I will always remember. Almost like not owning a proper copy. Because it is broken. But seing as a proper copy would probably go for much more and this one plays real good I think I'll keep it. I'll just pester the seller a bit first.
Click to expand...
I would...he owes you a rebate. A crack is a crack and should sell for half. Hell, I sold a vg copy of the NEXT STEP Rivers Of Hate to the BOSS for $200 because it a had a slight crack in the lead in. Without the crack it would have been at least triple.
 
It's the nature of the eBay beast. Some of these guys are listing so many records they are not properly grading/listening to what they have... and they tell you as much when you complain.

I've asked for a refund just once... it was a scarce hillbilly 45 on Columbia that was described as VG+ by a north Texas digger/flipper many here have dealt with. I knew he had not properly graded the record as the labels were reversed (not mentioned in the description) and the good side had serious juke burn. I had to fight to get all of my shipping back as I recall.

Other times I just suck it up... the most was for $50 on a super tuff local doo wop record that was described as warped. I can only get it to play properly on my freewheeling Caliphone schoolhouse player. As a buyer I realize that I'm being irresponsible by not following up and commenting in the feedback about "seller was very accommodating after being made aware of grading concerns". I do let the seller know about my concerns, ask that they be more careful in the future, and let them know I don't want a refund. As a result I don't leave them feedback. hey want the record back and I just don't have time for that as that means taking off work to go to the post office which opens after my workday begins and closes right as my workday ends and is not open on Saturday.
 
Some sellers claim they play-graded the discs, and I'd have to respond, in that case how did you miss that skip or that warp? When a seller tries to convince me the record is better than it is, this is what I do - tell ebay I don't want to deal with the seller, and ebay sends me a pre-paid return. As soon as the package is delivered I automatically get a full refund.

But to answer your question, if I'd been looking for something for years and it arrived in playable shape, I'd probably keep it, despite the crack, even if he didn't want to partially refund.
 
Mr.Segment said:
The thing is though, that if a 45 has a hairline crack, that is something I will always remember. Almost like not owning a proper copy. Because it is broken. But seing as a proper copy would probably go for much more and this one plays real good I think I'll keep it. I'll just pester the seller a bit first.
Click to expand...

Yes, it will be a huge problem on that dark day, far in the future, when the Great Vinyl Reaper calls to weigh and measure your collection for Eternity. His minions will immediately alert the Reaper to any hairline cracks, warps and scuffs hidden on the back shelf of your mind. Better to get rid of the offending items now, while you still can.
 
That may be one of the funniest posts I've seen on G45, Mark! Hahahahah!! If thy eye offend thee......
 
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