Chris Boyd's Business Practices - Part Deux

[frikativ54]

In mid-January, I posted a thread about Chris Boyd's selling a bat that he bought as game-model as a "game-used" bat. The seller was Scott Brosius, and obviously, a MLB player can tell the difference between a game-model bat and one that has actual use. The thread can be found here - http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...sticky+residue. The way it was left off was that Chris Boyd would send me the Bagwell bat in question, and I would let forum members know that Boyd was being honest in his description of the bat. I also brought up that he ripped me off for a Bagwell jersey, by selling me a $1495 jersey for $3275, with misleading provenance and a faded autograph. He told me he did not give refunds on ethics.

Immediately after this happened, Boyd started taunting me over email that he had finally bought a pair of cleats that he had previously told me he had bought on my behalf. After the incident, he implied that he was going to send me pictures of the item. He then told me that he had lost the heart for selling, and that he would stick to his lucrative job in the oil industry. He furthermore told me that I would be the first to know when he decided to sell more Bagwell items. He also told me helpful information about the guy who was sending me the nasty emails.

In the past he has allowed me to post pictures of items he has. I get a note from him not to post his pictures. I asked him about the cleats he told me he would sell to me, and he said he wouldn't sell them. Meanwhile, I never got the Bagwell bat - which I told him to keep and simply to follow through with his word about the cleats, and the bat is now off his website. That means, the bat has likely been sold under false pretenses. When I suggested going to the Better Business Bureau on Chris, he said the BBB can't tell him who and who not to do business with. He also said that it was really wrong what I did to him, though I made the decision based on ethics - and I have prevented sellers from buying misdescribed stuff.

I have posted complains both with the BBB and with RipoffReport.com. I am hoping to get my money back for the jersey. Please be aware that when you do business with Chris Boyd, that you may not get what he had told you you were getting. I remember when he told me that he was selling me the "best pair of Jeff Bagwell batting gloves he'd seen", and I bought them for $1000. After I bought them from him, he said that there was light to moderate use on them. Some - best batting gloves he had ever seen. With Chris Boyd - caveat emptor.

[Rob L]

Geez, I hope you meant $100 for batting gloves and not $1000. The jersey is way overpriced also. Buyer beware?

[frikativ54]

Geez, I hope you meant $100 for batting gloves and not $1000. The jersey is way overpriced also. Buyer beware?

No - I meant $1000. Live and learn, I guess. Dishonesty at every level. It just makes me not want to be involved in game-used collecting. Hopefully, there are some nice people out there. Yes - buyer beware. Buyers need to be forewarned when they are doing business with someone who is fundamentally dishonest.

[b.heagy]

Frik,
Did you research any past auctions of game used Bagwell items or previous sales of players of similar talent before purchasing those items? Where did those figures come from? $1k for batting gloves of a modern era star is absurd in my opinion.

[frikativ54]

Frik,
Did you research any past auctions of game used Bagwell items or previous sales of players of similar talent before purchasing those items? Where did those figures come from? $1k for batting gloves of a modern era star is absurd in my opinion.

I didn't know where to research them. I should have asked publically on Game Used Universe, but regardless of that, I was ripped off. Dealers should be more honest, and I am never going to do business with anyone who treats me like this again. It's not worth it. I've learned a very valuable lesson. But I stll think I am owed my money back, because I was led to believe that I was getting a jersey directly from Bagwell's friend with a perfect autograph at fair market value.

[grenda12]

Ive read the forms and the rip off site and was just amazed. I do really feel for you. It does sound like you've been ripped off. I always try to do research before I buy something game used.

Thanks Les, for watching out for people.

[jkalathas]

Frik- "fair market value"... what does this even mean? All these game used items (and yes I spend my money on it also) are worth only what we are willing to pay for it. Those batting gloves don't carry a fair market value. Last time I checked used batting gloves are not a commodity. They carry probably a suggested retail price of $25.00, before they are used. If you paid $1,000 and you feel you overpaid, be pissed off at yourself and not who sold them to you.

[frikativ54]

Ive read the forms and the rip off site and was just amazed. I do really feel for you. It does sound like you've been ripped off. I always try to do research before I buy something game used.

Thanks Les, for watching out for people.

I appreciate your support. Hopefully, through these forums, we can make sure that dealers are held accountable for their actions. I will do more research in the future. All I can hope is that I have opened collectors eyes to the mendacity of some in the collecting world. Maybe the BBB will do something.

[cigarman44]

Frik- "fair market value"... what does this even mean? All these game used items (and yes I spend my money on it also) are worth only what we are willing to pay for it. Those batting gloves don't carry a fair market value. Last time I checked used batting gloves are not a commodity. They carry probably a suggested retail price of $25.00, before they are used. If you paid $1,000 and you feel you overpaid, be pissed off at yourself and not who sold them to you.

I think with game used "fair market value" is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Sure Chris has done some unethical things in the past but if you agreed to pay those prices, the only one you can fault is yourself. Trust me Ive overpaid for stuff like all of us have. But I can only fault myself and if I didn't want it that bad I wouldn't have paid it.

[BoneRubbedBat]

fwiw, Bagwell gloves are one of the toughest items of Bagwell to obtain. A pair of his custom padded gloves with the hard plastic guard usually go for well over $500 here in Houston.