My current collecting pet peeve

[MLB_Authentic]

Skyking at his best?? Me thinks so.

Pet Peeve? Where do I begin? This is a long story about a buyer who puts remorse in the term "buyer's remorse!"

I have a collector who contacted me as soon as a certain player was signed by the Washington Nationals. I never dealt with him before this call in January 2009. This collector had a nice wishlist and mostly it was for MLB Authenticated items of the player and in particular a full uniform and well used uncracked bats. The jersey had to be authenticated and the jersey couldn't be one with little to no use.

I got the perfect uniform towards the end of 2009 and it was a great Set 2 MLB hologram'd with matching Set 2 pants, cap, cleats, batting gloves. The jersey was unwashed too. Perfect, so I thought. Quoted the price, and the buyer didn't like the price and passed on it. A conversation about the jersey spilled over to my Facebook page and another collector saw the conversation and saw the other person said "I will pass" and he took it on the spot. Then there were hurt feelings by the original guy and it only got worse when the new buyer photomatched the jersey to 3 Home Runs and has made this the focal part of his collection.

So this season, the player is growing in popularity and I am getting lots of bats and sell one to John Taube who sells it to someone who posted on GUU that the bat was photomatched to many HRs. I get a call from the same guy who asked me why I didn't offer the bat to him. I simply said you wanted uncracked bats and this bat was cracked! He says to me, well this is a significant bat and I would have liked to have been offered the bat. I told him truth be told, I didn't even bother photomatching it or checking the MLB Hologram.

He then wants another chance at a full uniform. I reluctantly said ok, but this time I am collecting the pricetag upfront. He wants a jersey that is unwashed and MLB holo'd on the actual date the player hits a HR. That is a tall order and super tough especially to show a jersey with wear. I get a price and ask for payment in full upfront. He sends me the money.

This season is winding down and haven't fulfilled the order as nothing is lining up well. So this past weekend on Friday night, the player hits 2 HRs in one game and the jersey will be significant as the player also had RBI 100 in that game. The deal is set. As things sometimes go wrong and out of my control, the jersey mistakingly was taken from the players hangar on the front hook of his locker and washed. The next day, the player sees his jersey freshly washed and I get the message of apology. Luckily, he is going to wear the same red alternate jersey for that day's game and we start all over but he doesn't hit a HR in that game. My buyer doesn't want the jersey now. I told him it can easily be photomatched to the night before but he refuses.

At this point, I offer a refund as I am doubting I have any chance to get him the jersey he covets-----but Tuesday night the player hits a mammoth WALK OFF HR in his white Set 4 home white jersey!!!!!!!! The buyer calls me and I told him I will do all I can to get this one. This time the jersey is MLB holo'd and stuck in his golf bag to wait for me to pick it up. The jersey is soaked in sweat a day later (when I picked it up yesterday). My guess is that this is the only jersey in this players career where he hit a WALK OFF HR and got the jersey hologram'd. In fact, this is his 1st WALK OFF HR in his 2 years with the Nationals. Personally, I would love this jersey as part of my personal collection.

News traveled fast and another collector who knows the buyer heard he was getting this WALK OFF HR jersey and I guess unbeknownst to me, my buyer sent out over the weekend this nasty email to a bunch of people and thought I should have the following email:

I hope XXXX (I am x'ing out the name of the player) does not hit a homer til he goes on the road...then I'll ask for my money back from Lang. I'm done with all of it after this past weekend. F##k ( took out the actual curse word) it.

So after reading this, my feelings are hurt. I can't believe he would write something so nasty especially with how hard I have worked on his behalf. I call the buyer and confront him. I ask the buyer about this email yesteday and he said it was just out of frustration. I make sure he knows that he doesn't have to take the jersey. He said he absolutely wants it.

In my 12+ years of trying to get unique items for people, this one is personal. If I were to write more details, it would become a book. I have also learned he has done similar to others. I hope this closes a chapter where this buyer finds true happiness and maybe stops and thinks for a moment that some people go above and beyond and it isn't all about making a profit because if it was, I would have sold this jersey for $600 more to another collector who threw out a fair offer when learning that I had this jersey, and I said I couldn't and wouldn't sell it to anyone else.

Yep, this is my pet peeve. I hate to go public with this but I hope the buyer reads this because he knows who he is. Maybe he can take a long look in the mirror and change his ways. He has told me he is a deeply religious person so here is hoping, you should love your neighbor as yourself.

[sox83cubs84]

My "Dunn" moment came a number of years ago, when a collector wrote me about every 4-5 months asking me to get him jerseys with Simpson as the NOB. After close to two years of looking, I got him a Royals Joe Simpson gamer. I overtraded for it, but figured that, if he bought it, I'd be satisfied. So, you can imagine my chagrin when I've gotten him what he asked for, mailed him a letter about it (pre-Internet days) and get a response saying that he had changed his collecting focus, and was now collecting Rick Reichardt items instead, leaving me stuck with the Simpson jersey. I dealt it soon after (at a loss), and had crossed the guy off my customers list when, maybe three months after this, he sends me a postcard again asking for Simpson jerseys...no apologies for sticking me with the one I had already gotten him!. I responded, and basically told him, in less vulgar terms, to f*** off.

Dave Miedema

[Birdbats]

Here's one of my pet peeves. Just for fun, I searched "1/1" in the "game-used memorabilia" section of eBay. There were 681 cards listed. It's bad enough that my game-used search results are littered with cards... but, c'mon, 681 1/1 cards? Seriously? Those must be rare!

[allstarsplus]

ALLSTAR-I forgot to ask my question.And that was so did you end up selling him that jersey even after that email.And did you tell him that you fond out about it-thanks

I called him and confronted him about the email. He didn't deny it, but he didn't apologize, only gave me some BS that after he didn't get the 2 HR jersey he decided to buy something else and needed the money he sent me, but didn't buy that item (surprise/surprise) so he still wanted the XXXX HR jersey. I told him how upsetting it was to read his email and that if he didn't want it "buyer's remorse" to just say the word and I would refund his money. He said he still wanted it and in fact sent a video of the HR to many of his collector friends so it is packaged up for Fedex.

Someone sent me an email of a horrible case they had as a dealer from a buyer who went through buyer's remorse. The person ordered a special inscription on a jersey that was personalized to the person's kid and then decided they weren't taking the jersey.

[Birdbats]

My "Dunn" moment came a number of years ago, when a collector wrote me about every 4-5 months asking me to get him jerseys with Simpson as the NOB. After close to two years of looking, I got him a Royals Joe Simpson gamer. I overtraded for it, but figured that, if he bought it, I'd be satisfied. So, you can imagine my chagrin when I've gotten him what he asked for, mailed him a letter about it (pre-Internet days) and get a response saying that he had changed his collecting focus, and was now collecting Rick Reichardt items instead, leaving me stuck with the Simpson jersey. I dealt it soon after (at a loss), and had crossed the guy off my customers list when, maybe three months after this, he sends me a postcard again asking for Simpson jerseys...no apologies for sticking me with the one I had already gotten him!. I responded, and basically told him, in less vulgar terms, to f*** off.

Dave Miedema

I've had that happen too, Dave, at least three different times. Someone will tell me, "Get me anything you can of player X." Then when I do and let the person know, I get an e-mail reply of "Thanks, but I'll pass." I still have a Rocky Bridges retail bat on my website that someone had to have, then didn't (my asking price is 25% less than what I paid, so I'm going to take a loss). I no longer fill want lists for people unless I talk to them prior to pulling the trigger.

[jobathenut]

ALLSTAR-I just think they was no excuse for them to write such a email.I mean especially after all you were doing for them.Some things are out of your control and that person should have realized that.I understand being upset but in so many things it's not what you say,it's how you say it.And they said it in a totally worng way.I am happy to hear you did confront them on it.As i think so many people get away with thier rudeness in the hobby.I can't believe you still honored your word and sold him the jersey.I know alot of people would tell him to get bent.But that's what make you a a class act is that you do what you say you will do for someone and go that extra mile for them.

I called him and confronted him about the email. He didn't deny it, but he didn't apologize, only gave me some BS that after he didn't get the 2 HR jersey he decided to buy something else and needed the money he sent me, but didn't buy that item (surprise/surprise) so he still wanted the XXXX HR jersey. I told him how upsetting it was to read his email and that if he didn't want it "buyer's remorse" to just say the word and I would refund his money. He said he still wanted it and in fact sent a video of the HR to many of his collector friends so it is packaged up for Fedex.

Someone sent me an email of a horrible case they had as a dealer from a buyer who went through buyer's remorse. The person ordered a special inscription on a jersey that was personalized to the person's kid and then decided they weren't taking the jersey.

[BU54CB]

I called him and confronted him about the email. He didn't deny it, but he didn't apologize, only gave me some BS that after he didn't get the 2 HR jersey he decided to buy something else and needed the money he sent me, but didn't buy that item (surprise/surprise) so he still wanted the XXXX HR jersey. I told him how upsetting it was to read his email and that if he didn't want it "buyer's remorse" to just say the word and I would refund his money. He said he still wanted it and in fact sent a video of the HR to many of his collector friends so it is packaged up for Fedex.

Someone sent me an email of a horrible case they had as a dealer from a buyer who went through buyer's remorse. The person ordered a special inscription on a jersey that was personalized to the person's kid and then decided they weren't taking the jersey.

To me, you went above and beyond, I would have told whomever this was to go pound sand.
You're the one doing all the work and not asking for anything in return. The problem is people show absolutely no appreciation these days for anything people do for them, its rather sad.

[allstarsplus]

To me, you went above and beyond, I would have told whomever this was to go pound sand.
You're the one doing all the work and not asking for anything in return. The problem is people show absolutely no appreciation these days for anything people do for them, its rather sad.

Thanks. The buyer has seen the post and sent me an apology email this morning.

As someone who read this sent to me:

Andrew, I dont post on the Forum so please feel free to put this up for 808 to see. The first time shame on him and the 2nd time shame on you that you never should have given him another chance on a jersey and BAM he did it to you again. I know he is from Detroit so as they say a TIGER never changes his stripes. That guy is bad news for the hobby. Don't worry, after he recieves the jersey he will find something to complain about. You should only hope he wants to return it to you as you deserve better. Keep it for yourself or sell it for the treasure it is to someone who will thank you many times over for the opportunity. That is a special jersey and you are a saint to deal with him!

His email was also forwarded to me and others and I did not have the heart to telling you that he was back to talking behind your back. Most people wont deal with him. I am surprised the Baker in Detroit deals with him and ole 808 knows who the Baker is as I am sure he will be reading this if you post it up. If you didnt know, he also pulled a fast one on John Taube about a week ago about a Hank Greenburg bat. I dont know all the details but lets just say Taube sold it to someone else. Someone can start a thread just on 808. Good luck and please let me know the outcome!

[platinum1]

I've had that happen too, Dave, at least three different times. Someone will tell me, "Get me anything you can of player X." Then when I do and let the person know, I get an e-mail reply of "Thanks, but I'll pass." I still have a Rocky Bridges retail bat on my website that someone had to have, then didn't (my asking price is 25% less than what I paid, so I'm going to take a loss). I no longer fill want lists for people unless I talk to them prior to pulling the trigger.

I totally agree.
I had people do this stuff all the time.
Thats why I wont pick up anything for anyone unless I know them really really well

[Jags Fan Dan]

Not my biggest pet peeve, but a peeve none the less, what is the deal with people taking a game used bat that is in two pieces and just taping it together with crappy looking white tape all up and down the darn bat? Who does that look good to? Either leave it in two or glue it back together, in my humble opinion. The tape is a nightmare to me.