Calling out a member

[Gorn Captain]

I like his great pics and detailed descriptions, but really needs to leave out "all original" when it's not all original.

That's the nail on the head.
I'm sure that some international buyers who aren't fluent in English will totally go for the "all original", and not make out the fine print.

And yes, I know, we should ALL read the fine print in everything we sign. But do we? And when company X then shoves that in our throats when we complain, do we feel robbed anyway?
Yes, we do.

I cannot fault him for the complete description (which will be accurate, I guess), but so many of us go for "super cheap internet!!!!" and then get the big bill afterwards anyway. Ebay is hard enough already, I can go without always having to perform an autopsy on every page. Last time I wanted a MIB figure, the seller stated "mint in sealed box, super collectible, any collector will want this!!!!" and then the bottom line, below some unwanted info about his shop, it says "box crushed"....

[rcbats1]

Yeah, I dont get it either...but to answer your question; Fast service and shipping,excellent and friendly communication,acurate description,great pictures,great shipping prices and perfect feedback rating just to name a few reasons why Greg is so successful.

Why do people pay so much for his repro figures? You can get original figures for less in other auctions.

[scifiguy94]

"ALL ORIGINAL vintage Mego" is always accompanied with "with the ONLY exceptions being" if the figure is not 100% all original so there is really nothing misleading if you read the auction carefully. Like was said before it's classic bait&switch, but I'll bet there are some buyers of his figures that will never realize they don't have a 100% original Mego.

[Meule]

Exactly! So what I gather is, as long as he is your friend your cool with it. Or because you know so much it doesn't bother you that someone else gets mislead because it wouldn't happen to you because you are so perfect. So lets put the blame on the ones who didn't take the time to read the fine print when they came across one of these auctions with 30 seconds left.

There is no fine print, it's all there out in the open

[Zemo]

Hector, let me put a different spin on it.

Want to buy an All Original, screen worn Christopher Reeve Superman costume?

The yellow leather Belt is all original.
The yellow belt buckle is all original.
The Royal Blue Tunic, with the sewn in "S" emblem is a reproduction.
The Royal Blue Leggings is a reproduction.
The Red shorts are a reproduction.
The Left and right red leather boots are both reproductions.
The full length red gabardine cape is a reproduction.

Still want to call it an All Original, screen worn Superman costume?
------------------------

The only difference is that the title says complete not original

then the description all original except bla bla bla.

He is a good salesman and it's carefully worded. Sly? maybe but this is a sideline for him and he's a salesman.

[rchatlin]

What's the difference where the "All Original" Claim is made?

He is saying something blatantly untrue, then immediately correcting himself.
Why make the false statement in the first place?

Whether it's a career, a sideline, or any other aspect of life,
why all the tolerance and praise for dishonesty?

r
o
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[MegoSteve]

It's weasel-y to describe something as complete and all original when what's completing the figure is non-original reproduction parts. He wouldn't be doing that if it didn't make him extra money on his auctions, but I also know that there are some people who, to an extent, couldn't care less if something has repro parts as long as the figure looks nice.

I agree with Rob, though. It's dishonest, but he'll never tinker with what's been a very successful formula for him.

[Mikey]

I think some people put China repro parts in a higher catagory than what they deserve.

If a person hand made a junkie Superman cape out of an old pair of boxer shorts nobody would even consider titling the auction complete and all original.

[Zemo]

To me it's no difference or worse than a car ad saying 250 a month payment, then at the bottom in small print, saying based on a beacon score or 780 and 2000 dollars down.

I also say that I've seen his auctions for so long that I guess they don't affect me, I know to read all the way through, because he doesn't always sell items with repros.

I even once post years ago, that I felt misled by complete and then parts not original, but I just got used to it and realized he had a niche and was salesman.

I would say again, that his feed back would not hold up for all these years if people felt they were getting jipped.

I also don't question your point of view.

[Sandman9580]

The title of the listing reads: Mego 8" scale T2 Batman * SUPERB * 100% Complete *

As has been mentioned, the majority of the parts of that "100% Complete" figure are repro. The listing of a figure with that many repro parts should have the word "repro" somewhere in the title of the listing. When you add words like "superb" and "100% complete" -- without mention of "repro" -- you're implying it's all vintage. That's dishonest. You can be dishonest by using honest and accurate language -- if you know what to omit.

Inside it reads: He is complete, in outstanding HIGH GRADE condition and ALL ORIGINAL vintage Mego with the ONLY exceptions being his boots, cape, gloves, belt and chest emblem, guaranteed. HIGH quality vintage Mego figure here, from head to toe.

That first sentence escapes being untrue only because of the clunky addition of everything that follows "ONLY". True though it may be, it reads like an exaggerated parody of shady salesmanship. Fine. The second sentence is untrue; it is NOT vintage from head to toe. If you tell me that included clothes and accessories aren't implied in the phrase "vintage Mego figure", you've sort of forfeited all pretense that you're a reasonable person.

Fast service and shipping,excellent and friendly communication,acurate description,great pictures,great shipping prices and perfect feedback rating just to name a few reasons why Greg is so successful.

If all those things are true (excluding "accurate description", which isn't), then that's more than adequate to explain his success. Good for him. But it raises the question: why resort to tactics that are going to alienate potential buyers? It sounds like there are plenty of people who ignore or block his auctions. If shady, bad faith tactics are causing a drop in the number of people looking at an auction (to say nothing of affecting the seller's "back channel" reputation), that's a negative that's not going to be reflected in the seller's rating.

I went back and reread everything twice just to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. No crime here at all. The heading says 100% complete (which it is). His very first sentence says it's an original Mego body and then names off the repros. It's absolutely upfront and honest. I think he's completely reputable and there is not even a suggestion of deceit. As a matter of fact, making it an issue here is a bigger deal since the innuendo is falsely accusing him of something he clearly isn't doing.

I respectfully disagree with that 100%. Also, one thing I think we kind of forget is that not everyone shopping on eBay for Megos is a super-savvy Museum member who's been collecting forever. Some people are new to the hobby, some are young and naive, some speak English as a second language, some are operating under the assumption that people are basically honest and operate in good faith. I'm all for "personal responsibility", but I'm also for "responsibility to others" -- i.e. acting in good faith. Funny how that kind of responsibility doesn't get mentioned as much.

He is saying something blatantly untrue, then immediately correcting himself.
Why make the false statement in the first place?

Whether it's a career, a sideline, or any other aspect of life,
why all the tolerance and praise for dishonesty?

Well, we live in the land of Martha Stewart, predatory lending, packaged mortgages, and Michael Bay movies. People like a "winner" -- even if there's quotation marks around it.