Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 03/25/2023 I purchased a 1969 *************************** rookie card at an auction done by PA Auction Center LLC. I paid a total of $91.45 + shipping. Once I received the card I mailed it to *** to get the card graded. They eventually determined that the card has evidence of trimming and was therefore not eligible for grading making the card basically worthless. I called PA Auction Center LLC to tell them about the situation and to ask for my money back since it was never disclosed that the card had been trimmed. I was told by ****** that it was my fault for not doing my due diligence and that they had no responsibility in the matter and he refused to refund my money. While it is possible that PA Auction Center LLC was initially unaware that the card had been trimmed, once I informed them they should make it right. It is fraud to sell doctored cards without disclosing that they have been doctored. After paying them and shipping the card back and forth with *** I am out almost $150 for a card that is essentially worthless. I was shocked that the company's attitude was that they have no responsibility in the matter and that it's my fault that I bought a trimmed card. How can a company stay in business selling fraudulent merchandise and then blaming the customers for buying it!??!!

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  To Whom it may concern, 
  
  This response is regarding a *************************** baseball card purchased by ****************** in an online only auction on March 25, 2023.  
  ****************** purchased an ungraded *************************** baseball card listed as “1969 ***** *************************** Baseball Card" with no further description given. We are not professional graders, so we tend to avoid giving an estimated grade on things such as baseball cards, but we try to list any visible defects. We did not notice anything particularly unusual about the card therefore we believe the evidence of trimming as defined by the staff at *** was found only after intense inspection of the card and is not noticeable to the untrained eye.  
  The baseball card purchased by ****************** was packed & shipped on March 27, 2023. It was shipped via USPS and was delivered on March 29, 2023. We presume ****************** opened the package and inspected the product but we did not receive any communication regarding any concerns about the condition or trimming of the card at that time furthering our belief that the evidence of trimming as defined by the staff at *** is not noticeable to the untrained eye. At some point ****************** made the decision to send the card to *** to get graded presumably to increase the value of his find. 4-5 months had passed and ****************** received the verdict back from ***, only then did he reach out to us with a complaint about the card. After we received his complaint, we deliberated and ultimately made a decision that we would not be refunding him for the baseball card based on a few key factors. 
  1. ****************** purchased an ungraded baseball card which carries a certain level of risk. 
  2. ****************** never inquired about the condition of the card prior to bidding on it. 
  3. We determined the 4-5 months that passed between purchase and complaint was a much longer period than we were willing to negotiate with.  
  4. ****************** agreed to the terms and conditions of the auction which confirm he examined the product to his satisfaction or chose not to inspect the product. See section 1, 2 & 11 of the T&C as follows: (1.) All items are offered and sold "AS IS, WHERE IS" with all faults. All item descriptions are based upon visual inspection only. All measurements are approximate and are used for general descriptive purposes only. Bidders are solely responsible for determining the condition and authenticity of items. Any statements, or lack thereof, made regarding accuracy of descriptions, typographical errors, condition, size, authenticity, age, restoration, reproductions, quality, historic relevance, or otherwise, are all for catalog information only and do not represent warranties, guarantees, or representations, of any kind. Physical inspection is highly encouraged by all bidders. (2.) By registering for the auction and placing a bid, you (the bidder) agree to all the terms & conditions and signify that they have examined the items to their satisfaction, or that they have chosen not to personally examine them. (11.) This is a public auction and not a retail setting. All sales are final. No returns are accepted. 
   
  While we did NOT knowingly sell ****************** a damaged baseball card but for the reasons listed above we did not feel we were obligated to issue a refund for the baseball card. 
  
  Best regards, 
  PA Auction Center 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/03/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  While it is certainly believable that PA Auction did not know the card was trimmed when they sold it they do know now. Standing by the sale means they now knowingly sold a fraudulent card and have done nothing to make it right. In 2021 **** was the largest seller of sports cards on ***** They got caught up in a card trimming scandal and were investigated by the **** They insisted that they never knowingly sold trimmed cards, and that all of the trimmed cards in question came from a select number of consigners. However, they refunded every single purchase of a trimmed card in an effort to make it right, all while standing by their position that prior to the investigation they did not know they sold trimmed cards. For the record they were also removed from **** and are no longer allowed to sell cards on *****

  I find it disgusting that PA Auction continues to put the blame on the consumer saying that the consumer did not notice the trimming. The whole idea of selling fraudulent cards is to make them good enough that the consumer does not notice. That way the card looks superior than its natural condition and fetches a much higher value even as an ungraded card. After all is said and done I paid $100 for a card that now has a value of $5 at best. 

  It is illegal to knowingly sell fraudulent merchandise without disclosing it to the buyer. At this point PA Auction house knows they have sold fraudulent merchandise. Reimbursing me for this item is the least they can do. The precedent in the industry is that the item would be reimbursed.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************