Got an eBay message from the "Vocabulary Police" on one of my listings

[sin-n-dex]

I received an eBay message telling me this is not an album:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186016837198

My understanding of album (by definition) is a multi-page thing where you can put things (like stamps, photographs, and in this case coins).

It folds over itself instead of opening like a book. Does that make it any less of an album?

(Looking for feedback before I reply, I feel a lot of snark coming on, but I don't like to be snarky and wrong at the same time). If there's a better definition for this "album" let me know, I would consider updating the listings because accurately described items are easier to find in search.

C.

[slippinjimmy]

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@sin-n-dex wrote:

(Looking for feedback before I reply

 Your post makes it sound like a message from an "eBay user" not "eBay".

If that is an accurate assumption why on earth would you reply?

[sin-n-dex]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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@sin-n-dex wrote:

(Looking for feedback before I reply

 Your post makes it sound like a message from an "eBay user" not "eBay".

If that is an accurate assumption why on earth would you reply?

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It is an eBay user (I said eBay message in the title, but I meant eBay message from another user).

I usually do reply unless I go straight to blocking... sometimes I'm quick to react and things aren't what I thought they were.

C.

[gloryglorygifts]

Ooohhhh, well at least it's nice to know someone is looking out for you. I thought it was THE vocabulary police, not the one with the small t. 

[wastingtime101]

I think the term album is fine. I'm not a coin collector. If I had something like that I'd search for comps using the terms album, portfolio, and folder to see what came up, what most other sellers called it, and whether or not I could find anything official from the manufacturer. On the inside it does have the term "coin folder" printed so I'd definitely include that in my listing title, potentially with other key words (like album).

This person messaged you to nit pick on the term album, but did not tell you what they think it's called? I'd ignore the message.

[sin-n-dex]

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@gloryglorygifts wrote:

Ooohhhh, well at least it's nice to know someone is looking out for you. I thought it was THE vocabulary police, not the one with the small t. 

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I was trying to be funny. I was going to say "grammar police" but it was about the word I was using, so I figured vocabulary police was a more appropriate term.

I suppose if I just said "received a message from another eBay member" it would appear to be a boring post.

C.

[sin-n-dex]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

I think the term album is fine. I'm not a coin collector. If I had something like that I'd search for comps using the terms album, portfolio, and folder to see what came up, what most other sellers called it, and whether or not I could find anything official from the manufacturer. On the inside it does have the term "coin folder" printed so I'd definitely include that in my listing title, potentially with other key words (like album).

This person messaged you to nit pick on the term album, but did not tell you what they think it's called? I'd ignore the message.

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I'll see if I can revise the template for new listings going forward. I have some 50 of these to list when I get time. Even if I can't put it in the title I can probably add to the description to explain this. My template has "Whitman Vintage Small" (for those ones) and "Whitman Vintage Large" (for when I have the bigger albums that I sell for more. The ones that get me are the brown albums. They're made by several different companies and sometimes I get the wrong make, even though each company makes the same basic design of album (it's just the gold lettering on the cover that's different).

C.

[a_c_green]

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@robbie31415 wrote:

Whitman describes it as an album.

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Um, no... Whitman describes it as a folder: "This folder for United States dimes has been designed..." (Photo 4 of the OP's listing), plus "Coin Folders Available in this Size" (heading in Photo 3).

That said, I would certainly think of it as an album, too, but as Whitman is calling it a Coin Folder, the word "Folder" should definitely be in the title of the listing, alongside "Album" so that both can show in search results.

[stuff4divas]

@sin-n-dex   I can c y u would call it an album, but it does self describe itself as a folder. I would have both descriptions on the listing if possible.

[12345jamesstamps]

Maybe add the word "empty album"...

[sin-n-dex]

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@stuff4divas wrote:

@sin-n-dex   I can c y u would call it an album, but it does self describe itself as a folder. I would have both descriptions on the listing if possible.

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I'm going to update the template before I list more, but I probably won't bother to fix what's listed unless I randomly stumble upon them when working on my store.

I found out SixBit had corrupted a bunch of my listings on eBay (a couple months ago SixBit synced with eBay and a lot of photos were deleted so my 4 page stamp lots only showed the last page of the lot). Created a big crisis for me recently... Until I fix those (they're down, going to fix and then relist), I won't bother with anything minor for right now.

C.

[sin-n-dex]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Maybe add the word "empty album"...

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I thought that was in the description (yes, I know no one reads those). I put no coins in the title to make it blatantly obvious. Too many posts in here about people who buy stuff and are upset it doesn't come with something they think they should be getting (even though that thing is not part of the listing). I just read a post about colouring books that don't come with pencils when no pencils were offered...

I suppose stating "empty album" would do the same thing as saying "no coins". I think on my stamp albums I've stated they are empty albums.

C.

[dirk12955]

My experience,

Whitman Folders

Dansco Albums

Capital Holders

Plastic flips

2X2 cardboard holders

But when I had my coin shop(s)  I wouldn't have corrected a customer

for calling a Whitman folder an Album.    No more than I'd message an eBay 

seller for mixing the terms.      Who cares?

I thought an Album was played at 33RPM and came in Mono or stereo.

    I guess that's for another thread.  

[sin-n-dex]

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@dirk12955 wrote:

My experience,

Whitman Folders

Dansco Albums

Capital Holders

Plastic flips

2X2 cardboard holders

But when I had my coin shop(s)  I wouldn't have corrected a customer

for calling a Whitman folder an Album.    No more than I'd message an eBay 

seller for mixing the terms.      Who cares?

I thought an Album was played at 33RPM and came in Mono or stereo.

    I guess that's for another thread.  

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LOL, the part about albums being things you play gave me a chuckle...

At the shop where I work, we don't correct customers unless they're looking for information and want to be corrected. Generally we just let the customers natter on about whatever... if we know what they mean, that's good enough.

C.

[1786davycrockett · Accepted solution]

@sin-n-dex 

Back in the 1950s, we called them "albums."

I recall having 2 Whitman Lincoln Cent albums, as well as a postage stamp album (which I had acquired as a premium from cutting out the red "sicle" balls from Popsicle wrappers), plus a matchbook cover album.

Albums -- folders.

Six of one -- half a dozen of the other.

Sounds as if your eBay "friend" is quite the nit-picker.

Bet they yell at the TV set during "Wheel Of Fortune," too.

[slyders_finds]

That's bizarre. I don't understand why they are worried if you call it a folder or an album. I would caulk it up to Collector Nerd OCD trying to be self righteous.