New and used are not good condition descriptions

[painter2840]

Ebay should educate sellers so they don't put "new" or "used" as their only description of condition.  Many times I just moved along from a listing simply because it did not state

1. Excellent

2. Good

3. Fair 

4. Poor

I just don't have time to email and dig information out of a seller.  Also, sellers, don't say 

it "may have this or that".  It does or it doesn't.  Quit wasting browsers who would have been otherwise buyers time with horse s*** description.  Just trying to help. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

Don't forget my favorite - one or two blurry pictures and a description that consists solely of "see pictures".

[buyselljack2016]

1. Excellent

2. Good

3. Fair

4. Poor

Then comes the "return request" as "item not as described" because the buyer's standards are different than the seller's standards.

[bashort]

"new" should not need any additional description. 

[soh.maryl]

Was just getting ready to mention that.  As a seller, my idea of "excellent condition" may be your idea of "good condition".  

Such terms are subjective and thus open to interpretation.  

[simba6]

That is a downside to mail order purchases.  One persons good is another's fair. So it's still a judgement call. If the photos are poor, find another seller.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Matters very differently depending on what someone is buying.

Is it collectable or just 'usable' with the 'package/box gettting thrown out afterwards?

New- means, unused and usually in it's original packaging.

Other than that- only 'collectibles' need to have a 'rating'. 

[monica-sells]

Some categories only offer the 2 options "New" or "Used" in the listing specifics

unlike (for example) Books, which have 5 or 6 options......

[ittybitnot]

Don't forget my favorite - one or two blurry pictures and a description that consists solely of "see pictures".

@southern*sweet*tea 

Exactly.  

[iart]

I wish more people would 'move on' from those sales. We spend a lot of time on our condition descriptions and photos and, honestly, I don't think it helps much. But that's how we roll.

[farmalljr]

We have the ability to use PICTURES. If you can't judge the condition by pictures, then there is no answer to make you happy. As pointed out, condition is COMPLETELY subjective. New is new, used is used. Anything other than those two, are up to the interpretation of each person.  Unless it's graded by a professional grader, there is NO standard. Even graders won't agree on grade, so there is that. 

I sell records. I use goldmine standards to grade. They are STILL "grey" grading. Meaning there are NO definitive  lines, even though some may disagree with that statement. A VG to me and many other people may be a G to some. eBay does not care what you graded it at, if the buyer says NAD, you are taking a return and getting a demerit for the return. Even though I PLAY test records to make sure they play excellent, if someone uses a junk Crosley to play records, it's somehow not described right if their junky record player doesn't play it good. I get the return, I get the demerit. 

Nope, not in support of laying even more landmines for sellers to get even more returns or giving buyers even more ways to get a free return. If you can't judge by pictures or ask a few questions, you are not prepared to buy something unless it's brand new. Sellers here are NOT WalMart offering you free returns for 90 days. We are not a corporation with bottomless pockets. If you are buying used, it's used. We are in the business to sell stuff and move it along to another home. We are not here to refurbish tuff and give you a guarantee. 

Pretty sure more than half of the sellers here would not offer ANY returns or refunds, if we were not forced to. I'm also pretty sure, if we were made to "grade" everything sold, we would then just stop selling here. Returns COST sellers. We aren't here doing all this for free. 

[monica-sells]

Your analogy about the device used to play the records is spot on..........and a valid argument

that being said, I sell vintage magazines on one account. I use CGC grading standards as a guideline. I explain it, list the various grades, etc....

I have sold a lot of magazines over the years...

Because it is so subjective, In general I estimate the grade at least 2 points below what it would probably grade at.... (example: an 8.0 Very Fine for real  I will list at CGC Estimated 6.0 Fine)....

and, in the Books category, unless it is Brand New, I use the canned "Very Good" as my max rating, even if the item looks unread....

Bottom Line-I have had really good luck under-valuing and over-delivering

I have actually bought from some sellers that provided pictures of the front of the magazines (a group) with a descriptor of 'Like New'....and more high praise in the text description....only to receive the lot, and 2 back covers are completely missing/torn off, and coupons are cut from pages.....

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

I think eBay pretty well describes what's new, very good etc but if sellers don't care follow it... Well there ya' go.

I walk into Walmart for a Dog Cage and the packaging is rather dented, torn etc and it's the only one on the shelf.  It's new, I get no price break, if it's hosed it get's taken back.  I don't walk up to the customer disservice desk and say, "Hidy Ho!  I need this Dog Cage for a Cat cuz' you you don't stock Cat Cages... See there is are several dents, the cardboard is torn may I have a discount?  I was planning to surgically remove the cardboard just in case it becomes collectible!"

Consumers often hold online sellers to a higher standard simply because they can.  You could take a plate bought at Walmart, quadruple package in a box meant to fit a lawn mower with 10 lbs of Styrofoam peanuts wrapped in 75 layers of bubble wrap and hear "I want return it, it was a plate for my Dog and he won't eat off it." 

[farmalljr]

With grading magazines, if you grade down a few points, that may not affect sales. If you down grade a record more than ONE point (VG+ to VG) you are unlikely to get ANY sales. Many people who buy records, want at least a certain grade. Everyone wants mint, but even new records may not be mint. People sort records by grade. 

Selling anything graded by the seller is risky business. Records tend to be the pits. Most sales go ok, but there are so many record snobs that expect mint, when buying a VG record, it's almost not worth the hassle. That and you have people that "free rent/free use" your record. If they listen to it for free, and don't like it, they file an NAD. I've had the free rent thing happen probably 8 times over the last two years. Most records are not terribly profitable. So when you eat 10 bucks in shipping both ways, the record has no profit left. 

This is why I think most people would just quit selling if everything needed to be graded. 

[coolections]

I understand your frustration, but you are never going to broadcast to 10 million sellers to start writing better descriptions. If you are unsure about condition hit the back button. Those are the ones who complain of low sales.