Venting. Stock images should be banned from Ebay

[clu3]

It's extremely aggravating when Ebay sellers use stock photos.

I'm looking for a book, there are 8 available on ebay but every one has only the stock image.  The only ones that have sold have real photographs of the actual book.

I'll save the search and wait for a seller that isn't so lazy.

[city*satins]

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@tree*fern wrote:

@castlemagicmemories  Please don't advise anyone they can or should describe a book as "mint." It's not a valid term for describing a book's condition, here on eBay or anywhere.

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Seems that my original point has been lost.  All of this brouhaha over the word MINT is beside the point which was that an out of print book can qualify for inclusion of a stock image by having its condition selected as  NEW  (A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.)

While all of this is quite close to interesting, mint, fine, etc etc.....neither of those terms is used by eBay in the CONDITION specifics either as a selection or as part of the condition definition.

Now if someone wants to quibble over the word NEW, go for it.  It's already been fruitlessly argued to death elsewhere on the Community with new old stock (NOS)

[ekmadonna]

FYI- You may not know this but even if you use the ebay supplied listing details you still can USE YOUR OWN PICTURES. all you have to do is "x" out the stock image and insert your own photos. I do this all the time. There is a way to do it.

[city*satins]

If it is against the condition policy regarding books, then it is inappropriate.

Despite the condition purists, there isn't any such policy on eBay. There are conventions among booksellers but eBay does not impose any restrictions on how a seller describes a book when listing it provided that the description does not conflict with the selected Item Condition.  Conflicts, as with any listing, can arrive post-sale, however.

Sellers can describe their books any way they want to. If they like they can call their condition freaking fantastico, impeccable, virginal, super mint, extra fine, unsullied since leaving the north end of the bindery, and subsequently lovingly touched only by hands wearing unbleached, organic cotton gloves. 

NB (not unsullied as in Game of Thrones) 

eBay will not sanction any seller who describes a book in this manner.  (sanction is another word with multiple meanings)

heh

[castanea_sue]

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@evry1nositswindy wrote:

I have hundreds and hundreds of books that I sell.  If you add the isbn number, the stock photo pops up along with the description.  I don't want that so I add the isbn number to the title and don't add it to the listing.  That way I can take my own photos and write my own description.  I also add a line in my description stating these are photos of the actual item, not stock photos.

Yes, it takes more time...but as a reader and book collector, it matters to me.  I share your frustration.

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Thank you for that. I'd rather deal with someone who cares about books when I buy books. I'll pay more. I rarely deal with the big sellers, and have been burned on condition when I have done so.

[castanea_sue]

When I sell books (even lots), I always take pictures of the spine, back, and edges. And inside pages if I have enough pictures to spare. I don't find it boring, and it's what I would want to see if I were buying the books.

[city*satins]

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@castanea_sue wrote:

When I sell books (even lots), I always take pictures of the spine, back, and edges. And inside pages if I have enough pictures to spare. I don't find it boring, and it's what I would want to see if I were buying the books.

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I'm not sure why you're addressing me. I never said it was boring.  I asked someone how he or she scans books. With a flatbed scanner?

I find it time-consuming and challenging to photograph the covers of books that are glossy due to persistent glare and/or out-of-proportion images from angling books so as to eliminate or reduce glare.

I never got an answer from that poster.  Or from anyone else for that matter on how to get good pics of books with shiny/glossy covers.  I'd very much like to know and hope the answer isn't Buy a flatbed scanner.

[tree*fern]

Hi @city*satins ,

On eBay a book doesn't have to be Brand New to be represented by a stock photo. For books, eBay has deliberately made an exception to the stock photo policy for many years (which was originally asked for by booksellers on the Booksellers Board).

Sellers are allowed to include a stock photo for books in all conditions, from Brand New to even Acceptable. (Not saying I agree this should continue.)

It may seem like just having fun or quibbles with semantics, but the objection to using the term mint for books vs. standard book condition terms is about buyers misunderstanding the seller's condition description. 

What a buyer thinks is meant by mint is often different from what the seller means, especially because it's not a condition term used by booksellers here or elsewhere.  Why risk SNADs, and teach others reading the boards that it's OK, there's no possible harm? 

[city*satins]

What a buyer thinks is meant by mint is often different from what the seller means, especially because it's not a condition term used by booksellers here or elsewhere. 

True enough.  Speaking of what a seller means....see my next post.

[city*satins]

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@castanea_sue wrote:

When I sell books (even lots), I always take pictures of the spine, back, and edges. And inside pages if I have enough pictures to spare. I don't find it boring, and it's what I would want to see if I were buying the books.

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And since we're on the topic of condition, I have to say that personally, I would never describe a lot of books with waterstains, detached pages, cracked spines and multiple permanent creases on the covers GOOD to VERY GOOD.

So I'm glad that you take as many pictures as you do to make up for your choices about condition.  While there's often room for disagreement, you seem to think some books are in good condition that I would describe as so poor as to barely qualify as reading copies since trying to read them risks them further disintegrating in the reader's hands.  JMHO 

[tree*fern]

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@city*satins wrote:

What a buyer thinks is meant by mint is often different from what the seller means, especially because it's not a condition term used by booksellers here or elsewhere. 

True enough.  Speaking of what a seller means....see my next post.

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That's fine (pun intended, ha!) for items that don't have any condition grading standards. 

When there are condition grading standards for a category, then use those defined terms.

[rixstuff]

Books, videos, and CDs are different kinds of listings.  You can (and usually MUST) add the ISBN or UPC number** and it will automatically populate your listing with the details and picture and only costs 5 cents to list.  So they are easy and cheap - and really this is what you do on "the BIG river site" too.  It saves on fees and is much easier to do than taking your own photos.

I'm with you though on OTHER items where I want to see the very pre-owned item I will be getting (clothes, dishes, etc) to gage condition and with high fraud items like electronics, I want to see that the seller actually has the item.

**UPC often is a good proof that the item is genuine and not a counterfeit.

[castanea_sue]

Sorry, somebody else said boring, earlier. I didn't mean that at you specifically. It was just intended to be a general comment in the conversation.

[castanea_sue]

I find it is easier to take pictures of books with indirect light near but not too close to a window. And a gray day is best. Lights always leave reflections. Maybe not if you have one of those photography tents, and the light is muffled through cloth. I actually bought one but didn't set it up yet. With the indirect light photos, if it looks a little dark, I just adjust the brightness and contrast. It's a little bit of a pain, but worth it imho to avoid the glare.

[yuzuha]

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@ekmadonna wrote:

FYI- You may not know this but even if you use the ebay supplied listing details you still can USE YOUR OWN PICTURES. all you have to do is "x" out the stock image and insert your own photos. I do this all the time. There is a way to do it.

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Exactly-- I do it for every DVD and video game I list.  It offers the stock image, but all you have to do to delete it is click the X and it will remove it.

[castanea_sue]

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@city*satins wrote:

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@castanea_sue wrote:

When I sell books (even lots), I always take pictures of the spine, back, and edges. And inside pages if I have enough pictures to spare. I don't find it boring, and it's what I would want to see if I were buying the books.

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And since we're on the topic of condition, I have to say that personally, I would never describe a lot of books with waterstains, detached pages, cracked spines and multiple permanent creases on the covers GOOD to VERY GOOD.

So I'm glad that you take as many pictures as you do to make up for your choices about condition.  While there's often room for disagreement, you seem to think some books are in good condition that I would describe as so poor as to barely qualify as reading copies since trying to read them risks them further disintegrating in the reader's hands.  JMHO 

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Really? I only have one set of books listed right now. They belong to my sister, and they're pretty darn nice.  Did you buy something from me you didn't like?  I did a lot of reading before I tried describing used books. I do try to be honest.