I wanted to share this message I just received from an eBay customer. The customer had bought an Immortal Hulk #2 and #12 variant set. Issue #2 was a 4th print variant and issue #4 is a 2nd print variant. The listing title stated they are variants, and the printings were fully disclosed in the description. And I get this message;
The covers literally say ‘variant edition’ in the corner boxes. So annoying having to spend the time dealing with this type of thing. Smh.
Now I would be able to read the description and tell they are second prints but with eBay you have to be descriptive as possible on the listing title. The buyer does have a point though, just stating variants instead of 2nd print variants on the title is a bit misleading. I have unintentionally left out of the title 2nd print but included it in the description before and I have the same complaint.
Annoying. You would think if they are collecting they would know what they are buying before they click the BIN button of win the auction. In today’s market if there is even a slight color swap the book is considered a full variant. Oh well, no return and no Negative/Neutral feedback means a good sale! Forget about it and sell something else.
I can understand the buyers frustration. You don’t disclose in the description or title that their later printings. That’s something I’d fix on the remaining set. It does clearly state the printing numbers on the issues near the UPC’s though. Take out some of the unnecessary symbols and abbreviate to fit the printings in the title and 100% put it in the description. Just my thoughts.
I had a seller recently package a book very poorly and it got damaged in the mail. I let the seller know and took plenty of pics showing it. It’s one of those packages you get and know it’s going to have issues just looking at it. I took pics before I even opened it. I used the word worthless to describe my frustration and the seller was rude. He responded with Well since it’s worthless, I’ll issue a full refund upon you tearing the book up and throwing it away and sending a pic of it. Needless to say his packaging and rudeness earned him his first negative feedback.
I hate giving negative feedback but sometimes you just come across a person that just doesn’t care. I can take a mistake, they happen and even some ignorance if the seller doesn’t specialize in comics and maybe just doesn’t understand grading but when they get rude or belligerent or just trying to pull a fast one that’s when I draw the line. Luckily I haven’t had to give a negative in roughly three years now.
He actually mentioned he stated the printings info in the description…
It was the buyers responsibility to read the description.
If you look at the listing it doesn’t state anywhere in the title or description about being later printings. He may have stated it said so in this discussion but in the actual listings description it’s not there. I’m going by the actual listing not what was said in here.
If that is the actual listing the seller would have every right to leave negative feedback. That is big no-no to not state the books were 2nd prints. There is a huge difference between a book being a variant and a 2nd print variant. Honestly even the title alone stating variant instead of 2nd print variant is a pretty shady selling tactic. There are just as many bad sellers on eBay as buyers
Call me Old School … (I am, in fact, Old, after all) … no Buyer has the right to leave a Negative Feedback until and unless said Buyer allows the Seller to make it right first … Mistakes do happen … we are all only Human …
Sellers can’t leave a Negative …
I wouldn’t go as far as leaving negative feedback if I were the buyer. The pictures did have the printings on the covers and I’m 99% sure it was a mistake on the sellers part omitting the printings from the description. I mean why come on here to vent otherwise? Accidents and mistakes happen to everyone. Definitely wouldn’t call it shady.
Yes, it was disclosed that they were later printings. It is literally the first sentence in the item description. I can not put 2nd print variant and 4th print variant in the title because there is not enough space.
*Correction;. I usually have the printings in the description, I must have forgot this time. In my defense, the books have the printings on the cover below the cornerbox, that can be seen in the photos. 
Issue #2 literally has ‘variant edition’ printed on the cover. Calling something what it is, is not shady by any stretch, imo.
Not to mention that this set was listed at cover price. Why would anyone try to hide facts about their listings, if they are selling them at literally a zero percent mark up. That is an extreme accusation given the context, imo.
I use the title to describe the item, focusing on key words. The title has a limited amount of characters, thus making a description as descriptive as possible, impossible. I will then describe the item in full detail, in the designated description area for the listing. This has worked well for me in the past.
@D-Rog…I also believe the point of the OP was mistaken. The customer said the books were not variants. Period. They are clearly variants. The customer then tried to explain to me why they are not variants. He stated that variants are 1st prints that are printed at the same time as the main cover. And he concluded his message with ‘Just so you know’.
This was my gripe. The customers lack of understanding of what he bought, and the ensuing lesson that he gave me.
The customer was not upset about the product, or the description, or the title, he was upset that his variants were not variants, in his eyes.
I have no issue with then title. If space permitted it should disclose the printings, but it’s up to the seller to determine the best way to capture the intended audiences attention. Titles are only intended for that.
No one should ever buy a comic buy just what’s in the title. Thats why there are pictures and a description. The big No-No is when you add things in the title that are inconsistent with the pictures or description or flat out lies.
I will concur that if a key detail is not in the title is should be disclosed in the description. That’s a no brainer. It sounds like that was JClu’s intent but was over looked and was called out. Buyer must not have done their research nor looked at the photos because it was obvious they are later printings.
Not defending anyone, just saying both sides could have done better.
Precisely. Thank you. There are close to 250 listings at my eBay store. If one was to take the time to look at other listings of later printings, I’m fairly confident that the printings are always disclosed in my listings. I have nothing to hide, and my 1500+, 100% positive feedback speaks for itself, as far as my selling integrity is concerned.
I think it’s strange when a second print comes out with new cover art and it’s called a variant when there are no other variants in that print run. So I can understand the confusion if that were the case. But there is no rule a later printing can’t be a variant. Otherwise what would one call all the 1:25 incentive variants marvel came out with for titles like immortal hulk and marvel comics presents recently??
