What does mint mean (ie should I complain?)?

[linter]

I couldn't figure out which forum this might better belong in so I plonked it here; if it should be elsewhere, maybe an admin could move it.

Anyway, I recently won an eBay auction for a very nice (unsigned) Keith Haring print advertised as "mint" -- "no stains no folds no restauration". It was not cheap and shipping from Paris to the U.S. was $45. I just opened it and found folds on two corners, a small rip beginning to develop on one side and a crimp here and there along the edges. See pix below. I am totally bummed. Seller has had good feedback.

What would you do if you were me? If I return it, I'll have to pay return shipping. If I keep it, I could frame out the issues but I'd still want some kind of price refund, right? -- but how much would be appropriate, if the seller will even agree to it? I paid, gulp, $611 plus the shipping.

Or am I wrong to think mint means mint?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have!

here's the auction: www.ebay.com/itm/280854206679?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_3191wt_1519

[therivler1]

generally, i let small things go.

that one, however, is not even close to being mint, and should never have been described as such. Contact the seller to return or partial refund. If unresponsive, file a paypal SNAD claim.

[fingerz]

should of at least shown pic's of the damage

[curiousgeorge]

To my eye that's damaged not mint

[seqret]

def not mint

[iamzero]

No where near mint more like.

Cancel the transaction with paypal which will freeze the money his end, then tell him you want $300 back to get it restored to the condition it should have arrived in..

[smishdown]

Personally I would send seller a message about it first and see if he will refund part of the money to compensate, if not I would return it myself as that is nowhere near mint, unfortunatley you would be out of pocket for shipping but that's a lot of money for something your not happy with, just my opinion.

[redfred]

Mint=In as new condition. He is guilty of misrepresentation as this is clearly damaged.

[mescalit0]

Maybe he mean't that it smells like mint , sure as hell it doesn't look like it!

[biggie]

I am similar I normally let small imperfections go, but that is damaged and quite badly. Contact the seller first and ask why it is like it is - if he stalls or declines giving you something in return, file a claim

[ilmambo]

contact the seller and find and agreement with him.
I think that you have two options:
- ship it back and ask for a full refund (you'll pay for shipping it back and he refunds your cost+first shipping costs)
- keep it, contact a restorer and ask the seller to refund you the amount of money necessary to restore it.

[linter]

Thanks, all, for the speedy responses. As you can imagine, this situation is making me one unhappy and mournful camper. I really wanted this print!

I don't think I want to go through the hassle of getting the thing restored, so I'm going to offer him $100 for it or return it. No doubt I'll be returning it.

What a crappy day this has been. I had an ironclad (and very good) deal on a signed Banksy, lots of emails exchanged, many many promises made, considerable legwork done by me ... and then a few hours ago he backs our for a better offer. Man I hate it when that happens! And it was going to be my first Banksy!

Now I got no Banksy on the way and a Haring I'll probably have to return.

At least the Mau Mau 'Bark Worse than Bite' that Rivler sent me a few weeks back turned out to be just as mint as he'd promised. Thanks, Riv!

[casho]

Shouls have been sold as damaged, with pics of creases t is no where near mint IMO

[therivler1]

Apr 19, 2012 18:46:12 GMT 1 linter said:

At least the Mau Mau 'Bark Worse than Bite' that Rivler sent me a few weeks back turned out to be just as mint as he'd promised. Thanks, Riv!

Cheers

[rottenredrooster]

Very annoying to see this.

Open a case and the money will be frozen until agreement.

Looks like a nice print too.

[maadbeats]

open the paypal ebay case first then contact, the seller is obviously misleading so expect the worst when you make contact

[linter]

case opened. we'll see what happens. whatta bummer!

meanwhile, thanks for the advice, you all are great.

[mmmike]

There can be different interpretations of what excellent or good condition is but mint is mint. Mint means perfect. the term should not be used lightly.

This print in obviously not mint and it would be hard to argue it is even excellent, maybe good but more likely poor condition.

Make sure you get a full refund and get the seller to pay for return postage.

[linter]

ebay policy is that the buyer has to pay return postage, which is a real bummer, especially in a cut-and-dried case like this one.

[coach]

Very poor form to describe that as mint - its no where near mint.
I would be equally upset - hope it all works out for you

[Cedric Mnich]

Damn and the seller is a fellow frenchman !
That definitely is not MINT and the description should have said at the very least "Minor creases in corner not affecting the overrall pic, more accurate pics on request".
Better to try find a way to solve the problem with the seller. In last resort you can also put a very negative comment for his profile if the guy is not honest...
Now, if you don't consider it as an investment, a good framing would certainly hide the creases and you still can be happy with the print ?

[gibbin82]

As said this should never have been described as mint, however there may be a genuine (although unlikely) reason why this has happened, it could be that the seller had two of these prints one mint and one badly damaged and you have been mistakenly sent the wrong one (the one pictured in the listing doesn't appear damaged). On a positive side for you the seller has 100% positive feedback and I would think will want to protect that, so I would politely contact him explaining the problem including pictures and if he is half decent he should sort it out for you. Unfortunately although it is too late now it might have been better to contact the seller before opening the claim, it makes for much easier negotiation if this is done before the funds are frozen and the seller gets a dispute notification (it is also part of the PayPal protection policy that the buyer attempts to contact the seller to amicably resolve the situation before raising a claim).

What would you do if you were me?

f**king EXPLODE!!!

Or am I wrong to think mint means mint?

Hell no, but be ready to hear " its xx years old, its mint for its age" For the response to this, see above.

[linter]

hey all thanks for the support!

gibbin: I went and checked and actually i haven't opened an actual case yet. seems i've just sent the seller an email describing the problem and providing a link to the pix. don't know how calmly things will go, however, because i was er ah rather HOT in my PM to him.
anyway, will post back what he says.

well, try to work it out...

me, myself have never ever had any official claims against or from anyone - but i'm a rainbowchaser which goes against the silly litigious society we live in - personally can't stand middlemen... but, communication and time and patience can sometimes unexpectedly go a long way... helping before you hurt can have a ripple effect, never know... we're all just people... try again and work it out directly and not stress yourself out - and consider the grand scheme of things!... might be naive of me, tho...

[gibbin82]

Apr 19, 2012 22:43:31 GMT 1 linter said:

hey all thanks for the support!

gibbin: I went and checked and actually i haven't opened an actual case yet. seems i've just sent the seller an email describing the problem and providing a link to the pix. don't know how calmly things will go, however, because i was er ah rather HOT in my PM to him.
anyway, will post back what he says.

Really hope it goes well for you in the end.

[elwheel]

Real bad luck linter - it's been said but not only is it not mint, it is probably not even 'very good condition'. RE: Restoration, a few posters have said it could be restored to the advertised condition. Is that really possible? Can creases be removed?

[linter]

well, looks like i'm going to be made whole, though i'd much rather have had what i thought i'd bought. per the seller: "I'm really sad to read that you are umpleased with you K
Haring. But as it is a 30 years old print it cannot be as a new one.
However I'm always trying to satisfy my customer. So i will refund you
100% of your expense plus the shipping fees you will have to pay to return
me the K HARING."

Guess somebody ought to inform him of what 'mint' means, as he apparently has no idea. But, hey, I'm going to go with the flow for the moment and steer clear of any further interaction that might cause further disruption to my karmic balance sheet.

So, now: does anyone have any keith haring prints they want to sell (or banksy or [might as well jump on the bandwagon] stik)?

Thanks again everyone. You've been most, most helpful during this time of turble stress..

[linter]

p.s. five minutes after he first emailed me, i got a notice from paypal that he'd refunded my entire purchase price + initial shipping. says he'll PP the return shipping amount once i know it, and at this juncture i have no reason to doubt it.