Caveat Emptor, an eBay Story
06-20-01, 11:24 AM
#1
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Hello Everyone,
It's been a while since I've posted, but I've had an experience that I'd like to share, in the hopes that others reading it might learn from it.
Whilst idly surfing eBay I noticed a few auctions open for the Criterion's 1st Edition of Seven Samurai. This dvd being the last OOP I needed, and given prices were kind of low, I bid on one and won. (my mistake there, bidding without researching the claims in the auction - but the way it was written seemed there could be no doubt that this was indeed the 1st Edition). In the course of setting up payment arrangements, I asked for the scans of the box just to see what I'd be getting. Just previous to this request I'd done some research right here at dvdtalk, remembering an excellent thread that went into the differences between editions, and which had a scan of the 1st edition back cover. What I ended up receiving was a scan of the 2nd Edition cover (the running times, barcode placement are different, and 2nd Edition has region coding symbol on it). I then emailed the seller saying that he sent the 2nd edition cover, and to please send the scan of the first edition cover that comes with the DVD. The seller replied that was the only cover that he had, but was sure that the DVD contained the restoration demo (signature of a first edition copy). To his credit though, he acknowledged that I wouldn't have to pay as this was not what I had bid for. My guess is that he was sold a 1st Edition disc in a 2nd edition cover.
At any rate, I suppose the moral of the story (for me anyhow) is always to look before you leap, and (in the case of Seven Samurai) be sure that both disc and packaging are from the same edition.
It's been a while since I've posted, but I've had an experience that I'd like to share, in the hopes that others reading it might learn from it.
Whilst idly surfing eBay I noticed a few auctions open for the Criterion's 1st Edition of Seven Samurai. This dvd being the last OOP I needed, and given prices were kind of low, I bid on one and won. (my mistake there, bidding without researching the claims in the auction - but the way it was written seemed there could be no doubt that this was indeed the 1st Edition). In the course of setting up payment arrangements, I asked for the scans of the box just to see what I'd be getting. Just previous to this request I'd done some research right here at dvdtalk, remembering an excellent thread that went into the differences between editions, and which had a scan of the 1st edition back cover. What I ended up receiving was a scan of the 2nd Edition cover (the running times, barcode placement are different, and 2nd Edition has region coding symbol on it). I then emailed the seller saying that he sent the 2nd edition cover, and to please send the scan of the first edition cover that comes with the DVD. The seller replied that was the only cover that he had, but was sure that the DVD contained the restoration demo (signature of a first edition copy). To his credit though, he acknowledged that I wouldn't have to pay as this was not what I had bid for. My guess is that he was sold a 1st Edition disc in a 2nd edition cover.
At any rate, I suppose the moral of the story (for me anyhow) is always to look before you leap, and (in the case of Seven Samurai) be sure that both disc and packaging are from the same edition.
06-20-01, 12:20 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
...or, as eBay itself suggests (and provides a very easy way to do, with a link on each auction page) ASK THE SELLER for any additional information/clarification before you bid.
