WOW! Crazy stuff!
Sounds like narcissistic mid to late 20's control freak. Definitely sounds like a major douche.
WOW! Crazy stuff!
Sounds like narcissistic mid to late 20's control freak. Definitely sounds like a major douche.
Not so much a seller to avoid like the plague, but someone who left me incredulous.
Anyone dealt with James from Quintessential Rare Books? Emailed him today about a book he had priced at $2,250. He offered me a small discount and said he could get it packed to go by the end of this week, if I paid today. Given the value of the book, I requested further photos that the small, blurry photos on Abe Books didn't do justice. I told him I was a serious buyer, but there was no urgency and he could get back to me when convenient.
His response:
"At the moment, I am swamped with customers here coming to the store. I don’t have the time or assistance for someone to take more photos at the moment."
I thought: Of course, a day, a week, sure thing, the guy's busy.
He went on...
"However, the summer months from July to September are my slower months, so email me then, and I’ll take additional pictures for you."
I think he sensed my laconic disposition and took my "not urgent" phrase a little too far. Probably had a queue of customers tossing $2,250 wads of cash at him while he was trying to type his response to me, poor guy. Had time to pack and post the book, but no photos, please. Anyway, I responded sympathetically and promised to email him again on August 9th, around 11am.
I find everything at Quintessential Books to be WAY overpriced...never dealt with him.
ABE.com in general has inflated prices. Maybe it is because my "face" is a business, but EVERY TIME I can negotiate a lower price than that listed at ABE.com....my latest purchases there were some Dark Tower (gee who knew) books all inscribed to to the same gentleman who was in charge of the book's production. I received a 25% discount from listed prices and free FedEx next day shipping...I never would have purchased at the "list" price, but 25% off and free shipping made the books reach the upper end of my valuation, so I pulled the trigger on them.
Dragline : Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke : Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Book Dealers-eBay sellers-dt.org buyers/sellers/ to Avoid like the Plague
I know James well and had met up with him numerous times a few years ago when I was ramping up my collection. He's an okay guy and aside from one disappointing experience he was always friendly to me and I used to enjoy talking books with him. Although there were times when he did give me some decent deals, in genera I agree with David that his prices are pretty high. That response does seem out of character though. Maybe he was having a bad day.
Edit. Come to think about it, that disappointing experience I mentioned involved a request for photos!
Thanks David and Paul. Yeah, maybe he's camera shy.
I have to share this annoying experience I had on ABE.
I bought a copy of the UK ARC for Heart-Shaped Box from Fine Edition Books in England. Shipping cost was $12.43. The next day I got an email entitled: Extra Charges Requested for Sales Order, requesting another $12.09 for shipping, since whatever service I chose was not the "ABE approved" method for books being shipped over seas. And along with the email was a note stating several more issues with the condition of the proof. I rejected the charges because frankly, I was annoyed. Why offer a shipping choice that I can't use, then DOUBLE the shipping price? I realize shipping is expensive from England and it's not much money, but I felt like they were trying to pull something over on me and I was pissed.
For whatever reason, I was unable to cancel the item on my end, so I had to contact them to do it for me. This morning I get an email stating the book is unavailable, and 8 minutes later I get the snottiest note from Fine Edition Books stating: "Evidently you have discovered how to cancel the order at your end."
Perhaps this is why in all the thousands of dollars I have spent in books, I have only ever bought 2 from ABE.
EDIT: Just saw Bob had an issue with them last fall and Gerald before that. Perhaps I should follow this thread more closely...
I've had the same issues with him. There was a previous discussion about it. Probably numerous previous discussions. He makes it difficult to buy from him. He lists items on Abe, then you make a purchase and he says it's not available anymore. And you can pretty much guarantee that you will receive that extra shipping email after you purchase something. On top of that, it's not unusual to experience the rudeness you mentioned. Somewhere in there is a hint of sanity as I've had some fairly 'normal' email exchanges with him in the past and he comes across as a nice guy. The way he operates is odd and I've never been able to really understand him and why he does what he does.
This statement sums up exactly how I feel too.Originally Posted by zelig
Sorry, Dez, that you had that experience with him. It is frustrating. But there are many, many legitimate, competent and friendly booksellers on ABE. Most of my 20 years of experience with ABE orders has been very positive.
Thanks guys. Shit happens, but I really wanted that damn book and after repeatedly putting it in my basket, I finally pulled the trigger. I'm just disappointed.This statement sums up exactly how I feel too.
Sorry, Dez, that you had that experience with him. It is frustrating. But there are many, many legitimate, competent and friendly booksellers on ABE. Most of my 20 years of experience with ABE orders has been very positive.
Dez here's one on eBay at what I feel is a reasonable price. It's from Hyraxia. https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/252339412264
Thanks, Paul. I was looking at that one as well, and I believe folks around here have had good dealings with Hyraxia, although it is hard to keep track!
Definitely, Dez. Only good things to say about the Hyraxia team.Thanks, Paul. I was looking at that one as well, and I believe folks around here have had good dealings with Hyraxia, although it is hard to keep track!
sk
Me too, even though several members here find some of Simon's (Hyraxia) signed King books to be suspect. I don't collect signed books so I never paid attention. But all my dealings with Simon have been first-class.
Thanks all. I just ordered the proof off Hyraxia's website (international shipping is free, unlike eBay). Hopefully less problems this time!
I am about two or three days from publicly ranting about a popular Stephen King-related artist that I am (hopefully still) doing business with. We'll see if anything changes in that timeframe. Doubtful.
I've had some good experiences with Hyraxia as well. Although I've found better pricing in other places.
You don't know my kind.....You don't my mind.....Dark necessities are part of my design.....
This is through Facebook, and the MAIN THING I want everyone to know is that throughout this ENTIRE TIME, he is logging in, logging out, active, not active, active in the past hour, etc. So, it's not as if he is in a ditch somewhere. The motherfucker is IGNORING ME.
3/5, 7:16pm
Shannon Gaisser
Alright, hello again! So, what email address am I sending the $150 to?
And my address is:
(address)
3/5, 7:21pm
Erik Wilson
My PayPal is
(email)
And thanks!
3/5, 7:28pm
Shannon Gaisser
Thank YOU. Money sent.
3/5, 7:33pm
Erik Wilson
(thumbs up)
3/5, 7:33pm
Erik Wilson
I'll get it shipped next week.
3/5, 7:34pm
Shannon Gaisser
Woot woot!
3/9, 10:10am
Shannon Gaisser
Hi friend, did you send the Batman piece yet? No rush, just excited to get it. :)
3/9, 10:13am
Erik Wilson
No- but it is going out soon (I had to build a box/sleeve to mail it in ). It's thick illustration board so it won't roll and go into a poster tube.
3/9, 11:16am
Shannon Gaisser
No worries, thank you so much again. Im extremely happy I was able to buy it, thank you. It's wonderful.
3/9, 11:16am
Erik Wilson
Thank you!
3/15, 10:56pm
Shannon Gaisser
Send it yet send it yet? :)
3/16, 4:10pm
Shannon Gaisser
Hello?
3/16, 5:03pm
Erik Wilson
Hey! Sorry been gone a bit, went out this afternoon!
3/16, 5:03pm
Shannon Gaisser
Sounds good, thankee sai!
3/22, 6:15pm
Shannon Gaisser
Do you happen to have a tracking number for the Batman piece?
3/22, 6:21pm
Erik Wilson
I'm not home but I'll be back in town tomorrow and look up the tracking - it went retail mail so it can take 8 business days
But there is tracking on it
3/22, 6:23pm
Shannon Gaisser
Cool beans, thanks
3/23, 9:02pm
Shannon Gaisser
Hello again, sorry to be a bother, but do you have that tracking number?
3/23, 9:25pm
Erik Wilson
Hey, sorry I got held up and didn't get back home tonight but will be back tomorrow for sure (visiting my mother, which always becomes a thing).
I wouldn't worry too terribly just yet as the outside edge of the delivery window is next Monday/Tuesday, but we'll track it down
3/23, 9:26pm
Shannon Gaisser
I'm not worried, I just like knowing where packages are. I love checking the tracking and seeing that HEY its outside my front door lol
3/23, 9:26pm
Erik Wilson
(thumbs up)
3/23, 9:26pm
Shannon Gaisser
No worries, have fun lol
3/23, 9:27pm
Erik Wilson
No worries
Other than my moms new carport and her yelling about the workers
3/25, 8:47pm
Shannon Gaisser
Are you home yet, good sir?
3/26, 8:49pm
Shannon Gaisser
... are you home YET? lol
3/26, 8:56pm
Shannon Gaisser
lol I give up.
3/26, 9:12pm
Erik Wilson
Ah I stayed for Easter. I'm a sucker or a good son.
3/26, 9:20pm
Shannon Gaisser
Lol well happy easter
3/29, 3:43pm
Shannon Gaisser
Hello, I would like the tracking number please. Thank you.
3/30, 5:06pm
Shannon Gaisser
Hello, I would like the tracking number please, thank you.
I mean ... I paid for it on the 5th, you sent it out on the 16th ... It's the 30th now ... What's going on?
3/31, 10:39pm
Shannon Gaisser
...
4/1, 12:11pm
Shannon Gaisser
I've never bought anything from you before, so I don't know if this is how you normally do business, but from our conversations and working relationship in the past, this is not how I would have imagined you conducting yourself.
4/1, 12:15pm
Shannon Gaisser
So ... it took over a week for you to "ship" the item after I paid for it immediately, it's way past the estimated time of arrival and still no package, and now I see you're logging into Facebook, and blatantly ignoring my requests for a tracking number. Is that because there IS no tracking number? Or better yet, because showing me the tracking number would show me that you DIDN'T ship it out when you said you did.
4/1, 12:15pm
Shannon Gaisser
This is ridiculous.
4/2, 6:58pm
Shannon Gaisser
HELLOOOOOOOOO? Any response? Anything at all? I really dont even care if you sent out the piece yesterday, I just need to know the tracking number. Thank you.
4/3, 6:01pm
Shannon Gaisser
Dear Mr. Wilson, hello good sir! I'm the guy that bought the beautiful Batman piece you did about a month ago. I was wondering if you, by chance, happened to ship it out yet? And if so, may I please have the tracking number? That would be much appreciated, thank you so much!
4/4, 5:34pm
Shannon Gaisser
Dear Mr. Wilson, hello good sir! I was just wondering, at this point, with the artwork not being in my possession, and you refusing to give me a tracking number, and you blatantly ignoring me, even though log in and out of facebook daily, if I should consider this a loss and get PayPal involved? And tell everyone of my experience, which I haven't done yet out of respect? Let me know --PLEASE-- thank you.
4/5, 1:36pm
Shannon Gaisser
I have about one more day of patience in me. Come ON man, what the hell is going on?
That sucks.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUCK.
I just tried to contest the transaction on PayPal.
And it reminds me I sent it through Friends and Family, and I can't contest it.
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK
I'm sorry man. That sucks. Perhaps if he were made aware of this thread he would pony up. It's bad business and collectors have long memories!
Dan
Good health to all!!!
I posted this same exact post on every single Facebook post of his since March 5th.
Every. Single. One.
Not only does he know. EVERYONE knows.
Wow. What an asshole.
lol, me, or him?
Well, I finally heard from Erik Wilson, and he offered me a refund or the artwork. I told him I'd still like the artwork and he said he would ship it out tomorrow and send me the tracking number.
Fingers crossed.
Surprise, surprise. Hope it works out!
Dan
Good health to all!!!
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