Buyer beware!
Is the owner (Jorge Monteiro) a crook, or just a lousy businessman? Or Both?
Back on 11th March I ordered a comic via eBay, from an establishment called Paper Thin Comics - and again on 17th June. They were what is known as 'pre-orders', meaning the comics had not yet been released, but were due to be at a later date. I continued to buy other comics from this seller, but the owner didn't seem to know (or care) how to wrap comics so that they were protected in the post.
All too often my comics arrived in a thin (I'll resist the obvious pun) cardboard-backed brown envelopes, with the corners dunted and the spines bent. Despite repeatedly informing him that his packing was insufficient, he continued to send them in this way, so I asked him to wait until I had several comics on order, then send them in the one package, as several mags would be less prone to get bent in transit.
He said he would, but some comics continued to be sent individually and would, inevitably, be damaged. I therefore asked him just to refund me for the ones which were outstanding. He didn't - he sent me the last few comics he owed me, apart from two which had been cancelled and not yet rescheduled. These were the Facsimile Editions of The Flash #135 and X-Men #12. I repeated my request a few times to be refunded for these two issues, but in response, all I would get was a message saying that, because of Covid-19, there was a delay in processing orders. Each message would have a ticket number for me to quote should I have to get in touch.
Seems like it was only a stalling tactic, so that the time allowed for raising a case against the seller would elapse, leaving me up sh*t-creek without a paddle - and my money in the account of Paper Thin Comics. It's now too late for either eBay or PayPal to refund me, but this deliberate withholding of my money is nothing short of theft, and eBay should ban this seller right away. There are numerous negative comments on his feedback profile, most of them within the last month from buyers in the same situation as myself.
So if you were planning on buying any comics on eBay, avoid Paper Thin Comics like the plague. Anyone who won't refund money on comics that are no longer scheduled is a thief and you'd be a fool to do business with him.
I have two options. See a lawyer, or visit him in person for a refund. I've done it before and I'll do it again if necessary, as I'm not about to let a fraudulent seller (Jorge Monteiro remember) steal from me, regardless of how little the amount. (Don't believe me? See my post 'Have Mission, Will Travel...') I'll let you know how things go once all the travel restrictions are lifted.
******
It now looks like this seller has gone out of business. No doubt he'll create a new identity and start selling on eBay when he thinks he can get away with it. A total crook and a person without honour!
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