When is New/Sealed NOT Sealed (or even New) ?

Graham

A few years ago I was one of the larger sellers of CMF's (in the UK), I started with series 1 and quit after Series 7.

I always sold sealed bags - and took time to ID them, 1 and 2 were easy, the others, well "easy" with practice - I was popular at the LEGO store - as I could usually "find" the one that "little Johnny" HAD to have...

I quit as the market got flooded by too many sellers. There were a few that also sold sealed packets, but most didn't.
And they stated things like "opened to make sure you get the right one" and similar statements - making it sound like they are doing you a favor!

Now I notice they are moving in.

It doesn't really concern me (directly) as I am no longer selling CMF's (at least not at the moment)

However you can't sell something as New/Sealed and then state it has "been transferred to a zip-lok bag" or "opened to check" or even "made a small slit to make sure" - it AIN'T New/Sealed then is it?

I found another listing as "New" but then says it will be shipped assembled - then it isn't new - is it?
To me if you assemble a set it is used.

I have no idea how you would (if you chose to) control this, but I feel it is wrong.

I sold 3000+ CMF's and didn't get a single error. So from experience I know you don't have to "make a small cut to check" let alone "transfer to a zip-lok bag"

Graham

This IS a suggestion, but not sure how to word it!!

Aladine

I agree, 'opened to identify' is not new/sealed. But sellers have the possibility to list them as new/complete instead of new/sealed (that's what I did as I wasn't able to identify them without opening). As to assembled ones: IMO not new, should be listed as used/like new.

But what do you suggest? There will always be some sellers who sell used items as new, uncomplete sets as complete etc. Unless having a sort of 'police' I see no way to stop them.
Renate

Timothy_Smith

If you don't have community policing you'll end up with vigilantes. :-)

(Agreed, imho, New/complete can be used for open items but not New/sealed.)

Graham

Yup it's one thing to identify an "issue" and quite another to offer a solution, I suppose without policing or the "vigilante" approach the only solution would be to rely on honesty.

Perhaps when listing a set as New/Sealed a pop up "are you sure" box might help put folks off mis-listing? (like the one asking "have you double checked everything")

So that will be my suggestion!!

Graham

rjmorton

I agree, 'opened to identify' is not new/sealed. But sellers have the possibility to list them as new/complete instead of new/sealed (that's what I did as I wasn't able to identify them without opening). As to assembled ones: IMO not new, should be listed as used/like new.

I agree with you about opened items are no longer new/sealed. new/complete would be a better classification for this.

I don't agree on your point about assembled minifigs no longer being new though (if it were anything other than minifigs I would probably agree). Over on Bricklink, they have a specific exemption for minifigs - they can be assembled and new. People moving their stores from Bricklink to here who already have a lot of minifigs in their inventories would find that all of a sudden they are used here and not new. I have always assembled my minifigs for shipping and then placed each one in an individual Ziploc bag as I found that they are much less likely to get scratched or damaged this way, rather than being 3 or more loose pieces in a Ziploc bag. Most minifig collectors are very particular (including myself) and certainly over on Bricklink when I sold there, I never once had a complaint that the figs were shipped assembled - whereas the occasions I tried shipping them unassembled, I did have not so great comments from my buyers.
We're a very strange lot us minifig collectors!

Aladine

I don't agree with you. What is or was the rule on BrickLink doesn't matter here any more. And if you want to avoid scratching, there's a simple way: seal the minifig parts immediately when taking out of the box (fragile parts separately). That's what I do. The figs remain new and no risk of scratching. A new fig should be in the state in which it comes in the box or polybag, otherwise it's not new. Forget about BrickLink and let's be better here.

Timothy_Smith

And yet "some" parts can be both assembled and New. Turntables come assembled from the factory. Taking one apart would cause wear. And minifigs are partially assembled; the hands and heads are attached. You don't believe that all minifig heads are Used, do you?

Aladine

of course not. Anything that comes assembled from the factory is new the way it is. In sets you mostly have torso/arms/hands assembled , not the head which comes apart (at least in all those which I opened).

Graham

I have yet to come across a turntable assembled in a set - how many sets I know not, I would guess between 100 and 200.

Neither have I come across a partially assembled MF (head attached)

This thread, however was regarding collectible MF's (series 1 thru infinity), but now including MiniFigs from sets, personally I would not like to receive an assembled fig, I would rather receive it as it came from the factory (WITH hands attached )

When selling "elsewhere" - I had to assemble one to take a photograph, that one I either keep or sell seperately, noting that it has been assembled, and why.

rjmorton

I don't agree with you. What is or was the rule on BrickLink doesn't matter here any more. And if you want to avoid scratching, there's a simple way: seal the minifig parts immediately when taking out of the box (fragile parts separately). That's what I do. The figs remain new and no risk of scratching. A new fig should be in the state in which it comes in the box or polybag, otherwise it's not new. Forget about BrickLink and let's be better here.

I agree that just because Bricklink has a certain rule, Brickowl shouldn't have the same rule by default, but I really do think they have it right with that one.
The only complaints I ever got in over 12 years on Bricklink about minifigs were twice when I shipped figures unassembled. Even though I had shipped the parts for only one minifig per Ziploc, the torso had become scratched by the loose legs in the bags. By shipping them assembled - one per bag - that didn't happen and I never once had anyone question that.
Maybe when I open my store over here, I will put a note next to each fig that explains that the figure is shipped assembled to help protect it, but if you'd prefer them unassembled then let me know. But the figure shouldn't need to be marked as used just because it's assembled - there would be too many people with a lot of existing new figures that all of a sudden are classified as used.

Plus (an extreme edge case I know, but it's valid) it would mean if you as an example, an assembled ghost figure from this set: http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-haunted-house-set-10228, then it's new, but if the same assembled figure came from this set: http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-haunted-house-set-10228 , then it's used.

budgetkids

Maybe when I open my store over here, I will put a note next to each fig that explains that the figure is shipped assembled to help protect it, but if you'd prefer them unassembled then let me know.

I was thinking that on figs your could place a check box on the sellers end. "Shipped assembled" and one for "Shipped disassembled" and if you want the buyer to have a choice, let them choose at checkout for figs.

Chris

bluedragon

Along the same lines: when is a set complete? I always assumed a complete set includes, well, everything! That includes the box, right?

However, there are stores listing sets as complete with a note reading "only missing the box". To me that is an incomplete set.

budgetkids

Actually, I agree with you. Complete means nothing missing.
I had sets on my inventory marked as complete with the note you are saying. This is just because of how things were on the other site. We need definitive rules here, what is complete and what is not?
My vote is complete means everything including the box and instructions

Chris