Not a good experience this time...
There was a Bond and Beyond sale on Thursday, 7th Feb 2019.
There was one combined Lot offering in respect of Live and Let Die, a set of eight UK FOH stills, numerous b/w US Press Stills, and a UK Local Premiere brochure. The only item I was interested in, was the brochure. I went relatively high on bidding, because I knew I would be able to shift on the FOH and Press stills via eBay.
Having won the Lot, upon picking it up from them today, it was abundantly apparent that the UK FOH set was a copy set - and an obviously Bad copy set too with a mottled gloss/matt surface finish and fuzzy typesetting. Alastair was not available for help so my first fight was with a lady.
Suggesting a part refund, her response was one of an offer of a full refund for the entire Lot and its subsequent re-entry into a future auction whereby, presumably, I would have to go through the whole rigmarole again.
I asked if she would consider a part refund for the dodgy fake items, and I would take the rest. Her answer was No. Why, I asked. Because it’s policy.
I suggested that the value was immediately apparent because there was another Lot (1141) in the same auction which was for a stand-alone Live and Let Die FOH set. This went for £110. If this too was not a copy set, then a straight reduction of £110 from my £380 payment would, I believe, have been a fair resolution.
Going back to The Policy, I am supposing the vendor does not dictate to Ewbanks how the items are sold, i.e. to place some items together and others not. This design remains the preserve of the auctioneer... So, I asked the lady again as to why a part refund would not be possible whereby, in a later auction, the FOH set could be sold individually. I don’t think she understood the thrust of the question, much less the policy.
I decided to take the entire Lot with me thinking I would follow it up when home. I wrote a mail to Alastair, with whom I thought I had a relationship further to some previously fairly large purchases, asking again, why they could not have taken a part refund, and to place in their next auction, a further stand-alone set of FOH cards? (Albeit, correctly described)
And the response I got was this.
"If you had not taken it we would have likely offered the lot to the underbidder at the price you paid and then it would be down to the vendor to decide."
Thereby passing on the same junk, at the same price, to some other unsuspecting bidder.
I am utterly shocked at the laissez faire, shoddy attitude displayed towards their customers. It seems any old crap will do.
Chaps, I would urge a no-holds-barred approach to getting descriptions out of this bunch and if there is a likelihood of rubbish strewn in amongst the proper items of Combined Lots, to consider your bidding approach.
