Listed as Mint by Has Small Flaws

[northstar3184]

I wanted to see if this is something worth mentioning to a seller: I bought a twinkle eye pony on ebay. The pony is described as being in mint condition. However, when I received the pony today I noticed there are 2 very small cancer spots and her one eye has a minor scuff. Otherwise she's in  perfect condition. Are these things worth mentioning to the seller? I'd like to keep the pony, but was surprised to see these flaws on an item listed as mint. She's a common TE for which I paid ~$19.00 including shipping.

[bluerose9978]

If it was just the scuff on the eye, I don't think it wouldn't be worth mentioning. However, the cancer spots are more concerning. I would definitely mention this to the seller. With the cancer spots, she is not even near mint, she'd be VTG at best. If you pay $19 for a pony, you expect the quality you're paying for. Just keep in mind, they may want you to send the pony back for a refund. However, some sellers try to work a partial refund with their buyers.

[Tiara546]

I've had this in the past. Personally, I would never list a pony as mint if she has just the slightest flaw and I expect the same from others. For this reason, I have never listed one as mint actually, only as near mint, if they were. Would always contact the seller and give them the chance to get everything straight and to leave me with the feeling to have spent an ampount of money that goes with the pony's condition, so a "round" overall feeling. Again, I would want the same when I make mistakes selling a pony.

I have experienced everything from that point on, from sellers giving a full refund for the pony without wanting her back to attacking me and accusing me of fraud and anything in between. In your situation, I would just contact the seller, confront her with the flaws along with a close-up photo and either ask how they would want to resolve the matter or offer some options myself with which I would be comfortable. For the latter, I always try to see both sides and find a good middle ground myself which I then offer to the seller.

Again, I have made the experience that then, some try to get a middle ground between the middleground I found and an egoistic ideal of them taking no responsability at all, which makes me explain them that I already did that step before contacting them. I guess, all depends on whom you have to do with and if they were aware of the misleading description or not.

[Galactica]

Cancer spots = not mint, and definitely one of the things worth mentioning.  If you think it worth the effort- you might ask for a refund.

I would personally never list a pony as mint- I always list them as in played with condition with lots of flaws such as scuffs and possible pen marks and/or fading (just in case I missed something).  Then take lots of photos.   But even then-  I check very very carefully for cancer spots and I think most collectors do because that is a way bigger deal to me than a pen mark or a scuff.

[northstar3184]

Here's a photo to give a visual of the spots.

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[nhal039]

Oh wow i would return. They are easy enough to spot and should have been mentioned

[northstar3184]

Here's the listing too:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182085824577?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Nella]

The marks are visible on the pictures of the listing. Would that make a difference?

[Ringlets]

In the listing she describes the pony as mint. She is also a seller of ponies so its not like she doesn't know about flaws    those particular flaws (cancer for sure, but also the other mark and the scuff for some buyers ) would definitely affect the value 
   There are flaws visible in the photos if you look carefully though including what looks like a pen mark near one hoof and also the cancer spots. The flaws look better/worse depending on the lighting on your computer, and the pics are quite light so until I tilted my laptop a bit I couldn't see the cancer as obvious.  On your pic the cancer is very obvious
With this pony Sweetie/ Sweet Stuff  I have rarely seen one without cancer. Allllmost all of them have it to some extent, so I'm guessing the bidding may have gone higher due to the supposedly "mint" condition from an experienced seller

The seller does mention they may miss flaws though, and that's true we can all make a mistake. I'd contact the seller and mention the cancer spots. Keep it friendly and polite (the seller has obviously had some upset from buyers in the past according to what she says in the description) , thank her for the fast shipping or some other positive point about the pony/experience  *first* then tactfully introduce the situation   you could say something like this  " Hi, I received my pony Sweet Stuff, thank you for sending her so quickly (or for good packaging or whatever good thing you can find - some positive remark about the transaction) but unfortunately I noticed that she has 2 (check incase there are more) small cancer spots . I checked and they are not mentioned in the listing. I thought that the pony was in mint condition which is why I bid. I understand that its easy to miss something like this when listing ,  but I was a bit disappointed that she has these marks since they are permanent , so I wanted to talk to you about what to do next "  ......
what you actually write next  depends on what you would like the solution to be. If you don't want to keep the pony you could ask if she would mind doing a return/refund, or if you would like to keep the pony then  perhaps  leave the message at that and then allow the seller to give you some options before you take it any further . You cant make the seller give you a partial even if you end up opening a case...and with this seller a case is a last resort if you want things to end amicably
The seller may suggest to you a partial refund , or they may not do partial refunds so they want the pony back.
See what they say in response to your message before opening a case though ( I think you don't really need me to say that reminder but sometimes you have to be careful as ebay has been known to open a case on someone for you when you really meant to just send a message. be careful of the wording ebay uses when you try to message the seller ). Hope that helps a bit
Please let us know how it goes   TBH I'd be disappointed if I thought I was getting a mint pony or even a near mint pony and then received one with cancer marks

[bluerose9978]

Others have mentioned problems with seller not that long ago. I remember I thread I responded to because she was a bit retaliatory and my husband had bought a pony from her for me and all he had asked was about when she was shipping the pony out. And she sent this long message about how she had three days because that's what it states in her auction and it would be sent three days after the auction ended blah blah blah. She went off when all he asked was the shipping date because it was a gift.

So just keep in mind that you might not get a stellar solution from this seller.

Edit: I found the thread: http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,376150.msg1501592.html#msg1501592

[Galactica]

The pictures would make a difference if she said "look at the pictures for condition"

But she goes out of her way to say " Shes in mint condition. No marks. Eyes are great. Hair is soft and uncut. Cutie marks are perfect."

So if I read that I might not be inspecting closely for shadows that may or may not be marks.  Photographs are tricky.

I agree the bidding went high on that pony because she was described as having "NO MARKS" which, as someone mentioned, is pretty rare with that pony.

**** Edited to add-  after reading the other discussion linked -  that you should definitely approach her very politely and not with accusations- maybe LM can help you with verbage-   it is so easy to come across as agro via message- one must tread carefully.

[LadyMoondancer]

As a buyer, I'll forgive very small marks or initials written on the bottom of hooves from a pony that the seller described as "mint".  Because I can believe that a seller didn't notice teensy marks, and because I just don't mind writing on the bottom of hooves. But not cancer marks and, to be honest, not an eye scuff on a TE.  Their main feature is their eyes.

(As a seller I'm very picky, so I rarely describe a pony as mint.  Sometimes "near mint".)

[northstar3184]

Okay so I sent her the following message:

Hi, I received my pony Sweet Stuff. Thank you for sending her so quickly and well-packaged, but unfortunately I noticed that she has 2 small cancer spots. I checked and they are not mentioned in the listing. I thought that the pony was in mint condition which is why I bid. I understand that its easy to miss something like this when listing, but I was a bit disappointed that she has these marks since they are permanent, so I wanted to talk to you about what to do next. I do like her, so I'd hate to have to send her back, but I do feel a partial refund would be fair because she doesn't appear to be as described in the listing. Thank you for your time.

I'll let you know what happens. Thank you, Ringlets, for the great template. Sometimes it's hard to know what to say in these situations.

[ponyqueen]

I also see a blush rub and a mark under a hoof. This pony is not mint. Maybe excellent or great.

[northstar3184]

I also see a blush rub and a mark under a hoof. This pony is not mint. Maybe excellent or great.

Yeah, the blush rub doesn't bother me and the mark is something I must have missed. If it was just those things and the scuff to the eye, then I wouldn't care. It's the cancer spots that prompted me to contact the seller. I didn't even bother to mention anything else to her.