Super Rare Royal Guard Auction....

[Rob]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2476&item=5967207177&rd=1

I decided to bring this thread over here because I'm having fun with it and, would rather discuss it here as it unfolds.
This super-rare piece of nothing, ended at 13 dollars, and the reserve wasn't even met.

So, before the auction ended I basically emailed the seller and called her out on the bogus auction (while giving a little politness just incase it was an honest mistake) and yesterday I receieved the following reply:

FYI, I HAVE A RED GUARD FORM ROTS IN HIS OWN BOX WITH THE RED GUARD ON THE BACK SAYING SOMETHING TOTALLY different from THE ONE THAT HAS THE BLUE GUARD ON THE BACK. SO BEFORE YOU POINT FINGERS AND ACCUSE SOMEONE FOR MISLEADING PEOPLE DO YOUR HOME WORK.

FOR YOU NEW STAR WARS FANS WHO JUST STARTED TO FIND OUT ABOUT STAR WARS BECAUSE OF EPISODES 1 2 AND 3. THE BLUE AND RED GUARDS ARE TO DIFFERENT CHARACTERS. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THAT JUST CHANGED FROM BLUE TO RED OVER THE YEARS.

This clearly warranted further response - so the last email I sent said the following:

FYI, I have been a Star Wars fan for over 20 years. I have been collecting Star Wars toys for over 10 years now. All of the Red Guards come on the SAME EXACT CARD BACK as the Blue Guards. They are a variation in terms of packaging, and not two separate figures as evidenced by the fact that BOTH blue and red come as number III-23. I am fully aware that the Blue Guards become the Red Guards in the film. Yet this doesn't change the fact that you don't seem to understand what Hasbro is putting out and what's rare and what's not - because your item is NOT any type of error or variation, it is the standard, regular, ordinary release of the Red Royal Guard.

If you do infact have a Red Guard with a Red Guard pictured on the back, which I do not believe you when you say you do, THAT is the rare one and would be a production error, and not a variation. I know because I now have 7 Red Guards and 4 Blue Guards, and every single one of them came on a card with the BLUE Guard pictured on the back - just like your 'very rare' item in the auction.

Next time save your high-and-mighty accusations about being a prequel-era fan for some other schmoe and enjoy the 13 bucks you just ripped someone off for.

Anyone heard of any version of this thing with any picture other than the BLUE one on the back?  I sure haven't...

Developing...

[Jesse James]

Well with all caps replies, you know she's trying to drive a point home.  Perhaps she's onto something Rob....  you newbie.

[Rob]

Yeah.  The All Caps thing was the part that made me think maybe if I write her back she won't be able to resist replying again. 

[Darth_Anton]

I get tempted every time to e-mail sellers and call them out. I'm glad someone is actually doing it.

[cCc2021]

I've always wanted to do that, but I would be afraid I could get my account suspended somehow.

cCc

[Darth Broem]

Glad you emailed her about it.  She probably really does think she has something rare.  You run into these people in the toy aisles to.  They want to educate me on something I already know more than them about.  I just say "Oh yeah?  Huh.  Hmmmm, ok then.  Bye!" 

[Pliscken]

Lol that was nice, I have run into quite a few people like that on ebay. They are pretty much e-scalpers

[Darth_Anton]

I ran into a Hasbro rep like that recently. He was trying to tell me how rare the ROTS preview figures were going to be.

[JediMAC]

Way to go after her Rob! 

This happens all to often with SW stuff on eBay, and I'm sure with other toy lines as well.  Sellers either seriously don't know WTF they're talking about, but don't want to hear that they may be confused/wrong, or they're just flat out looking for stupid suckers that will bite on any eBay auction that says Rare Star Wars variation.

Pathetic, really.  Better thing to do at this point, is to obviously contact the bidders and inform them of the fact that they're getting scammed, and that such and such isn't a rare variant at all... (and point them to a thread here at JD for proof, if needbe)  Then, you get to sit back and enjoy observing the various bid retractions, while the seller starts sending you harrassing and threatening e-mails for butting in on his/her business. 

Same thing with that bogus "backless" Lava Vader auction going on right now... 

[MetalJedi]

Thats awesome! Give her hell!

[Violentfix]

LOL

You're a hero.  I love it.  That last line was great.

[Darth Broem]

I loved that "backless" auction.  I should try that though and get some money...nah...forget it.  If I tried that I would probably be arrested or something.