Questions about box damage and tape seals

[nolanfan34]

haha, do you price match? I can screenshot the listing. :-p

[jaisonline]

Seriously can you take pics of all 4 seals?

[Migration]

I have seen sets that were stored incorrectly have the seals on the bottom pop because all the bricks settled, but not all four. Does the box look like it may have gotten wet at some point?

[Migration]

I have also seen issues with changes in humidity. Going from someplace very dry to somewhere humid or vice versa. Than alone can cause serious problems with paper and glue.

[Guest brickcrazyhouse]

if you were checking for something inside the box with the intent to sell as sealed, wouldn't you only pop two? or does the box require all for to be popped to peak inside?  sounds like Mirgration said might have been humidity or pressure from other sets.  post so pics so we can play the "what happened here?" game

[Anakinisvader]

Man, I thought you were shooting those cute little water dudes.

[nolanfan34]

if you were checking for something inside the box with the intent to sell as sealed, wouldn't you only pop two? or does the box require all for to be popped to peak inside?  sounds like Mirgration said might have been humidity or pressure from other sets.  post so pics so we can play the "what happened here?" game

 

This is a very good point. I thought of this as well. I will post some pics later. The seller responded, said they are wondering if the extreme cold (came from IL, shipped right when the polar vortex started) might have affected it. It took two weeks to get to me, USPS Parcel. 

 

Thanks all for the thoughts so far. They are popped so clean I do wonder if the cold does it. Might have to put a small set in the freezer to see what happens. 

[Guest brickcrazyhouse]

the seals should pop in extreme cold. the glue for things that go in a freezer is different then the normal glue

[nolanfan34]

Sounds like a blog post! I will do it and see what happens. The box was scanned in somewhere in IL on 1/3, then nothing until 1/10...still in IL. Then 1/14 in Iowa. I guess it could have been in the cold for a while.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

See everyone hates the cold. Come on Weather gods. Just put an end to it. Hell, if its warm all the time, I am cool with the caps melting and Water World taking over.

[gregpj]

the seals should pop in extreme cold. the glue for things that go in a freezer is different then the normal glue

I've had Lego in extreme cold for a longer than a week before and the seals don't pop. And I mean -30F cold. I also had a truck full of Lego in cold temps like that for 48 hours and not a single problem.

That said, if the set was in a more humid place and then sent through the cold where a set warms up, freezes, warms up, etc, then I could see it. But I think you maybe just got bad seals. It does happen!

[fuzzy_bricks]

I was looking at the two VCs I got from TRU ebay, and they both had double seals on one end.  After a little search I found this thread and feel better that everyone else said their VCs had them too.

[gregpj]

only 1 of the 2 tapes was like that. so I am pretty sure it shouldn't able to slip something out of the box.

But the buyer, looks like he buys it for resell...

even I offer full refund with I pay the shipping back, and he is still complaining.

that's a big $120 lost since he is from Canada.

So what does he want? He probably wants the set for free but I wouldn't do that. If you gave him 1/2 his cash back and let him keep the set, would you come out ahead?

Keep that picture and send it to paypal to show it was an official Lego seal he's complaining about and try to communicate with him only via paypal's dispute process so you have a record of him being an asshat.

Sent from my iPod touch using Brickpicker

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I've had 3 complaints of double seals, all from South Korea which I now exclude shipping to. If any set has a double or skewed seal, I now mention this in my listing in large bold font. Of all the stuff I've sold, Lego buyers and collectors are the most demanding and sometimes just downright rude. In this instance, I'd offer a small free set or partial refund and put it down to experience. I'd also then block buyer from future listings. Please PM me with their ID so I can block them too. I don't need buyers like this.

I think we need a "Bad Buyer" database as long as there's a good reason for blocking somebody.

Yes, Mr R Sole types among us!

[Guest davewager78]

Well, i'm afraid that if i bought this as mint sealed in original box i would probably feel the same as the buyer does. However, if you had described the situation fully, i would purchase accordingly. 

 

Not that i'm accusing the OP of such a thing, but can seals be gently melted off a cheap box and reglued to a more expensive opened set? REPEAT: Not accusing the OP of this, just curious!

[toni8284]

So what does he want? He probably wants the set for free but I wouldn't do that. If you gave him 1/2 his cash back and let him keep the set, would you come out ahead?

Keep that picture and send it to paypal to show it was an official Lego seal he's complaining about and try to communicate with him only via paypal's dispute process so you have a record of him being an asshat.

Sent from my iPod touch using Brickpicker

 

I came out lost around $60.

[toni8284]

Well, i'm afraid that if i bought this as mint sealed in original box i would probably feel the same as the buyer does. However, if you had described the situation fully, i would purchase accordingly. 

 

Not that i'm accusing the OP of such a thing, but can seals be gently melted off a cheap box and reglued to a more expensive opened set? REPEAT: Not accusing the OP of this, just curious!

 

Well, honestly,  I didn't put the box has double tapes on the description, it's my bad. 

 

And the reason why I didnt is because I didn't notice it, and that is my first time seeing it on LEGO box came from LEGO shipping box.

 

So, I didn't pay attention to the seal. So, it's my fault (maybe?). So I offered a part of refund.

 

and since then, I put in my store term now, so far no one complains.

 

just it's my careless cause me money. Well, lesson learned. 

[Rarefindsldn]

Couple of different question I'm hoping to get answered.

1. Short of counting every piece in the bags, is there somewhere that can tell me how many bags of lego should be in a set?

2. I know collectors would want the most pristine condition box, but if a set had a battered box but sealed bags, would that sway in favour for that set, say against a great condition box but built model?

3. This all leads to my latest find - an absolutely battered and bruised 7784 Batman UCS Batmobile with sealed bags (minus tyres which are loose). I'm reluctant to put this on ebay yet until I can definitely guarantee that this ay full set in the condition, apart from the box, that it would been. Would the tyres be loose like I found them?

Looking onward to hearing your thoughts!

[kimchilego]

I've had 3 complaints of double seals, all from South Korea which I now exclude shipping to. If any set has a double or skewed seal, I now mention this in my listing in large bold font. Of all the stuff I've sold, Lego buyers and collectors are the most demanding and sometimes just downright rude. In this instance, I'd offer a small free set or partial refund and put it down to experience. I'd also then block buyer from future listings. Please PM me with their ID so I can block them too. I don't need buyers like this.

I think we need a "Bad Buyer" database as long as there's a good reason for blocking somebody.

Yes, Mr R Sole types among us!

 

Hello, I am a Lego Investor / Collector in Korea.  Lego Korea (the official arm of Lego sales in Korea) is in an unfortunate position where Lego boxes have been flagged as "violators" of a new Korean government campaign to reduce wasteful packaging.  This includes fancy cosmetics which are in a jar, in a box, placed in another padded box, and then shrink wrapped, with another band like box on top of it.  But for Legos, they have been flagged for having boxes larger than needed for the content inside.  So the government has put a soft "penalty" of sorts on Lego boxes, requiring that they be opened, and a free little promotional item is placed inside to fill that space (like a crappy piece of tupperware), with some literature about how the Korean govt through the KC (like the UL safety/quality mark, but Korean) is trying to encourage consumers to protect the environment, and reduce trash waste by getting the consumers accustomed to more efficient packaging.

 

 

I don't know at what step it happens in the distribution process, but either Lego Korea or the KC (Korea Certification org)

1) open the original Lego box, breaking the seals

2) stick in this crappy piece of tupperware in the extra space

     with some information about more enviro friendly & efficient packaging.

3) RESEAL the box with the exact seals that Lego uses.

Since it's done by the Korean govt (KC), Lego must have provided these seals, or are cooperating in some way.

 

Not ALL Korean legos have this, as these government pushes for sleeker packaging are not always in force.  But they have been lately.

Experienced Lego Collectors in Korea call it "I-joong-seal" or in Korean letters ???.  Literally translates to:  "Double Seal"

Experienced collectors all know about this, and consider it an annoying but non-product-devaluing government regulation.

After all, you can use the little tupperware knick-knack to help sort during a build.

 

HOWEVER, it does freak out newer AFOLs here, and understandably any sort of buyers who receive this product abroad.

 

In the situation that TabbyBoy describes.  My guess is that if he shipped a large volume of NISB sets to Korean buyers, those boxes might have gotten flagged by customs, and received the tupperware insert, and double seal (re-seal) treatment by the KC, before arriving at the doorstep of their newbie AFOL.

 

The only advice I can give when confronted with a Korean "double-seal" is to make sure it looks like two official Lego seals slapped one on top the other (usually pretty neatly, btw).  And the top one should be sealed.  And expect a "surprise in the box" when you or someone else opens it.

 

It's not always tupperware.

But it's always something cheap and throwaway-ish.

The irony.  By trying to get consumers accustomed to the idea of slimmer, less wasteful packaging, they give you something you'll likely just toss away.

 

I hope that clears up some of the confusion that buyers / sellers may have been experiencing with transactions that go to/from South Korea.

The largest Legoland in the world is set to open in 2 years in South Korea, so I imagine the frequency of these secondary market transactions with Koreans will only increase.  Which I think is a great thing!  But,  I'm hoping that some misunderstandings or suspicions might be avoided.

[mcortez]

Thank you for the excellent information, awesome informative first post.  Welcome!

[scuttfarkas]

In my opinion, this no longer qualifies as New condition/Sealed box, since the box has been opened by the previous buyer who returned it back to the store.  If I were the ebay buyer and if the set is for my own collection, I'd probably let go.   But I buy it as investment, I am pretty sure I would want money back too, but I wouldn't file a dispute without trying to resolve the issue first though.

 

Isn't that bit of a Schrodinger's Cat situation? How would one know that something is in New Condition unless they opened it to verify that? 

[jbacunn]

In my opinion, this no longer qualifies as New condition/Sealed box, since the box has been opened by the previous buyer who returned it back to the store.  If I were the ebay buyer and if the set is for my own collection, I'd probably let go.   But I buy it as investment, I am pretty sure I would want money back too, but I wouldn't file a dispute without trying to resolve the issue first though.

 

I agree. If you said in your listing that is was new and sealed then you are going to have to eat this one. Sorry. 

[dman2900]

I just bought two sets, 75005 Rancor Pit and 70809 Lord Business' Evil Lair, still sealed bags and instructions but no box. What value should I put sealed unboxed sets at?

 

I paid $25 for both sets.......

 

Thanks for your advice!!!

[MartinP]

Selling a set without its box, but the bags are still sealed shouldn't affect the value by much. I would estimate to deduct <5% off the value due to the no box.

[stephen_rockefeller]

Open them up and part out. The Lord business minifig will get what you paid for both sets. Business kitty and the rancor are also hot sellers.