Cels Forum

2nd Half..

He actually wrote back and said I bought this cel for you
in Tokyo because I saw it on your wishlist.  It is yours
if you want it.  I immediately replied that I wanted it
and how much was it because I wasn't sure I had the money
right away.  He gave me the total and said, Don't worry,
there is no rush to buy this cel, I will keep it for you.
I wrote back about two weeks later saying that the money
is coming and thank you for keeping it.  He wrote back saying
to just let him know when the money was on its' way - again
no hurry - the cel is still mine and that he is glad he was
able to find it.  Then, I wrote back saying the money is
being mailed today.  He wrote back saying he sold the cel
because he did not hear from me.

THIS is my problem.  I have all of the emails of this
correspondence.  The ENTIRE time he said "No rush,
don't worry, the cel is yours" - I have AT LEAST three
emails with these words.  I even had a friend of mine
email me and say that "Naoki-san just told me he sold
this cel to you and I think it's amazing..." - So already
someone knows I was getting this cel.  But, he DIDN'T even
tell me that he offered it to someone else OR that he was
PLANNING on selling it.

NOW...we all know about Japanese dealers, they don't speak
English, it's excusable, it's the way it works.  But, 
I'm SORRY.  It's NOT the way it works.  It shouldn't matter
that they are Japanese, Spanish, French, British, Irish,
American, Canadian, African, Australian, Chinese, etc.
If they don't understand the business, if they don't
understand their customers, if they can't communicate
directly, if they aren't willing to honest and fair in
their business - THEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE EXCUSED OR BLOWN
OFF.  

Yes, it is unfortunate, that the Japanese have a hold on
the cel market.  And believe me, I have amazing cels from
Japanese dealers.  But, all the dealers that I have dealt
with either privately or via their website or at a
convention, has NEVER pulled this on me.  And personally,
I don't think they should be excused or gotten away with
so easily.

I'm sure I'm going to get repercussions for saying all of
this but I just can NOT believe that someone would run
their business this way and expect to get away with it.
What happened to trust?  What happened to fair dealings?
Does it just not matter anymore?  Does this mean that if
everyone else is doing it that I can now do that with
my cels for sale?  Shall I stop being so nice and letting
people buy cels for less than what is posted?  Shall I pull
cels out from people who asked to put it on hold and then
never bother telling them that I sold it someone else?

I don't know.  I'm not claiming to have any of the answers
either.  I am just extremely disappointed and it saddens me
that this has happened...

Okay - sorry to preach - thank you for listening...
Christy