Pimpcron’s Guide to Online 40k Auctions
Here’s everything you need to know auction shoppers.
Good day to you all! Your least favorite food, Pimpcron, is here this week with a guide on how to buy 40k auctions online. I’ve been doing this for a while, and for about two years I practically had a 2nd job on eBay selling 40k. I was on there all the time and became quite familiar with all the ins and outs.
“Pro Painted” Items
You’ll see many lots on eBay that say pro painted in the title. It is exactly at this time that you can put your worries aside and just click “Buy It Now”. The entire eBay community is quite honest and post their lot titles to very exacting standards. If it has that arrangement of letters, you can be confident that a Duncan-level painter spent hours on it.
I’ll let you decide on this guy…
Well, okay, I have seen a few that were maybe mislabeled. The Board of 40k Auction Titles must have been in recess on that day. Come to think of it, I’ve seen quite a few models with paint thrown on them haphazardly and labeled “Pro Painted”.
Actually, after further contemplation, I realize that most “Pro Painted” models aren’t pro painted at all. Hmmm. Ya know, what? Maybe you should just look at the model to be sure.
“OOP”
After a lot of research, I’ve discovered that this phrase has several meanings so it would be helpful for me to explain it to you guys. The traditional definition of OOP is “Out of Production” which refers to a model or terrain piece that is no longer manufactured by the casting company. But there have been several times that I have seen still-in-production models and sets labeled OOP. So now better know what you’re looking at before clicking buy.
When OOP doesn’t mean Out of Production, sometimes it means “Out of Print” and usually refers to printed publications such as Codices or Supplements. But once again, this isn’t always correct so be careful.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Other times OOP doesn’t mean either of those things. Sometimes it means “Out of Package” meaning it is just a set of sprues without instructions and/or the original box. Better look at the picture and description.
You may find a listing where OOP doesn’t mean Out of Production, Out of Print, or Out of Package. Sometimes it means Out of Prison and you better be careful. Being that they have so much time on their hands, Warhammer is quite popular with inmates. The issue is how they get the models in and out of jail. So if you buy a model that you suspect is “Out of Prison” is prudent to wash them thoroughly.
Lots Versus Items
If it says Lot in the title it means it is a lot for auction, which usually means a bunch of stuff together. But sometimes a Lot doesn’t mean a lot. Like, a lot can be a lot of stuff, but sometimes a Lot isn’t a lot because a Lot is a term for something up for auction no matter how small. Also, beware of lots of land for sale. I accidentally bought my house that way. Sloppy eBay searching is a dangerous thing. Always check the picture before buying, but to be honest I thought I was just buying scenery.
Pictures Never Lie
You can always be sure what you are buying when you look at the picture. Just ignore the title all together because it a just a mess up there at the top of the page. You can always count on the picture posted to explain what you are bidding on.
I’m just selling the Mad Dock figure. Why would you think the others were in this lot?
Unless it is one of those annoying broken-up lot for different prices posts where you select the thing you want out of a bunch of things pictured.
Or unless you’re buying terrain which pictures a model next to it but is not selling the for-scale model shown. That can be tricky.
Don’t trust the picture if they are selling something with a stock image because it will often be out of the box, or unassembled despite being pictured painted, or the box shown. That will get you if you’re not careful.
Sometimes the picture will have other stuff in the picture too, that isn’t actually for sale. I tried to buy a cat one time but just got the Land Raider that was in the foreground. Should have read the description. Ya know what? Ignore the title and image, just read the description.
Descriptions Are Your Friend
All of that title and picture stuff is nonsense. Just read what they wrote and move on. But I have seen times when they include a description, or have some blanket statement for all of their listings. Hmmm.
Okay, so it is a jungle out there. Titles are unreliable, pictures can be misleading, and descriptions only work or are even there half the time.
Go to a local store and buy something. Online auctions for 40k are a bad idea and that’s why, like, nobody uses them.
What Nonsense Have You Ran Into on eBay?
Or contact me at [email protected] for the latest rules if you don’t do the Facebooks.
