Advice Needed! Broken Item in Shipping.

[extracomputer.1]

yes if they give partial refund leave positive feedback. If using super glue use super small amount so when you push it together it doesn't glue your fingers and pull back off as super glue will bond immediately to your fingers...will not to your statue. I would go for it and just not put any on the paint surface and super small amount of glue. Some of the super glues come with an applicator to brush it (you would just touch it to it) and some even come with an end that allows you to put out really small amounts. I would use one of them if you can make a partial refund deal with seller.
As for the guy that completely rebuilt his statue....that is crazy. I would not have done that.

[Star-struck]

No returns on ebay doesn't mean you can't get a refund for a broken item. It just means you can't return it cause you decided you didn't like it once in hand, or something like that. Insurance is also completely up to the seller. The buyer can still get a refund and the seller can too if they purchased insurance, but insurance is not something the buyer has to worry about. I always insure any polystone/resin piece just in case though.

[moyiori]

I would figure out the right glue, some are made specifically for the type of statue.

Breaks suck no matter what, but some folks assume the worse in sellers. In this case it looks like it happened in shipping, maybe a partial refund to be able to take the time to get the right glue. I've sold several statues, sadly at least every 1 in 8 have minor issue/break. Also been scammed by people swapping out broken parts/pieces to get refunds.

I'd only ask for a return of the statue had lots of flaws they clearly didn't state. As long as they state the flaws and only minor little flaws then its fine.

[pdenham]

Originally Posted by Thor Odinson

I'm new to statue collecting (and this forum) so I wanted to get your guys advice.

...

My question is... should I keep it and attempt to fix it or would you recommend that I return it?

Here are some things to consider

1) Did you get a good deal on it, or pay whatever the going price is now for it- or even more? Use Ebay's completed auctions to research the going prices. If you were able to get a satisfying deal on it, then it may be a little more enticing to keep it and fix it yourself, and factor this in as part of the deal.

2) Is this piece hard to find now? If you gave this one up, would it take you long to find another? Would you care?

3) Is the break clean? When you fit the pieces back together are there missing chips or does it fit more or less flush?

4) Is the piece in a critical area, load bearing, or prominently seen from many angles?

5) would any touch up painting require very careful color matching or could you get away with something that's just close? (darker values and hues are usually easier to mask)

6) would you be satisfied with a partial refund if you had to repair it yourself? Many times it's easier for both parties to come to an arrangement than it is to box it up and send it back- which is costly and time consuming.

If you use glue- since this is such a tiny piece, I would apply it to a toothpick first and use that to apply it to the piece.
Also, since it is tiny and non load bearing, you don't need a whole lot of glue to keep it on. Even if you do put too much initially and it squeezes out as you press the pieces together, don't panic. Unless you really go nuts and load it on in a ridiculous amount, it shouldn't be that noticeable once it's dry and even then you will be able to address it. It will still be less noticeable than the breakage would be otherwise.

Before you glue it, position the piece so that it can rest in such a way that gravity will act on the broken piece when you glue it- after you've taken your hand away.
It's the brim of the hat so when you go to glue it, don't set the figure upright as you would when you display it. Put it on it's side. If you have it standing upright and let go of the piece a little too soon, it may seem secure, but then start to drop a little before it fully cures.

[chronos1919]

As has been mentioned, use as little glue as possible. Going overboard will result in a weak bond and the fit won't be as tight. I've had good luck with Loctite super glue gel, but you're mileage may vary.

As has also been mentioned, it's entirely up to you. If you think you can fix it, go for a partial refund. If you don't and/or can't live with it, return it to the sender for a refund. Sellers can post no returns, all sales final, no refunds, whatever they want really. It doesn't matter, if it arrived damaged, eBay will side with you.

This is one reason, aside from good customer service, that I always insure the items that I ship. Insurance protects the seller, not the buyer. The buyer will get their money back regardless. I've shipped two statues that have arrived broken and each time I was able to fully cover the cost with insurance through UPS.

[Comicbookguy]

Originally Posted by haljordan99

Yeah it's entirely your call. More often than not the seller will give you a partial refund if you decide to keep it. Just don't be petty and leave them negative feedback like someone just did to me after I gave them a partial refund.

wow that's terrible. I hope you block that one name at least.

[Thor Odinson]

All really good advice, thanks everyone!

I really want to keep the statue because I don't think they come up for sale very often. The only other ones for sale currently are listed at 1k (used) and 1.6k (new), which is crazy IMO. Using eBay's search tool for sold items doesn't show me any have sold other than my own recent purchase. It's also hard to say if I got a good deal or not because Sideshow doesn't have any information about this statue on their site. Some Googling suggest it was around 300 dollars retail in 2010, but I'm not 100% sure. My statue also says that the edition size was 500. Do you think a 100 dollar partial refund for a $330 + $70 shipping is asking too much or too little?

I found this site (https://www.moviereplicasdirect.com/about-polystone) which talks about maintenance and repairs but you guys have already covered everything that it mentions.

[grphyx1]

Thor Odinson, if it is a clean break you should be able to successfully glue it with a little Gorilla Glue (my go to), if you have to touch up any paints, I recommend you invest in some Tamiya paints. They work best on resin, look like the hat is like an ash gray matte. good luck

[Thor Odinson]

The seller has offered a 50 dollar partial refund. I paid $330 + $70 shipping. Is that a fair amount? He has said that he doesn't accept returns so I'm not sure he's aware that I am still able to return it, per eBay's policy.

[ukshaun]

On the subject of glue, the only glue i have had success with is rapid setting Araldite. Buy a well known brand opposed to some cheap unknown brand, as they do differ. Statue material (resin) tends to reject nearly all other types of glue.