Is the term "Mint Condition" fair game if only referring to the cosmetic condition of something?

I've been looking to get my hands on a good condition GBA SP (the backlit model), and I've seen a few instances of sellers describing an item as being in mint condition, meaning cosmetically, but then go on to say things like "one of the buttons is sticky" or "the sound doesn't work".

To me, if you say something is in mint condition, it implies that not only is it in perfect cosmetic condition, but that everything is also functioning correctly.

Yeah, that’s horseshit. You’re always talking about the condition of the product overall. I would just blacklist those types of sellers

Definitely not unless it's something that's just supposed to be a display piece.

I would make one exception, and that's for degraded battery life on something with an internal battery because it's basically impossible for a 10+ year old piece of hardware to have just off the factory line battery life. But if it's mint it should have no other flaws and if it has an internal battery it should at least work okay.

Yeah, that's some nonsense. If a product is described as Mint Condition I'd expect to be able to play it next to the same item just out of box and have a hard time distinguishing between the two.

Hell, for the two examples you gave I wouldn't even call them Very Good. A sticky button might pass for Good condition, assuming nothing else is wrong, and no working sound would be Acceptable at best (with it noted very clearly in the title that sound is busted).

No those people are jerks, Mint = As good as something I can get in a store.

@bigsocrates is right about battery life though, that's an acceptable compromise.

Mint condition goes back to coin collections and a coin being in the condition it’s in when it leaves the mint.

So no, these fucked-up ass Gameboys had better be leaving the factory with sticky buttons and busted audio.

Isn't mint condition like either in the box or just one step from it? If there is anything wrong with it then it isn't mint condition and those sellers have no clue what they are talking about and I wouldn't trust them for any collectors items.

Mint should include all original packaging or be New. Screen and housing should be free of scratches, no dust behind the lcd, and still contain the original battery and accessories, etc. Items missing that stuff should be listed as Used - Like New, Very Good, or Good depending on the site.

SPs are pretty easy to refurb which can make 2nd hand purchases a challenge, but you can buy a "Good" or "Fair" listing and refresh it for cheap too.

Mint condition to me means like new, almost perfect condition. Something that, if it was in a sealed box would be considered new or new-old stock.

Mint is most cases, from cars to comics, mean the objects displays virtually no imperfections and being in pristine condition relative to its original production state. So, yes, Mint should imply working perfectly as new.

I think "cosmetically mint" would have been a better term for them to use. But, a sticky button mean the condition is at best "good or fair" - it is not broken, but it is unreliable. I think when going for a condition statement you must side towards that part that in't as good. The price they ask can be higher, because THEY think the outside constitution is mint, but the consition should take into account sticksy buttons and it may needing to be opened up or repaired.

Brand New =10
Mint = 9
Open in Box = 8 (you could flip the score with mint, but a good box is part of Mint in my mind, so a damaged box is lower)
Excellent =7
Very Good = 6
Good =5 (avaerge)
Fair = 4
Poor = 3
Very Poor = 2 (could be repaired or used for parts)
Non-functioning/Destroyed = 1