Sucky Ebayers!

[AXO Alum]

I posted this in MC, but I am so freaking mad that I wanted to share with the GC masses - you know misery loving its company

In 6 years on ebay, I have bought maybe 15 items. Only had one problem thus far - a seller who sold me half of what was listed for sale. Sent numerous emails, never returned any -- so I left NEUTRAL feedback - not even negative (he came back & left me negative because he is spiteful - but I don't care, sellers usually don't care who's buying their stuff as long as they pay!)... so... I find this cast iron lyre magazine holder on there. I decide to get it for the chapter room - they have one already, but this would be a good addition for the tables in there, so I bid & won. I sent my check the very next day (used the chapter account so I didn't have to be repaid by using paypal) and it arrived on Nov 22nd. I open the box immediately & find that the upper curves of one side are completely broken off (CAST IRON PEOPLE!) but there is no damage to the box. It is only "wrapped" in newspaper ads - just a few crumpled up in there.

So I immediately email the guy & say "what do I do" because he had required I pay the $1.35 for insurance (I've never had to deal with insurance before) - he says "Just take it & the original box to the PO" -- so I go to mine & they can't do it b/c the manager is out of town for a death. So I get the paperwork & fill it out - take it to another PO - they say "we need the green insurance receipt" -- come home, email him & he sends it to me. Great - finally, on Saturday, I take it to the MAIN PO and the guy there tells me that even though I paid $26.80 total, he only insured it for $15 (the cost of the item versus the total paid) and that they can only give me $15 back for it. He then tells me to call consumer affairs because he believes it was either broken before it was shipped, or broken in shipment due to poor packaging. I email the guy & tell him all this & he basically says "tough luck" and then he turns into (I swear I can send you all emails) the Tom Earp of Ebay. He is writing stuff that I can't even follow half of because he has such poor writing & grammer skills.

So... I spend an hour on the phone yesterday with the consumer affairs manager. She says that I need to ask the guy for a refund given that he has seen the pictures and that the PO cannot be responsible for poor packaging. I send the guy a really nice email stating that I don't want this to become an issue so I am trying to resolve it between us and would he please consider (exact words) refunding my money.

I get an email today where he says that I am using feedback extortion & he isn't going to give me anything So what - I am now the big freaking Soprano of Ebay??!! I have bought 15 items in SIX FREAKING YEARS -- but yet I am capable of feedback extortion. WTH?! I am so FREAKING pissed off right now. If he wanted to write back & say "sorry - no" that would be one thing, but to go off the damn deep end with this crap - I am LIVID!

So that is my rant - I am pissed off completely - here is a picture & if you want some fun reading, I can PM you with the emails

[aggieAXO]

How crappy. Definitely leave negative feedback. I usually read the comments by other ebayers before I purchase any items and i certainly would want to know what an ass this guy is. Too bad you can't post pictures in the comments section. Do you know if he sells alot of lyre items? If so I definitely will stay away from him.

[tunatartare]

You should try to alert ebay about it and ente a dispute with him.

[AChiOhSnap]

That would have been a GORGEOUS addition to your the chapter room, though, had it not been broken.

I can't give any advice because I don't do eBay Sorry!

[wrigley]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

You should try to alert ebay about it and ente a dispute with him.

I agree. He told you "tough luck" and refuses to refund your money. Then let him deal with the consequences of being a dishonest ebayer. Give him the negative rating. It can always be changed if he decides to do the right thing and give your money back.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

You should try to alert ebay about it and ente a dispute with him.

Yes, you can file a complaint with eBay, which would be what I'd do. I hope you get this resolved satisfactorily, but if not, at least you'll be alerting others to think twice before purchasing from this guy. And leave him negative feedback, too.

[AXO Alum]

Originally Posted by AchtungBaby80

Yes, you can file a complaint with eBay, which would be what I'd do. I hope you get this resolved satisfactorily, but if not, at least you'll be alerting others to think twice before purchasing from this guy. And leave him negative feedback, too.

I am not familiar with all this stuff - I did email them at customer support under the "I have a dispute with another ebayer" section. I told them that above all, I was more than anything mad about the fact he said I was trying to use "feedback extortion" - wth?! I had written in my last email to him (before that response) that I had declined filing a complaint with the USPS and would prefer NOT to leave negative feedback for him since I have never done that - even when the other seller sent only half of what was listed. If he construed that to be me twisting his arm, then that's screwed up - since when did we go from someone trying to work out things between two people, to accusing one of any kind of extortion!

So I don't know what will happen next. Honeychile sent me to a forum for being ripped off that I will definitely check out. I would say that if you are looking on ebay for some *cool finds for you* that you NOT bother - save yourself the trouble

[Senusret I]

I was recently ripped off by "APO Wholesale" on ebay. Long story short, I filed a claim through paypal and got my refund.

I usually do, but I was reminded again of how important it is to read feedback thoroughly.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

You should try to alert ebay about it and ente a dispute with him.

The only problem is, ebay doesn't really want to try to settle a dispute.

A couple years ago, I won some ribbon on ebay from

StephanieMNelson aka
StephanieNelson
bamfranger66

She insisted on a money order, no Paypal, no check. Stupidly, I went along with it - even though the cost of the shipping/handling was four times as much as the ribbon. I never received it.

We emailed back and forth (she didn't send it yet, she did send it, she sent it a month ago...) until the 60 grace period was over. On the 61st day, she cussed me out and told me to never buy anything from her again. Ha! Like I'd trust her! We both left each other negative feedback. Hers was the only negative feedback that I have ever received; I was in contact with at least four other people who were ripped off by her. Even better, she "buys" her own stuff, and leaves glowing feedback!


I sent the entire barrage to ebay throughout the entire dispute, and kept getting a computer-generated response which was ZERO help at all.

I do use ebay regularly, but I will never buy without checking someone's reputation, OR without Paypal. At least Paypal tries to keep people honest!

[ZTAngel]

I don't have any advice since I haven't been in this situation. I offer my sympathies.

In the future, pay using a credit card via paypal. Paypal will usually try to work with you to resolve the problem. If not, your credit card company certainly will.

[AXO Alum]

Yeah, well stupid me - I used a chapter check so I didn't have to wait for reimbursement or anything. Shoulda, woulda, coulda

[Tom Earp]

AXOAlum, I am truely sorry to hear this as you were trying to do a good thing.

E-bay is e-bay and they do not really seem to care enough to keep their customers happy. Since they also own PayPal, well what more can I say!

It would have been a beautiful addition to the Chapter House.

While I know you feel bad, I sold a Pin on ebay which was in great shape. The buyer got it and the clasp was bent! Thank You Post Office!

I was more than happy to send the M O back period. She did get it at a heck of price and could have had it fixed as I did.

Buyer Beware, unfortunely!

[AXO Alum]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

While I know you feel bad, I sold a Pin on ebay which was in great shape. The buyer got it and the clasp was bent! Thank You Post Office!

I was more than happy to send the M O back period. She did get it at a heck of price and could have had it fixed as I did.

Buyer Beware, unfortunely!

Yeah - if it was something like that, I would have dealt with it. But for cast iron to break like that? It was only set in a box with some crumpled ads (as the picture shows) - he could have at least thrown some bubble wrap in or something. All I wanted was a reasonable response from him - even if he said he'd go halves on it, I would have accepted that - but for him to accuse me of freaking "extortion" for feedback - that is just lame.

I still have not heard back from Ebay on this issue (surprise surprise ) - I am trying to think how best to word the negative feedback (since I am limited in typing space). I can't wait to see what he comes up with for me - maybe I could sue him on The People's Court

[Xylochick216]

I have that same magazine holder I don't see how it could possibly break, though. Mine is super sturdy. I think filing complaints with eBay is the thing to do. If you had used Paypal, they'd be getting you your $ back soon. Let us know what his seller name is so we can all avoid him!

[AlexMack]

This may be bad of me but your story makes me so angry that I went and found his store and asked him the following question:
Just curious. When I buy this, will you ship it to me broken wrapped in newspaper and magazine pages and then refuse to refund my money and threaten feedback extortion?