posted on February 7, 2001 09:26:25 PM new
When I first started buying on ebay, there were a few times I got stung. It was my own fault for not reading the TOS carefully or not questioning what wasn't stated. I didn't get scared off or soured on ebay. I just got careful. I learned to email before I bid if I wasn't sure what I was getting into. It doesn't take long to learn this.
It was mentioned earlier in the thread that things like this scare off new bidders. I don't believe that. If a person is that skittish they need to do their shopping in a retail store. My father in laws favorite saying was "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."
The sellers email sounds like he went off the deep end, but I've only heard one side of the story, the buyers. The seller should not have used vulgar language, there is no excuse for that ever. However, someone with experience on ebay should know better than to assume anything.
posted on February 7, 2001 10:01:30 PM new
Pocono...
Ooooo are you trying to flatter me now by calling me "dear"?
Sorry... I would send you my e-mail address, but I just can't handle anymore dirty talk this week.
Keep trying to flatter me and I just might give you my e-mail address or even send you an e-mail...
You know I have been educating myself about you tonight. You have written some interesting posts. I must say the only thing I find that we might have in common is that we both don't like Dubya. But of course I have not read all your sweet postings yet.
My dear Pocono... I am going to bed now! Maybe we will correspond by e-mail someday, before I let you drive that last nail in my coffin.
posted on February 7, 2001 10:30:05 PM new
LOL... Oh Pocono ! Please know I am not accusing you or even implying that you do send private nasty e-mails out.
Now I must try to get some sleep I have busy day tomorrow.
"bonne nuit mon cher ami"
or should I say...
"juste parce que nous ne convenons pas ne signifie pas que nous ne pouvons pas être des amis"
Special Note to the Moderator... My words are friendly... Lets see if Pocono can figure them out. They might keep him busy for a while.
[ edited by brigette on Feb 7, 2001 10:35 PM ]
posted on February 8, 2001 12:04:12 AM new
"sigh" why if you state facts about a DEADB... oops I mean non-paying bidder, are you accussed of pounding nails in coffins and such?
I have yet to see the originator of the post refute that she is a non-paying bidder who tried to coerce the seller into terms to her liking.
posted on February 8, 2001 04:32:25 AM new
You did good Brigitte, don't let anyone tell you different.
Seller gambled on padding the shipping for a bidder rip-off, got called on it and lost. Good Bye to that type of seller. Glad to see Safeharbor works. Plus nobody deserves emails like that.
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on February 8, 2001 07:17:25 AM new
I think the point has been lost somewhere here
Rather than flame the buyer or the seller, why not address the issue - SafeHarbour should not be interfering in this kind of squabble. It is NOT FRAUD no matter who's side you take.
If what Brigette is saying about the tone of the seller's emails is true, then she can deal with that through the seller's ISP and other avenues.
THIS IS NOT A SAFEHARBOUR ISSUE and to commend them for taking action is wrong. SafeHarbour should only be stroked if they do what they are supposed to do.
Unless or until the seller is invited to participate in this thread, we cannot defend or accuse Brigette - we only have her side of this story.
So, Brigette, how about it? Why not help us to help you by making an official invite to the seller (following AW Guidelines) to come here and state his case?
posted on February 8, 2001 07:22:06 AM new
reddeer-
I am sorry brigette received the kind of response from her seller that she did- there was no call for that. The fact remains, however- had she paid for her items in the first place instead of insisting that the seller modify his TOS after the auction, none of the nastiness would have occurred.
It really is too bad we didn't get the seller in here, just think of all the fun we coulda had.
posted on February 8, 2001 08:03:41 AM new
Its interesting to carefully read the issues that safeharbor investigates. In particular, as pertains to the various charges here:
1. profanity in emails does NOT fall under their jurisdiction. They specifically ask you to handle it via the ISP, etc. Only if the email threatens bodily injury do they want to be involved, or if the profanity is in a public area (i.e., message board).
2. "unrealistic/unreasonable S&H" does NOT fall under their jurisdiction. There is nothing even close to suggesting that safeharbor should discipline sellers for "charging too much".
3. Fraud DOES fall under safeharbor, which they define as "failing to deliver the item in accordance with the TOS" and such words. However, this is clearly NOT a case of fraud...unless you want to say that the seller committed fraud by failing to charge the FULL S&H fee!
4. Fee avoidance. This is the interesting issue. Depending on the exact circumstances of the negotiation (which we are not privy to here) it may or may not have been a violation of ebay rules. I suspect this is the specific point that SH focused on in issuing their warning, fueled, no doubt, by the nasty emails (as much as they probably should have been technically irrelevant, they will always tend to prejudice people against you...). I suspect that had the seller kept to a professional, transaction-only correspondance, we'd have a much different outcome.
By the way, SH DOES specifically include non-payment by bidders as one of their offenses.
So, not surprisingly, I continue to agree with RB that this should never have gotten to SH in the first place. There were other, more appropriate venues to handle this, such as feedback.
posted on February 8, 2001 06:32:57 PM new
Picture this:
A seller is violating "ebay policy" say a banner link to thier website. A competitor of thiers complains to safeharbor. Guess what happens? All of the sellers auctions are cancelled; no questions asked.
Guess what happens to the competitor; his auctions get busier.
Im all for compition.. but ebay should look at the severity of the "crime". The system as it is allows for crying wolf and tattling, which eats away precious time that is needed to solve the fraudulent cases.
Ive said my peace.
[ edited by Pocono on Feb 7, 2001 10:58 PM ]
