posted on February 12, 2004 02:29:58 PM new
aka "Wake up, little Soozy, wake up"
Soozy, apparently, bid on one of my auctions while sleepwalking. She woke up abruptly when her head hit the desk, realized what she had done, and tried to retract her bid. (Oh, okay, I made up the sleepwalking part.)
The story continues with her email to happy helpful eBay Support <cue the harp glissando>...
Member or Item being reported: 268******* L20 $US US !12253! 110399
Message: I bid on this item inaccurately, then successfully withdrew my bid ... or, so I was told.When I checked my ebay the bid was still there,I tried to retract it again,and my request was then denied.If this situation is not fixed immeadiatly I will withdraw from ebay forever.Beind denied live help is unacceptable.
Remember kids, being denied live help is unacceptable.
eBay Support responds rationally:
I understand your concern in this situation. Please understand, however, that all eBay bids are binding. Because of this, please retract a bid only in the following circumstances:
etc. etc. we've seen it all before
Well! That's just not going to cut it for little Soozy:
I followed all the rules, successfully retracted my bid, wrote to you, in good faith, because I could not get live help, when I needed it, I won an item that I don't want. Am I now supposed to pay for that item? I did print out the information that the bid had been successfully retracted. If I have to pay for that item, I will withdraw from bay. The only thing I did wrong was to trust bay. Please tell me what I have to do. Frankly disgusted, Susan
eBay Support panics:
We are sorry to hear you want to leave the eBay Community. Is there anything we can do to change your mind? Please reply to this email, tell us about any unresolved issues, and let us do our best to help resolve them.
And oh, by the way, you CAN'T withdraw a bid two days after the auction ends. You may want to contact the seller to work this out.
Which is why I got this pile of steaming dubiousness in my mailbox today.
Soozy again:
Seller, Please be so kind as read through all of these forwarded messages, they are pretty self explanatory was trying to find a silver charm bracelet for granddaughter, age 6. I bid on your item # 26********. After bidding I learned that the locket was engraved, was too long, and was damaged. I quickly, and successfully withdrawn my bid -- printed out the successful bid retraction notification. I check my bay about 10 minutes later and discovered that my bid was still active. Rushed in to retract the bid again and was denied permission. By the time bay responded, the auction ended for 2 days. Would you please have a big heart and release me from buying the bracelet? I can't give this little angel child a used, banged up bracelet. Things would be completely different if the bracelet were smaller, shiny and new. Please understand, and help me out. Thank you so much, Susan
The item is brand new, it clearly has a pattern engraved on it and it is not damaged. The size is there for all to see.
Fluffy's email to Soozy:
"Welcome to eBay. eBay is for adults. Act like one."
Soozy's subsequent email to Fluffy:
"What do you mean by telling to act like an ADULT? I have been bending in half deal properly with you Mr. Melvin. This whole mess happened because someone at bay denied me live help. I have the successful bid retraction statement nicely printed out in my hand. If I take it to a lawyer, I know I will win this dispute. I would greatly prefer to end it peacefully. Don't push me too hard, I will stand up for myself.
Sincerely disgusted,
Susan"
Oh, now we've moved from frankly to sincerely disgusted.
I've begged her to send me more email. This woman's creative genius is truly inspiring.
--
Fish are food, not friends.
If only I could tell a right square bracket from a left one.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Feb 12, 2004 02:41 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 02:52:11 PM new
LOL Fluffy! Love how she keeps calling it "the bay".
Must be a rash of something going round. I too just had a bid retraction and I think it was within 24hrs of auction end. I dont have the energy to make a big stink about it and figured its better they retract then deal with an NPB.(unless of course it was the same person protecting their earlier bid!) but even still these cows are not gonna rock me apple cart! Float, float on....
[ edited by neroter12 on Feb 12, 2004 02:52 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 02:54:02 PM new
ROFL Fluffy!
"The bay" - that must be what the "cool" people call it! LOL
__________________________________
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to the people who sleep under the very blanket of freedom I provide, and then question the manner in which I provide it. I'd rather you just said 'thank you' and went on your way." - A Few Good Men
posted on February 12, 2004 02:55:22 PM new
You might be right about that rash. (Better see a doctor.) I've had a number of bid retractions this week. Usually I get maybe two a year.
posted on February 12, 2004 02:57:56 PM new
Geez Fluffy -- how much was that locket?!
Must be pretty costly, since she's willing to go to an attorney and pay good money for someone to laugh in their face.
I wonder, since you do have a b&m business, how difficult it would be for you to report her delinquency to the credit agencies -- or, better yet, this one might be worth a call to their local Police Dept. to ask them to pursue her.... Well... While probably not practical or even plausible, it would be interesting to check her heart rate once she read that in a message.
Keep us informed of the progress and any further communication from her. You're right -- it's entertainment.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
[ edited by TheFamilyBiz on Feb 12, 2004 03:01 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 03:03:13 PM new
:: Or, better yet, this one might be worth a call to their local Police Dept. to ask them to pursue her....::
I ask again - where do you people live that this concept ould even enter your mind?
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by Fenix03 on Feb 12, 2004 03:08 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 03:06:45 PM new
Actually, Wayne, I don't have a B&M.
At least where BM stands for "brick and mortar".
Your quotation is good (though attributed to a number of different people), but I like this one better:
Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City "Sailor wanna hump-hump" bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here.
Signed,
Mr. Melvin
--
Being denied live help is unacceptable.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Feb 12, 2004 03:07 PM ]
posted on February 12, 2004 04:54:34 PM newSigned, Mr. Melvin
LOL, fluffy - I mean Mr. Melvin! At least you are able to keep your sense of humor. I have a drawer full of items bought, but not yet paid for. I don't know if they are paying by check, money order or PayPal because I can't get anyone to respond to my emails. Guess I'll just have to see if they make the 10 day deadline. What a PIA!
You'll have to keep us informed of this one. I've missed hearing your adventures in eBay selling. Ever think of writing a book? BTW, how's your website coming along?
posted on February 13, 2004 11:56:56 AM new
Little Soozy woke up last night long enough to send this:
This should be enough to explain the situation to someone as nasty as you appear to be. If read the whole thing you might be able to understand that I successfully retracted my bid long before the auction was over. Thanks sooo much for showing me just exactly who you are, I will happily spread the word. I wouldn't waste my money to find a lawyer dirty enough to deal with you. I moved here from Los Gatos a month ago ... to bad Melvin Bel. died, he would have happily dealt with your kind of people.
...and attached the whole long litany of her interactions with eBay Customer Disservice.
What is the minimum time for filing NPB, seven days? Gosh, I don't know if I can wait that long for the next chapter in the Saga of Soozy, the Ineffectual Bid Retractor.
posted on February 13, 2004 12:00:33 PM new
Oh, by the way, would someone like to take a crack at explaining to Little Soozy what "successfully retracting a bid" means? You might want to use words of one syllable and pictures in bright primary colors.
I'd do it, but Mr. Melvin is one of those "kind of people", you know, too dirty to be dealt with by a lawyer. Now that is low...
posted on February 14, 2004 10:10:49 AM new
Now now... the customer is ALWAYS right. Soozy will no longer buy things off of ebay and she will tell all of her friends and the more you have of this type of activity-- Ebay as a medium will lose traffic and bids.
posted on February 14, 2004 10:51:31 AM neweBay as a medium
SCENE: A shabby-looking cottage on the edge of town. Peeling signs proclaim it the place of business of MADAME EBAY, who sees all, knows all, and tells some...for a price.
You try the door. Unlocked. A bell tinkles as you enter. You think, "If Madame eBay is so darned prescient, what does she need the bell for?" You brush away those misgivings, however, like the cobwebs that festoon Madame eBay's computer: an ancient wizened TRS-80 Model III.
A beaded curtain parts dramatically, and Madame eBay sweeps into the room...all 6'5" of her.
"You seek knowledge," intones M. eBay in a fake Romany accent. "Cross my palm with your PowerSeller Silver badge. And your MasterCard, if you don't mind."
She whisks a covering off a nearby table, only to reveal...a lava lamp! "What the hell, Spencer Gifts was all out of orbs," she mutters. "Have a seat."
"Madame eBay," you start.
"Wait!" she holds up one palm. "You can call me Meg. What did you say your limit on this MasterCard is?"
"I didn't. Madame eBay, I am a seller who desperately wants to make a living on eBay. Can you tell me what the future holds?"
"Hmmm. Yesss. Well. That is, as you Americans say, a toughie. And the spirits are not receptive this evening. Perhaps if they saw your Platinum Visa..."
"Madame eBay, please! Can you help me?"
She sighs. "Yes. You want to know what to expect in the years to come. I see...fees going up again. And new fees. I see a You-Should-Be-Grateful-We-Let-You-Use-eBay fee."
You gulp.
"I see...TV commercials that appeal to the lowest common denominator of society, bringing those people in to bid on your auctions."
"Well, THAT'S good, isn't it, Madame?"
"Alas, no. Few of them will pay. Wait... wait... I see America's pampered middle classes, expecting YOU to fix their bidding screwups. Something else is taking shape, something so hideous it frightens even Madame eBay... I see your auction data being sold to large corporations, so they can figure out how to steal your business. Appalling."
"That's all?"
"I'm afraid so, my son."
You think a moment, then decide. "So, how much does Spencer Gifts want for a lava lamp, anyway?"
posted on February 14, 2004 01:20:35 PM new
I agree with robbiec. The idea is to try to keep buyers on ebay not drive them away. Ebay is full of glitches and the buyer probably tried to retract the bid and contact live ebay help.
Their reward for their attempts? Sarcasm and deridding from a heartless pompous seller.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on February 14, 2004 01:45:23 PM new
Gosh, Ace, how can you possibly suggest an eBay seller could be anything but completely sympathetic to a poor confused bidder?
Aren't all sellers willing to go out of their way to help, even if the bidder is trying to weasel out?
I'm speechless! Shocked to the point I'm checking out the window to see if the sun's over the yardarm yet.
posted on February 14, 2004 07:33:49 PM new
You know, Ace, now that I think it over, the sun being over the yardarm and all, I'm not sure Fluffy Mel did all she could. After all, Soozy moved away from Los Gatos a month ago. How far we don't know but nevertheless she did move away.
Now, Fluffy lives in the Bay Area and she could have offered to drive to eBay Headquarters with email in hand. She could have pounded the counter until she got some real live help for poor unfortunate Soozy.
But she didn't! Shocking! She didn't even come here asking for help until the horrific damage had been done to Soozy. After all, even though I'm a couple of hundred miles from San Jose, I would have been more than happy to go to eBay on Soozy's behalf.
posted on February 14, 2004 07:59:50 PM new
Yeah Fluffy, have a heart. After all, it's Valentine's day and we're celebrating President's day Monday. You should take the compassionate course that Honest Abe would have. Give it to her free of charge and FedEx it overnight to her. You might even want to enclose a $5.00 bill in the package to compensate her for the nervewracking time she spent at the keyboard trying to explain to you how Ebay works.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on February 15, 2004 03:20:13 PM new
Sparkz. The point is to be reasonable. Why get a kick out of making the buyers' lives miserable? Destory it and they will leave. You are only in business because there are buyers.
posted on February 15, 2004 04:03:08 PM new
Robbiec...Great observation. Wrong thread. This thread has nothing to do with buyers. It's about a deadbeat bidder who has invented a new excuse for bidding and not paying. When Fluffy files the NPB and FVF request, she's going to try to use this excuse to get Ebay to remove the warning. She thinks nobody has ever told Ebay they have bugs in their system.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on February 15, 2004 08:23:46 PM new
Since this transaction apparently means much more to the buyer than to the big-time-seller, it wouldn't hurt to give the buyer a break. Would it?
posted on February 15, 2004 09:35:39 PM new
::Since this transaction apparently means much more to the buyer than to the big-time-seller, it wouldn't hurt to give the buyer a break. Would it?::
I love how people expect things of ebay sellers they would never expect of anyone else. Would you go to the grocery store and tell the manager that since they are obviously a big time store you think they should give you something that you had selected free? Of course not. Sp why would you actually think that it is only right to expect as ebay seller to eat the fees of some complete strannger just because they do a high volume of sales?
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 16, 2004 12:10:11 AM new
Hi all,
This alleged buyer is not one I would want bidding on my auctions.
Fluffy is a serious business woman who isn't on eBay to babysit people who don't know or don't care to follow the rules. If the bidder tried to retract her bid and failed it's her responsibility, not Fluffy's.
I'm with Fluff on this one. If the bidder doesn't pay she will learn the consequences of an NPB and FVF filing with eBay.
posted on February 16, 2004 04:58:36 AM new
If the buyer can produce the successful "bid retraction", then she should not be penalized for a "bug" in the system. If not, she gets what she deserves. But the attitude of the seller is what is unnerving. That the buyer is automatically guilty and another buyer "trying to get away with it".
