fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 21, 2002 01:49:44 PM new
So I'm flat on my back these last three days with the cold virus of the century. Had some auctions end yesterday (Saturday, April 20). A Zero was high bidder on one. When she didn't hear from me instantly the auction was over, she pulled my contact info. Twice. The next thing she did was call the phone number listed therein, which is the office number.
If you're reading this, Zero, grow a brain and realize that most people are not doing business in their office at 9:40 pm on a Saturday night. (If they don't HAVE an office, they probably don't want to be called then, either.)
THEN, because no one answered the phone, she turned us into eBay for bad contact info! I drag myself into the office this morning and gee, lookit that: a 24 hour warning to update my reg info or I'll be suspended. If I'd done what I should have (stayed home in bed all day today), I would have found myself NARU'd tomorrow. No guarantee that isn't going to happen anyway.
I am enraged that some NITWIT can have that much power and that eBay has casually handed it to her.
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jdk156
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:08:33 PM new
She may have zero feedback but my guess is she is not a newbie. I bought on ebay for a year and a half before I ever thought of selling here and I didn't know you could pull the info on a seller. I never needed to but the point is how did she know she could that early in the game?
The people I know personally that buy on ebay just dive in and learn just enough to get what they want to bid on and learn all the ins and outs later on down the road as it arises.
I hope this works out for you.
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rgrem
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:27:29 PM new
There may be more to it than meets the eye. It just makes no sense, newbie or not, to get that upset so quickly. Buyer may have decided they didn't want it. Are they completing the transaction?
[ edited by rgrem on Apr 21, 2002 02:29 PM ]
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:33:09 PM new
She signed up for eBay on April 16, 2002. You may have a point there.
Oh, it gets better.
Sweetie says, "Did you listen to your (home) voice mail?"
I cleverly retort, "Huh?". I'd been dead to the world for 12 hours. San Francisco could have been destroyed by the Next Big Earthquake and I'd never have noticed it.
"Yeah," he says. "There was a call on your line very late last night."
Lo and behold, it's my Zero, calling me at HOME. Now, that required some extra legwork on her part. I don't use my home phone number with eBay business.
Somehow I just know this transaction ain't gonna go smoothly. Yeah, like THAT's something different.
Does anyone know if Starbucks is hiring?
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kiara
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:35:54 PM new
If she pulled your contact info then you should have hers also? I think that's how it works anyways.
I know it's difficult and especially when you are ill, but try to remain professional and let her know ebay's rules about 3 business days for contacting each other after auction. Save all of the e-mails also.
I guess this is a reminder to all of us that we should periodically check our registration info in case things have changed for us.
I hope you feel better soon.
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etexbill
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:50:36 PM new
To fluffy:I had the same thing happen recently, and I send WBN within a couple of hours after auction closes. If eBay tries to bug you, tell them that their own rules give you three days to contact the buyer. I even notice that some sellers have placed in the description that the winning bidder should contact them. They don't even bother to send a WBN.I hope that your Zero buyer doesn't run across one of them, they would really have something to gripe about. Some people can't be satisfied no matter what you do. Hang in there and get well soon.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 21, 2002 02:50:41 PM new
Thanks, kiara, but the thing is the reg info hadn't changed.
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kiara
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posted on April 21, 2002 03:01:39 PM new
Okay, now I see what you mean. Hopefully it was just a routine e-mail from ebay and you'll be okay.
I just checked my registration anyways even though I hadn't made changes recently. Now it shows a new date on it. I wonder if ebay goes by that at all? I also have my business phone # on mine as I don't want anyone bothering me at home.
[ edited by kiara on Apr 21, 2002 03:03 PM ]
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outoftheblue
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posted on April 21, 2002 03:03:56 PM new
Two can play those games.
Email Ebay and let them know your contact information is fine and that the buyer LIED to them about it because she left a message on your answering machine. Include a copy of her email.
CC the buyer so she know's what's going on.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 21, 2002 03:04:55 PM new
Thanks, etexbill.
And remember, everybody: the best way to avoid catching a cold is to wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water. Also try not to touch your eyes, nose, inside of your mouth, etc. because that's how the virus gets transmitted to you.
I will certainly remember this from now on.
Now I'm going to go home and zonk out for a while with a couple of cats on top of me.
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hair2dye4
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posted on April 21, 2002 03:10:19 PM new
I just had to say something, I am shocked, truly, the loney tunes are really out, I may look into Starbucks for us both! I have worked with people all my life and never have I heard of so many crazy people! I just want to say you hang in there,get better because you always have very helpful advise for all of us and wish you well and strengh to kick some...
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 21, 2002 08:51:37 PM new
hair2dye4: I've been on eBay (and before that, its predecessor) since 1997, through the glory days of high prices realized, through the months when eBay was breaking down chronically, and I can tell you that the user base has changed. Among my acquaintance many (not all) of the nicer folk are burned out on eBay buying.
It may just be that we've lost too many of the good folks and what's left are the dregs of the earth.
BTW, there's one advantage of being sick: You can lay on the sofa with a laptop and watch DVDs all day. Yeah!
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sparkz
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posted on April 21, 2002 09:22:21 PM new
Don't forget to sneeze on the item before you pack it and send it to her.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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ironking
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posted on April 22, 2002 02:08:46 AM new
fluffy, look at my post regarding deadbeats with zero feedbacks! It is very suspicious that newbies would know their way around reporting you to safeharbour. You know, wouldnt suprise me if the deadbeat I have gotten, and this troublemaker are bidders from the past in our lives, wanting revenge on us!
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RB
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posted on April 22, 2002 06:12:46 AM new
A similar thing happened to me only I wasn't able to respond to the "You have 24 hours to get out of Dodge" email from eBay. My perfect-record-buyer-only account has been suspended (150+ purchases with zero negs in 4 months) and I have explained to ebay that my registration info has not changed since the day I registered and I have had absolutely no difficulties connecting with my sellers. They tell me I have to FAX them a copy of a utility bill or something like that in order to be reinstated.
I'm not sure if this was the result of someone playing games or eBay wanting more personal info to build up their database, but at any rate, they have lost a good buyer. I am not about to share any more info with them - I do not sell on eBay and I do not believe they "need" anything more on me than they already have.
Good luck to others who are going through this nonsense ...
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 22, 2002 07:16:53 AM new
luffy, look at my post regarding deadbeats with zero feedbacks! It is very suspicious that newbies would know their way around reporting you to safeharbour. You know, wouldnt suprise me if the deadbeat I have gotten, and this troublemaker are bidders from the past in our lives, wanting revenge on us!
It's possible, I suppose, except that the eBay ID I'm using for most of my auctions these days hasn't been active enough to attract many chronic troublemakers. The feedback is only 155.
All my IDs have the same domain name in the address, of course, but eBay has made that extraordinarily difficult to search for using conventional means. So I don't think the wackos who are mad at [email protected] can figure out that I'm actually also [email protected] (not to mention seller3 and seller4, too).
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 22, 2002 07:21:44 AM new
RB: That sucks, truly. What's worse is that you are exactly what we need -- a good buyer -- and now we have no way to offer our wares to you.
I think you are on the mark with your observation about building up the database. Information is a valuable commodity. I don't believe for a second that eBay won't sell our personal info without our knowledge (hell, I think they're already doing it).
Look at the eBay Help Wanteds some time and notice how many positions are open for folks with experience in data mining.
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RB
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posted on April 22, 2002 08:57:57 AM new
Thanks fluffy 
On a positive note, I have met some great eBay sellers during the past 4 months (I registed on December 14th, 2001) and a few of them also sell from their websites. My sources have not been completely eliminated by eBay's hunger for information.
On a negative note, I will never have the opportunity to meet any new sellers on eBay, and judging by my collecting habits over the past few years, they may change again. Don't know where I'll go to spend my money if this happens!
On a personal note, I, also, have two great cats that provide comfort to me when I've needed it ...
I wonder what happens next with eBay? I have emailed them and explained that my registration info is exactly the same as it always has been and that I will not entertain FAXing them any additional personal information to verify to them that I am who I am. If I were an eBay seller, I might do this, but as a buyer only, no way. Will I be suspended forever now?
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jimh1948
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posted on April 22, 2002 12:39:56 PM new
I've been getting almost threatening email from someone with a similar attitude. I don't accept bids from people with less than a 10 feedback and this person ([email protected]) writes and tells me that I can't do that...I write back and say I can do whatever I want its called "free enterprise" his response is that he and his "group" are out to destroy people like me on ebay and will refer everyone who bids on my auctions to their website which has all my negs posted plus my emails.....wonder what rock this kook called out from under...any ideas on how to get more info on this creep...all i have is his e- address..
Last note i got was that he said he noticed my home addy was not too far so he might bid on something and swing by to pick it up....a little more threatening...i'd say. Anybody else getting anything from this a-hole?
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 22, 2002 01:02:14 PM new
It's amazing what you can find out using the Web.
I got a real name, home phone number, city/state/zip, hobbies and more.
The tendency of people to blather on and on and on these days, then post the blatherings on the Web as if they were of some social significance, actually yields quite a bit of searchable information.
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jimh1948
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posted on April 22, 2002 01:40:58 PM new
not much on this character...the only thing in the aol profile is gender = m. I've asked ebay and aol for info but have yet to receive a reply.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 22, 2002 06:21:15 PM new
jimh1948: Try Googling the email address. That will give you the first name, as well as a clue to one of his obsessions. Then Google the first name/last name combo. More clues. Then take the first and last names to yahoo or switchboard and you'll get LOTS more info.
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jimh1948
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posted on April 23, 2002 08:38:09 AM new
Thank you fluffy....
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 23, 2002 08:40:51 AM new
jimh1948: Oh, I'm full of all kinds of useless information. Have fun.
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lanefamily
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posted on April 23, 2002 07:59:15 PM new
jimh1948 You do have a weirdo on your hands. Uses a Mac to start with or at least did. Has a thing for Olivia Newton-John. Has a game cube.
Got pissed cause they were added to a mailing list in 1998.
Jim
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stopwhining
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posted on April 23, 2002 08:14:45 PM new
many ebay sellers use a different id for buying,this sounds like a reseller who needs the item fast.
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ok4leather
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posted on April 23, 2002 08:30:04 PM new
This is probably the best kind of bidder trouble one could hope to have. Instead of trying to get the bidder to pay - The bidder is trying to track you down to give you money. Wouldnt get too upset its a good problem to have. Get well quick !
Ok4
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daleeric
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posted on April 23, 2002 10:30:07 PM new
Do sneeze and cough on the item before mailing it Then send it priority mail/3 day since cold germs last a week on contact! Hope you are feeling better. Echinacea (spelled right) really works.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on May 3, 2002 09:30:56 AM new
Just an update:
This lady (and I use the term loosely)'s payment arrived and we shipped the next day. She didn't pay for insurance but I insured it anyway, scenting trouble in the air. So I'm out $2 for that.
Next, the inevitable "I sent you my payment seven days ago, why haven't I gotten the bracelet yet?" emails.
Finally, the (probably inevitable) "The item is damaged, I took it to my jeweler and he's charging me $15 to fix it, you should pay me for it and if you don't I'll never bid on your auctions again and make sure that none of my friends ever bid on your auctions again."
My response to her:
"Uh-huh. Whatever. Have a nice life."
Oh how I wish there were a way of spotting these bloodsuckers before they even light on an unsuspecting victim.
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clarksville
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posted on May 3, 2002 11:06:35 AM new
I have been buying and selling for a few years and have another id with a couple of feedbacks. The way some sellers treat me when I email them for questions and how a few have treated me during the transaction to completion is WAY different when I use my XXXXX# feedback id.
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