posted on May 20, 2004 03:36:05 AM new
I am getting so sick of being held hostage by winning bidders. Had an auction end 10 days ago. No contact from the bidder despite an invoice, payment reminder, email from me directly, email using eBay's system just in case she couldn't get mine (she has hotmail) and an NPBA. My TOS clearly states (in simple easy to read wording) that I must have a response to my WBN within three days. After three I send a payment reminder, after seven a NPBA and so on. This morning I get this on an auction that ended 10 days ago.
Cheryl, I have emailed you stating that I wanted to pay you by mail, and please to send me your mailing address.
All I got in response was these warnings from Ebay, which I took to mean that you do not accept payment by mail, because that was how you responded.
It's not nice to threaten negative feedback - You mention solving the matter "amicably" after ignoring my emails, then sending these Ebay Threats, then threatening negative feedback, I will also post feedback accordingly.
I can see what type of person YOU are to be so upset over 10 dollars in 10 days????????
******
Number one, I never received any emails from her. I use cable Internet and have yet to have mail lost in space. Number two, she responded only after I pulled her contact information from eBay. Number three, my invoice states my mailing address for payment. The kicker is her last line. Ten days have passed and this is the first time I hear from her. She's already violated my TOS. Other sellers have stated "super fast payment" which leaves me to believe she uses Paypal. So, why the excuse that she didn't have my address?
Her second paragraph has me puzzled. She says I never responded to her yet she adds the line: [i]which I took to mean
that you do not accept payment by mail, because that was how you responded.[/i] Of course I never responded. She never ever contacted me.
eBay, if you are listening (ya, right), I'm sick of being held hostage over feedback. To allow NPBs to leave feedback is simply wrong. You get your money from me every month (double last month), and what are you doing to protect me or any other seller - NOTHING.
Cheryl
[ edited by cblev65252 on May 20, 2004 03:38 AM ]
posted on May 20, 2004 03:56:44 AM new
Get this: her email address has the word paypal in it. I gather she pay by paypal - not check or money order. If lying could get you into heaven, there will be a lot of NPBs up there.
I just read this from eBay. What a CROCK - they send you to a non-existant link!
Many members are concerned about receiving retaliatory feedback. To alleviate some of this concern we've made some changes to the way feedback is handled. You can review these changes here:
[url]http://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback/feedbackreviewsummary.html[.url] (a working link would be nice, eBay)
These changes can effect why someone may now be more likely to leave a negative comment without as much fear of retaliation as they may have had in the past, but it cannot prevent members from leaving an unfair or retaliatory comment. However, because the Feedback Forum is an open and
fully disclosed medium for members to leave comments about their transactions eBay has a limited amount of control. Therefore, in
fairness we cannot prevent a member from leaving a negative comment,even if it may have not been deserved. eBay will not censor opinions or investigate the remarks for accuracy. While retaliatory feedback is
strongly discouraged, it would not qualify as grounds for removal.
Cheryl
[ edited by cblev65252 on May 20, 2004 03:58 AM ]
posted on May 20, 2004 05:00:45 AM new
I don't have the problem with retalitory feedback but I had a bidder win one of my auctions and I couldn't contact them. Every email sent (WBN, reminders, general email) all came back to me because her mailbox was over quota (Yahoo account).
She is now no longer registered with Ebay so I didn't have a chance to leave a neg. But, after I relisted the item she sends me an email wanting to pay. I decided to let her go ahead and have it but when I responded to her email--again it bounced back so I said forget it. I pulled her contact info (the email to let her know I pulled it probally bounced back too because she hasn't tried to contact me again) but I shouldn't have to spend more money in long distance calls just for an item under $5.00. I just went on and am forgetting about the transaction. She is going to be blocked.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:15:53 AM new
I've had similar problems when selling. As a buyer though, I get tired of Power Sellers especially who seem to be very poor at communicating. I bought some items 4 days ago with BIN from a powerseller who is apparently so powerful he doesn't need to list shipping charges in his TOS, and I have mailed him 3 times asking for a total so I can pay. If I haven't heard anything by tomorrow, I'm going to send the purchase price with PayPal, and include a note that shipping must apparently be free, please let me know when you have sent my item.
Buyers aren't the only ones who make Ebay transactions frustrating.
___________________________________
When a dog howls at the moon, we call it religion. When he barks at strangers, we call it patriotism. - Edward Abbey
I know what you mean. I've had some nightmares as a buyer as well, which is why I'm more articulate as a seller. My shipping costs are stated in my auctions as well as my terms. Everything is in simple easy to understand terms. I answer all emails if they are sent to me. I still have yet to figure out how to answer invisible emails, though.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:43:30 AM new
Ditto, Cheryl and Prof!
I buy on eBay frequently, and some sellers have absolutely the WORST customer service! I won three items from the same seller two weeks ago - a PS - he was very quick to send invoice, which I paid immediately through PayPal. That's the only correspondence I have had from him. I finally emailed him yesterday requesting a status on the package since I haven't heard from him. Still no response
I have learned so much about customer service from buying. One thing that absolutely drives me nuts is when my payment is not acknowledged by a seller. I confirm every single payment I receive and thank the the customer for it; I email them with a DC # when their package is shipped, thanking them for buying with me. And I thank them in the feedback I leave. I emphasize customer service highly, and have a great deal of repeat buyers.
If it weren't for buyers, sellers wouldn't last too long - good thing some of us sellers recognize that
grammatical edit
__________________________________
"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." - Richard Bach
[ edited by wgm on May 20, 2004 05:44 AM ]
If you use the Print Shipping Label from eBay, the USPS sends your customer an email saying the item shipped and includes the DC number. It's really convenient.
My problem bidder is also a seller. A new one so, I'm not sure if they are aware that threatening to retaliate with a neg if I leave one for non-payment is a no-no. I've been doing it for three + years and have heard every excuse in the book. The she used is the most common, I suppose. I don't have a spam blocker so I do receive all my email. I can also check with my cable Internet provider. I don't think she knows the other resources I have.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:47:58 AM new
I've had more problems with buyers in the last 2 months than I've had in ages.
I've had to leave negs all over the place. As soon as I leave the neg the buyer starts yelling they didn't receive emails from me, they've been trying to contact me, blah, blah, blah!!!
Some of these are buyers with low fb and tons of negs. Had one buyer that has 8 total fb's and 4 of those are negs. How does this person keep buying?? My fault. I didn't check the fb before the auction closed and now I'm stuck with them. However, a lot of the problem buyers I've had lately are buyers who have been around for quite awhile.
I have to ask the same ? - what's wrong with these people??!!
posted on May 20, 2004 05:49:20 AM new
A LOT of the problems could be solved if eBay would do what Jack has been screaming about: DON'T ALLOW NPBs TO LEAVE FEEDBACK.
posted on May 20, 2004 06:44:31 AM newI'm sick of being held hostage over feedback.
So don't allow yourself to be held hostage.
You know and I know that this lady is one of those people whose defensive response is to get aggressive. I must get a lot more of them that you because her responses are classic.
Cheryl, I have emailed you
I can see what type of person YOU are to be so upset over 10 dollars in 10 days????????
First lies and now insults. Are you going to tolerate this for the sake of a number that no one pays attention to anyway?
If negative feedback meant anything, I'd have been reduced to "you want fries with that?" by now.
You can't control what other people do. You can only decide what you will do. I would refrain from engaging with her (you can't win), I'd send her the EOA information one more time, and I'd FVF her when the time came.
And yes, I would neg her. Negative feedback might matter to HER.
posted on May 20, 2004 07:03:52 AM new
Cheryl:
it is amazing what we must do, to run a business; and mine is small, even miniscule compared to some on ebay.
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i just went thru the same as you have posted.
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when i filed THE alert, the reaction was the same as with your bidder.
----------------
..and while [it] is probably a 'threat with no teeth,' i sent the following [email] to the bidder.
"..PROVIDE ME WITH ALL THE EMAILS THAT YOU HAVE SENT AS PER YOUR LAST COMMUNICATION TO ME - THEY WILL SHOW YOUR ADDRESS-ADDRESSEE HEADERS...I AM GOING TO REPORT YOUR ISP AND MINE-AND MY DAUGHTER RUNS THE PLANTERS.NET SERVER - YOU AND I WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. JUST FORWARD ALL YOUR EMAILS, OKAY? AND THANKS.."
Myoldtoy
I have every intention of going through with the negative! I might have worked things out with her until she got nasty in her email. My email to her wasn't nasty in the least and I did say I was willing to work things out with her. The nasty email she's referring to was the NPBA sent by eBay. She should complain to eBay about that, not me. I know for a fact that she never contacted me. I'm betting her hotmail account was putting the emails into Spam and she didn't bother to check them. Well, I have no spam blocker so bidders cannot use that excuse with me. She will be negged exactly when I told her I would - 10 days after the NPBA and at the time I file to get my fees back.
posted on May 20, 2004 07:44:36 AM new
<<I can see what type of person YOU are to be so upset over 10 dollars in 10 days????????>>
Why don't people realize that when they stoop to personal attack it only makes the situation worse?? It may make her feel better, but it sure doesn't help resolve the problem. How immature.
ps-- I think she has some kind of email filter or her mailbox is full, and that's preventing your email from getting through.
posted on May 20, 2004 11:51:14 AM new
I've been having my fair share of NPBs lately as well. Fortunately, I've been able to get most of them to pay. I have a problem with a seller that files a negative against a buyer simply because the buyer filed one first. If a buyer purchases something that is not what it was advertised and the seller refuses to refund the money, then what has the seller got to complain about? He's got his money, but the buyer is out both his money as well as the product that he thought he was bidding on. This happened to me and I'm still fighting to try to get my money back. I filed a neg and got one in return. I put the response back as "what part of my $50 didn't you like? I ended up with photocopies!" or something to that effect. I really have a problem with that. If a seller is so dishonest that they knowingly defraud someone and then files a neg against them -- well that just takes the cake in my book.
posted on May 20, 2004 12:40:25 PM new
Many people here seem to enjoy getting their nut on these legitimate complaints. There are people like this out there, they aren't worth the sweat off of your formal dances. Take their USPS money order and mail them a damn rock (ok, the broken one you were going to toss). What are they going to do, neg you? OO EE OO AH AH TING TANG WALLA WALLA BING BANG, so solly, please fill out form, go to end of line. Thank you.
posted on May 20, 2004 12:54:37 PM new
Bizzy, hire a semi-professional to represent you. Depending on where the seller is they can represent you on the way to different vacation spots, such as Sturgis or Daytona. They can demonstrate your unhappiness in a legal yet memorable style. It's better than sending a bouquet of weeds.
posted on May 20, 2004 01:21:22 PM new
What irks me is the fact that SHE is the one who didn't respond to emails using my system or eBay's and SHE is the one that even waited four days after I filed the NPBA to contact me and then she has the nerve to send me a nasty email like I'm in the wrong here. What the heck is up with people? She's already got one neg for not responding to a refund offer. The seller offered a refund and this person negged her anyway without responding to the refund offer. Why? Because the seller would not pay for return shipping on an item this person didn't want. So, I'm braced for mine. Hopefully, it will pale against my good feedback. My customers know me and that's why I have repeats. Smart people know a retaliatory neg when they see one. I'm not afraid of her and she's not going to bully me either.
I've decided that if she sends me the money, I'm going to return it to her. The deal is over as far as I'm concerned. She violated my TOS and then got nasty. She'll get her neg once I file to get my fees back. Oh, yes, and she's blocked.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:31:33 PM new
parklane -- Along those same lines, perhaps I'll give my Uncle Guido a call and he can send Vinnie the Shark over to make her an offer she can't refuse.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:34:09 PM new
LOL, bizzy. Can I borrow him for a while? I have a list of blocked bidders I'd like him to take a look at. Wouldn't it be a hoot if we all shared our blocked bidder list? There probably wouldn't be any bidders left to bid on our auctions.
posted on May 20, 2004 05:34:09 PM new
cheryl - sorry to say you are not alone
For your entertainment pleasure, I present my non-paying bidder....
Auction closes two weeks ago. End of auction notice sent. No reply. No payment, no emails, nothing. I filed NPB Alert this morning, and what do you know? I get an email from the buyer...
The subject line of the email is "i need to know if you received my payment."
"I GOT HURT REAL BAD 2 WEEKS AGO. WHAT WAS THE FINAL PRICE WITH SHIPPING? WILL YOU TAKE A ONEY ORDER? [email protected] THANKS"
Okay, she wants to know if I received her payment...that she hasn't sent yet?
I, like you, have had it. HAD IT. So my fluffy-inspired reply to her...
"Hi Xxxxxx!
Thank you very much for finally contacting me.
I am sorry to hear that you were hurt badly, but seems it hasn't kept you from bidding on other auctions as well. I checked your bidding history after I received this email, wanting to believe you, but see you have been actively bidding since you won my auction. And then you try to insult my intelligence by stating "i need to know if you received my payment.", knowing no payment has been sent.
This auction ended two weeks ago, and I have had absolutely NO correspondence from you until you get a notice from eBay. The terms of my auctions are clearly stated on the auction page as well as the end of notice email you received from me the night the auction ended. Payment is due within seven (7) days. Since I had no contact whatsoever from you, the item has been relisted. The email you received from eBay is merely one of the steps we sellers have to go through to recover our fees expended on the auction. You will be receiving another email from eBay regarding this in approximately ten (10) days. Neither email from eBay means I am obligated to hold an item for you.
Lastly, and not trying to sound sarcastic - try being honest with the sellers whose auctions you bid on. Honestly goes a long way, as does communication.
Thank you again, Me"
Thank goodness my NPBs are few and far between...but when I have them, it's always a new experience
__________________________________
"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." - Richard Bach
posted on May 20, 2004 06:01:58 PM new
Cheryl: i want to show that sometimes, the bidder 'do get busted.'
---------------------
user: michstfan
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user sent same email to her last 7 auctions:
"I am sorry, I got laid off yesterday, I have no money
to send you. sorry"
the sellers, including me, communicated, and put her out of business.
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i didnt post a negative against her - didnt need to-her feedback tells the whoooooooooooooole story...
-------------------
myoldtoy
posted on May 20, 2004 09:00:23 PM new
In regards to the blocked bidders list we each have, I would like to remind everyone to do a periodic backup of that list and save it as a text file. For the new posters here, Ebay had a glitch a couple of months ago and several users had their entire BB list deleted.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
