Another eBay transaction gone sour :(

[The_Man_Of_Steel]

Please read this post in it's ENTIRETY before making a comment. I'll post the events in chronological order to help readers sort things out.

 

I won THIS AUCTION

 

and THIS AUCTION from the same seller.

 

PLEASE, read the auction description(s) next, it is important to the following exchange of emails.

 

I emailed him first, this is what I said:

Date: 2003/03/18 Tue PM 06:26:25 CST

To: cuda67@alltel.net

Subject: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

 

Hello,I am the winning bidder for 2 of your auctions: Spider-man movie figures series 1 Item # 3120957936 AND Spider-man Movie figures Series 2 Item # 3120972397 AS stated in your auctions "Winning bidder to notify me within 2 days of auction's end, with their mailing address, that I can get them a total." I expect the figures will be shipped in one box [combine the auctions], please don't charge me more than the actual S&H cost. I sent a payment to my credit card company today, and I will pay you as soon as the payment is credited to my account. I will also purchase insurance for the figures. Here is my address to help you calculate the S&H charges: [address withheld for obvious reasons]

 

...and here is HIS first response:

From: Daniel Ickes

Subject: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 19:22:36 -0600

 

Andrew, it will take me a little while to find a big enough box. Unless you would be willing to pay for packaging. let me know and I will send you a new total.Dan.

 

...and here is MY response:

Date: 2003/03/18 Tue PM 08:10:40 CST

To: cuda67@alltel.net

Subject: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

 

Dan, I did you a favor by bidding on both auctions. You don't have to send two packages to 2 addresses (among other things), because I won both auctions you only have to send 1 package to 1 address, and your trying to have me pay for packaging, which is NOT in the auction description? Have you never had a seller combine shipping costs when you've won multiple auctions? Don't you expect them to do that for you? WTF are you trying to pull on me dude!! I'm not in the mood for playing games. I WILL NOT, I REPEAT, WILL NOT PAY $20 for shipping, and I know that is not the actual cost, you shot that price at me without even having my address. Your auction desription implies that the buyer will pay ACTUAL S&H, so don't try to pull a fast one on me,I'm far from being a newbie to eBay, and I'm far from being a newbie to Collecting messageboards [word will get around]. If it will take you a couple of days to come up with a bigger box, then I'm A-O-K with that, just keep the S&H at ACTUAL cost please. - Andrew

 

...and HIS second response:

From: Daniel Ickes

Subject: Re: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 21:44:44 -0600

 

sir. i am not trying to pull anything. look at the auction. it reads shipping and handling charges. that means what it costs to package as well as ship. i spent 3.00 on bubble rap for the 1st 5. i'll spend another 8.00 on more rap and filler to secure the items. this dosen't include the price of a box if i can't find one at work. i'm not trying to ripe you off. if after this explaination you want to cancel your bids,you can.i won't hold any anomosity, and relist them. Dan.

 

...and MY next reponse:

Date: 2003/03/18 Tue PM 10:37:12 CST

To: cuda67@alltel.net

Subject: Re: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

 

QUOTE: "sir. i am not trying to pull anything. look at the auction. it reads'shipping and handling charges'."

 

NO sir it does NOT, it reads "Winning bidder to notify me in 2 days of auction's end with shipping address so shipping and handling can be calculated." Your description implies that you want to get the winning bidders address so that they will only be charged the ACTUAL S&H cost. If you wanted X amount of dollars for S&H, like you initially asked for, you should have listed those additional "charges" in the auction.

 

QUOTE: "i am not trying to pull anything. that means what it costs to package as well as ship. i spent 3.00 on bubble rap for the 1st 5. i'll spend another 8.00 on more rap and filler to secure the items."

 

[!@#%^&^]!! THE PACKAGING CHARGES YOU STATE ABOVE ARE NOT MENTIONED IN THE AUCTION, AND THEREFORE ARE NOT PART OF THE BIDDING AGREEMENT. I've sold items on eBay, and I don't charge my customers for packaging, and I wouldn't "feel" right doing it either, and would be ashamed to get into a debate with a customer over charges that are not stated in the auction.

 

QUOTE: "this dosen't include the price of a box if i can't find one at work."

 

Price of the box? Your going to learn something through me pal, customers don't appreciate paying outrageous S&H charges, and I've paid many S&H charges, including items from other online stores.

 

QUOTE: "i'm not trying to ripe you off."

 

Why don't you back up your words with action, you don't know the first thing about customer satisfaction because if you did you would know that the customer is ALWAYS right.

 

QUOTE: "if after this explaination you want to cancel your bids,you can.i won't hold any anomosity, and relist them."

 

Cancel my bids? I'm not going to add retracted bids to my profile, why don't you tell safe harbor that we both agreed to cancel the transaction. Go ahead and relist them dude, I bid hours before the auction ended, take your figures and shove em' up your [!@#%^&^] and don't come back whinning to me when they end for less than what I bid. ! -Andrew

 

...and HIS third response:

From: Daniel Ickes

Subject: Re: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 23:13:03 -0600

 

sir i am not a store [notice how he refers to me as "sir" ]. look in the discription that is where it is stated. and the original price was for 2 boxes which i have. but the language and attitude is unnessasery. i not beyond compermise. i have 2 classic spider-man figures i will include free. and Dan.

 

...and MY last email to him:

Date: 2003/03/24 Mon PM 11:33:23 CST

To: cuda67@alltel.net

Subject: Re: Re: Spider-man movie figures series 1 AND Series 2

 

Daniel,

 

I'm sorry about using using offensive language. I had a "bad" day, and if

you only knew what several of my eBay experiences have been like, you might

understand. I'm sure that sooner or later, if you have not already, you'll

be in similar situations.

 

"i have 2 classic spider-man figures i will include free."

 

Thank you! I have absolutely 0 figures from that series.

 

" i will e-mail you with exact shipping for the one box."

 

Do you have the exact shipping amount for me yet?

 

Thank you for listening to me, it IS appreciated. -Andrew

 

...and HIS last email to me:

sir. your the worst experience i've had so far. through the whole ordeal, i

stayed civil. you said in a few choice words, that you did not want the figures.

i waited 1 day after my last e-mail,and when i didn't hear from you,i relisted

them. they have been sold. and frankly sir. i don't want to do business with

someone with that kind of attitude.

 

I had planned on giving him last minute negative feedback, but decided to leave me negative feedback first...

 

MY FEEDBACK

 

HIS FEEDBACK

 

 

All I attempted to do was make sure my items would be combined, and that I would only be charged exact shipping (as the auction description hints). eBay is for the birds, I'm thinking about closing this account real soon. Maybe I'll start another account and do like so many other people, that is sell a bunch of cheapie crapp for .99 cents to jack my feedback up quickly.

[Rickdogg]

Although this seller is a person_having_a_hard_time_understanding_my_point for jacking up shipping and "handling" costs, your reply to his initial email may have sparked this whole thing.

 

For example, I was just charged $8 for S/H for one CGC book being sent from Sacramento (i'm in Southern Cali), which should only be $5 at most. The S/H amount is ridiculous, but I will ask for a partial refund on shipping once the package arrives with the $4.55 PVI. If he declines then I won't bid on his future auctions. Try to tone it down in the future

[Lofwyr]

I have to agree, when you're confrontational on the outset it determines the conversation tone the rest of the way. It's basic people skills 101 that real estate agents, salespeople, etc. learn. You should have maybe been a little more friendly before informing him that you won't be paying his exhorbitant shipping costs. Yes, the seller is trying to fleece shipping costs but it's such a common practice these days I ask beforehand and factor it into the final bid anyways.

 

 

 

[OldGuy]

He was more patient then I would have been. With phrases like "WTF are you trying to pull on me dude!!" and "I'm far from being a newbie to Collecting messageboards (word will get around)" I'd have told you to go [!@#%^&^] yourself after the second e-mail. You could have made your points without going crazy.

[FlyingDonut]

Post deleted by FlyingDonut

[CosmicBob]

How big are these figures? The PO has a Priority Mail box that's square. I don't know if they would all fit in it or not. But you'd think that if he sells figures, he'd have the boxes to mail them out with.

 

I did notice that in his auction description he never SAYS you can combine auction wins. So expecting him to do so may be a stretch for him. But he does use the phrase "shipping and handling". I would think he could call buying a big box a "handling charge" if he wanted, or whatever else he wanted. You'd have to get ebay to determine if it was an excessive handling charge or not.

 

But $20 does seem a bit much, since you can get boxes for free and a whole lot of bubble wrap cheaply. I bet the postage for Priority Mail wouldn't go above $12.00. $40 worth of insurance is $1.30.

 

I thought he couldn't cancel the auction and relist until a NBP has been sent, and that can't be sent until you send a payment reminder? I wonder how he was able to relist it so quickly?

[Rickdogg]

You can relist anytime you want

[FlyingDonut]

Ricky - I have NO idea how somebody can ship you a CGC book for $4.55. If they are, they sure as hell aren't packing it well. I charge $8 to ship CGC books, and I'm losing money on the deal every single time.

[GP_]

whoa! that sucks, first he states "buyer to pay shipping" then wants to add $20 for a box? what was he planning on, a gold lined box? those dont look too big to fit in one of the free USPS priority mail boxes/

 

edit.. errr umm like yeah those responses werent there when I started this! I gotta stop workin while I reply!

[FlyingDonut]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! Coineee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bugaboo-migration]

Dangit donut.......stop deleting your posts.

[Rickdogg]

"Ricky - I have NO idea how somebody can ship you a CGC book for $4.55. If they are, they sure as hell aren't packing it well."

 

I can keep shipping under $5 within CA I use cardboard on both sides of the CGC book and packing peanuts all the way around it and have never had one single cracked case. It's called using your imagination to keep things light for your customers, which in turn keeps s/h costs down

[joe_collector]

You get more bees with honey that with vinegar.

 

I may be a bit confrontational on here, but when it comes to business transactions (EBay and otherwise) I play it cool and things work themselves out.

 

I've gotten books with undisclosed damage, and inquired nicely if the seller had noticed that or not, and received refunds or free books. I've been gyped on shipping, asked about it calmly and received refunds or free shipping on a subsequent transaction. Just remember that everyone is human and can make mistakes.

 

Then again, if there is someone (like the seller who gave me my lone NEG) who cannot be dealt with or reasoned with, and comes off like a maniac on crack, then feel free to hammer him down.

[FlyingDonut]

And you don't get cracked cases? I use Diamond boxes, bubble wrap all around and peanuts.

[The_Man_Of_Steel]

You could have made your points without going crazy.

 

I could have, but I was having a bad day, and I've paid my dues. In other words, I've been through my fair share B.S. with eBay transactions, and I wasn't in the mood. Also, he sent me an invoice with $20 S&H BEFORE my FIRST response. I knew what was up.

 

Also, what I've posted here are not typical of my remarks. I'm usually more tactful. What's funny though is that I knew people would jump my [!@#%^&^] for it here. The seller is always right..when he's the one selling.

[Rickdogg]

Never had one cracked case. The large priority boxes are only good up to 3 CGC books. After that, diamond boxes are the way to go!

 

This is how I break down shipping for one CGC book:

 

CA residents = $5.50

West Coast to TX = $6.75

East of TX = $7.25

 

Works out everytime

[joe_collector]

>>Ricky - I have NO idea how somebody can ship you a CGC book for $4.55.

 

On that note, I just received a CGC Byrne X-Men from Barginbox today for $5.60 shipping (to Canada), and had to give the guy kudos on a very smooth transaction.

[Polyphemus]

I'd agree that you probably should have toned down the rhetoric. I've also noticed that a lot of people have a difficult time picking up tone (i.e. sarcasm, disappointment, etc) from an email.

 

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

[OldGuy]

I just shipped a CGC book via Priority mail with delivery confirmation for just under $5. It was wrapped in bubble wrap and stuffed with peanuts. The only way it could have been damaged was if someone jumped up and down on it. Because I buy way more then I sell I'm able to reuse packing material that comes in auction winnings so I don't have an expense there, but shipping cost was less then $5.00.

 

Oh, it was mailed within the same state, that helps also I guess.

[FlyingDonut]

wow - I guess I'm just packing too well!