eBay troubles as a buyer

[becca2679]

What is the name of your state? Washington

Okay, so I purchased a Buy It Now auction on the 23rd of April. On the 27th I received an e-mail that said that the videogame that was in the case, was different than the packaging and they had refunded my money. I was a bit bothered by the fact that it took 4 days before they figured it out as I figured it had already been shipped at that point plus I had already sent him an e-mail and asked if he'd shipped it yet or not, before I found out it wasn't coming.

So I left Negative feedback. It said, and I quote "Several days later I got a message that they didn't have the game. got a refund." he sent me an angry e-mail requesting that I withdraw the feedback and threatening legal action if I would not. He had already left positive feedback after receiving my payment but went back and added "HORRIBLE BUYER - left NEG after quick refund/item lost! BEWARE NEG-HAPPY" but this was the first time I've EVER left anybody negative feedback. Does this guy have a case against me or not? Also, would I have to travel to Cali or would he have to file in washington state? I've heard conflicting things on this... HELP!

I would have just removed the feedback if he hadn't been such a jerk about the whole thing, but he continues to harass me and threaten me with a lawsuit. At this point, I just don't want to give in to him. To show him that not all buyers can be bullied this way and he needs to take responsibility for listing an item he didn't have. Am I just being stubborn or is he being an unbelievable jerk?

 

[Hot Topic]

You're being stubborn and unreasonable. You won on the 23rd of April and had to wait a whole (!) four days before you found out that the buyer was not going to sell you an item that wasn't as advertised and had refunded your money.

According to you, he informed you that the videogame in the case was different than the packing. You didn't say anything about being told they didn't have the game until you left feedback.

I doubt he'll sue, but I understand why he's angry with you. You got a quick refund - four days is not "several" days - then you tried to make him look disorganized and dishonest. Seller: one, buyer: nothing.

 

[becca2679]

But there was no reason for him to threaten legal action in the first round of contact. Besides, it's his responsibility as a seller to make sure he has the item ready to go when he posts it. He even said that his policy is to ship within two days and he didn't discover the error until 4 days later.

 

[SnowCajun]

Legal action over negative feedback? It's not like you lied or anything. He's just trying to scare you. I bought a gunsmithing video once and was charged an exaggerated amount for shipping. When I questioned him as the it was such a large amount above actual shipping costs I was told that supplies for shipping cost a lot of money, yet the box he used to ship in was a USPS box he'd picked up for free at the US Post Office and just turned it inside out so their printing couldn't be seen, so the box for shipping cost him nothing, the government paid for it for him. Sheesh! All he had to spend was on tape to secure the box.

He rudely bit my head off for mentioning that fact so I posted negative feedback, the only time I've ever done so and I've been an eBay member since Jan 1997 .. he'd already posted positive feedback but he did like you were done, he went and added stuff on saying bad things after he'd already posted good things. He's no longer a registered user on eBay, I think it's obvious why. Don't let this guy worry you, he sounds like a loudmouth to me. You're absolutely right, it was his responsibility to have what he had listed in hand before ever listing it. This is his bad, not yours!

 

[TheGeekess]

But there was no reason for him to threaten legal action in the first round of contact. Besides, it's his responsibility as a seller to make sure he has the item ready to go when he posts it. He even said that his policy is to ship within two days and he didn't discover the error until 4 days later.

You got your money back in a timely manner. Do you not make any mistakes? Ever? A negative in this situation was not warranted. I've left positives for people who owned up to their mistakes and refunded. I'd file to have the negative feedback removed and apologize to the seller, and hope he doesn't add you to his BBL.

 

[racer72]

I don't leave feedback till the buyer leaves feedback. I have had to do the same thing a couple of times but was lucky to find the buyers were more than accomodating. That is why I have a feedback of over 10,000 with 0 negative feedbacks. An honest seller made a mistake and corrected per eBay policy and you bit his head off. Please don't bid on any of my auctions.

 

[IrishNodak]

Don't retract!

He is just trying to scare you. I left a negative once on a buyer who didn't pay. He was angry because I wouldn't accept postage stamps in lieu of money. He tried to say he was a lawyer. He threatened to sue. He threatened to hurt me. He reported me to ebay and paypal and square trade. I had done nothing wrong. They did not make me retract my negative on him.

Don't retract. I agree, that if their ad says they ship in two days, they would have known sooner. Ebay POLICY states the seller is to have the item in hand before posting. I won an auction on a watch and then the seller told me it was OUT OF STOCK. WTH? They could have at least contacted you and said, "we found out it wasn't in the case, give us a couple days to search for it or we will refund". My biggest pet peeve is the lack of communication from buyers or sellers!

Racer...I don't buy from people like you! As a SELLER, you should be leaving positive feedback the minute you have your money as the BUYER has then completed their end of the contract! You are simply performing "feedback blackmail". THAT is the only reason you have no negs!

My buyer had no negatives and he was angry I was his first. I've only negged two people in my ebay history. Him when I was the seller and a seller once. I've not afraid to neg people IF they deserve it, even if they want to do so retaliatory which he did of course. Since then, he's gotten MANY negs because of his attitude and practices. I've only ever gotten that one is all the years.

Becca, block his emails to you so you don't even have to deal with him.

 

[SnowCajun]

Racer...I don't buy from people like you! As a SELLER, you should be leaving positive feedback the minute you have your money as the BUYER has then completed their end of the contract! You are simply performing "feedback blackmail". THAT is the only reason you have no negs!

IrishNodak I agree with you completely, and if racer72 will let us know their eBay name I'll avoid them like the plague as well.

My buyer had no negatives and he was angry I was his first. I've only negged two people in my ebay history. Him when I was the seller and a seller once. I've not afraid to neg people IF they deserve it, even if they want to do so retaliatory which he did of course. Since then, he's gotten MANY negs because of his attitude and practices. I've only ever gotten that one is all the years.

Unfortunately the tide seems to have changed direction, I often don't get any feedback at all after buying something until I've first posted positive feedback for them. That's not how it should be but that seems to be the only way they feel they can protect themselves against negative feedback, they have come to realize that if they post positive first and you're unhappy then they can't nail you with negative after already posting positive! It's almost as if they have something to hide when they do it that way don't you think?

 

[racer72]

Believe me, if you saw something you wanted at one of my auctions, I can guarantee that my sterling feedback rating along with my very reasonable prices and shipping charges would be more than enough for you to bid with confidence. Also, I don't do feedback blackmail, I never ask for feedback, it is strictly up to the buyer if they want to leave it. And I receive feedback on over 95% of my auctions because I have happy and satified customers.

Great Seller, Quality Products, Fast Turnaround. Would buy from him again

All was perfect and timely! Excellent E-Bayer

I bought 3 items from seller. Fast delivery, exellent condition. Thanks!

Extremely fast shipping/Very Professional Business 10+++++ Great E-Bayer Thanks

fantastic THANK YOU its perfect will do business with again!!

This is the last 5 feedbacks I received. The OP was extremely unreasonable with the seller.

 

[Hot Topic]

I think that what the moderator does is to remove the post that has been reported from the board. Once she has reviewed it, it either goes back on the board or is permanently removed. Upon review of the timeframe, it appears that the moderator has made her decision.

The word is obviously not in the board's automatic filter.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

If I understnad correctly, this is all now a moot point since sellers can no long Neg buyers as of May 2008? Correct me if I am wrong please

I personally would have used a neutral feedback in that case since you wern't harmed. I use neg only if shipping was excessive and seller refuses to refund difference or if there was something wrong with the product and the seller was very unresonable about it.

As a seller I protect myself by charging only real shipping costs (provide receipt for buyer when request for postage) or just including shipping in the purchase price. I state that if I underestimate shipping charges i will take on the difference as my cost and if I overstimate by over a dollar I will refund the difference. I have 100% positive feedback and have never had issues with buyers as a seller.

 

[PJ Weber]

You DO realize that this thread is twenty-five days old?

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Yep! Not seeing the significance, but thanks for the heads up, mate!