Grrr. E-boy aggro

bmattock · 08-27-2004

So I sell an inexpensive camera on eBoy. Took me two tries, but it finally sold for $5. The buyer is in Taiwan.

eBoy wants $1.25 or so for this. My take - $3.75.

Seller wants to pay via Paypal. Paypal wants $2.00 (they get a percentage on the total with shipping). My take is now down to $1.75.

Seller then tells me that the USPS air mail shipping to Taiwan ($20 give or take) that he DEMANDED from me is 'too expensive' and he's not going to pay that much. Wants to negotiate the shipping down to $10. I didn't mark up the shipping, that's how much it costs to send it the way he demanded.

If I were to do what he wants, I can't lower MY COST for the shipping - so that means if I do this to avoid a neg on my feedback, my take is now -$8.25.

So it is going to cost me $8.25 and a camera to sell the camera on eBoy.

I should have just taken a tenner out of my wallet and set fire to it - same effect. And I'd still have the camera.

I'm going home for a drink.

Then I'm going to smash the camera with a sledgehammer and put it in a box and send it to the high bidder, along with a ten dollar bill. Then I'm going to neg him, and get ready to get my first neg in return.

I love eBoy. Argh.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Taipei-metro · 08-27-2004

Bill,you are the seller right? YOU set the rules;NO PAYPAL,NO foreign bidder,fix S&H $ amount. Ebay calculate the total for you and for him,the buyer, to pay.Every seller should have known how much % plus fees Ebay and Paypal charge,these people are the true bandits("blood sucker" in plain English)!You don't let a buyer set the Shipping price for you!for that Taiwanese buyer, $10 is 330 Taiwan Yen, for him $NT330 probably is a fair price for surface(by ship)shipping.Do not forget that there are many greedy US sellers on Ebay charge $20,$30, to ship a 50mm1.8 lens within US lower 48 states.
Also,English is not a common language in Taiwan,"DEMAND" from him may means "Would like you to...", the guy is just one of the MANY kinds of buyers on Ebay.Too bad you've lost $10 US dollars!Think it of this way,you've got your Voigtlander TM Silver for $90 less than original $399!

bmattock · 08-27-2004

You make a VERY good point - and I'm not mad at the guy because he's from Taiwan! Jerks are universal - and language problems only make it worse.

The problem is that when a seller has 100% feedback, the buyer can use a mild form of extortion (by threatening his perfect record) if the seller does not renegotiate the sale after the fact. Many sellers will do it to avoid the negative feedback on their record. It may be illegal, but eBoy is much too busy to do anything about it, and it is always implied, never actually verbalized.

And I also realize that some cultures see it as quite acceptable to continue to bargain after the sale is completed but before the money and goods change hands. I've spent some time overseas, I'm used to that. Annoying to an American, but there you go.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Todd.Hanz · 08-27-2004

I think you should send the camera intact with a role of film in it exposed with pictures of the "southside " of bmattock!

Todd

Taipei-metro · 08-27-2004

Todd,
You've shown some wealth with posted owner of M6 with 35,50 90,I DEMAND(would like you to...)send Bill $10,and I'll do the same!

bmattock · 08-27-2004

Oh very funny! But thanks, guys. I just needed to vent.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Todd.Hanz · 08-27-2004

I'll send 20 if he'll send the pics!

Rich Silfver · 08-27-2004

I'll send 20 if he never posts them here.

back alley · 08-27-2004

you guys kill me!

bmattock · 08-28-2004

Hmph! Guess what, the dude paid. In full. I guess he didn't like me telling him to go soak his head, so he just paid. Now I have to actually send the camera as promised. Funny, I was kinda getting into what horrible things I could do to the camera before sending it!

Thanks for the laughs, guys - I needed it!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

GeneW · 08-28-2004

It's kind of anticlimactic, given all the neat things that were proposed, but for your sake I'm really glad he paid. Nobody needs that kind of aggro.

Gene

back alley · 08-28-2004

who knows?

gene?

SolaresLarrave · 09-04-2004

I too have an eBoy little problem.

Bought a Canonet (destined for a friend who likes to photograph). The seller swore the camera was in good shape; well, it wasn't. I e-mailed him about it and he said the ad indicated an "AS IS" sale. I checked the ad and told him I hadn't seen any warnings about the "AS IS."

After blaming the camera problems on the USPS, he accepted to reimburse me... and placed good feedback on my behalf. I sent the camera back. He hasn't paid back via Paypal claiming there are connection problems (he's changing from dial-up to cable internet).

That was two days ago...

I think by Labor Day I'll tell him to just mail me a check. The problem is that the guy doesn't seem to be a bad person; rather a disorganized seller... But it still bothers me to be short of $45.