ebay unpaid item case opened against me

gik

Parity wrote: »

I note that Gik has not yet PM-ed me to request my eBay username. Therefore I suggest he is just a toothless forum-troll. All words, no actions. At least he's stopped asking all and sundry for their usernames. Which was my main aim in offering him mine!

Some people just like making waves. Those people should make best use of rainy days and put their wellies on to jump in puddles and stop muddying waters in other people's debates!

Feel free to PM me with your details...I wasn't aware there was a time limit.

prowla

Parity wrote: »

I'd love for Martin to have a look over this thread. Would he be happy to give money to a merchant who refused to answer a basic question?

Our OP has not reneged on any contract, he's just not happy to part with his hard-earned dosh before he gets a response from the seller.

Martin says we should challenge, question and negotiate as necessary to get the best result - a shared management of sale. Our OP has not at any point said he would not pay postage costs, he just wants an answer to his question. I salute his wisdom in withholding payment until he gets a response from the seller. He may well meet with "No, I won't accept collection in person", at which point, I agree, he would be obliged to pay postage.

As for those who are saying things like 'time is money', 'the seller has had problems before so are avoiding the issue', etc etc etc. What the hell are you doing here? Why did you join this forum? This bloke is just asking if he can pick up an item rather than paying postage, as he is passing by the area. You should be supporting him! If you don't agree, then you should find a new troll-hole to inhabit!

Perhaps this is a case for MSE's Money Moral Dilemma/Money Moral Maze? I think I'll submit this case as a good topic for a larger audience.

Thanks for confirming I haven't stepped into some sort of alternate reality! (Curiously I was just thinking earlier in the day about an old sci-fi movie where there was a mirror-image planet Earth on the opposite side of the sun, where writing is back to front, cars go on a red light, tape decks turn in the opposite direction and so-on.)

On a point you make:

• Yes, if the seller says "No, I can't allow you to collect it" (and optionally, "because ... ..."), then that's a satisfactory reply.
• If they say "Ah, but I've already bought a box and it cost me £5.", then I'd offer them the fiver too to cover their costs and collect it.
• But if they just do the "talk to the hand" routine which some here are advocating, then it's not for me.

shanejosephdonnelly

Prowla- seeing as you know what the item is do you think that the postage is a reasonable amount? Do you think it is likely for the seller to have to pay £15 to send the item to you?

gik

Parity wrote: »

I note that Gik has not yet PM-ed me to request my eBay username. Therefore I suggest he is just a toothless forum-troll. All words, no actions. At least he's stopped asking all and sundry for their usernames. Which was my main aim in offering him mine!

Some people just like making waves. Those people should make best use of rainy days and put their wellies on to jump in puddles and stop muddying waters in other people's debates!

When are you going to reply to my PM?

likelyfran

prowla wrote: »

Nope - I have asked the seller a question, which is relevant to the payment.
I am waiting for their reply.
Comprende?
(Probably not...)

As a private ebay seller, who has sold clearout personal items over the years, I pride myself on good service and good communication, and have 100 % positive f/back as a seller. Well, one neutral from a silly person who ignored the fulsome listing description of labelled size AND actual fit of a garment and said 'it's too small'.
I have bought many many times from ebay.
As a seller and a buyer on ebay, I can confidently say that you are getting this wrong.
You messed up, really.
If you were so intent on collecting the item, you should have tried to initiate negotiation before you bid, as most people here keep telling you.
You didn't - for whatever reason, I personally suspect a dodgy one that you are not going to admit - and having therefore started very much on the wrong foot in this transaction, you are seizing upon an inaction by the seller and saying you don't think they're good enough for you to do business with.
Yes, normally, it is right practice to respond to buyer questions. Lots of sellers - usually big UK ones, I've noticed - just don't bother to respond to buyer queries (about often very unclear listings). Which is rude/unprofessional/annoying.
As the seller in your case, seller is being expected (by you) to respond to your question, which you have in fact mis-timed.
They could just give a brief reply and say 'no, sorry, postage as stated' or whatever. They've chosen not to, and as it's AFTER you've bid and won, I'm not going to think too harshly of them for that.
I'd be very interested to hear what an actual legal/ebay 'expert' would have to say about this thread.
I suspect they'd agree with the majority of people who have replied to you here.

gik

prowla wrote: »

Thanks for confirming I haven't stepped into some sort of alternate reality! (Curiously I was just thinking earlier in the day about an old sci-fi movie where there was a mirror-image planet Earth on the opposite side of the sun, where writing is back to front, cars go on a red light, tape decks turn in the opposite direction and so-on.)

On a point you make:

• Yes, if the seller says "No, I can't allow you to collect it" (and optionally, "because ... ..."), then that's a satisfactory reply.
• If they say "Ah, but I've already bought a box and it cost me £5.", then I'd offer them the fiver too to cover their costs and collect it.
• But if they just do the "talk to the hand" routine which some here are advocating, then it's not for me.

All your points can and should have been addressed before you made a bid. Again I ask you why didn't you?

likelyfran

gik wrote: »

I've put my ebay details up here and you have not. You 'boast' about your transactions yet where is the proof. I could have said 10,000 + transactions and be a liar and not post my details. Why not post your ebay ID if you are so sure?


Why did you not request that you pick up the item before bidding?

gik, I'd give the ebay id thing up.
It's not advisable for people to post their ebay id's on here and it's a side-issue that's going round in useless circles.

Parity

@ LikelyFran, thank you for some common decency in your post. It's been lacking in this thread for a while!

Whatever anyone's viewpoint, it's been a horrid thread with people behaving in a way which doesn't best serve a forum.

Mistakes have been made by both parties. The thread would have better been served by finding a good way to resolve an unhappy situation. Both buyer and seller can be judged to be at fault, which is, I believe, why the OP posted in the first place.

But it didn't need to dissolve into such acrimony and playground tactics. But we should have advised our own, rather than vilify them; accepted that there is more than one way of seeing things and offered something useful. I still debate the wisdom of sending money to someone who won't communicate with you....but I also understand a contract/agreement has been entered into. I'd be uncomfortable sending payment in these circumstances and so, in part, agree with the OP; regardless of the delivery options. I'm both a buyer and a seller on eBay, and as such, I benefit from seeing both ends of the argument. Communication is very important. It engenders trust which underpins any transaction.

gik

Parity wrote: »

I note that Gik has not yet PM-ed me to request my eBay username. Therefore I suggest he is just a toothless forum-troll. All words, no actions. At least he's stopped asking all and sundry for their usernames. Which was my main aim in offering him mine!

Some people just like making waves. Those people should make best use of rainy days and put their wellies on to jump in puddles and stop muddying waters in other people's debates!

Still no reply to my PM which you seemed keen to get?

gik

Parity wrote: »

@ LikelyFran, thank you for some common decency in your post. It's been lacking in this thread for a while!

Whatever anyone's viewpoint, it's been a horrid thread with people behaving in a way which doesn't best serve a forum.

Mistakes have been made by both parties. The thread would have better been served by finding a good way to resolve an unhappy situation. Both buyer and seller can be judged to be at fault, which is, I believe, why the OP posted in the first place.

But it didn't need to dissolve into such acrimony and playground tactics. But we should have advised our own, rather than vilify them; accepted that there is more than one way of seeing things and offered something useful. I still debate the wisdom of sending money to someone who won't communicate with you....but I also understand a contract/agreement has been entered into. I'd be uncomfortable sending payment in these circumstances and so, in part, agree with the OP; regardless of the delivery options. I'm both a buyer and a seller on eBay, and as such, I benefit from seeing both ends of the argument. Communication is very important. It engenders trust which underpins any transaction.

No ebay ID yet?