eBay

vesna123 · ‎02-11-2004

Here it goes again, another dense US seller just refused to accept my Paypal payment for $15 US, citing the unconfirmed address. I tried to confirm my addres with PayPal but for some reason it wont work. After pointing out that i have a 3000+ feedback on ebay and 2200+ rating on paypal, he still doesnt want to take my payment. Now in His TOS he is mentioning that international buyers "outside North America" have to pay with a MO or Cash, and he never mentions anything about a confirmed address. I tried to tell him that canada is still in north america, but looks like he/she is not getting it. I'm not sending them any other payment than paypal, if i knew i could not pay with paypal i would not had bid. Why are so many US sellers so dense is beyond me (it's good for canadian sellers, but still). I sell fairly low priced items ($20-$50) and i accept paypal from anybody. If i get a chargeback i just look at it as cost of doing business, can happen to any real store anyway. In 3 years i'm selling on here i got only 2 paypal chargebacks (out of 2200+ paypal transactions) and bot of them were with US buyers with US confirmed address. So go figure.

amberwoodottawa · ‎02-11-2004

I have gone through this as well. I managed to convince 2 US sellers to take my PayPal payment without too much difficulty however I was insulted and I really laid it on thick when I emailed them and told them about their discrimination to us Canadians.

As a Canadian who has lived in the US several times and have a fair amount of background in US trade issues I can tell you that there are differences in the way of thinking.

We, as Canadians think more of the US as being similar to Canada and as close or closer than driving to the next Province. They are our fellow brothers, our popular choice for vacations, our second home. We see the differences between us as being small and for the most part, we are willing to mold into their way of life should we move there.

To the Americans, we are a foreign country. We dont share the same politics, the same beliefs, the same currency. We are a pain in the butt with our subsidized lumber, poisoned cattle etc etc. We had SARS and they didnt. When many Americans move here, they fly their flags outside of their homes or in ther office and they like to continue to do things their American way.

Remember as well, we want to sell to 300 million of them. They really dont care about selling to 30 million of us that much and especially when they have to do all that extra paperwork to satisfy customs.

Most would sooner walk away from a sale to a Canadian and sell to a fellow American as that is their routine.

Malcolm

jaymor8 · ‎02-12-2004

Well I personally think it's damn shame that there are still some neanderthals who think that way, exclusive of you of course, Malcolm.

It's appears that in order to survive, we must make their world a large part of our basic knowledge, that is fundamental. They on the other hand, aren't even sure if we vote. (I can't let that one go) I really don't care to hear that the reasons for that are due to heavy media coverage of every move they make. That's utter BS.

I know what I know because I am interested. We share a continent with these people so why would anyone willingly keep themselves in the dark about any country, much less one with whom you share a land mass.

I have had it to here with the superior attitude that prevails and fed up of hearing just how very tiresome WE are and how insupportable it is for them to have to deal with us.

OP...if I were refused Paypal access by ANY seller because of where I live, I would never buy from that person again, nor would they be permitted to buy from me. So much for trade relations 😞

Jackie...

amberwoodottawa · ‎02-12-2004

It called propaganda. Heck Jackie, even Quebec did it for about 15 to 20 years. Kids would not learn anything about Canada in their schools, only about Quebec so they came out very knowledgeable about their Province's history (or at least certain sides of it) but nothing about the country in which they lived. For that reason, the seperatist movement did well over the last 10+ years.

Those kids are now in their 30s and early 40s however the next generation behind them in their teens and 20s knows alot more about Canada than the other 2 generations ever did.

My kids went to school in the US. My son started each day after searing allegiance to the US flag, reading the newspaper in class on US politics and US-related current affairs. Their geography classes was all about the US and their history classes all about American history.

Sometimes, a foreign country would be discussed but 90% was Americana. Same thing with TV. CNN broadcasts a different point of view in foreign countries than what it feeds the American public.

At the same time, everyone has an opportunity to learn on their own and there are a great many Americans who are very wordly, however just as in our own country, there are those who are what I would call provincial, in that they stay within the walls and knowledge of their immediate surroundings and venture no further.

The one thing we dont get in Canada is Canadiana shoved down our throat. Everyone, no matter where they come from, is free to remain living their own cultures not only with our country's moral support but also our financial support.

I feel better off for it, in part although I have great difficulty in the financial support we give for people to retain their culture in our country. That is something that should be supported by their government or themselves including ESL.

Malcolm
(I think I broke my soapbox)

whoscloset · ‎02-12-2004

I have found that Americans are the nicest people in the world, in their own country. Take them out of that context however, whether on the internet or in person, and they become very arrogant.

Monique

Monique

deltone · ‎02-12-2004

I can't really disagree with what you said about Americans Malcolm. I truly believe that there are also many other reasons that Americans on a whole don't know much about Canada. Canadians tend to get upset about this because we know SO much about America and tend to feel that they should know more about us, in return.

The truth is, it will never happen. Most of what we are exposed to is American. Movies, music, tv, magazines etc. Americans are not really exposed to much Canadian other than the odd blurb of news that hits......(SARS, Mad Cow disease, refusal to back the US in Iraq etc). Sure, we have a LOT of talent here so they know that M. J. Fox, Mike Myers, Celine Dion etc all hail from Canada but beyond that, they know very little. Bob(?) & Doug Mackenzie and their skits, eh!!! Back bacon and beer.

I don't think we can hold any of that against Americans. They aren't going to search out Canadian magaizines like McLeans, and Chatelaine. What Canadian tv are they going to watch? Truthfully, how much Canadian tv does the average Canadian watch? And even if they do, my guess would be that they still watch more American tv.

Within Canada, many Canadian don't know much about the total country. For example, I live around an hour and a bit northeast of Toronto. I was born and raised in Toronto and always thought of the area in which I now live as cottage country. It never occurred to me that people actually live up here. It wasn't until 12 or so years ago when I moved up here that I realized that yes, people really do live here, work here, go to school here and all that other stuff. Most people in Toronto know very little about the rest of the country and have very little interest in knowing unless it affects them directly. It's just human nature, IMHO

The west feels isolated from the rest of the country and the east does as well. Many Canadians believe that the country is pretty much run by Ontario and Quebec and that the peole in the east and west have no voice.......and who can really argue with them on that? It obviously goes a lot deeper than what's being stated here, but I personally love the patriotism that the Americans exhibit and truly wish Canadians were more patriotic. What I witness here, for the most part, are people who came here from another country being more "ethnic" than Canadian, and that bugs the heck out of me. If you come to this country, and adopt it as your own, then BECOME CANADIAN.....you don't have to forget where you come from but you need to respect and embrace this great country that has welcomed you. Sadly, I don't see a lot of that. :o( (OFF MY SOAPBOX)

amberwoodottawa · ‎02-12-2004

Agreed. I worked with the Royal Bank in Belleville years ago and had staff that had never been to Ottawa, Toronto, or Montreal all within a couple of hours drive away.

I worked in a large corporation where some middle management people had never been to the US, a 45 minute drive away.

I dont feel that we are Americanized however due to the movies, TV, Music etc. I feel because of the diversity of Canada, we are more wordly due to promoting peoples to retain their cultures.

While this makes Canada a very desirable place for many to live, it does not make us a unified and strong country, in comparison to the US.

I shudder to think what would happen if there ever was a world war and how many "new" and natural Canadians would shoulder arms and fight for this country. I dont think we would see much support, even if the Government provided adequate supplies, vehicles and weapons.

My 14 year old daughter is studying Russia right now in geography and learning about each of the countries that made up the old soviet Russia and what each one is now doing and how they are making it since the breaking up up the giant.

I dare say this is not a subject you would learn in an American grade 9 class, so we do have opportunities to learn about the world in school and in life.

I turn on the TV and am flooded with Italian, Lebonese, Arabic, Japanese, Indian and other ethnic stations on regular cable (not specialty channels) and this is again something that enriches ourselves although I think we are forming a new Canadian culture, yet to be determined.

Our news is certainly distinct from American news and tends to be alot more local.

I feel that as Canadians we have a greater opportunity to be global and sometimes cant avoid it.

And it is difficult to argue that Ontario isnt an economic force in this country and one of the 2 "Have Provinces". That doesnt mean that there hasnt been a dispportionate amount of monies leaving some Have Not Provinces for other ones, however it is the nature of our own diversity that pits one province against another and makes some feel that they are on the outside.

Malcolm

jaymor8 · ‎02-12-2004

These are all fine points Deb and Malcolm. But back to the basics....as the North American Continent consists of us and them, why would they not be informed at the very least, just on the basics? It's humiliating.

Why would any educated American not be sure if we actually vote? Why would they entertain even for a moment, the notion that we live in igloos or that most Canadians are Inuit? Do you think for one moment that our present political scandal is common knowledge and discussed at American dinner tables? Have any of you ever known someone who said 'eh' at the end of every sentence? I'm not talking about Newfoundland, either.

I realize that Americans don't watch Canadian TV. But that takes me back to 'the media' or the lack thereof in our case, as always being the fall guy for their ignorance of our affairs. Let's be real here. As far as Hollywood is concerned, they couldn't get a decent movie off the ground if it weren't for Canadian landscapes and our lame dollar. I don't know the stats but a great deal of movies are to some degree filmed in Canada because it's dirt cheap.

I just am desperately tired of the myths and misinformation and the ridiculous stereotypes that are being placed into perpetuity at their pleasure. Get over yoursleves already. There IS life outside of the US borders......believe it or not!

Soap box just getting opened...LOL

Jackie...

amberwoodottawa · ‎02-12-2004

Jackie
When someone doesnt need anybody else, they are of no interest. Its like any relationship between people.

Person 'A' becomes interested in Person 'B' but 'B' doesnt give a Rats Pituty for 'A' because he has 'C', 'D', 'E' and 'F' right in fromt of him.

There are those who are well-informed, I have had the pleasure of the company of alot however it is not through education rather through travel and business life which took them beyond the boundaries of their borders.

Have you ever seen how Canad portrays us to the rest of the world? Wide open spaces, salmon jumping out of every 2" of water, campling, woods, trees, birds with token shots of Toronto, Niagara Falls and Quebec City tossed in.

Heck the Canadian Goverbment commissioned a tourist map of Canada for the Europeans and it had Regina on the map but somehow didnt have Ottawa, the Capital City of the country.

We really dont do a good job of telling the world much about us aside from open spaces and tons of snow.

Malcolm

amberwoodottawa · ‎02-12-2004

I really should get a new keyboard this one is incredible with my typing skills.
Malcolm

deltone · ‎02-12-2004

Can't disagree with much of what has been said. I do feel though that as much as Canadians are misportrayed, often Americans are as well. I have MANY American friends, from several different states, and they may not know as much about Canada as I know about the US, but they never thought we were in igloos, and some of the other stereotypes. You'd be surprised how much they do know about us. What we see on shows such as the Tonight Show about how ignorant some of these people are, I can't help but believe a lot of it is for the entertainment value (I'm talking that bit they do on the show where they ask people on the street questions). Often Americans are as ignorant about other parts of their own country as they are about our country, much like many Canadians are ignorant about other parts of our country.

Malcolm, I agree 100% about what you said about person A, B & C etc. So very true.

deltone · ‎02-12-2004

Can't disagree with much of what has been said. I do feel though that as much as Canadians are misportrayed, often Americans are as well. I have MANY American friends, from several different states, and they may not know as much about Canada as I know about the US, but they never thought we were in igloos, and some of the other stereotypes. You'd be surprised how much they do know about us. What we see on shows such as the Tonight Show about how ignorant some of these people are, I can't help but believe a lot of it is for the entertainment value (I'm talking that bit they do on the show where they ask people on the street questions). Often Americans are as ignorant about other parts of their own country as they are about our country, much like many Canadians are ignorant about other parts of our country.

Malcolm, I agree 100% about what you said about person A, B & C etc. So very true.