Diary of An Unfortunate Ebay Transaction......

[tea_past_times]

JUNE 12TH

Cup & Saucer Auction for Paragon China Cup and saucer ends with a winning bid $46.05 Hooray.

JUNE 13TH

Mailed cup and saucer, paid a little extra out of my own pocket to ship it quicker.

JUNE 18TH

Receive the following email:

Dear tea_past_times,

We have not left feedback on this item yet. My wife found a chip under the outside edge of the saucer. A small portion of the edge was painted over, but the small chip is visible underneath. You probably missed it. The cup is beautiful otherwise. May we return it for credit? Thanks, RXXXXt CXXXXX

JUNE 19TH

I Reply:

You are welcome to return it, when it has arrived back to us, safely, we will credit your paypal account a full refund. Have a nice day. - PHIL

JUNE 20TH

Received the following email:

Dear Phil:
Thank you for authorizing return and credit on this item. We mailed it today 6/20/08 at the local US Post Office. The clerk estimated delivery to you in five to ten days. Required US customs form was submitted. Thanks, RXXXXX CXXXXX.


JUNE 24TH

Received the following email:

Dear tea_past_times,

Are we blocked from bidding on your items because we have a pending return for credit? I wait to give positive feedback when the credit is confirmed. Thanks, RXXXXX XXXXXX


JUNE 24TH

I responded:

Dear rXXXXXXXXX,

We don't make any money taking returned items and paying for the postage out of our own pocket. We are a very small operation, and the 46.00 we are going to give you back, plus postage is enough of a dent in our budget for this month. We are two elderly persons on a disability pension, doing Ebay when we can to make a little extra grocery money. We had no idea we would be out over $60.00 this month because of a little mark under the paint on a cup and saucer. I can't ever take the chance again that you might be unhappy with something we ship. Sorry about that, but I can't afford to cover postage on stuff like that. We are doing it for you this time, but that is it. In 4 years,(and 3000 items) we have only had 3 returned items. Since Ebay changed the feedback rules, we are getting a lot more requests to return. We may have to quit altogether soon, if things don't improve. I'm not buying any more items, once my inventory is gone. So, we have a new policy, return it if you must, but we add all return ID's to the blocked bidder. You and everyone else gets a free shot at our feedback profile if you are not happy, all we have left is blocked bidder. I'm already losing the original 11 dollars you paid for shipping, plus whatever you paid for shipping to send it back, plus we are losing 46 dollars, I'd already made plans for. Don't worry though, there are still lot's of china sellers on Ebay, (right now) Let me say though, we bear you no ill will, and think you are a fine seller, with a fine reputation, and we wish you well. BUT we have lost all the money we can ever afford to doing business with any ID. Have a pleasant evening, we look forward to your return, and when we observe the fault as you have described it, we will credit your Paypal account with the item cost, postage to ship, and return postage. We even get to eat the taxes on the shipping. So no cost to you on that. Happy Ebaying, as long as Ebay still exists. - PHIL & KATHY

[lina-mallows]

Received this communication this morning:
"Please respond to my messages. Communication needs improvement. When were my cards mailed. They still have not arrived."

I proceeded to forward our FOURTEEN preciously sent RESPONSES to them, and a note indicating that it should have been more! (they have written THREE times in the past 24h)
The items were paid for TWELVE days AFTER the auctions close- and send within 36 hours after payment was received.

The BUYER only appears to remember that the auction was at the beginning of the month- not that THEIR payment came TWELVE+ days later!

Happy customers are a good thing. We believe that we do go that extra mile to make them happy. And, we also know that this is reflected in our feedback.

HOWEVER- there are times when, like nails on a chalkboard, enough is enough, this is far toooo irritating. FOURTEEN carefully detailed answers to their enquiries is more than enough regarding items paid for, and sent. a j.peg of the Postal receipt with their NAME & ADDRESS was even sent- what more can we do? (US CUSTOM'S FORMS DO HAVE INTERNALLY TRACKED NUMBERS)
And yes, as a buyer they are now blocked. Any further inquiry will be ignored. There will not be a FIFTEENTH reply- regardless of the consequences.

There is a point where BLOCKING a buyer is our only option. Sanity may come at the price of future sales. However, BLOCKING them is a cheap price to pay for not having to deal with these problem buyers, and the future headaches most likely to follow.

[tea_past_times]

AMEN