I NEED TO VENT please read and reply with your thoughts

[vintagevault]

I can't get to sleep this is bothering me so much! I have a bidder who has been an absolute nightmare. From day one when auction ended he said he had "no want or need for an invoice"... just send him my address and how much the total with shipping will be. That's not how it works, but I played along anyways. Next, I ask him for his postal code so I can get a quote for shipping. He REFUSES to give me his postal code, saying it will be included with the address when he sends his payment... that's great, but how am I supposed to get a quote with no postal code? He then proceeded to tell me that postal codes aren't required to ship a package in Canada... just the persons name, address, and city. I think to myself, IS THIS GUY KIDDING? Keep in mind that all of this is being mailed to me with a VERY arrogant tone, and he's pretty much telling ME that I have no idea what I'M doing! He then decides that shipping from my town to Toronto (where he is) will be $10 or less via expresspost. I agree, but he's now giving ME the shipping quote!!! All I ask for is his postal code so I can check the canadapost website and get back to him with his quote. We both agree it will be $10 or less, but he STILL REFUSES to give me a postal code to verify!!!!
I try my best to make everyone happy, and will go out of my way when needed... but this was just getting stupid. I finally give in to keep things on a positive note. He is now sending me his payment, with the shipping price he's decided on! YIKES! So, I figure this will be the end of the silliness.
Today,via registered mail comes his payment. Along with his payment is the nastiest, most arrogant letter I have EVER received. I'll sum it up by saying it pretty much told me I had absolutely no idea about the items I sell, no clue as to how to deal with shipping, Etc Etc Etc. To top it off, I was told to (remeber the overall arrogant tone of the letter)"keep the change and buy myself a coffee with lots of sugar"... I have no idea what that means but it made me go BONKERS. NUTS!!! AAARRRGGGHHH!
Anyways, to make this VERY long story short. I've put his payment back into an expresspost mailer and will be sending it back to him 1st thing in the morning. I consider myself a VERY patient pesron, and easy to get along with in all things eBay but this guy was just too much to take. I've already beat him to the negative feedback... I figured it was going to be coming my way anyways. This is just one of those people who you cannot make happy, regardless of how many times you try. I'm sure if I went ahead and sent the package out, He would have a million complaints once it arrived. So, yes... I've went ahead and left the negative for HIM, and will sell the item to the next person in line on the bidders list.
PLEASE REPLY WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SITUATIUON. I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU MAY HAVE DONE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU. DO YOU THINK IT WAS RIGHT TO SEND THIS GUYS PAYMENT BACK AND FLAT OUT REFUSE TO DEAL WITH HIM?

[recped]

I understand the situation, I've been there or at least in the same general ballpark. If proceeding as you plan works for you then by all means go ahead, I would not find fault...

BUT

You need to learn to withstand the best an idiot can throw your way and not let it lead to shooting yourself in the foot. You've already lost some fees now you are going to give up the cost (modest) of an xpresspost envelope. More prudent choice would be to take the money, ship the widget and leave a neg later if you still feel so inclined.

Not to rain any further on your vent, and I do enjoy a good vent, the buyers postal code info should have been available to you in the end of auction email from eBay.

Ben
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[vintagevault]

I wish it was... that would have made the whole thing WAY easier. At auctions end, the buyers postal code was simply listed as "Canada"

[profsportsfishing]

its hapening all the time. i got usd customer his own than email stating i didnt live in usa and couldnt possible offer postage for that price. He turn and said send the extra postage or keep your item which was rude. well anyways this one aint going duty free

[camrynscloset]

WOW. How awful for you. 😞

As a woman, i would have done the same thing. I don't need anyone's money that bad, and your FB is excellent, so no worries there.

Just thought you might like some empathy 🙂

[gloriaguides]

I can relate totally. Sometimes you just can't win. Since you had no postal code, I wouldn't have mailed the widget either. Was there no address on the EOA notice? Probably not, or you'd have found it. Occasionally, you get into a no-win situation and the best thing to do is minimize your losses which is what you've tried to do. I wouldn't have wasted my money on an Xpresspost envelope to mail back the payment though...The buyer would have had to wait for regular mail delivery. Fortunately, buyers like yours are few and far between. I'd go ahead and file for NPB--wouldn't follow seller's rules or whatever. He can have no proof that he paid you. The sooner he's gone, the better. off to update my blocked buyer list! Gloria

[cartoonsinabox]

I think you should have not taken it personnaly. We have had clients like this in the past. I simply smile and send out order and pass on to next clients. (Luckly there are very few of these people). Imagine we are a physical store and have all sorts of strange people walking in store... (A client called me today,because she bought a glass at our store and broke it by accident at home and requested us to replace at no cost / And she was serious !!!).

Frederic

[jenzaka]

I think you handled it as well as possible considering the situation. I also believe you deserve kudos for thinking to return the payment via expresspost. This way you have a tangible record that you actually mailed it out. Taking into account the buyers tone throughout this transaction, it would not surprise me in the least if he/she accused you of keeping the payment and not sending the item.
Well done....now, add a shot of baileys to that extra sweet coffee and call it a day :)

[church-audio]

its simple forget about it and move on there are many morons on ebay and there are many more nice people I forget about the morons I do not ship anything with out a full address if my customers don't like it too bad I have been stung to many times

[deztinationz]

Look at his FB, his payments seems to be getting bounced. Why is not paying through PayPal? His pattern seems that he is trying to fraud. Report him to ebay, and file a NPB too. And forward the emails of harassment to ebay, will strike his senses for sure.

[funkywatch_com]

Some people are idiots. It's annoying to get the feeling that you are not in control of the situation... anyways, thanks for the tip I blocked that user...

[*dogdayz*ca]

Poor you! What an ordeal! As much as I know we *should* do the patient thing, I'd have done just the same as you! Sometimes it is just not worth the loss of sleep, the aggravation and the annoyance. I am going to block him too but I doubt he wants dog collars so I am likely safe! LOL!
Trish

[momosworld]

Its good you backed out of the deal, and basically its one of those lose-lose situations that you just cant avoid sometimes, personally, I would have written a very "nice" letter back to him, thanking him for the letter he wrote and tell him it made your day & the other 50 people you showed it to 🙂

Moez.

[eh_canuck1]

E-bay send you the winners address and postal code with the winning notice. Have a look

[g0rillagr0w]

I would have done the same thing buddy, yea you are out an express post envelope and listing fees.. but hey just report unpaid item and get your credit back for FVF. Had you have shipped the item to this goof.. you are probably correct he would have found something wrong with it.

[1procycle]

Hi, I would have handled it the same way as you have. Canada Post does require a Postal Code. This customer is a defenite harrasser. I don't think he should have the right to purchase on eBay anymore. He did it to you and certainly did it to others and will do it again and again. I also think eBay customers should have access to an eBay service to investigate problems like this one. I know they have some service but I don't know how much investigation they go through. I never had to use the service, although I almost had to a couple of times. In a case like yours, I don't think a second chance should be given to a person with such a nasty attitude. Good Luck, don't let it bother you anymore because nobody likes people like that and my guess is that that person is nasty everywhere in general. Probably a miserable person. Bye, Nicole from Ontario, Canada

[redsniper88]

and finally, never forget...

a mediocre man is always at his best...

[tip-top.deal]

Bravo on your decision to be the first one to leave a NF for this nice "gentleman"! Many sellers go out of their way and bent forward and even backward to avoid any NF in any type of situation. I would have done exactly the same. I lately had a zero FB bidder who placed a very high bid on an expensive item. The day after, her bid disappeared, cancelled by e-bay management and her account was suspended. Next day she placed a bid on the same item again, with a newly opened account. I recognized it right-away because the name was ever so slightly different. I send her an e-mail asking politely for the cancellation reason and if the bid was serious and if she was equipped to pay via PayPal. Back came a very long answer, explaining that she had to change her account because another seller reported her unjustly to e-bay and as a "reference" gave me her previous account name. I found several negs. plus nasty return feedback. I answered, that I had decided to cancel her bid considering her present zero FB and in particular her past unfavorable FB-record. I blocked her name at the same time. A nasty answer followed, stating she was an attorney, a good e-bayer and that I treated her in a rude way! Next day only, her name was suspended again by e-bay's administration. In conclusion: had I gone through with this bidder, I bet I would have cashed in a lot of after-sales problems. Too bad that we don't always recognize the bad apples right away!!

[systemagic]

In the past, when I haven't gotten a timely response from a buyer, or prospective buyer, re. postal code I've just sought out another Toronto (for example) postal code on-line or used the Toronto postal code of another recent buyer. From BC any Toronto postal code will result in the same shipping rate.

[zarzuella]

Personally, I'd never ship without a postal code. That's just asking for slow or non - delivery.

The OP's buyer was being deliberately obstructive. You're going to get crazies every so often; just deal professionally and move on. It's important not to get into a P--ing match, that's usually what they are looking for.