ebay Transaction Went South, My Fault?

[GO DAWG GO]

Hey Fellas,

Read the chronology of this ebay transaction and tell me if you think I overreacted to the situation: If so, I will apologize to him.

There is an dbx Dynamic Expander (Audio eqipment) for sale on an ebay auction. I bid and win!

In blue is the the actual email transactions after the sale. This is an active case so I will X out names and addresses.

To me, Dec 12



Dear rwsxxxxxxx77,
Thank you for your purchase. The total for your item below is US $40.49.




Click Pay Now to confirm shipping, get total price, and arrange payment through: PayPal.



Item # Item Title Qty. Price
120346xxxxxxxx DBX - 1BX Series 2 - Dynamic Range Expander 1 US $30.00



Subtotal: US $30.00
Shipping and handling via UPS Ground:
US $10.49

Total: US $40.49


Well ... somebody won ... are you the person in Selma ? 20 minutes from my residence.


Please email me at m4machxxxxxxxxxxx if you have any questions.


Thank you again for your purchase.

machxxxx

I see this message the next day confirming the sale and notice his confusion and thought to myself "This is odd, how could he possibly not know who won the auction". Note the bold message above. He says "thanks" to me I'm (rwsxxxxxxx77) and has already got a detailed discription from ebay regarding who bought the unit. There is my name and address on it. I proceed and pay him out of my Paypal account.

This is Red Flag #1. Nobody is this stupid!


Dec. 15 th, I send him this email:


I hope there isnt any confusion somewhere? I purchased your dbx on the 12th and it was paid in full via PayPal.

My name is: Robert Sxxxxxx
140xx San xxxxxx Lane.
Rancho xxxxxxxxxxxx, Ca.
xxxxx

Thank You!....any questions call me at (xxxxxxxxx

I hear nothing back!

A week later:

Hello,

Have you sent me the Dbx Dynamic Range Expander yet? I haven't heard whether it was shipped or not? Ebay item 1203465xxxxxx. Can you send me the shipping tracking link if you have..

Thank you very much

Robert xxxxxxx
140xx San xxxxxxx lane
Rancho xxxxxxxxxx, ca
xxxxxx

(xxx)xxxxxxxxxx


Next day he sands me this:

Dec 22


I'm glad you live California ... I just shipped today Dec 22nd a PC I sold
on Ebay ... cost me 80 bucks. It went to New York ... extra large box with a
lot of packing material.

I only charged a flat rate fee of $25 dollars for shipping ... I lost money
on that one ... going to have to include Ebay shipping calculator and factor
in 34 pounds.

Sincerely ... Gary


OK I have concluded that this guy is an idiot. Doesnt know who bought the expander and sending me back gibberish about a PC. Obviously never heard of a shipping calculator. Who thinks out loud in an email? This is a ploy to buy time...IMO Its been 10 days since the sale.

I reply:

Gary,

I guess I'm confused. My question was: Did you send my dbx expander? I didnt buy a PC. The dbx doesnt weigh more than 3-4 pounds at the most.

There is obviously some confusion in this sale???????

Please explain..

Thanks

Bob

I get this back Dec 23

No confusion ... I was just thinking out loud ... I sell PCs too .... and I
sent a PC to New York and it cost me 80 bucks ... I did a flat rate of 25
bucks for shipping and I lost money bad ... sending the PC to New York.

I was just letting you know I am glad you live in this area ... California
... so I won't have to pay outrageous shipping charges.

Your DBX unit will got out today ... I am on the border line of my having my
electricity turned off ... too many bills this month.

We had to pay our Property Taxes this month and my wife's retirement check
didn't go as far as normal to pay all the bills.

If I am not careful and pay too many bills without checking my Wells Fargo
account ... Wells Fargo will charge me 35 bucks for overdrawn fees.

In November ... I lost 250 bucks to overdrawn fees.

Please be patient ... I'm trying very hard to please everybody.

What is really bad ... I've got another PC to send out and I charged $25
dollars for that one too ... It is going to New Hampshire ... I am losing
any profits I made ... to shipping charges.

.........................................Gary aka Ebay member Machxxxx


So I get curious and look at his buying and selling history on ebay and he has purchased many more items than sold in the last 30 days hard-drives, sound cards and book shelf speakers.

Cant spend 8 bucks to send my unit to me that I already paid him for.

I'm getting pissed because I feel like hes taken my money and floated other things and has intentionally sent me nonsense to buy time or Hes playing this victim role.
He's had 2 weeks to send it and hasn't.

This is where I may have made a mistake. I went off on him because he IMHO needed it. Here we go:


Dec 24


Gary,

Since you sent it yesterday, what is the tracking number?

I want an answer today!

I looked at your ebay activity over the last month and find it hard to believe you buy items and compromise spending 8 bucks (I gave you) to send me my purchased item and send me gibberish to confuse things.

I am a fair man...and a reasonable man...

You took my money and created confusion to try buy time or kite the money. I'm sorry you have financial problems. All of us have at one time or another. The first message you sent me two weeks ago about not knowing who bought this was boloney and you conceived it. This is what really pisses me off. If you would have called me or emailed me that you had some issues , I would have been patient. I thought that was odd since the listing had my name on it and nowhere did it state anything of the contrary.

You have purchased many things over the last month including speakers an other things that are not a necessity when your financially strapped.

I immediately paid you in good faith. My shipping costs on that item from you to me is under 8 bucks. I paid you the shipping fee already.

Your risking your reputation and have prompted me to be less than nice. My question is how many other unsuspecting people are you manipulating?


NOTICE: If you send it today with a tracking number, I will be nice. I will wait and confirm it is the item listed and in good shape like the picture in working condition. I will give you positive feedback because you fessed up. If you don't, I will contact ebay fraud department with all my emails and fire torpedos on your feedback.

Just fulfill our contract as agreed and everything will be cool.

Thank You

Bob

Yes... that was a little brash, but to the point.

His reply

question is how many other unsuspecting people are you manipulating[/

My answer is >>> ... Nobody is being manipulated ... truthfully ... nobody at all.

I can understand you thinking this way ... the whole world is messed up ... so why would I be any different ... But I am different ... not everybody is a crook.



Try and have a Merry Christmas ... you will have a tracking number ... late afternoon on this coming Friday. Only one thing could screw up my promise is if the place I go is closed ... the day after Christmas ... best way I know is to start my day early and if the place I use " Packages To Go " in Hanford is closed ... I will try the place my wife takes her packages to send out.



Sincerely ... Gary

OK

Then this:

Had company yesterday ... too many people came over wanting things ... if
tomorrow was not Christmas I would send it out on Thursday ... I really will
sent out on Friday.

Sorry to send you an email that left you confused ... I will take that into
consideration for the next person ... which means I wont send the next
person an email explaining what is going on.

Your item is safe and sitting on a table right behind me ... It will be
wrapped in a nice sturdy box ... with good packing material around it.

Sincerely ... Gary


Meanwhile I get a ebay alert that he wants to cancel the transaction.

I decline his offer to cancel because he has my money and obviously has no means of paying it back. Would you except a check from this guy?

So I send this:

Dec 25

I'm having a great and happy Christmas I hope you are too. I declined your offer to cancel because I wont get my money back at all. ~$40 bucks is more than the $8 shipping fee. Why dont you just send the thing like you agreed and we both can be happy again.


Merry Christmas!

Bob

He sends this last night.....

Your still not getting it ... shoot your torpedoes

see next post I'm running out of space....

[GO DAWG GO]

He sent this late last night....


Well this email from you is much better than the other one ... you will not
get anywhere with me if you send any more emails like that to me.

I noticed you said in your email ... your having a happy Christmas and then
at the end of the sentence you are saying you're not happy.

I guess you can be happy and not happy at the same time.

I'm not a ... Yes Man ... with my Wife and I was slightly surprised that she
said ... "send him back his money" ... she walked back into the main portion
of the house and I followed her a few minutes later and asked her ... are
you sure ?

That was a bad email you sent to me. You really should stop sending emails
like that to me ... if you get favorable results when you send emails like
that to other folks ... than I suppose you thought you could do that to me.

My day job [when I return back to work] is working with California State
Prison Parolees .... I would listen to their bull**** all the time ...
sometimes I felt sorry for them and if I thought going out of my way to help
them would actually make their life easier so that they could complete the
program and not want to leave ... than I would help them.

For some parolees it did help ... for some of them ... it did not. The
success rate for a person leaving a Drug and Alcohol Sober Living program is
about 2% and if I don't try to help them with what I can offer them ... I
will wish later ... [when I hear they got arrested or worse ... they OD'd
and died] that I did try and help them. We have rules to follow ... not
lend them money ... not give them rides ... etc ... etc.

My way of helping them was providing the program facility ... a computer for
them to play on ... a working DVD player and DVD Videos ... things to keep
them happy and entertained while they are doing the program that their
Parole Officer sent them to.

What I am saying is ... your email response reminded me of the kind of
behavior I have experienced with these characters ... and I don't react
kindly.

Just quit being a hard ass ... Mr. Snyder.

If you are thinking of sending me another ugly letter ... just do it in your
head and don't actually send it to me.

Okay ... tomorrow ... I will take the DBX Audio Enhancer to ... Packages To
Go [in Hanford] ... tomorrow is Friday ... hopefully they will be open.

Sincerely ... Gary


I think he is a victim off his own rhetoric..


Do you fellas think I was out of line? Should I appologize. Does he deserve more time?

Bob

[scottmandue]

To help you recoup your losses I will gladly pay you $80 if you can get me a bag of whatever this guy is smoking.

Sorry, I don't mean to make light of you misfortune.

What is this guys rating?

Unfortunately when a seller starts running in circles and doesn't ship your stuff out in a timely manner (48 hrs IMHO) it is usually a very very bad sign.

[GO DAWG GO]

Scott,

Did you catch his larest email about comparing me to criminal/drug addict? The only reason I posted this because I feel kinda bad about presuming conspiracy..If you follow me? Would you have thought this guy is flaky? Do you think I should have been more patient? My wife wanted to slam him...

Bob

[porsche4life]

He is in your state. Offer to get the darn thing tomorrow(Saturday) if he gives more excuses about why it hasnt shipped today. That will let him know you are serious. Heck just go get it and smack him around for your troubles too.

[targa911S]

if you used paypal, just open a claim and send them all the emails you got from this wack job. i'm sure they will get you your money. they love to chase morons like this and they will get him banned. done it a few times myself.

[GO DAWG GO]

Sidney,

I think he is located near Fresno, California. He said something about me living in "Selma" which is a suburb of Fresno I beleive. ~250 miles from my home in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. I will check PayPal and see if it lists his name and address. It probably will.

Obviously, you guys dont think I was too hard on him...

Thanks for the suggestion. But it would cost more than 40 bucks to drive and smack him...LOL

Bob

[porsche4life]

oh but is gratification not worth 40 bucks heck go for a nice sunday drive in the 930.

[87coupe]

Just reverse the Paypal charge, leave negative feedback, and move on.

[targa911S]

You cannot be to hard on an idiot like that. Believe me there have been others before you. You can't fix stupid.

[GO DAWG GO]

Brandon,

Will PayPal refund the money to me? Why would they? Doesn't seem like they should be responsible you this guys financial disasters.


Thanks

Bob

[porsche4life]

Ya file a claim with paypal that you didnt receive the item and they should look at both sides and 99time of 100 the will side with you and you get your money back. Then you torpedo his feedback. Hey under the new ebay he cant reciprocate.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Ya file a claim with paypal that you didnt receive the item and they should look at both sides and 99time of 100 the will side with you and you get your money back. Then you torpedo his feedback. Hey under the new ebay he cant reciprocate.

Yepper. That's the truth. Takes 60 days though.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by GO DAWG GO

Brandon,

Will PayPal refund the money to me? Why would they? Doesn't seem like they should be responsible you this guys financial disasters.


Thanks

Bob

Yes they will... but there is a time limit so you should file the claim ASAP, as in today.

I bought a DVD off evilbay, after 48 hrs no notification that it had shipped so I emailed the seller. We went back and forth for a week or two, then I put in a claim.

Ebay notified me that the seller had screwed a couple of people and returned the money to my paypal account.

[targa911S]

I bought a rifle stock that had a butt plate and swivels on it in the picture. When I got it he had stripped it. He did not respond to any emails so I turned him in to paypal. Got my money back in 60 days.

[Gogar]

IMO replying to long winded emails with your own long winded emails just results in more hassle, more time.

Be really nice, and brief with this guy from now on. If he doesn't send it soon, tell him your Brother lives in Fresno and will come pick up the DBX and he can keep the $8. Surely someone on this board lives in Fresno if you really want someone to grab it for you.

If he tells you your "brother" CAN'T come pick it up because he "already sent it", then get the tracking #. Then he says, "Oh, I sent it Priority Mail" then you know he's a Textbook BS artist, and go to PayPal.

[scottmandue]

Too bad toddwick isn't on the board anymore, last I heard he moved to Fresno.

[TerryH]

He's a crook or a complete moron off his meds. Either way get going with Paypal and eBay opening disputes with this guy. Don't delay. Even is the stuff shows up, I would leave negative feedback being as he can't leave you any since they changed the rules.

[GO DAWG GO]

Pellicanites,

Thanks for your input. I really wanted to know if I was overreacting to his nonsense. None of you guys have stated that I was over the top regarding my accusations to him. I really think he has problems. My wife sometimes says I'm getting cranky in my 40's. I just want to be a better person...I think I'm becoming less tolerant to societies credibility issues. I'm from a generation that still believes in a mans word. Sorry for the rant!


I will email him tonight and see if he sent it. ( Just be the reasonable person I still believe I am. If he doesn't have a tracking number. I will contact PayPal and request a reimbursement. Unleash the torpedos on his feedback and write this off as first real ebay issue.

Any other thoughts would be appreciated..

Thanks fellas

Bob

[the]

Of course it's not your fault. You are dealing, very obviously, with someone who is not "all there."

You were the winning bid, you sent the money immediately, i.e., you did everything required on your side, and you did it promptly.

On the other hand, knowing you are dealing with a loose nut, I'd be as nice as possible, just placate him, be nice to him, lie to him, whatever, until he sends it. Then, like you plan, slam him with negative feedback (remember, under the new ebay rules, he CAN'T leave negative feedback against you!)

Your e-mail wasn't that bad. If I or any other halfway sane person did what he has done, we'd expect to get an e-mail like that. But the guy is whacked, and an e-mail like that doesn't really help your cause with someone like that.