OT: hoping y'all can gimme some advice on ebay transaction g

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm the buyer. Paid for item with PayPal within a day of auction's end (ended on Xmas eve). Seller had very good feedback. I waited several days, probably about 2 weeks, before *I* had to initiate contact with the seller. Waited several MORE days for a response. About 3 weeks after the auction ended, I finally got a response (family problems, etc) and thought I should give the seller the benefit of the doubt...we've all had $hit to deal with now and again. A week later I asked if the seller had any information about shipping status, tracking, etc. No response. Seller was completing other transactions and receiving feedback, so I began pestering seller with emails about every other day. I sent an email yesterday saying basically that if I didn't hear from the seller within 24 hours that I'd take appropriate action, which of course prompted a response. Now the story is that the seller has been trying to contact me for several weeks but email was not going through. I have been receiving email from other folks with the same ISP, so I dunno if it's a lame excuse or what. At any rate, the seller tells me that the item is at the post office and that the box has a "huge hole" in it so it cannot be shipped and that the post office has been attempting to contact the seller to pick it up, which the seller clearly has not done.

I responded this morning by saying that I am assuming that the item is damaged and that I'd like a refund, and that shipping insurance on their end should be covered because of the exorbitant shipping fee ($60 for an antique sewing machine with table). I am unsure whether I have any recourse through PayPal, eBay, or the USPS.

Also noteworthy is that the seller has NOT left me any feedback, even though everything on my end was completed seamlessly within a day of the auction's end (I know, not uncommon but ridiculous nonetheless). I am determined to leave negative feedback unless this is VERY promptly resolved, so I guess I'll take my chances...

Thanks for any advice.

Marty

'73 02

'03 MCS

[Guest Anonymous]

How much does the sewing machine weigh? Does it come with stand? Seller may have no way to get it to you...Weight limits are 70#....If you payed with paypal and 30 days have not gone by file a complaint. If its beyond 30 days file a complaint too. How much positive feedback does seller have? File with ebay also. warning it takes a while. One problem with ebay feedback is it can be retaliatory. You file negative feedback and seller does the same to you.....Good Luck

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

I also would have sent him an increasing number of emails each day and flooded his mailbox.

[Guest Anonymous]

do this.

i'd contact usps & find out what they know. they'll at least be able to tell you what is up w/the package & if in fact insurance was ever on the package. and at if it was ever taken to them.

then i'd go to peoplepages & find out where the guy lives. give him a call @ home to try to resolve it. i did this a couple of weeks ago.

if you don't want it or want to wash your hands of it, i'd call your card company & deny it. i think that most will. never had to do this part though.

also don't wait too long to put feedback up there. i think there is a certain amount of time then you don't have that option anymore. it's happened to me like that before.

i really hate the fact that people get tons of feedback and think that they can just do what the hell they want.

good luck man.

dave

[Guest Anonymous]

I just got an email stating that the machine is not damaged (how the seller knows this I can't imagine, unless it's not at the post office at all). Then the seller told me that I didn't purchase the optional shipping insurance, which is my fault.

Well, it turns out that I DID purchase the shipping insurance.

Off I go to PayPal and ebay and to file both an internet fraud report and a report with the USPS to see what the deal is with this "package".

Anyhow, I'm hopeful that something can be worked out.

Thanks for the advice so far...keep it coming!!!

Marty

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

as an advocate, and ebay scarcely better. They both will shut the seller's accounts, and if he has any money in his Paypal account, you may get to seize it after many weeks. Don't count on it, though.

[Guest Anonymous]

i think they have some kind of automatic protection on internet

purchases

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

...however, if the package is damaged, then I can file with eBay as an item received not as described. Fortunately any damage that occurred happened on her end, and she has to re-send. so if I don't get a refund from her directly, and if anything is not as described, then I can take that route. hopefully it won't come to that...

M

[Guest Anonymous]

You pay for something, adequate time goes by, no word from the seller, then if feels like you're pulling teeth to get treated fairly and they get a bit defensive. Its frustrating, even on small dollar things, because its your money, and it was important to you. Good luck.

Mike