posted on December 15, 2000 07:05:36 AM new
[Good Morning & Thank you all for the great comments!]
I just got this email from her this am:
Why are you doing this to me??
Thats it, just a one liner? I have not responded yet (besides my one offer of full refund). Only 6 days after winning my book, she WON a multi volume set of books on the same subject for $200! So I guess she will forgo her medicine & will not eat this week, hope there is a soup kitchen nearby & a clinic for free-handout drugs! These are the only 2 autions she has bid on, since she is "new". My bidder at $70 seems to be for real, as he did completey stop bidding on ebay the same day he retracted his bid on this book (w/ the Overseas duty exuse). So bid shielding seems remote. I did email the other seller to see if she/he is having problems w/ this person, but no response yet.
Funny, the red suit and white beard didn't look quite "me", so I am inclined to not "CAVE" to this person, and stick to my guns about viewing the book for myself first, then sending her the money + shipping 2 ways. I think I may ask her to get Del.Con. and email the number so I can track it, for her safety and mine (bet she will decline this!). Seems the above email is one I should be sending her, don't you think?
So no decision as yet, but she gets more cryptic and deluded every day. I am swaying to repeating my offer of full refund w/ 2 way shipping, as soon as I get to see the book, and inspect my invisible mark. Will keep you posted on this very disconcerting affair......thank you all for the input (it's not now the $35, its the principles involved).
posted on December 15, 2000 07:31:10 AM new
Well, I have a lot of experience with book lovers but this one loves
books more than food or drugs? Nah...
I had a similar problem with an Alice in Wonderland book... Annotated Alice. The buyer did not like the condition of the dj.
When I offered to refund money and shipping she answered that she
couldn't wrestle it away from her husband.
Maybe this woman is having the same problem. She wants to return the
book and he wants to keep it? So she wants to
keep the book and the money. Nah....
posted on December 15, 2000 08:22:36 AM newUpdate Note Here is a copy of my latest reply to her:
Hello Mrs. XXXXX: I have discussed this transaction w/ close to 15
friends, and they all tell me that nobody in the real retail world or the
online world of ebay gives full refunds w/o the item in hand. I will accept
the book back, even w/ the missing pages and the cracked spine, no questions
asked. However, I cannot as an honest and highly regarded seller on ebay
give a full refund for an item unless it is returned to me first. I have
over 900 happy and pleased customers on ebay, so what compels you to believe
I would not honor my offer of full refund + 2 way shipping?? Why would I
jeopardize a sparkling sales record at this point in time?? For me to mail
you a full refund w/o the book being returned is unrealistic at best. I
would hope you see my reasoning, and ship the book back Priority 2 day Air
w/ $.35 delivery confirmation (so you can trace the books path to be sure I
recieve it). I will reimburse you this extra .35 also as a goodwill
measure. I am sorry you do not like the book, and please accept again my
apologies. Your full refund + shipping both ways + Del Conf .35 will be
sent immediately upon my reception of the book. Thanks and hope to hear
from you soon, Sincerely, XXXX XXXXXXX
I decided to not mention the invisible mark deal, that may have "got her gander up" and more accusations tossed my way. If I get a negative for this integrity and honesty, then I guess the world has really gone "sour". I will keep you posted on what response, if any, I recieve. Thanks for all the good advice, I appreciate it so much (as this is only the third real sticky wicket I have run into w/ over 1,000 transactions)
posted on December 15, 2000 08:36:46 AM new
I know this isn't a helpful answer or reply but in my past two years of selling books successfully, the past month has brought out the buyers who must watch those news stories about how all eBay sellers are fraud artists because I have gotten nitpicky replies! I had a buyer comment that the book they won wasn't "new". It was in my listing that it was a used paperback! One reason why I have decided to take a listing break until the new year.
posted on December 15, 2000 11:15:14 AM new
Vedosr1--I am very glad you have made the decision to require this buyer to return the item before sending her a refund. While I can certainly understand someone feeling disappointed if an item arrived in less than expected condition (and who knows if she is telling the truth about the condition when it reached her)--her verbiage is simply too much!! Heartbreak and broke? "Why are you doing this to me????" What a victimhood junkie!! Where in the world DOES one get a refund without first returning the merchandise??? Good for you!!!
posted on December 15, 2000 03:24:39 PM newThe SAGA Continues......
Here are the next emails for your interest, if anyone is still reading this post that is:
It is deeply regrettable that you fail to see how scary
it would be for me to risk you taking the book AND the
money. WHY DON'T YOU MEET ME HALF WAY? Send 50% via
Paypal, I ship the book immediately and you send the
other 50%. I DON'T WANT SHIPPING COSTS, because it's not
the fault of the Postal Service. I beg you to not let
this degenerate into an endless litigious fight and to
let reason and compassion prevail. I await your response.
Then my reply:
Hi XXX XXXX: I did contact the seller of the set of Mason's Books you won
for $200. He has not even heard from you yet about that sale, and it ended
quite some time ago. In light of this, and your mis-trust of a long time
and very well established seller as myself, I must decline your offer. I
have put my best offer on the table of a no questions asked, complete 100%
refund including shipping both ways (which 95% of sellers will not do), and
you have rejected it on all counts. I will repeat....untill I get the item
back I CANNOT offer a refund of any kind. It is a mystery why you do not
trust someone w/ my track record on ebay? Why did you trust me enough in
the first place when you paid for the book not knowing I would ever send it?
I followed through on that, all I am saying is I will follow through now
with the same level of professionalism. Hope to hear from you soon, and
when I get the book in my hands, a full refund will be sent. What you are
asking me to do is unfair in light of the fact that you trusted me enough to
pay for the book in the first place. Thanks and best to you, XXXX XXXXXXX
I have not heard back, so maybe she got my message? Let me know if anyone has any further thoughts on this bizzare deal. Thanks.
posted on December 15, 2000 03:41:08 PM new
Drama queen, indeed! One would think from her emails that you were asking her to send her firstborn child to you!
posted on December 15, 2000 03:48:48 PM new
I think you are handling this wonderfully. I have a hunch you'll never hear from this person again. They were trying to pull a fast one, but you were faster.
(i could be wrong... just a hunch)
posted on December 15, 2000 04:08:15 PM newxardon....Yes, this is exactly what I felt when I got her first second email.
BB5365...Yes, she did pay w/ PayPal. Does this mean she can do a chargeback, saying she never got the book? She chose bookrate w/ no insurance. What is my recourse if she does do this? How would I fight it?
She has not contacted the seller of the $200 set of books yet, only 6 days after the sale ended, so she is digging a hole on her only other buy on ebay.
Thanks for all the compliments on how I answered her, it confirms my sometime doubting nature if I am handling something out of the ordinary in a rational manner. I think I have kept my emotions in check, it has not been easy, let me tell ya!!
posted on December 15, 2000 04:18:38 PM new
I don't see any way she could try for a charge back as she did say that the book arrived with 9 missing pages and the spine that broke when she opened it. I really feel you have Bent Over Backwards for her and she is pulling a Scam for any kind of Bucks she can get out of you. Have you posted her a feedback all ready?????
posted on December 15, 2000 04:35:31 PM new
Very Professional and forthright, I wouldn't do anymore until you have the book in hand.
Ain't Life Grand...
posted on December 15, 2000 04:45:22 PM new
I think you're doing fine. I would just draw a line in the sand and stop repeating your more than gracious offer to refund shipping both ways and pointing to your feedback.
"I'm sorry but I can not issue you a refund until I have inspected the book."
Period.
Look, the best-case scenario is that she is a boob who destroyed your valuable book by mishandling it. More likely she simply ripped (or will rip) the pages out because she changed her mind. Stop pussy-footing around with this customer and make your stand. Just MHO.
posted on December 15, 2000 05:10:56 PM new
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this bidder's 0 feedback ID is just the latest reincarnation of a long string of abandoned high-neg IDs.
She's got the scam down pretty well: demand refund without first sending merchandise; when that doesn't work, ask for half. Play on sympathy and guilt the seller into complying.
What's not known, though, is if she's a wacko as well as a scam artist. You might want think about that as it relates to PayPal and take any possible precautions, knowing your account will be frozen if she initiates a chargeback.
