posted on May 22, 2001 10:41:50 AM new
How about buyers who put you on their religious SPAM email lists! Ugh! I know they probably mean well and are sincere, but usually, the emails are filled with dire predictions of the doom of mankind. Hallelujah for the delete key!
posted on May 22, 2001 11:18:21 AM new
I once bought a $500 lot on ebay from a person who listed an illness in the family. I resold the items individually for 2x-4x. Very nice items in demand. Not sure why no one wanted the lot as much as I did, maybe they were sceptical because of the story, but it's not an issue for me-it's a good deal anyway you cut it.
posted on May 22, 2001 11:33:00 AM newbirdwatcher, I have had that happen. The lady was as sweet as could be and you couldn't want a nicer person as a customer, but after several weeks I had to tell her to please stop sending me religious messages. This was around the last "election" and it was obvious from the tone of some of the messages that her political views differed greatly from mine. I finally emailed her as nicely as I could and told her that I'd prefer not to receive any more of her religious messages. I never heard from her again, and I'll wonder for a long time whether or not I hurt her feelings. I don't like being put in positions like that. People should ASK before putting anyone on an email list. Sigh...
posted on May 22, 2001 12:16:13 PM newThere's one seller who is advertising for money for her daughter's headstone
Yes I'm serious. To make matters worse, this woman was on another online auction in which she not only collected money from people who believed her stories, but the site owner donated a computer to her sick daughter. When the daughter went online however, she never once thanked anyone for their help. You would think she'd have the courtesy. That's when I began to look further into the history (I had donated money as well) and found this seller had different ID's on ebay, all begging for money for one cause or another (pets, sick neighbors, etc). One ID was even her dog's name and the dog left her feedback! When she was revealed at the other site, she quit posting under her ID and used the one from ebay, saying she was new.
Well she finally stated her daughter had passed away. Ironically, her husband also posted messages and auctions on this other site and he never once stopped during the supposed death of their daughter - not once. I took another look at the ebay auctions and that's where I found the plea for bids for the headstone. She also has it on her me page. Also found that she and her husband are shilling her auctions. Interesting, isn't it?
These people own a business and I think it's pitiful how they play on the sympathy of good natured people. It's no better than calling on the phone and asking for money for phony charities. But ask any of the people at the other site and they'll swear she's telling the truth. They continue to send her money.
UGH!
posted on May 22, 2001 12:41:45 PM new
What about the woman who had the auction last year around late November as a way to buy her children toys.
She said she would take the toy or a money amount donation. The toys were Sony Play Station 2, Beenie Babies, Pokemon Cards, A portable CD player to name a few.
I thought that was ballsy, then I checked out her listings and she was selling baby formula that is a brand is solely provided free by WIC (Woman Infants & Children)
I can't tell you how fast I called WIC to report her (my mom is on their New York board) Then contacted Ebay about the charity auctions and her selling wic products. I was smart enough to request sellers contact information, and print out in full color her auctions as evidence, before contacting Ebay.
The nerve of some people never ceases to amaze me.
posted on May 22, 2001 01:16:10 PM new
To me this all seem like begging. Similar to the people who stand on the street corner with a please help sign.
The sad fact is that it works! Some beggars make a good living by taking advantage of the kindness, generosity and gullibility of others.
As far as religion goes, people should keep their business and religious lives seperate. It can make people very uncomfortable if they don't. The quickest way to drive away customers is to preach at them....
posted on May 22, 2001 01:33:26 PM new
Wow, I agree - - tacky, tacky tacky! As a buyer I would wonder if the merchandise couldn't stand on its own??
There is a big difference between providing family history on an item, and this other kind of beggary. I am always amused by sellers who try to make an item sound old and special just because it was in Grandma's estate. As if Grandma never went out and bought anything new?!
One of the funniest eBay auction titles I ever saw was "Grandma's Dead and Here's Her Jewelry."
