We've heard about road rage and air rage. But what about online auction rage? I'm working on a story for AuctionWatch that has to do with how folks sometimes can't control their anger when it comes to buying and selling at online auction. I'm looking for examples of such behavior.
Have you been the victim or heard about cases of online auction rage (harassing a seller with threats via email or the telephone, placing bids on all of a seller's auctions to get back at him/her with no intent of paying, etc.)? And do you have any thoughts on why this kind of thing happens? Does the anonymity of the Internet and online auctions embolden people to commit acts that they might not otherwise do?
Feel free to post your comments here or send them to me via email at [email protected]. Many thanks.
posted on May 21, 2001 07:25:20 PM
I had a horrible experience. A seller and myself exchanged emails after the auction end and I gave her my shipping information and phone number because she was to call me to get my Visa information. Then, nine days went by without her calling or answering any of my emails. Finally, I emailed her telling her I needed the items to resell and that if I didn't here from her within 24 hours I needed to cancel the transaction and buy from someone else. She did not answer my email for two days so I emailed her again saying I had to cancel the transaction and buy elsewhere, and I did.
Then, 18 days after the end of the auction a package arrived from the seller. I was confused because I had canceled the order, I had not paid, I had already bought and received the items from another seller, so I refused the package. A couple of days later a friend of the seller called and ask me for my credit card information and told me the seller had gone into the hospital. I informed the friend that I had refused the package and did not give her the credit card number.
A couple of days later, the seller called me screaming, threatening and would not listen. It was horrible, her rage was vicious. I listened with the phone held at my arm's lenght away from my ears. I was hoping she would vent and then deal with the situation reasonably. I finally hung up she was so vulgar and threatening. I actually feared that she would show up at my door someday because she was only a couple of states away.
I never did learn why she was in the hospital but I'll bet it was a mental hospital she was in. That is where she belongs.
posted on June 1, 2001 07:42:17 PM
This isn't as bad as some I imagine but last summer I was bidding on one of those Popular Scooters for my 5 year old son. I went in like my "Normal" people and placed my bid. Thus outbidding the person before me. Normal? Well about 20 minutes later I got an Instant Message and the person called me every trashy name you can think of with no explaination. I asked him what his problem was and he said you outbid me on the scooter I had bid on. Well that is the way of auctions and I told him that and also threatened to send the conversation to Ebay! He told me there was no way I could do that and I explained that yes I could and yes I would. He back tracked then and tried to apologize. Eventually it came out he was a 14 year old kid and he only had so much money to spend.
It shook me pretty bad and everytime I outbid someone now I hold my breath![grins]
Very fortunately (knocking on wood), in the world of on-line auctions I have had mostly good experiences with all my clients and with being a customer. There was one particular incident where I sold some pro audio gear to a client. It had been in my collection for some time and it came time to sell it. It was in excellent condition and I thought I had packed it well. The buyer received it damaged and basically accused me of sending it that way. His accusations ranged from taking pictures in such a way as to hide the damage to lying in my description. This threw me into a summersalt as I would never dream of doing something like that! I emailed the guy and explained myself very well that his notions were wrong. His return was more of the same but much more intense. In short, I refunded his money upon return of the device and after inspection I determined IT WAS damaged in transit. Eventually, we patched things up.
I got to thinking about this a bit, especially after reading many posts on how other sellers have been mistreated and abused verbally or in email. I'm coming to believe "Auction rage", as you term it, is accelerated by the fact that "you can't see or touch me behind my PC". In road rage I tend to think it's accentuated by a false feeling of invincibility behind the wheel with a "you can't touch me, I'm gonna get you" attitude. Indivduals with little to no people skills or with bad character will have no problem letting their true nasty self come out in email. They take what bugs them out on the recipient and that is quite cowardly. Conversely, folks with good character will be understanding and even cut you slack when it's appropriate. If the person had a bad day and it came out in an email, they will apologize at some point. Things will get patched up. Good luck on your article. Hope this helps?
posted on June 22, 2001 09:47:56 AM
go look in fraud and illegal goods and read this post..."Fraudulent Bidder Help Please" It goes beyond auction rage...
I have another suggestion for an article for you.....
You should look into the Online Rage of Sellers.
I look at the posts in AW and Ebay and others and the way that some Sellers talk to the Customer Service people via messages on boards.
If something goes wrong with listings, storefronts, categories, or whatever the message boards go crazy. They are rude and abusive.
Yes, this is our livelyhood. Most of us do this to earn our main living.
I can understand frustration and even anger for a situation but, does it help to brow beat? Does that get it fixed faster? Does anyone ever think about the fact that it is just not a matter of pushing a button to fix a software problem.
Common courtesy seems to fly out the window when you are not face to face with whom you are communicating. A message board or an e-mail can be too easy to hide behind. It seems to me that we have to consider the person receiving the communication and that they are real people doing the job the best that they can. They deserve our respect.
Please anyone who reads this I clearly said "some" sellers.
