nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:12:31 PM
WHAT DO SOME PEOPLE THINK??!!
I just had a guy show up at my front door unannounced wanting to look at an item I had on Ebay.He wanted to see it before he bid.
Is this bad form or what?? My FREINDS call before coming by.
It's OBVIOUS this is a HOME and NOT a business.
Maybe I was wrong, I was surprised, but when he asked if he could come in to see the item , I told him no.
It's an item he could go see at any sporting goods store. It's advertised as new so condition wouldn't be the reason.
What do you guys think??
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Glenda
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:17:45 PM
How did he get your home address?
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batsnbeans
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:29:47 PM
I really can't believe the nerve of some people. How in the world did this person get your address?
Did you by anychance find out this guy's user ID or name? If you did I would be emailing safeharbor.
Leslie
Bats-n-beans on ebay
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usedfurn
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:30:14 PM
Nicknak-That is too scarey. Did he get your address from searching on Ebay? Maybe the policy should be changed and I hope you have made them aware of this. Boy, some people have such nerve!!
[ edited by usedfurn on Nov 4, 2000 12:31 PM ]
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overworked
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:34:05 PM
Ditto on the "how did he get your address" Talk about bad form, that's no form at all. I wouldn't tolerate it, period.
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bubbahyide
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:34:28 PM
Ebay happily gives them your phone number........ with that and / or your Email address I can find anyone anywhere.. Why are you so surprised?
Use a fake phone #. Get a POBox and get an annonymous email address if you dont want people, disgruntled or not at your door!
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kudzurose
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:51:59 PM
DEFINITELY report this guy to Safe Harbor!
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CAgrrl
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posted on November 4, 2000 12:57:47 PM
problem is, if you use a fake phone number and someone reports you to safeharbor, you will be NARU'd because they will assume you have given the fake phone number for dishonest reasons. Better to use a voice mail service. In our area you can get one for around $7 per month. WORTH IT!!!!!
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amy
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:00:07 PM
April 1st is months away.
I know how hard it is to wait but try a little harder, that special "trickster's day" will be here before you know it!
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nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:02:39 PM
I don't know how he got my address because I never got any "user ID info request" from Ebay. I suppose he could have gone to my website and gotten it there.I have to have it there so people know where to send payments.
Bottom line is, if I wanted people dropping by, I'd open a store uptown.
As far as giving false information TO ebay you need to know that if they find out they can terminate you.
I didn't build up over 500 feedback to get canned for giving a false address.
This guy really looked surpprised when I said he couldn't come in. What keeps some people ears apart??
I suppose he could have gone to my website and gotten it there.
Maybe I should have told him "I can't let you in because I've run out of places to bury the bodies".:^)
[ edited by nicknac on Nov 4, 2000 01:08 PM ]
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bobbysoxer
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:09:51 PM
A few weeks ago when I retrieved info on another eBay user I don't think it gave their address (nor mine for that matter). It did, however provided both of us the phone numbers for each of us. That I know!
Anyways, personally, I would not permit a potential buyer to come to my house. For the following reasons.
1) SAFETY!!!
2) The person could be casing the joint
3) I don't pay excess tax to the city so *legally* I can not have customer traffic
4) If anything should happen to the business visiter my insurance will not cover it
I would have told the potential customer No as well! I am a true believer in customer service but there is a line particularly when it could endanger one's family.
not bobbysoxer on eBay
[email protected]
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abingdoncomputers
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:12:20 PM
If this guy showed up at your door he must live somewhere fairly close by, in a neighboring town maybe? Is there any possibility that he knows you (or knows of you) from some activity outside of eBay?
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Bluee
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:20:08 PM
nicknac - Just be glad it wasn't a disgruntled buyer!
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nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:26:37 PM
I got an Email last week from somebody in a nearby town asking if they could come by and see the item. My one word response was, "NO". I heard nothing further.
I assume this was the person.
What should I do? Should I report it?
I'm not SURE it was the person I told no but in two years of selling on Ebay I've only been asked twice if they could come by to pick up an item they already won.
I allowed it once and rejected the offer of the second "winner",(because the town he lives in just happens to be the per capita murder capitol of the U.S.) he refused to pay so I lost the sale.
I really don't care about losing the sale and I did leave appropriate feedback.
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Glenda
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:29:42 PM
nicknac: I think that, while most people feel that people selling on eBay are "home businesses," they presume that commercial websites are "real company" businesses that can be visited in person.
The practical thing to do would be to either (1) add a blurb on your website that says yours is a mail-order business only and visitors are not encouraged w/out an appointment, or (2) get a PO Box and use that address instead of your home address.
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gboy
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:33:38 PM
I think I'll hang up a "no ebay'ers" sign on my door next to the "no solicitors" sign that's already there.
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xardon
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:40:51 PM
Yes, it is bad form. In addition it is rude, impolite, discourteous, and demonstrative of a clueless mentality. In short, sounds like your average doofus. I've never found that sort to run thin on the ground.
If you sent the dolt on his way and no threats were exchanged, I'd say the encounter is best forgotten.
If you found the situation to be exceptionally harrowing, remove the address from your website.
Chances are the guy checked your auction, clicked on your site, saw you were local, and decided to drop by to check out the merchandise. Probably thought he could browse the aisles and do some Christmas shopping while he was there.
Of course, if you choose to speculate, he might have been a burglar/robber/sex fiend/home invader/serial killer/deadbeat bidder looking for his next eBay victim.
Imagine your own scenario and act accordingly.
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nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:42:14 PM
All well and good Glenda BUT, when they pull into the driveway of a HOME out in the country, shouldn't that be a clue?? No sign, kids playing in the yard etc.
Maybe I should take the item up and show it to them.
Naturally I would show up about 3.30 a.m on a weeknight unannounced:^)
There is no excuse for it!!
As far as being a "harrowing" event, it was not. It was just unexpected and rude.
Had the guy come in he would have been greeted by an extensive collection of Native American Tomahawks, African spears, Bowie knives and the like all within easy reach.(I keep, most of, my guns under lock and key.
While I'm not intimidated by a "visit" I really don't want "strangerrs" ogeling all my toys either.
I don't drop by Jeff Bezos' (Amazon.com) HOME to look at his books before I buy them or drop by Bill Gates' HOME to review new software.
I think it's rude and uncalled for and there is really no excuse for it.
[ edited by nicknac on Nov 4, 2000 01:52 PM ]
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upriver
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:49:36 PM
nicknac
Paddywhack!
Give the troll a bone...
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mjh2
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:50:52 PM
"Yeah, you can see it: meet me at the police station in ten minutes."
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nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 01:59:10 PM
What is a troll?
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xardon
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:06:33 PM
Sometimes they're newly registered users who post multiple controversial threads.
For the record, your threads are a bit too ordinary to qualify.
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Powerhouse
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:07:22 PM
Look in the mirror.
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toke
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:11:09 PM
xardon...
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chinaguys
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:14:59 PM
I doubt SafeHarbor will do anything.
I had a similar incident and they said it was outside their jurisdiction. I was told I could file a complaint with the police, which I didn't.
I recently won an auction for a $3.00 book. I had placed a bid early on, had been outbid and then came back and finally placed a winning bid three hours before it ended. I think the total price was under $4.00.
Anyway, after going to bed for the night, we get this phone call after 11:00 Eastern in which the guy asks for me by name and then asks "Where's my book?" I'm half asleep and rather astounded at this. I *69 and get his number and find out that this was the bidder I had outbid.
He also sent me a rude and threatening email saying he would get me. Creepy.
Anyway, I reported this to SafeHarbor thinking they could at least tell the guy to knock it off and I was told it was outside their jurisdiction and they couldn't do anything about it.
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macandjan
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:28:19 PM
[ edited by macandjan on Dec 3, 2000 03:50 PM ]
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bobbysoxer
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posted on November 4, 2000 02:37:25 PM
FYI
I checked the email with my buyer and my eBay info and it does not contain the addresses.
How did the person get the info?
not bobbysoxer on eBay
[email protected]
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nicknac
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posted on November 4, 2000 03:40:35 PM
Whenever I ask for user info I get name, city and phone number. I guess he got it from my website.
MAC. I enjoy your posts.:^)
Yes I do keep "most" of my guns locked up.
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cassiescloset
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posted on November 4, 2000 07:10:17 PM
This is why I use a PO box now.
It cost me $43 for a year's rental.
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wps
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posted on November 4, 2000 09:11:05 PM
If someone can get your phone number all they have to do is a Reverse Search on it and they
will have, Your Name, Address, Town and State.
We use this at work frequently and I use it at home to figure out what some long distance numbers are on my phone bill.
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