posted on December 6, 2000 11:32:18 AM
Had a nice vintage widget up for auction and received an email from a bidder who said she'd just placed an opening bid, knew I wouldn't want to end my auction early but had started to pray that the bidding wouldn't go any higher. She just loved the item--wanted it for her kid to play with--and couldn't afford to go much higher since they'd had soooo many financial problems recently that she hadn't been able to indulge the kid much. My instincts said she was hinting for me to end the auction with her bid. I had started it much lower than I hoped it would sell for, so I just emailed her back thanking her for her interest and wishing her luck. I privately wondered why the heck she'd want this for a kid to play with--I sure wouldn't let a kid play with it while I owned it.
Her prayers caught the ear of the auction gods, though, and the auction ended with just her bid. She emails me immediately asking about shipping and said she knew she should've asked sooner. The weight of the package (heavy) had been listed in the auction so she could've checked on it at any time, but I looked it up for her and sent the total cost along with my EOA notice. She emails back saying she would've never bid if she'd known the shipping would be so expensive, and retells all her financial woes. I very speedily offered to let her out of the sale--I feel she got it for about 1/5 of its value. Several days passed without hearing from her, and then I get a Paypal payment for the widget plus shipping. Rats. Mailed widget, wiping away a tear as I did so.
About a week later I get an email from her telling me how unhappy she is that a critical part of the widget was broken and I hadn't said so--well, I hadn't said so, because it wasn't broken when I sent it. I had included insurance cost in the shipping figure, though, and told her not to worry, it had been damaged in the mail, and that she could turn in the broken widget and receive her insurance money. She emails back saying she doesn't think it was damaged in the mail. Now, this kind of damage she's talking about *would* be unlikely to happen in the mail, but not unlikely at all if an overly excited little kid had been playing with the vintage widget. I mail her back saying I have pictures showing it was unbroken when I sold it. She emails me back that her kid just loves it too much to take it away from him, and she expects me to "make it good" and I should have some sympathy because I know all about her rough situation. Aarrghh! Bottom line is she wants to keep the item, "broken or not" because it would be "too traumatic" to take it away from her little kid now, and doesn't want to present it for the insurance she paid for, but expects *me* to reimburse her in full.
My BS detector started going full-force on this sale from the very beginning and it's clanging loud and hard right now. I just mailed her the insurance receipt, and the stamp it cost me to do that put me in the hole on the widget. Are my instincts on target or am I just too cynical?
posted on December 6, 2000 11:39:11 AM
She's being unreasonable. My BS detector would be going off on this one, too! Tell her she can either keep the widget or return it, her choice, and those are the only options. If she negs you, try not to worry about it and move on. Be kind but firm -- which it sounds like you've been doing already. Maybe it's time to emphasize the "firm" rather than the "nice."
And don't fall for some pathetic sob story about financial woes! If she couldn't afford the widget she shouldn't have bought it. Don't let her scam a free widget from you.
posted on December 6, 2000 11:46:00 AM
Maybe you should write her back and tell her that with your financial situation right now that you cannot refund her without the return of the widget to claim on insurance. That surely she understands finacial problems, and ask that she return it for inspection, at her expense due to all your financial struggles. LMAO maybe that will shut her up. I would certainly take a neg before I would refund her without the return.
posted on December 6, 2000 11:48:56 AM
Hello Psyllie,
Your customer is being unreasonable. They are taking the attitude that they should have their cake and eat it too. All at your expense because they are "poor".
Have you thought to search on their userid for auctions they are bidding on or have recently bid on?
That might tell you a different story from what they are telling you.
In any event, I wouldn't offer anything to them at this point. The breakage might just have been a ploy to work you for a refund or a discount.
And if that went through the USPS then the receiver must initiate any insurance claim by taking the item with its original packaging to the post office for their examination.
The situation as you have described it sounds very suspicious.
[ edited by codasaurus on Dec 6, 2000 11:55 AM ]
