posted on March 6, 2001 02:09:03 PM
I need to know if I am being unreasonable. Just please be nice
I won an auction on February 26th and paid by Paypal on the morning of the 27th. I asked that the seller let me know when they shipped the items. Part of the shipping cost included insurance and confirmation. The seller didn't reply back so on Friday, March 2nd, I e-mailed again asking the seller to let me know when the items were mailed and to please send me the confirmation number so I could track the package. No reply. I know the seller was online Sunday night because they listed some auctions.
Today I e-mail the seller again and ask them to please let me know the status of my order as it has been a week since I paid and have yet to hear from them with the confirmation number on the package. Even if they hadn't mailed it yet, some communication would be nice! I don't buy the argument that maybe they don't check their e-mail. As a seller, I think it is a necessity to check and answer e-mails regarding your auctions. Or maybe that is just me who does that? In any event, am I expecting too much by asking the seller to communicate with me on an auction I paid for immediately? How long should I wait before I take other steps? The seller has 35 feedbacks, all positive, and am hoping there is just some slight mix-up.
posted on March 6, 2001 02:15:26 PM
I don't think you are unreasonable to expect a response to your inquiries. Sounds like the sellers have a lot to learn about professional communication. HOWEVER . . . .I have found that poor communication does not necessarily equate to non-performance. I've had non-communicative buyers and the money arrives just the same . . . non-communicative sellers and the packages do show up. In your shoes I would not make assumptions or "take further steps" until/unless enough time has elapsed that you know you have a non-performer on your hands.
You may want to try using ebay's "Send This Auction To a Friend" link to make your request.
posted on March 6, 2001 02:15:38 PM
I think it's entirely reasonable to want a confirmation that a PayPal payment was received. For that matter, any courteous email from a buyer warrants prompt response, it's just good customer service. The seller's FB is not all that high. Could be they are just swamped, in over their head. They aren't scoring many points for communication though.
On the off chance the e-mails are not getting through to the seller, try sending a note from a different e-mail address or try the "mail this auction to a friend" route, if just to say "did you get my e-mails - haven't heard back from you".
Edited to add the following:
My process if I don't get responses is:
1) Try to mail from another address; if unsuccessful,
2) Send a note through the "mail this auction to a friend" from the auction page; if unsuccessful,
3) Pull the user info. Usually this is enough to get some kind of response. If there is no response, and if the item is worth the long distance call, call the seller.
4) If the phone number is not in service/incorrect, unfortunately you then have something to worry about.
posted on March 6, 2001 03:10:08 PM
I know they received my initial e-mail when I sent my address to them (before paying with Paypal) because I had inquired on whether or not the shipping had included insurance as it was high and was curious (but not trying to back out or anything. I knew up front what the cost would be and bid with the knowledge and planning on completing the deal). That has been the ONLY e-mail the seller replied to telling me that the shipping included insurance and confirmation.
I don't think they are over their head as they've only listed 10 auctions the past month, the others ending higher than mine actually. I will give it until Thursday for them reply to my last note and one I will be sending shortly here using a different e-mail address but if I don't hear by then, I guess I have to look to further steps like calling them which I hate to do. Grrr. I posted in another thread about going back to work and cutting back on eBay and so far I have had 2 deadbeats on one item and now possible problems with a seller (a first for me in the two years I have been on eBay so guess I am lucky).
posted on March 6, 2001 05:28:02 PM
Hmmm....*where* is your seller located, if you know? Could be they are in one of the states getting slammed by the weather.
The auctions listed on Sunday could have been 'auto lists', meaning the seller set them up to start days before they did.
Of course, if there is nothing *wrong* with your seller I certianly think they should have answered you!
posted on March 7, 2001 03:36:24 AM
They are located in Minneapolis so it has nothing to do with the storm in the northeast. I noticed last night that the e-mail address they used to write me back the one time is a hotmail which is different than the one they have on eBay--which is their ID as well. I wrote to both addresses and still no reply.
The item I won did sell much less than others that are listed and am wondering if the seller is angry about that. If so, that is NO reason to keep my money AND the item! I asked them to give me a refund if they didn't want to complete the sale. Again, no reply as of yet.
posted on March 7, 2001 05:03:07 AM
I don't know what the seller sold you, but some items fall in price fast and they may be holding out until they can buy it cheaper.
Also, some sellers are actually preselling but don't say that in the auction. Now, they may be stalling by not responding.
You are being very reasonable and deserve a plausible explanation.
posted on March 7, 2001 04:38:45 PM
I wanted to update a tiny bit on this situation. I e-mailed the winner of another of her auctions who won February 21st. This person paid immediately by Billpoint and still has NOT received her merchandise. She told me she has wrote the seller and is not getting a reply as well. It is looking more and more like this seller is taking the money and not delivering the merchandise!
Is there anything I can do? Will my credit card company remove the charge? The item was for a total of $30. I paid $13 of it with funds I had in my Paypal account and the remainder was put on my credit card. I heard if I go through Paypal that it takes 30 days and they may not do anything. But if I do a chargeback, will Paypal block MY account? Personally I dont care because I have cut back on my eBay sales but I don't want this seller to just get away with taking my money! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
