posted on March 8, 2001 08:57:32 AM
I have posted this on another board, and thought it would be interesting to see the responses here too.
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I won a bunch of inexpensive Pokemon cards for my daughter in earlyish January, and told the seller I was looking for them for her birthday at the end of January. About the middle of the month, all the auctions I was interested in finished, and I immediately Paypaled the money, after I had to chase him for a final figure for shipping.
The shipping was not cheap - $1 for the first set of 6 cards, and 50c for each set thereafter. I ended up sending him $8 for the shipping and handling (for less than $5 of cards) expecting them to arrive shortly before her birthday, and he sent them on 22 Jan. By Air Mail, it would have been tight, but possible. I have had stuff arrive within 2 days from the US on occasion.
They didn't arrive. At mid-Feb, I emailed again and told him that they hadn't arrived. Finally on 24th Feb, they arrived, more than 3 weeks late. He had sent them SURFACE, with $3.80 postage on them.
They were extremely well packed, but I was really cross that he hadn't sent them Air Mail to arrive for her birthday. I emailed him to let him know that they HAD arrived (he was going to send out a duplicate package), but that had been unduly delayed because he had sent them surface.
He KNEW I needed them by the end of the month, and I believe for a 4oz parcel, it would have been cheaper to send them Air Mail letter rather than surface parcel (according to the USPS website). I have calmly made these points to him, and got no respose at all. He welcomes International bidders, but seems incapable of understanding that Surface takes 4-6 weeks, and Airmail is 7-10 days.
What do I do? Neg? Neutral? I cannot in good faith give him a positive.
posted on March 8, 2001 09:07:28 AM
What description did he give about shipping in the auction? did he say 1st class, or surface, or did he say nothing?
Worse I think you can leave him is a neutral - you received the cards and they were well packaged, they just arrived late. He stated what his shipping charges were in the auction and he didn't charge you any more than he said he would, even if he did make money on it. I'd probably either leave no feedback, or leave a positive with "item great, well packaged, but shipping slow" - IMHO! mary
posted on March 8, 2001 09:20:59 AM
There was no mention of what type of shipping, and I suppose I am one of those "dumb" bidders who never get around to asking ALL of the questions necessary. Yes, I assumed that he would have mentioned that he was shipping surface when I told him I needed them for the end of the month.
Lesson... I will no longer bid on anything that requires me to email and ask about shipping method.
posted on March 8, 2001 09:26:24 AM
Like you, I've gotten to the point where I don't even bid on auctions where shipping isn't clearly spelled out. Same thing with item descriptions - if they're too minimal, I just don't even bother. First rule of ebay is whatever you see listed today, will be listed again sometime in the future, so if you have any doubts, let the auction pass you by! Anyway, sounds like it was a frustrating but relatively cheap lesson! mary
