posted on September 19, 2004 07:19:19 AM new
I have to vent. Just gotta. I am so sick of having to make concessions for bidders who have AOL. I'm tired of being constantly accused of not sending out invoices when I send them out through eBay and my own ISP only having to repeat the process over and over. AND, I am tempted to say no AOL in my auctions. It's past ridiculous. I have no problems with any other ISP (except Canada, but that's another story). My SBC Yahoo comes with a spam filter, but I still get my invoices and such when I'm the bidder. I cringe when I see the aol.com at the end of a winning bidder's email.
Tomwiii has it right, it's AOhell!
Now, another question. I paid for an auction using PayPal yesterday afternoon. I've received no confirmation email. What's up with that? Normally, I receive an email saying I paid for an auction. Is this another case of "you'll receive it in a week or so"?
Okay, I'm done. Brother, this de-caffinization (ha, new word) I'm going through is murder!
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on September 19, 2004 07:28:42 AM new
I agree with you on the AOL thing! And they tout it as the best thing since sliced bread! Had one that said she never got an invoice and I asked her if she had gone to her my ebay to see if the info was there and she said "You mean I can do that???" I also keep getting the nondelivery notices when I do the shipping label and it sends out the DC number. You would think that AOL or the bidders would catch on.
I have SBC also, the only things that end up in the bulk folder are the ebay spoofs, and for some reason every 3rd note from my Mom.
All of my notices from Pay Pal have been spotty for the past few weeks. Don't know what is up there...
Decaf, ewww.
Kevin
posted on September 19, 2004 07:34:19 AM newfor some reason every 3rd note from my Mom.
That's odd and funny at the same time. Maybe SBC checks the email and if mom is giving out advice (it's a mom's job, afterall), they are marking it as spam. LOL!
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on September 19, 2004 07:38:18 AM new
Ya know, 4 or 5 years ago, it might have made sense to use AO-smell, as connecting to the Internet was mildly confusing...
But after ya learn a few tricks of da trade, why on earth would anybody stick with such worthless garbage??
I AUTOMATICALLY forward my eBay generated invoices to bidders on AO-hell, cause I know THEY AIN'T GONNA GET THEM unless I do -- or they in the spam folder
Yes, I wish AOsmell would die a well-deserved death -- of course, so does TIME-WARNER (hee!hee!)
"This very week in 1989, there were protests in East Berlin and in Leipzig. By the end of that year, every communist dictatorship in Central America had collapsed." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 6, 2003
posted on September 19, 2004 07:52:32 AM new
I agree, my heart always sinks a bit when I see that the buyer has AOL. I have been putting a message in my description that I have problems getting messages through to AOL subscribers, and ask them to contact me if they don't get a message from me. One thing that sometimes helps is to remove the word "eBay" from the subject line. I mention to these buyers that my emails may be in their junk folder, that is if I can get through to them of course!
posted on September 19, 2004 07:58:36 AM new
Say what you will..I for one would NEVER consider cutting off a whole sector of bidders because I didn't like their ISP - that's just plain foolish.
Heck, I am an AOL user. Do I use the AOL browser to work on the Internet ? No. But I LIKE the email system (besides I got a good email address back when the internet was first invented) and there are others in my family (ie DH) who depend on AOL.
The problem isn't AOL's - it's the users. I have over 200 transactions per week and never get complaints about missing invoices. Maybe your ISP isn't delivering them? I always get my PayPal notices..maybe it's your spam filter?? Just kidding of course (not about the 200 invoices that are delivered without complaint) but I guess that's the kind of logic people who don't use AOL employ when they want to complain about AOL.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on September 19, 2004 08:06:55 AM new
neglus
I used AOL - for years. The best thing I ever did was lose it. It's no easier than any other ISP. They just have most people fooled into believing that. They did me. I can guarantee it isn't my spam filter. It controls incoming mail, not outgoing and I've got it set to accept most all mail. When a piece of mail comes in and it's spam, I mark it as such and I don't get that piece of mail again.
It's no coincidence that the only ISP that gives me trouble is AOL.
Now, it would be quite handy if eBay had an email system. Venio does in a way. That way, we'd almost be assured of getting the email. That is, until eBay decided to make it bigger and better. LOL!
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on September 19, 2004 08:08:26 AM new
Neglus, no, sorry, I disagree -- THE ONLY folks who don't receive my invoices SENT BY EBAY (repeat : SENT BY EBAY --nothing to do with MY ISP) are the bidders on AO-SMELL.
WHICH, like I SAID, is the reason that I RE-SEND (forward them) from MY ISP so that they will receive them...
"This very week in 1989, there were protests in East Berlin and in Leipzig. By the end of that year, every communist dictatorship in Central America had collapsed." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 6, 2003
posted on September 19, 2004 08:11:11 AM new
neglus, Yes, I think most of the time it is user malfunction. I don't know how many people that I have sold to that use AOL didn't even know that there was a spam filter, or that it could be adjusted. (My own family included in that!) (Not my Mom, she uses a local ISP) I tried AOL once and personally didn't like it but... I started out on a regular ISP and didn't really want all the bells and whistles. Thats just me. I have enough trouble learning how to compress my pictures without a lot of other stuff to confuse me. Its just like the Pop Up blockers, great at doing the job that they do but... sometimes they get in the way and have to be sent to their room. I also think that Pay Pal and ebay do not like Yahell, the way some notices take forever getting to me. Oh well, I ramble. I need more coffee! (Ewww, decaf!)
Kevin
posted on September 19, 2004 08:16:14 AM new
kevin
Agreed with the decaf thing. I have no choice, though. I have to quit smoking (heart troubles) and decaffinating myself is my first step. Doctor also said to reduce stress. Told him I sell on eBay so that's out of the question. His reply was, "How stressful can selling on eBay be"? LOL! How little he knows.
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on September 19, 2004 08:31:08 AM new
Cheryl ... I quit smoking 4 years ago (unfortunately, just recently I started back up again). I tried everything to quit. I finally bought a book entitled "Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking". Was it easy? Heck no! But after reading that book, I was able to quit cold-turkey. It's really psychological once you get through the first 3 weeks of withdrawals. If you would like, I'd be willing to send you my copy to read, if you'd be willing to send it back once you are done. I'm going to need it again when I'm ready to quit once more. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. Yep! I use AOL, but have my spam filters properly adjusted and get ALL of my mail.
posted on September 19, 2004 09:01:02 AM new
Here is what I have in my sellers payment instructions.
Thanks for bidding. Also, if you use AOL or Earthlink, please add me to your acceptable e-mail list. AOL considers ebay transmissions as spam and will block legite e-mails.
It was stated that this problem is user error. I don't disagree with that. But what AOL doesn't realize is most of their users aren't computer literate and are afraid to make simply changes for fears of screwing something up.
Frankly, if most AOL users actually tried to use other services, they would dump AOL in a heartbeat. The others are so much easier to use, navigate faster, usually cost less and best of all, you don't get busy signals or get kicked off line constantly. I have a friend that refuses to give up his AOhell because he doesn't want to lose his other AOhell contacts. So he lives with the crap. I feel sorry for him for the hell he is putting himself through.
posted on September 19, 2004 09:28:02 AM new
I have the same problems with AOL people. Like most of you I hate to see a winning bidder with an AOL address.
Recently I had one, who kept writing that she hadn't heard from me and she was having PayPal problems and they wouldn't answer her either. So, I responded to her through the UPI console and this is what I got.
Debbie
I had no clue I had a junk folder and sure enough there was also my answer from paypal! I apologize for having such a blonde moment because as I checked out this time, it did give other options to pay. (in the past it appeared to me you only accepted paypal) I successfully checked out using paypal. Please forgive the delay!
Thanks so much!
Kim
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on September 19, 2004 09:35:05 AM new
Good for you Cheryl for starting the process of quitting smoking. I never was able to convince either of my grandparents to do so, and smoking did them both in. Ebay is as stressful as you make it I guess, we all get the never got the invoice line. What usually gets their attention though is the non paying notice from ebay. Even if they never got an invoice (which I believe some, but not most) it is still their responsibility to contact the seller. Communication is 2 way street.
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
posted on September 20, 2004 06:29:20 AM new
I concur about the chastity belt approach that AOL uses to "protect" me from spam. I have AOL and many emails do not make it to the spam folder. AOL stops them dead -shoots smart bombs at them! This is most irritating ...gosh I appreciate the effort to stop the junk. But they stop anything they fancy and NO NO NO it does not get sent to the spam folder - it is shot down with weapons of mass destruction owned by AOL.
I did not really concede that this could be the case until people (not eBay customers) would telly me or fax me and I would say just email the information and they would say they did!
WELL, .. please since the subject is being discussed - which provider do you folks suggest - I know Earthlink has problems, and I do want to keep DSL- would just using Netscape, Yahoo mail and keeping AOL work?
Please offer any suggestions that you think may help.
posted on September 20, 2004 07:09:21 AM new
I am on AOL version 7,and I have no problem getting emails.
AOL version 8,9 are much fancier and have the bells and whistles to filter spam and check viruses and spywares.
-sig file -------Life is one big happy 'All You Can Eat' buffet .
posted on September 20, 2004 07:19:14 AM new
You are correct. Earthlink is just as bad. I am using highstream. It costs $8.95 and I never get booted, never a busy signal. Nothing special about the service though. Just a connection. Not the fastest dial up I ever used, but easily not the slowest either. Not sure about your DSL though. I am thinking you may have to look elsewhere for that.
posted on September 20, 2004 08:59:13 AM new
If you have DSL you should have e-mail with your provider. We had DSL where I worked and my address was *****@bellsouth.net. You should have something like that.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on September 20, 2004 09:23:20 AM new
If you have DSL you should have e-mail with your provider. We had DSL where I worked and my address was *****@bellsouth.net. You should have something like that.
I do have email - six different screen names (I think)
I have AOL-DSL
I use the V9 - Optimized
FAST--like a rocket
But AOL - controls what email is delivered their "protection" is overkill
I even took the spam control off - allow all mail but it is very protective -talk about Homeland Security- AOL has it down to a science! It stops some mail even before it penetrates the AOL airspace to enter the spam folder.
posted on September 20, 2004 12:01:43 PM new
I never used A$$h%les OnLine, as the newsgroups called it, but my sister did for a spell.
I put a note in my auctions that I will be contacting a winning bidder by so many days, if they have AOL and don't get my email, fer crying out loud, email me!
So far it's worked out decently.
posted on September 20, 2004 12:14:51 PM new
I have had a Yahell email for years! It was one of the ones that I used on ebay so that I didn't have to worry about getting all kinds of mail in Outlook (which is what my ISP at the time insisted I use). I have not had any problems with sending or receiving mail in either of my yahoo accounts. I really like the fact that they have gone to a huge amount of storage right at the time Hot Mail decided to charge for everything. When I had to switch to Wal Mart as my ISP for a while, I still didn't have any problems. (Wal Mart operates on an AOL platform)
Kevin
posted on September 20, 2004 02:14:29 PM new
deur1, I use SBC Global for my ISP. I have had Yahoo mail through them, maintaining my origional email without attaching to my account, through MSN as my ISP (What a big mistake that was, wrecked my poor little 98), through my local ISP, through Wal Mart, and through Bresnan Broadband (the company that could not keep it working and made me use Wal Mart till they could get it fixed, which they never did!). I have never had any problems getting at my yahoo mail while using any of these ISP's.
Kevin (off for another cup of coffee)
posted on September 21, 2004 09:59:52 PM new
Can I add my 2 cents here.
I agree! AOL is the worst. I cringe when I get an AOL bidder because I know they will be a problem. 9 out of 10 are!
Tonight I had someone send me their 4th request for a total (stupid person anyway because total and shipping is in my listing...and it clearly says if you don't get an invoice it means you have AOL so please use the Ebay checkout) and they can't read either!
Anyway they are getting very upset and sent a request through Ebay. So I type them the total and the address and return it through Ebay....IT BOUNCED saying "I'm sorry this email cannot be delivered because the recipient does not accept emails with embedded images (guess that was from Ebay)."
So now what? Wait and see if they give up or what. And they get madder and I get more frustrated!
posted on September 21, 2004 10:42:25 PM new
Two ideas - one is to download AIM (instant messenger) and try to catch them on-line - I did this to one buyer. Another idea is to replace the image in the listing with a note to buyer - I did that too and it worked.
I still maintain that it is the USER and not the ISP that is at fault. Admittedly, many newbies use AOL (heck half the country uses AOL) so you are bound to have more problems with AOL.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on September 21, 2004 11:07:34 PM new
Sometimes Yahoo, which is what I use, bounces AOL.
Yahoo is good, portable and now with massive bandwidth, plus you don't download junk onto your MS Outsnooked.
I also suggest, for those of you using web hosts for pix as well as a web presence, using your host as your email. They are client friendly, a lot of them emulate yahoo-esque features, and you can deal with your email just as portably as yahoo.
Plus you don't have to have Yahoo so close to your name and all the end of email garbage.
I know I do go on about this, but if it were up to me, Microsoft would just dump outlook and start from scratch, it is such a poor product.
