shagmidmod
|
posted on July 13, 2008 07:43:14 AM
I'm curious to know just how much I should be willing to accept from other sellers as reasonable expectations.
I am only trying to stick to the facts here. How would you rate this seller including feedback and DSR.
So I bought this item:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160254388471&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=006
Auction ended 7/1
Paid on 7/1
Seller Shipped 7/7
Received 7/12 (remember the holiday weekend)
$15 for Parcel Post
$2.30 for Insurance on a $16.52 item.
Postmark showed his cost at $11.50.
Box wasn't new, no packing materials other than newspaper and packing tape. Label was an envelope handwritten & taped to box.
- Item was shipped without insurance coverage that I paid for.
- The item arrived in a box that 2 sides were slightly smaller than the actual diameter of the plastic shade making the box bulge and caused some minor damage to the plastic shade. It is something unnoticible unless you saw the fragments of plastic in the box. Packing was newspaper and the only thing keeping the lamp from rolling around in the box was the fact the box was too small.
- Item is dirty, there are cobwebs and dead bugs on the inside of the shade.
I emailed the seller and mentioned the above... his response was - "I ship several packages at a time and apoligize for not getting the ins. as I just forgot that you had purchased it when I got there to ship them. and will refund them funds. As for the lamp it is not new and will show age but if you are not happy you can send it back for a refund or I will give you a partial refund and you will still be able to resale it at your store."
[ edited by shagmidmod on Jul 13, 2008 07:46 AM ]
|
ladyjewels2000
|
posted on July 13, 2008 08:10:57 AM
Doesn't sound like he's great a seller to me, but if you keep the item it would not be fair to give him a negative IMO. You did see the shipping cost up front so if he refunds the insurance as promised I'd rate him a 5,5,4,4 on the DSR. Maybe a 3 on the shipping & handling? That's the hard one. Over charging for insurance and then not insuring is not good.
If you return it and he doesn't refund all your money including the return postage, I would give him a negative. There is no reason that you should be out anything for his poor packing. IMO
|
alldings
|
posted on July 13, 2008 09:02:38 AM
Sounds ok to me. So he over charged a few bucks on S&H and forgot insurance could happen! The seller has offered a refund or partial restitution all sellers should be willing to do like wise. I'd give them all their stars and maybe suggest they use a bigger box next time.
If you send the item back be sure to DC it. I'm in dispute with a seller that claims he never got the item I want a refund on and because I didn't DC it he does not have to refund. 9 years buying & selling on eBay I get my 1st burn really smarts.
|
deichen
|
posted on July 13, 2008 09:23:30 AM
Take the refund on the insurance and move on. We have all had poor shipping. It is a shame, especially when it can reflect on those of us who ship well. I have even had an item sent to me in a cereal box (we all know how strong they are). Evenually this seller will learn to take more time and effort in shipping or not! The shipping was stated up front and it was terms you accepted, the insurance could have been an oversight (I have done this a couple of times as well).
|
merrie
|
posted on July 13, 2008 09:51:18 AM
I wouldn't leave any feedback. As a buyer, if I am slightly unhappy, I try to work with the seller. Since I am primarily a seller, I am sensitive to the gosh darn ***s, so I refrain from leaving any if I cannot honestly give 5s. I am not going to encourage Ebay's inequitable ways.
If he / she is not a PowerSeller, for the most part, the stars don't really mean a thing.
|
shagmidmod
|
posted on July 13, 2008 10:52:44 AM
I wasn't complaining about the cost of shipping... I just wanted you to know the scoop on everything. I actually felt the cost for shipping was good considering some other auctions for similar sized lamps going between $20 and $50 (well over inflated).
I just wanted input based on all of the information on the auction to see what you thought.
I did send an email to him, just stating the obvious as I mentioned above.
He replied with an offer of a full refund for the item + insurance reimbursement, I keep the item... but only if I leave positive feedback first.
|
shagmidmod
|
posted on July 13, 2008 10:55:52 AM
I don't think I have a problem with leaving feedback, but find it a bit shady that he requests it before hand. It's like feedback blackmail.
I suppose I can always file an "item not as described" with Paypal if he tries to stiff me.
How would you leave feedback in this instance?
|
tonimar1
|
posted on July 13, 2008 11:29:45 AM
This sounds like a very uncaring seller. His shipping is poor & his item was dirty all this is not good.
Just to end dealings with him I would take whatever refund you can get and not make a claim with PP because you will then need to invest in shipping it back so why let it cost you to ship it back.
I don't know if you could leave a star rating without leaving FB but if you could I would rate him a 1 on all.
toni
|
shagmidmod
|
posted on July 13, 2008 11:52:24 AM
"This sounds like a very uncaring seller. His shipping is poor & his item was dirty all this is not good."
That is pretty much how I feel. I know how I would want my items to arrive, and give the same courtesy to my bidders. This is why I bothered to post this thread. I wanted to know if my expectations are similar to others, or out of whack.
|
zoomin
|
posted on July 13, 2008 12:20:12 PM
He made a mistake and is willing to respond to you and to refund your money.
He is offering you more than you would get if you filed with paypal and had to send the item back so by all means, neg the s.o.b. and ding his stars. right now. what are you waiting for?
how would you handle it if the roles were reversed? (yehiknow.bitemytongue.godforbid.itcouldneverhappen.inevermakemistakes.banishthethought)
humor me anyway.
You'd give your buyer double their money back and offer up your first born, right?
A refund just wouldn't suffice.
|
zippy2dah
|
posted on July 13, 2008 12:26:08 PM
Are you keeping the lamp or not?
If not, it's too early to be worrying about feedback.
"He replied with an offer of a full refund for the item + insurance reimbursement, I keep the item... but only if I leave positive feedback first."
Do not do this if you plan to file a SNAD because positive feedback can be used against you.
"I don't know if you could leave a star rating without leaving FB but if you could I would rate him a 1 on all."
You can't. You can leave just a comment and no stars but not vice versa.
|
tonimar1
|
posted on July 13, 2008 12:36:07 PM
So then what I would do is take the partial refund. Did he say how much he would give you?
Leave pos FB saying ...thanks, and then give him 1's on all the DSRs. I don't think you would want to Neg him since he is giving you a partial refund. But by giving him 1's on all the stars is an honest evaluation on how this transaction was.
toni
|
zoomin
|
posted on July 13, 2008 06:22:59 PM
An 'uncaring seller' would've ignored your e-mail and let you file significantly not as described. You then would be forced to spend another $11.50 or so to ship back the item (per paypal) just to get back your bid of $16.52.
Your total outlay of $33.82 (or more if you packaged it differently) for a $16.52 refund which leaves you out of pocket at least $17.30 with no item.
His offer shows he is far from an 'uncaring seller'.
His communication is FIVE STARS, I cannot see ONE reason to leave him less than that for communication.
You already stated you had no complaint about the price of shipping so why would you ding his stars there?
As far as the item description and shipping time, you don't mention how you judge those.
If you are looking for validation to neg him or ding his stars, you will have to look further.
Your expectations are in line but your reactions are totally inappropriate.
Besides, why are you rating the seller before the transaction is complete?
As far as his offer ("full refund for the item + insurance reimbursement, I keep the item... but only if I leave positive feedback first" ...
sounds like he knows you will neg him regardless of what he does.
and that's exactly what you're looking for validation of, isn't it?
|
cashinyourcloset
|
posted on July 13, 2008 06:36:44 PM
shagmidmod,
It is buyers like you who make me happy to no longer be selling on eBay.
Maybe he should offer you eternal life and his life savings. Eternal life should be no problem for you anyway, since you have obviously never made a mistake (in packing or anything else).
He went far enough; he doesn't want to do all that and STILL get a negative, and I don't blame him. He didn't do a good job, and he's willing to take it on the chin. If you accept any of his offers, it SHOULD be the case that the offer was acceptable and your feedback should reflect that fact.
Jeez Louise!
[ edited by cashinyourcloset on Jul 13, 2008 06:37 PM ]
|
mcjane
|
posted on July 13, 2008 09:48:01 PM
This seller is one in a million. He's willing to refund AND let you keep the lamp in return for positive FB.
It is the nicest offer I've ever seen.
I would maybe accept the refund on the insurance, but would not feel good about myself if I accepted a full refund & the lamp.
I would never get any enjoyment from it.
I would give this seller 5 stars across for integrity & his offer to make up for his mistake.
Shag, I know you'll do the right thing.
|
barparts
|
posted on July 13, 2008 10:02:15 PM
"He replied with an offer of a full refund for the item + insurance reimbursement, I keep the item... but only if I leave positive feedback first."
Your original copy and paste mentions nothing about leaving feedback first.
It appears you are looking for a reason to neg this guy. Maybe it's the same reason you changed your name from Rusty to shaggy.
|
KarenMx
|
posted on July 13, 2008 10:04:41 PM
I wouldn't consider the shipping the big issue, though using a too small box is rather "uncaring"-- I'd be mightily upset about receiving DEAD BUGS & COBWEBS and would almost certainly neg the seller for that. "Used" with a broken plug is one thing, failure to clean out bugs'n cobwebs is another.
And then there's the feedback extortion...
|
cashinyourcloset
|
posted on July 14, 2008 04:25:39 AM
That's not feedback extortion Karen.
He is doing more than PayPal or eBay would expect of him, and he's asking for a positive (not that he wants a positive so much, I've been there, he just doesn't want a negative).
If I were the seller, by now I would just tell you to take your lamp and put it somewhere that needs a lot of light.
|
tonimar1
|
posted on July 14, 2008 04:47:53 AM
It sounds like the only way you will get a full refund is if you leave him pos FB first which you can not do. Once you do that then for him this transaction is over.
At this point yes, he is willing to work with you but only with a stipulation which is not the way to fix a problem.
Being uncaring to me is when a seller packs your item without care and concern about how safe it will arrive. Being uncaring when sending a dirty item with bugs. All this was uncaring on the sellers part from the beginning.
Now that you complained he is willing to work with you but ONLY if YOU leave him Pos FB First, this you can not do.
He only cars now because he don't want a Neg FB but before he shipped the item he wasn't worried about sending you a poorly packed and dirty item.
Just to end this problem I would take a particle refund and then you can decide what kind of FB you Want to leave him and how you want to rate his stars.
If I made a mistake I let the buyer keep the item and I refunded all the money, the amount I lost does not matter, I just don't like lingering over a transaction. If I was him I would refund all your money and move on. I would never ask for FB before I refunded anyones money. He is not doing the right thing now a seller and he didn't do the right thing at the beginning as a seller.
toni
http://www.moulinrougefashion.com
|
bregmanl
|
posted on July 14, 2008 05:14:43 AM
Most of us sellers do not give a damm about EBAYS FEEDBACK SYSTEM that stinks. It is a unfair system for the sellers.
|
birgittaw
|
posted on July 14, 2008 06:19:42 AM
Seems to me you're not rating the seller on actual DRS criteria:
Was the item as described? Looks like it to me.
Did seller communicate? Yes, he did
Shipping time? Given the holiday week end, I don't think that's unreasonable.
Shipping cost? Seems pretty fair and offered a low cost option.
Bugs inside, not the greatest of packing, and forgetting to include insurance go into feedback, not DSRs. Frankly, with a light that obviously needs to be rewired before it can be sold, I don't know that I would have taken it apart to clean either.
You got a great buy on a desirable form, and he's willing to refund? Seems to me that's more than fair for used vintage lighting on eBay. In certain categories, I give sellers a lot more leeway than in others. He's not selling clothing or fabric after all.
Oh, and he probably figured it would go over $50 and set insurance accordingly.
|
KarenMx
|
posted on July 14, 2008 09:23:14 PM
Of course it's feedback extortion. Granted, it's not "You give me a positive or I'll give you a negative" like the good ol'days, but the "you do what I want or I won't do what you want" is certainly extortive.
And it should have been cleared of debris before it was sent. Dirty pizza box, anyone?
|
zippy2dah
|
posted on July 14, 2008 11:26:40 PM
Yes, it is feedback extortion.
"Sellers may not require buyers to leave specific Feedback or Detailed Seller Ratings. Sellers also may not demand that buyers withdraw existing Feedback or Detailed Seller Ratings. These prohibitions apply to all Feedback activity, whether prior to, during, or after delivery of goods or services described in the original listing."
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html
|
