posted on January 26, 2009 06:36:58 PM new
Received a question on an auction for silver candlesticks asking about the color of the silver in the photos - valid question it did look a little coppery in the pics but very snippy. I replied that it was a reflection, they had been polished lightly, but not highly polished as it makes it difficult to photograph and is time consuming. Exchange is below with personal info xxxx'd out.
His reply:
I guess you are right--I purchased a silver box, tarnished, for $18.00. Had my man servant polish, (10 mins) then resold for $139.00. Thanks for writing.
My reply:
You don't have to worry about my sales, not a problem, you're blocked from bidding. I had my assistant handle it.
His reply:
MS (if it's Mrs. I feel sorry for Mr.)--Here is a picture of my set of knives--part of a multi-million dollar inheritance. Get a life, or a shrink
My reply:
Your correspondence has been forwarded to Ebay's Safe Harbor. If you have to brag about an inheritance, you are insecure and too stupid to earn your own money.
His reply;
Miss xXXX Mae: Could you send one more email to me? I have forwarded your last last riduculous email to at least a dozen people and all got a good laugh at your expense. My Sunday supper crowd roared when I read it to them and then from the head Georgian table in my state dining room, acted like I was using one of the pitted butter blades to lobby peas at you! (Yes, I used them for butter on the silver butter plates)
One woman literally rolled on the floor. (She had 3 martinis! ) Pls send more. I was not bragging about my inheritance, altho' I could. You are obv not fam. with the name XXXX, who I said left the items to me. An entire wing of a museum in xXXXX, Germany, carries her name. Here is a picture of my house sister! As for knowing how to work--I am a workaholic! Drool!
Ok - now it's war - I google his email address to help with a cutting reply, yup, I'm down at his level. And - SCORE - this guy is advertising on several gay porn sites - in quite graphic details that I'll spare you from. I cut and paste one of his ads, I couldn't even clean it up enough to put on here - then emailed it back to him - haven't heard from him since.
posted on January 26, 2009 06:54:56 PM new
ah shucks, all my questons are just boring.
I could have had some fun with that and sent him a list of things to do with his silver butter knives and his silver box, with the assistance of his man servant of course
posted on January 26, 2009 07:43:53 PM new
Now wait,dont be proud,this man and his m an servant can turn 18 into 139,are they available?
*
Economic Reform act of Chairman Obama of the socialist States of America :
10 ounces of meat per month,half a yard of cotton per year per adult.
Hellilujah!
posted on January 26, 2009 07:51:23 PM new
Caroline, you have more chutzpah than I do. I worry that crazies like this will make malicious false reports to eBay, who all too often shuts sellers down first and asks questions later (if at all).
And, after you explain your difficulty photographing polished silver, it would be more professional and less time consuming to simply overlook his reply.
posted on January 27, 2009 08:14:17 AM new
Good for you, Caroline.
It's beginning to look like some ebayer's have nothing better to do than to mess with us sellers. Some of them are getting down right hostile. I bet if he's done this to you - he's done it to others.
posted on January 27, 2009 09:00:17 AM new
Hostility between sellers and buyers generally follows some perceived provocation. If the seller simply chooses not to respond to whatever s/he perceives as provocation from the buyer, the incident is successfully avoided.
In this case, Caroline answered the question and the buyer replied with a comment that she considered "snippy", even though he thanked her for the answer. By not responding she could have saved her time and dignity without further stress.
By continuing to deal with his silliness, she appeared to become more hostile than the buyer, as her comment "Ok - now it's war", indicates.
posted on January 27, 2009 09:16:06 AM new
Oh, Helen, please - his original question was snippy - something along the lines of did you bother to polish - I checked his feedback and previous purchases - he doesn't spend over $10 on any purchases and trolls around looking for anything to pick at with sellers.
I've been on Ebay for 10 years, you can tell when someone asks a question who has no intention of bidding. Usually I am quite professional with my customers - but for this guy, no way - he threw down the gauntlet and I met his challenge. What can I say, it was a slow week and I had nothing better to do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caroline
posted on January 27, 2009 09:35:34 PM new
I don't recall ever having a buyer as obnoxious as Caroline's. I'm a bad seller and go for long periods ignoring ASQ. It may cost me a fraction of a point in communication, but it saves a great deal in aggravation.
[ edited by pixiamom on Jan 27, 2009 09:39 PM ]
posted on January 28, 2009 03:32:09 AM new
Pixiamom - I'm about ready to start ignoring some ASQ as well. I'm so tried of the "can you send me a photograph of the inside of the right leg with sun at high noon" questions. I had 3 people last week that wanted this or that photo. The items were in storage so I had to dig them out, take their special photos, send it to them and not one even said thank you - let alone made an offer. It's not like I don't use 5 to 10 photos already.
posted on January 28, 2009 06:43:17 AM new
I'm with you ebabestreasures, if a "prospective" buyer asks 100s of questions (one person had a list of 20 questions she sent out about a certain product) or asks for additional pictures, I politely, with a sneer on my face, dash off a reply that I am on my way out the door but will try to get them everything they need ASAP and thanks for the interest and then I never do it. None of these OCD cyberpests have ever bid on my items even when I was more naive and answered all of their questions and took extra pictures.
posted on January 28, 2009 10:49:55 AM new
Thanks for the giggle. I was ready to chastise you for engaging in an email battle with a dolt but I enjoyed this story too much to do that now.
lmao @ "man servant"
The pea thing reminded me of this old poem.
I eat my peas with honey
I've done it all my life
It makes the peas taste funny
But it keeps them on my knife!
Caroline 