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Ebay Ebomb

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Topic: Ebay Ebomb    
Keefer Lucas
Member

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Ebay Ebomb

Well, I was all excited having closed on April 1 on my "new" Visor Platinum. Threeweeks later it still hasn't arrived. The seller was a first time eBay seller, and worse than that, is a Canadian. When I asked about shipping details she informed me the product was shipped via Canada Post but that no tracking information was available.

I recently emailed her and asked for my money returned and have had no response. How long should I wait before either sending extreme negative feedback, or launching a small scale nuclear strike against Quebec?

The sad irony is that what I paid for the used VPL I could have purchased a refurbed VPL direct from Handspring. Silly me.

Keefer Lucas is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 12:44 AM
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Thunderbird291
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 447

How did you pay? PayPal can be cancelled, I think. Money orders can be tracked, and checks can be voided.

Thunderbird291 is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 01:38 AM
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terrysalmi
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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

But if the money has been cashed already, there isn't much that can be done, except possibly track the person.

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terrysalmi is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 01:45 AM
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dampeoples
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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

This is why ebay sucks, people suck. I hope you used AMEX. Never had to use it, but they tell me mine comes with a nifty little protection package.

dampeoples is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 01:57 AM
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terrysalmi
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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

And why I would demand shipping via an international carrier that can provide tracking (UPS, FedEx, AEX(?))

BTW, even though it was from canada, it could take a while to get through to the American system. hold off one more week, and keep tabs on what the seller puts up on ebay in the next week or two...

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terrysalmi is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 02:27 AM
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mensachicken
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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 443

first of all, i'm in Canada and don't appreciate the slag remark. i've bought and sold many items to and from americans (on ebay and on VC) with ZERO problems.

if someone is selling you stuff from canada and telling you they can't send it via traceable packaging, they are lying. i ship via canada post but make the buyer pay the extra for a tracking number (this info is in the auction)--have done this successfully to the usa, uk, australia and finland. the cost is standard shipping for whatever size package you have PLUS C$9 (about us$5.50) to send something registered, which means it's trackable and requires a signature. insurance is included (up to $200 and $1 extra for each additional $100). canada post's tracking web site can be accessed here.

the only problem i've ever had with ebay was when i bought something directly from handspring via ebay. the idiots wouldn't ship here after telling me they would (they said yes, i bid and won auction, they then said they didn't ship to canada). they then reported me as a non paying bidder. thankfully, i kept all my emails and ebay straightened their butts out.

if you paid by paypal of billpoint, you should be able to cancel the payment (assuming the seller did not give you the option to get the package tracked or insured and you declined).

if you paid by check, the seller probably waited for it to clear (this is normal). if you paid by money order you can check if it's been cashed.

regardless of how you paid, if the seller is not responding to your emails, i would recommend attempting cancelling the payment NOW. if the package arrives, it is very easy to cancel the cancellation. (much easier than cancelling a payment after waiting too long.)

i don't recommend EVER buying anything of value on ebay from someone with zero feedback unless you pay by paypal or billpoint and maybe not even then.

finally, your package may still arrive. it's possible it's been held at the border/customs. however, i would still recommend putting the wheels in motion to cancel that payment.

(for the record, if i send something via Air to the usa it takes, usually, less than 7 days (sometimes as quick as 4). if i send via ground, it'll take 15 or so days max, not counting customs delays. how much did you pay for shipping? of course, none of this takes into consideration the time wasted waiting for a payment to clear prior to shipping.)

sorry for your situation. however, i don't think the person being a canadian has anything to do with it.

mc

mensachicken is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 09:47 AM
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Keefer Lucas
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Oh, Canada

I apolagize for my anti-Canadian humour. We've done enough damage to Canadians this week.

Out of curiousity, is it unusual for it to take three weeks for a small package to transit the border with Canada Post (tracking or no tracking)?

Keefer Lucas is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 02:43 PM
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Pathdoc
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 216

My wife buys and sells a lot on eBay (mostly sells), and here is her advice:

International shipments take longer, and it might still show up. If it were me, I would contact the seller repeatedly until I got an answer from her. Be sure that you are non-threatening, polite, and professional. eBay does have a system in place for dealing with issues like this, called SafeHarbor. In addition to contacting SafeHarbor, you might also want to contact as many people at eBay as possible. The seller can get suspended for this. Also, to emphasize what everyone else has already said about PayPal and BillPoint - if you paid through either of those, it should be pretty simple to get the seller's account frozen until the issue is resolved.

Hope this helps a little!
Debbie (pathdoc's wife)

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Pathdoc is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 02:54 PM
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terrysalmi
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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

Re: Oh, Canada

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
I apolagize for my anti-Canadian humour. We've done enough damage to Canadians this week.




That's for sure...and we are all sorry about what we did...

For some reason, I had the south park song bomb canada in my head when I first heard about it...

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terrysalmi is offline Old Post 04-20-2002 04:35 PM
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yardie
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Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Arrow Ebay is good but

I am Canadian too and I ahve bougth numerous items on Ebay withotu incidence. Ebay is good, but you have to use precautions when buying stuff on their. With so many traders on the site, you are bound to be a few crooks. You should avoid sellers with less than 5 or so feedback rating..i Know we all have to start somewhere..but its extra security. BTW it is not unusual for a package to take weeks to arrive via regular mail. When I ship package the U.S I always send it via registered mail or another trackable method. That way there can be no dispute about delivery. And if things go wrong, the shipping company is responsible.

yardie is offline Old Post 05-03-2002 09:16 AM
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thorin
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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 415

The problem is if they are in another country. If you are canadian, and an americain screws you over on ebay, the feds dont really care, and vice versa.

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thorin is offline Old Post 05-03-2002 09:23 AM
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Pathdoc
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 216

Keefer,

Did the merchandise ever arrive? Did the seller ever contact you? Did you have success with eBay in sending them after the seller? Did you use one of the on-line methods of payment and did you get your money back?

Please give us an update. My wife keeps asking me what happened.

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Pathdoc is offline Old Post 05-03-2002 12:47 PM
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Drakion
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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Lexington, Ma
Posts: 138

celtics tickets

I used Ebay this week to try to find myself 2 tickets to tonights Celtics - Sixers game. Wednesday night, i found a guy selling 2 in the balcony, pretty nice though for cheap. That night i IMed the screen name given. I was shocked when i read a "f*** off you schek" (dont know what schek is?). The guy didnt know about the tickets. Yesterday afternoon, same tickets were on Ebay again. I bid hoping nothing was wrong, and won the auction at noon. I had the guy (same guy on AIM) give me his phone number and my father at work called him up. Seemed all fine and dandy, so i paypalled him the loot. Today, my brother drives me home during my lunch block (and later i get cought but not suspended) to see a nifty FedEx cardboard letter box sitting on my door step. PERFECT! the exact two tickets i asked for. Dont know if this guy was or is false, but im going for the price i paid, even though it got me a little worried. Oh well, Sixers will win and its going to be a blast!

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Drakion is offline Old Post 05-03-2002 08:32 PM
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ernieba1
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Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Elkins Park, Pa
Posts: 577

Where can I find the laws of "scalping"? My dad gets season tickets to the NY Giants, and it automatically comes with expensive pre-season game tickets. We want to sell these. What are the laws?

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ernieba1 is offline Old Post 05-03-2002 10:45 PM
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jhappel
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Registered: May 2001
Location: NY metro area
Posts: 219

The laws are different in different localities. If he sells them at or near the stadium he would fall under New Jersey laws. If he sells them from home he would fall under Pennsyvania laws. The easiest way to find out what the law is wopuld be to call the local District Attorney's office and ask. They won't ask who you are so you don't have to worry.

In many places you are restricted in the amount you can resell the tickets for, for example here in New York you cannot charge more than 110% of the face value of the ticket or $10 more than face value, whichever is greater, without violating the law. Also different places enforce the law more than others. Most have greater enforcement at the locations, like the parking lot of Giant Stadium, and less on private sales through the mail. Just be aware that it still might be against the law even if it isn't enforced.

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jhappel is offline Old Post 05-05-2002 08:09 PM
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Keefer Lucas
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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

In Conclusion

quote:
Originally posted by Pathdoc
Keefer,

Did the merchandise ever arrive? Did the seller ever contact you? Did you have success with eBay in sending them after the seller? Did you use one of the on-line methods of payment and did you get your money back?

Please give us an update. My wife keeps asking me what happened.



Well, five weeks and two alternative dispute resolution methods later my VPL finally arrived. I contacted Paypal which proved effective, as they were able to establish contact (the seller's computer was "down" for two weeks) with the seller, who in turn, re-contacted me. Seems Customs had an issue.

So, I finally have my VPL, though I still can't get it to work with my Verizon wireless phone and Gomadic cable (ask me if I am suprised). Boy is it fast! It hadn't occurred to me that even hotsynchs would be quicker.

I guess the lesson here is to avoid buying/selling into Canada (for Customs issues) if you don't have to. Clearly, for a $137 VPL I had other options I should have taken.

Keefer Lucas is offline Old Post 05-06-2002 07:57 PM
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