Poor Ebay Transaction

[tmenyc]

BTL, a real boatload or one of your husband's boats ?

[betweenthelens]

Haha. What do you mean "real" or one of his boats? lol Just kidding, of course. No, it's a good bit of powder out there. Looking forward to having Indian food again in GC!

[Inkheart]

Not to make light of your misfortune, but looking at the item's location, I think the pens themselves are reluctant to leave southern France for the American Northeast lol!

 

I believe as well that they may yet show up. As pointed out, the seller has nice feedback and there are easier ways of getting around an undesirably low sale price without that particular brand of subterfuge.

 

Interestingly, I years ago had a similar experience with a seller in France. I won an item (Rotring drafting set, I think) that seemed to have gone astray. In this case, they were able to send me another set with the proviso that I please either return one set or pay for the second upon arrival. They even sent me a postage-paid padded return envelope to help me out should I elect the return option. After some weeks, I actually did wind up with two sets and was happy to pay for the second arrival.

 

Fingers crossed!

[betweenthelens]

April, I would like to leave for the south of France right about now! Thank you for your input. It's heartening to realize that many have been through this same thing and that perhaps the pens will arrive after all. I'm glad you had a happy ending with the Rotring drafing set(s).

[atypical]

Is it my failing eyesight or is the feed missing from the Bayard?

[Jenks]

I have another story that will give you hope. I purchased a platinum desk pen for $4 with free postage and had given up hope on ever seeing it because I figured the postage from Japan was probably higher than my bid. It actually made it all the way from Japan to the DC area in less than a week and then sat at my local post office for 3 weeks. The post office never contacted me and if it hadn't been for ebay's tracking system telling me it had arrived I'm not sure I would have ever known. There is a part of me that wonders how long it would have taken for them to notify me to come and pick it up-- 4 weeks, 2 months, a year?

[Joe Penmanship]

At first read, I thought you were getting hit with the "switch payment source" scam. But it seems that the seller is not asking for money yet... So it is probably (hopefully) perfectly innocent and legit.

 

But beware, there are scammers galore on eBay.

 

I am apparently as naive and ridiculously blind as they come because I fell for the aforementioned bit hook, line and sinker.

 

A pen (or probably any other expensive item) is offered at a too good to be true price. The item is located overseas (I'm in the US). It is on auction for only a day (big, red warning there for smart people...). Several bid. I win. I pay through eBay/PayPal. All good so far.

 

I get a note through eBay from the seller saying congratulations, he is indebted to me for helping his current life situation, etc. And that he will ship when he can get to his postal service. The note was very personable and warm. A note comes directly from eBay shortly thereafter saying my full amount was refunded by the seller. Later, the seller sends a note apologizing and saying his postal service was charging much less than I paid in shipping and he wanted to make it right. But he didn't know how to refund only a partial amount. And furthermore he had gone ahead and shipped the pen out in good faith. He asked me for an email where he could attach the shipping receipt. I provided my email, saw the seemingly legit receipt with a seemingly legit tracking number. And then he asked that I pay the new reduced amount to him via PayPal. Another giant red flag, right? But I soooo wanted that pen. And he was so nice in his notes. And I am so trusting and good. And he had a receipt with a tracking number...

 

I won't drag this out any longer. He suckered me right out of the eBay ecosystem where they could no longer help my problem when no pen arrived. Needless to say, PayPal took care of it within 30 days. So I survived the ordeal. But it was stupid. And I was really stupid for falling for it.

 

Just a little reminder to you all to stay frosty.

 

I truly hope you get your pen.

 

- Joe

[Ursus]

 

Does the seller have proof of postage? You still get a receipt for sending non-tracked postage here in the UK, it's probably the same en France? Can't hurt to ask before leaving feedback.

As he did not make the package trackable he may very well have used stamps - and you can't trace those. And if he sells a lot of things he could easily give you a mail receipt for some other item. Besides, many people don't keep their receipts and he does not sound like an overly careful person...

[betweenthelens]

atypical, that's the Visor Pen 2000 and that's the way it looks. See

http://www.trocazur-collection.fr/F_frame.html?http://www.trocazur-collection.fr/STYLO_PLUME_VISOR_PEN_ANCIEN_COLLECTION__F_art_919.php

 

Thank you, Jenks. Who knows, it could still be sitting there. Glad you got your pen.

 

Joe, I've never heard of that scam and while it sounds quite elaborately bizarre, there are so many; there must be a new one every day. I don't think it's naiveté on your part. I think it's the innate willingness in human beings to believe in the good of others, until one is shown otherwise. Thank you for your input and as far as staying frosty, I'm in upstate New York and we did get a good deal of snow (about a foot, by the looks of it) so I will certainly be cool!

 

True, Ursus. I'm just going to have to wait and see.

Edited January 3, 2014 by betweenthelens

[Mesu]

The prompt refund without you asking for it sounds fishy. Do ask for the shipping receipt.

 

One ebay purchase from China did not turn up even after 30days of purchase and i raised a refund request. The seller insisted that she shipped the item and requested to wait for few days more. It was a small amount. So i mentioned that i will be waiting for few more days but will not close the claim till i receive the package. The seller was okay with that. I got the package in the same week with very good packaging. Promptly left a positive feedback and cancelled my refund request.

 

The amount of messages the seller sent for the small purchase was an assurance to me that she really shipped the package and the postal service might have goofed up.

[Ursus]

If he really kept the pens, annoying him a little might cause him to finally mail them to avoid ruining his good reputation on ebay...

[betweenthelens]

Hi, Mesu! Happy New Year!

I just messaged him and asked for a shipping receipt. The seller, in my case, has not been decent at communicating with me. He didn't let me know when he shipped the pens until I asked and he's not given me positive feedback for paying immediately. I will, of course, give him positive feedback, if the pens arrive. If they don't arrive in this next week, I will be contacting ebay just to let them know what has happened.

 

Thanks again, Ursus. I agree that it may pay for me to be a bit more persistent although now I feel as if I've done everything I can possibly do. As I told Mesu above, I just messaged him and asked for a shipping receipt. Let's see how he responds.

Edited January 4, 2014 by betweenthelens

[Ursus]

Well, if the French don't treat women well anymore this world has gone rotten.

[betweenthelens]

Well, if the French don't treat women well anymore this world has gone rotten.

That made me smile.

Good one.

[Ursus]

By the bye: I watched a good old J. C. Fields film yesterday where he says that he never argues with a lady. (He does however tell how he once kicked one...)

[betweenthelens]

Wasn't W.C. Fields rather notorious for his dislike of women (and just about everything else save for drink?) One wonders if it encompassed his life off camera or if it was all just for show and laughs. Not sure how he would be received if he happened upon the film scene now. His unabashed brand of humor still makes me smile

[betweenthelens]

Guess what? Almost a month to the day the pens were shipped, they've arrived. Yes, I went immediately to PayPal and re-paid the seller's refund and left him positive feedback. I wish he'd been a bit more communicative as what appeared to be suspicious behavior (delayed responses and the quick refund) was apparently genuine concern that there might be a problem coupled with a sincere willingness to remedy an unfavorable situation.

 

I feel badly that I was assuming the worst and I hope I didn't besmirch his reputation on here. If everyone reads through the thread to this happy ending, I imagine his reputation will stay intact as an excellent seller with 100% positive feedback. I would buy from him again but I'd also ask for insurance and tracking and pay the extra.

 

Thank you to my FPN friends for your support during the Debacle of the Missing Pen Shipment! I learned a lot from reading your anecdotes and suggestions, too.

[eckiethump]

I love a happy ending me, very glad for you and your seller, who may have been just as upset, send stuff out, doesn't arrive, what can you do? Really good stuff it is all sorted and a happy new year.

et

[Fabienne]

Wow, I thought you would get them, reading through your story. So glad they did arrive. I hope you love them!

[Cyber6]

Guess what? Almost a month to the day the pens were shipped, they've arrived.

 

HA!!!... Told ya!!!