My first eBay whack-a-doodle.... Advise please?

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Billman

Billman

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
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248
Location
Snowmass Village & Grand Junction, Colorado
I buy I few blanks now and then off of eBay when I see something that has no action and is going to sell for mega cheap, or stuff I can't find here.

I am having a issue with a seller, and I need your advice.

I won a auction for some Irish Bog Oak, and received the item(s). In the ad they state that "THEY ARE ALL 5 1/4" LONG & VARY FROM 3/4" TO 7/8". When I received the blanks, most of them are significantly thinner than 3/4... Most have a thickness of 5/8. All of them are 3/4 to 7/8 wide, however. Here is the ad listing so you can check it out for yourself instead of taking my word for it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=160341892623

The seller has reluctantly agreed to refund the auction price, but refuses to pay for the original shipping charge. This is where I have the issue... I feel since I did not mis-read the ad, and it is their fault for not listing them properly, I should not have to pay for the original shipping charge. (On a side note, this seller has gotten increasingly whacky in her e-mail responses to me claiming 1) That they said they were 5/8 in the listing. 2) They used the phrase "vary" in her ad and feels that is enough to cover her mistake. 3) Claimed to have talked to eBay live and said they "agreed" with her. And 4) keep trying tell me about the background of the wood... 1500 years old, her grandfather bought it, yada yada yada.

Am I wrong for wanting my original shipping charge back for a item that wasn't listed properly and is basically unusable for what I had planned? Hell, if it would have said 5/8 ANYWHERE in the listing, I wouldn't have bid on them at all.

Lets hear it, am I the goofball or are they?
 
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Just file a fraud claim with Ebay. They were like me and didn't list it correctly. I've learned my lesson. Ask for a full refund or tell them your going to report them to Ebay for fraud.
 
Ebay

I have sold 1000's of blanks on eBay and only had to give one refund to a dissatisfied bidder. I refunded the bid price plus the postage. You have the option of putting negative feedback on eBay if not satisfied with seller. Inform them of your intention before doing so, and then you can file dispute with eBay and if nothing else works, then the feedback. I have over 850 positive feedbacks on eBay and 100% rating.
 
Thanks all for the quick replies. Yes, I know I am a goofball... My family will confirm that for you...LOL

Thank you for the advice, I have started a claim, and the seller escalated it as soon as they got the notice... Here is their reply to my claim:
I placed an auction on ebay for 2 items (5 pen blanks each). I sold both items. The first gentleman is very pleased with his purchase. This buyer says I mistated the item. Evidently he did not read the auction. I state sizes vary. I also clearly state that if you have question, ask before bidding - he did not questions the sizes (I would have gladly measured each item if he had requested it). Everyone measures differently and I am not responsible for his difference of opinion on sizes...I state sizes VARY in this auction. I also state very clearly in my auction that there are NO RETURNS-NO REFUNDS-ALL SALES FINAL. I have been in contact with Daisy C through eBay live help and she states that I do not even have to offer him a refund. I have graciously offered to refund him the $10.00 sale price for the pen blanks once he has returned them. I will not pay for him to ship them back, or refund the shipping charge I paid to send them. I am an honest seller & buyer and even though I don't have to issue him a refund I am willing to do so to be nice. I do not have to take a loss on the shipping as I did nothing wrong. When I receive the pen blanks I will issue him $10.00 in refund costs. No more no less. Thanks You.
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USAFVET98 said:
I have to say, although she lied in the ad, it was still a good deal. Did she give you something stating it was radiocarboned in belfast?
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I thought it was a good deal too, that's why I went for it. The only "proof" they furnished was a photocopy of some seal they had. And it's not so much that she lied, it's that I can't use them for the Emperor and Statesman Pens I had intended them for and I shouldn't have to pay the price for their inaccurate listing.
 
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You are definitely in the right. Do as Lou suggests above.

I saw the auction and passed for a couple reasons. 1) I had just purchased two big pieces and 2), looking at the picture, that slimline (and I've never heard of a Sterling Silver Slimline as they suggest) tells me those blanks are on the slim side for 3/4's. Specifically look at the 4th one in their fan pattern from the left, it barely looks half an inch wide to me.


You should always ask questions here before buying something like this on ebay. I would have pointed you to reputable ebayers that sell IBO that I can vouch for (read I have bought from them and still do when the prices don't go too high). You pay more, but they will be coming directly from Northern Ireland and you'll get bigger blanks than you could possibly need for a pen. I also provide pieces to people here and others who contact me directly since I import larger pieces of the stuff and can cut it as needed.
 
THEY ARE ALL 5 1/4" LONG & VARY FROM 3/4" TO 7/8".
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Is quite different from "sizes vary"

Oh, yeah, and go ahead and ship them back as Paypal usually will side against who has the item in their possession. (was told this by one of their people when someone was claiming that a bag my wife was selling was smaller than pictured, with nothing in the photo to gauge size from and the actual measurements listed in the auction)
 
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Thanks Mike, I went for it mainly because of the price. I only threw down one bid, the opening price, and if I got out bid, no biggie. But once I won the auction, I went ahead and bought a couple each of the Statesman, and Emperor's to use with the blanks. Maybe that is why it is chappin' my ass so much... An additional $110 spent and the project is now on the back burner for the near future.

I believe it was you who has pointed out IBO sellers in the past, correct? When I get ready to buy some again, I will confer with you about sellers you like that offer this type of product.

Thanks for the advice.
 
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I also feel your in the right but maybe you ought to chalk it up to "experience" and remember the seller so as not to buy from her again. That's why when buying, I try to do it thru IAP members. Good Luck!
 
Your right. And if you cant use them, you are even more in the right. I was thinking for some reason that they were slightly different. If that was the case, it would still be worth it to use on another type of pen. She should have at least given you the seal! A photo copy doesnt mean anything, and I bet you could find the same copy online..

Billman said:
I thought it was a good deal too, that's why I went for it. The only "proof" they furnished was a photocopy of some seal they had. And it's not so much that she lied, it's that I can't use them for the Emperor and Statesman Pens I had intended them for and I shouldn't have to pay the price for their inaccurate listing.
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Here's my take:

The use of the word "vary" in and of itself does not cover everything. They specifically listed a range of sizes, 3/4 to 7/8. If they're going to say that the size varies from 3/4 to 7/8, you would expect that any variation in size is no less than 3/4 and no more than 7/8, everything in between is acceptable. Anything outside that is not covered by "vary". They set the limits on what that word covers when they listed a range of sizes. And if they're just guestimating, than too bad for them.

If their policy is to refuse returns or refunds, why would this be an exception especially since they so adamently claim they did nothing wrong? I think they know it was their mistake and are trying to control the amount of damage by claiming that they're trying to be "nice". And if they knew anything at all about pen blanks, they would know that width is important. It was deceiving to just list the width without clarifying that they were only 5/8 thick. There was no reason for you to suspect that they weren't 3/4 to 7/8 SQUARE because that's usually a given. If not, it's customary to specify that when listing pen blanks for sale.
 
Billman,
One of my pet peeves is less than honest advertising on e-bay. Although I doubt you will ever get satisfaction I think you were right to bring it to the attention of e-bay. The more complaints they have about this kind of thing the more chance that maybe they will someday do something about it. Be sure and leave a bad review for this jerk on e-bay. No matter what he says back, it might keep someone from getting defrauded as you did. Alice
 
Billman, I would continue filing through paypal and remind someone that the term "vary" when placed between 3/4" and 7/8" does not include 5/8". And, unless I missed it, I saw nothing about no returns in their ad.

This just furthers my belief in buying from selected IAP members rather than ebay. While a few are charging ridiculous prices on their blanks, most have some pretty decent prices and I have NEVER heard of anyone having a problem like this with an IAP blank seller!
 
I would insist on a full refund and start a dispute claim with ebay and paypal. The seller misrepresented the size of the item and it seems as though she purposely misled you. 5/8" does not fall between 3/4" and 7/8".
 
A Update:

As predicted by you all here, eBay sided with me... But not without at least one hiccup.

I sent the blanks back via USPS and certified. I see when they hit their P.O. box and they sit there for a few days and into the weekend. On Saturday I get a e-mail from eBay saying the case has been closed because of failure to be able to confirm delivery... WTF?!?

I stop what I am doing in the middle of Lowes and call eBay right that second on the phone and wade through the phone que and seemingly endless hold. I get someone and give them the info... They confirm what the e-mail said, so I ask them to confirm the tracking number they have. It was some number completely different from what I had. I told her I have been tracking it, and it has been at the recipients mail box for a few days. Without verbily giving them the tracking number I had, they told me to hold, and the rep comes back a few moments later and tells me they found the proper tracking number (Couldn't really tell me what the problem was getting the proper number... Just that it was some sort of "system" issue). She says we're issuing you a credit for the returned product. A day later, I get the Paypal notification saying my money has been refunded.

Case closed.

Or so I thought...

Here is the really really funny part (at least to me). OK, ebay/Paypal refunded what I requested; sales price and original shipping charge. Cool. That's all I was asking for. A couple of days later I get a e-mail telling me "I've got cash" from Paypal. I'm like, huh? I am not expecting a payment for anything. I look and it's the seller refunding my "purchase price" less the original shipping charge.

Yeah, apparently they don't know how Paypal works even with over 300 transactions under their belt... Go figure.

How long do you think I should wait to send them a e-mail asking if they want their $10 back? I wonder how long it will be before they figure out I've been double paid? I am laughing so hard about this right now. :devil:
 
Billman said:
I would like to, but the pens were meant for a birthday celebration of a buddy of mine, and the celebration has now passed. I still intend to make them for him, but I am waiting until there is another event that is gift worthy.
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Sorry, haven't been on in a while. If you like i have a few bog yew blanks cut along with a few bog oak blanks
 
I just turned a pen from bog Yew blanks I got from Keith in the birthday bash.

I will post pictures this weekend. The yew turns and finishes MUCH EASIER than bog oak. It is a rich brown color with fairly tight grain, but it turned easily for me (a resin guy). And we know Keith is honest. The blanks I have are over 3/4" square. I believe you could make an emperor with relative ease.

Just a FWIW!!
 
Hey Ed that was from the outside of a log i had, you should see the colours in the wood as you cut deeper into the log, its a mixture of rich brown, purple, dark orange, lighter orange spots with some dark streaking. I've just roughed a couple of blanks for lidded boxes and bowls, now its a waiting game for it to dry. Just wish i had the tools to turn a large hollow form out of it to show all the colours. Oh and tomorrow i'm finally gonna cut some of the plain Yew, two whole trees, they have to come down and all they want for them is a pair of candlesticks, happy days

ed4copies said:
I just turned a pen from bog Yew blanks I got from Keith in the birthday bash.

I will post pictures this weekend. The yew turns and finishes MUCH EASIER than bog oak. It is a rich brown color with fairly tight grain, but it turned easily for me (a resin guy). And we know Keith is honest. The blanks I have are over 3/4" square. I believe you could make an emperor with relative ease.

Just a FWIW!!
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keithkarl2007 said:
Hey Ed that was from the outside of a log i had, you should see the colours in the wood as you cut deeper into the log, its a mixture of rich brown, purple, dark orange, lighter orange spots with some dark streaking. I've just roughed a couple of blanks for lidded boxes and bowls, now its a waiting game for it to dry. Just wish i had the tools to turn a large hollow form out of it to show all the colours. Oh and tomorrow i'm finally gonna cut some of the plain Yew, two whole trees, they have to come down and all they want for them is a pair of candlesticks, happy days
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No pictures, doesn't exist. :tongue:
 
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