I finally had a bad ebay seller scam artist try and do me in. I played it the best I could.
It all started a couple of weeks ago. This buyer named littlebean2012 purchased a Shogun Warriors #1 in VF/NM off me and got it for a steal of .99 cents plus $4.50 shipping. So $5.49 cents.
What made it difficult to handle was by time I heard from this guy, my next auctions had done been put up and ended and he was the winner on quite a few books on my next series of auctions.
Anyway, not long after he wins on the 2nd set of books. He sends me an email saying something like "Just wanted to let you know and I know it is not your fault, but the Shogun Warriors #1 was beat all to hell from the post office".
I haven't had any complaints from any buyers with my packaging. Not 1. Not saying it wasn't impossible because a book can be treated badly by the post office and a package could be beat all to hell. But more than anything, I worried about the negative effects of a negative feedback versus a refund of only $5.49. My refund has it worded to send the item back and you will be given a refund minus shipping. Instead, I just decided to make a business move, especially knowing he had more items currently won that I needed to ship him. So I gave him a full refund, no hassle on his part and sent him a message something like this...
This greatly upsets me as I take pride in my packaging and I haven't had any negative comments yet. I went ahead and sent you a complete refund, so whatever it is you got, you got for free. Please don't leave me any negative comments as I tried to take care of this the best I could.
I am unemployed and this is the only way for me to make any money so your negative or even neutral feedback would be very damaging to me.
He sends me a response something to the affect of "Hey man, I didn't want anything, I just wanted to let you know. The post office has been my bane for years. I love your auctions and I will keep buying from you if you keep putting up great stuff". He thankfully proceeds to leave me a positive feedback.
At this point I am satisfied with my decision but leery of this guy. I send him his next order and package it even better than before. I put do not bend on both sides and I even take pictures of it before sending it out to show how it look before I send it.
Unfortunately, this is about the time my daughter is ready to be born and I knew I had to get auctions up before she came because there was going to be a gap in getting more books up once she got here. So while I was sending his books out, I had the next batch of auctions up which just ended a few days ago.
I never heard anything about the last batch of books I sent him. But suddenly notice his name all over this batch of my auctions. I knew there was going to be a lull of time between this last batch and before I got any more books up. So my plan was to finish this off and if I could get all his orders out, I would block him and not worry about him again.
Did I mention this guy comes from my hometown of Norfolk, Va and I even seen him commenting on Joey's Comic King page? I know exactly where he lives and I could hand deliver the comics if I wanted to but I don't want to drive 50 miles for $20 worth of books.
Anyway, my last auctions end on Monday and Tuesday. Monday happens and he wins a bunch of books. His total was $60.60. He had a bunch of 99 cent books, but his major purchase was a Avengers #81 in VF- condition. I was amazed, but this book got up to $45.
First he requested a invoice on Monday night. Now the rest of my books ended on Tuesday and he was the high bidder on about 8 other books ending on Tuesday. Then on Tuesday afternoon about 5 hrs before the Tuesday books ended, I got my 1st message from him basically to this affect.
I just looked at my invoice and I don't know how my order got this high. Can you take this book off?
It was a Leave it to Chance #1 I think in NM- for $.99. I didn't say anything yet but I knew he had other orders for Tuesday and hadn't left feedbacks for the last batch of books I sent him. I figured he was playing the squeeze on me and I was contemplating what I would do. While I was contemplating my move, I got another email saying basically the following....
Hey man, I don't know if you got my last message but I overbid on this book. Can you take this one off my order?
It was the Avengers #81 for $45.
That was the last straw. My principal of the matter kicked in. I didn't care if he gave me negatives. I was going to stop this mother fucker from doing anything else to me.
First thing I did was block his name from ever being able to bid on my account again.
Second thing I did was cancel all his orders for Tuesday night. This kind of hurt because he had about $45 worth of high bids spread out over about 8 books. I cancelled all of his bids.
Third, I wasn't going to let him pick and choose which books he kept and which books he was going to pay for. I read up on how to cancel a buyers purchase. Once again, ebay gives all the power to the buyer and not the seller. You basically have to give the seller the option to cancel the books. One by one.
So instead of cancelling what he wanted cancelled. The Leave it to Chance and the Avengers. I sent him cancel requests for ALL HIS ORDERS. Because I wasn't going to let him pick and choose like that.
Under the rules. The buyer has the following options. Cancel it, which allows me to get my fees back....Pay for the books, in which case I have to send them. Or ignore it, in which case, after a week, I can cancel it and get my fees back.
The night continues and I guess he notices his bids for Tuesday night have been cancelled and he can no longer bid on my auctions. I'm sure he was going to bid on more stuff because as soon as the auctions were over on Tuesday night, he cancels all the books like I want him to. It's just a big waste of time with this fucker. People don't realize when they don't pay. It sets you back on that item roughly about 15 - 22 days on that item. The time spent listing it and waiting for the auction to end. The cancelling process and the relisting and waiting for the next auction to end. The time involved is a killer.
Anyway, I had enough. Tuesday's auctions end and he cancels all his previous orders. He is blocked. He can no longer bid on my books. About 30 minutes after my auctions end, he sends me 1 last email saying basically....
I only wanted you to cancel the Avengers book. Sorry about the mistakes man.
I didn't respond. I have already responded with my actions.
He still has one ace in the hole. He can still leave feedbacks for my second set of books I sent him which I took photos of the package.
I hope he sees that I wasn't going to just be a pigeon for him and he'll think better of it. But I don't know.
I handled it the best I could. The whole thing turned me way the fuck off.