Topic: OK to rip on a crooked ebay seller here?

[Terry in Australia]

Now first and formost, I'm not anti Ebay like some of you guys, I don't refer to it as E-Gouge etc, I like it, nay, I love it! I've had over 350 good Ebay experiences, mostly buying stuff, but selling the odd part here and there too, and I can count my bad experiences on one hand, so I'm happy.

I do get annoyed however, when I get stiffed. I bought an old Suzy GS1000G a couple of months ago from a wrecking yard that some dickhead had decided to "Street Fighter", so I needed a pair of sidecovers to replace the ones he'd made from alloy checkerplate and "Tek-screwed" to the frame, among other things.

I located a NOS left cover in the US and won that auction, paid an extra 18 bucks for shipping, and it duly arrived in a week or two. Great, no problem. At the same time as I bid on that one, I found a reasonable looking right one in Canada, won that auction (I was the only bidder) got a paypal invoice for 21 bucks, paid that, and waited..........

After a month I emailed the seller, a French Canadian, and asked him where my sidecover was, reminding him I paid airmail shipping, blah blah. He replied that he'd sent it and would find out where it had gone, but he never got back to me with tracking etc.

After another month, I emailed him again, and he gave me the same story, saying that shipping from Canada is slower than the US. I replied that as I'd paid airmail, two months was way too long to wait, and if he couldn't supply tracking info, I wanted a refund, so I could buy one from someone else.

He exploded. Gave me a big song and dance in broken English about how international buyers are unreasonable, he'd had to wait four days for payment (I was on an army exercise and didn't return until then, and paid him the same day I returned) so he'd had every rifght to wait four days to send it to punish me, I hadn't paid for airmail apparently either, he'd sent it surface, and he went on, and on, and on. He said if i left him bad feedback he'd leave me bad feedback in turn, and he'd never give Australians DISCOUNTED SHIPPING again!

Hmmnn, am I wrong to mention his name? I really hope you guys don't end up in my position, it was only a few bucks, but the worst thing for me is I still need a right sidecover, and I've watched 3 or 4 good ones go for cheap on Ebay, while I waited for this one, which I suspect will never arrive? You tell me if you want to know this creeps name, he's a prolific seller of used bike parts in New Richmond, Quebec, he doesn't have all that much in the way of negative feedback, but I suspect he "blackmails" buyers like me by threatening to leave them bad feedback? Cheers, Terry.

[Bob Wessner]

You tell me if you want to know this creeps name

Folks here, including myself, have identified people we have had good experiences with, why not the other way I say. So, I say sure, go ahead.

[Harry]

Mmmm...we may need some sort of Executive Decision (TM) here. Consider this case: someone might "rip" somebody else unjustly, that "somebody" may decide to sue the forum in return. Terry, I think the way you have issued this "heads- up" is fine - enough details to be useful, without mentioning any names. Anyone who needs to trade with a French Canadian E-bayer and wants the name will have to PM you to get it. I think Glenn should have the last say here, though.

[Jim Shea]

Harry,
Very politically correct. How are the splinters in your bum? 

Jim.

[Bob Wessner]

Seems like Terry is only recounting the situation, he isn't using slanderous names, etc. But, I guess I understand wanting to be cautious since we seem to live in a very litigious society these days.

[Jay B]

Terry, Maybe you should have used the dispute process through PayPal. I bought a gas tank for my 350F recently from a guy in Oregon. (I'm in South Dakota) When it didn't arrive in two weeks I contacted the guy asking for shipping info, tracking numbers, etc. I gave him 3 days and when he didn't respond I filed a dispute. Had my tank in 3 days. I noticed from the postmark he didn't ship till the day after my dispute, so I guess that lit a fire under his butt!

[Jim Shea]

I think if you state only the facts then you are relatively safe! I do think the idea of a pm to Terry is a good idea. takes it off the forum that way!

[GeoffT]

Thanks for the heads up Terry - Seems to me the comments about PM are sensible. I'm sure we can all appreciate your frustration with this toerag type behaviour and I for one will be sending you a PM if I ever buy anything from that part of the global village.

[scott_cb650]

Follow the rules, file a dispute, leave negative feedback, play the Ebay games.
Then when we research the seller, as all buyers should, it will become evident that he's a "bum".

[ElCheapo]

I am a frequent eBay seller. As for Canada, I spit in your general direction...... No not really. I have had mostly good experiences with selling on ebay. The few bad ones I have had were enough to make anyone quit. I actually had a guy who got all bent out of shape because he was missing his precious shouldered washer for the front fender I sold him. He was abusive with some crap about the secondhand discarded boxed package being marked damaged right in front of me at the post office. Guys, these were brand new boxes that I paid way too much for. He never could send me a photo of the damaged box stamp.

 I traveled to the dealership (120 miles round trip) paid $5 for it and mailed it out. DO you think he could be decent enough to leave good feedback. NO. He didnt leave any. Dude buys like 6 things from me and never leaves feedback as I bend over backwards for him. The counter person at the dealership said I should go for a ride with the washer and hammer and pound it into his door. Trust me I thought of it.

Terry, what sidecover do you need (I mean for what bike)? You were asking in another thread about gauges so maybe we could combine it all in one box and save you $$

[mick750F]

   I'd file a fraud complaint with ebay. He has gone way past his 30 day window to complete the deal. As far as I know threatening retaliatory feedback is against ebay policy also. At the very least if you don't get your cover or money back you'd have the satisfaction of screwing him through ebay. Maybe get him suspended. ebay will also arbitrate if he's willing to do so.

Mike 

[ElCheapo]

One of the things you can do Terry is leave your feedback, negative I'll guess. When he leaves his crappy feedback you can respond to his feedback on your feedback and note this as retalitory feedback. Yea it takes away from your 100% feedback but it will shut him down. On the slow shipping this happens from time to time. I have even had a few of those gas tank deals happen. No excuses, it just happened. Usually I refund part of thier cash for the wait, especially if it is an expensive part. Really not a big deal seeing that I am paying next to nothing for the parts anyway.

Sounds like this guy is a SCAB. I tell my customers, "Never buy from a SCAB". Scabs are not fellow bikers, they for the most part do not care of your get the right part or even if the part is functioning when they sell it. They will make claims that this fits that and all but it simply does not fit. For instance I had a XT350 that I sold the rims to a guy. He asked if they would fit his XT650 or 600 whatever it was. I was told by many users the parts simply would not match up. I never sell a part that I would not put on a bike that I intend my child to ride with me on.

I tell people to see my "me" page on eBay if they have any questions.

eBay user name: needful_x_things

[jaannaktin]

 

Terry,

I am surprised to hear you ask for permission to name the guy -- it is your duty to inform the members of this forum in particular about sleazy sellers. If this guy is too lazy to send you a part you paid for in a timely fashion, then let us know so we don't make the same mistake. THIS forum is a perfect place to post a dispute, without fear of ebay reprisal. The precious feedback score will remain unadultered, and the people you care about most, your fellow SOHCers, will be better for it!

Sincerely,

Jaan

[74cb750]

Terry,
didn't anyone tell you Aussies and Canuks don't mix.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Seriously, it has taken some items I have shipped to AU more than 3 months to arrive when
shipped by boat.
michel
PS from up there, now down here (cnd to usa), so you could say I am a Ameri-canadian?

[eldar]

Even standard postal can take a up to 2 weeks from canada. I do not know why it would be so slow but it is.

[Raul CB750K1]

My worst deal was just a couple of weeks ago. A lady advertised a pair of "carborators" for the CB350 twin. She said "crome looks good". I won the auction for 55 bucks, plus $30 shipping. She didn't fill out the customs form so I had to go to the custom office, declare the value and pay the taxes to pick it up. One of the diaphragms was harder than Rocco Siffredi's male organ, the chrome covers were badly pitted and the float valves were hanging outside, as somebody had opened them. When I complained, she told me she was upset because "she clearly specified that will only sell to the US". WTF, if she agreed to sell to me I deserve the right to be informed of the real situation of the article.

She committed the mistake to leave me positive feedback before I did. I still don't know what will I do. I've only received one negative, but with more than 400+ positive feedback I don't feel like hostage of feedback; I will vote negative whenever I judge it to be fair, even if the other part retaliates. At the end, negative feedback doesn't avoid people bidding on your auctions, so I don't see the utility of it...


Terry, I would put your experience in the "unpleasant deals" and would go ahead. Thanks for warning us, but I believe that kind of people some day will reap what they sow...

Regarding the Paypal claims, the outcome is that shipping is becoming very expensive. In my 400 transactions never had a packet lost, so I can run the risk of not insuring the goods. Some sellers ask for outrageous amounts of money for shipping because they won't sell uninsured or without tracking due to people claiming their packets never arrived. That's not fair either.

Regards

Raul

[ElCheapo]

Kill him Kill him now Terry. Sorry, rant mode right now. Lots of people pissing me off. No place to hide the bodies because there are motorcycles there.

[clarkjh]

Sorry to hear about your bad seller.  Haven't done alot of Ebaying myself, but would a sidecover from an 82 GS400 fit?  The only prob is I have both sides but one is split in two and I don't know what side it is.

James

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks for that guys, I think I'll start looking for another sidecover. It was only cheap (about 7 bucks from memory) and the shipping was 21, so no biggie, I just got annoyed when he took the high tone with me, and screwed me for airmail when he sent surface.

The disappointing thing with email is that there are a lot of guys who are very brave from the comfort of their computer terminal thousands of miles from me, who wouldn't necessarily take the same approach if I was standing on their doorstep. Oh well, I'll keep his name and address, I've got a couple of guys to visit for an "attitude adjustment" when I eventually get over to that side of the pond.

Michel, I wasn't ripping on French Canadians in general, I know that you're a good bloke, and if it wasn't for your penchant for frogs legs in garlic butter sauce and women with hairy armpits, you'd be an Aussie, ha ha! I did get screwed in a non-Ebay deal by another "F/C" who used to post his ebay stuff in this forum for a little free advertising, but he eventually did the right thing. Thanks for the tip on the seat hinges, they're on their way (hopefully) as I type this.

Thanks for the sidecover offer Clarky, mine's a 1981 GS1000G but I think they are different from your's, but thanks anyway mate. Cheapy, if you've got one (right hand side) I'd appreciate it, but no biggie if you don't, I see them on Evil Bay all the time. I do need a set of K1 gauges though? Okay, I better go back to creating some false Ebay ID's, so I can bid on this turkey's stuff, then not pay him, HA HA HA HA HA!!!! (evil laugh) Cheers, Terry.     

[ElCheapo]

Sorry thin on the gs1000 stuff

[Spear]

Hey there Terry, old son. Done a fair bit of e-baying myself over the years - buying and selling - and from what you're saying here (and if it was me) I'd get right up the pr1ck like a rat up a drainpipe.  Out him, out him, OUT HIM!!!! Don't need that sort of thing - the attitude I mean. Despite the fact that the boat might be dodging icebergs or the plane has ditched alongside it, he little turd could be civil about the problems.

[6pkrunner]

While I do call it eGouge, it is for items that go well above and beyond normalicy in the market place. There are shill bidders, and lowlifes like you have hit. That said, it is one on my primary spots to locate parts for the old cars and bikes. I have bought over 800 items off of eGouge and have only had 2 bad transactions.
The term eGouge is more one of friendly ribbing, not of slamming or slander.

But when a 1970 'cuda steering wheel gots for $3500USD, or a 1969 GTX finish panel goes for $2700USD, or a 1971 'cuda fender goes for $7500 USD, then I do consider that to be a gouge.However the purchaser was the one who bid those amounts, not me.

And lowlife sellers are not confined to any one country. There is a certain percentage of any population that is unscruptulous.

[needswork]

Terry,
french-canadian women don't have hairy armpits, french (as in France) women do!  I've lived in Quebec years ago and live near the Quebec border now. Just go to any strip joint in Ontario and the dancers are almost always Quebecois (back me up Michel!). mmm frog legs....
btw, I always thought of Canada Post as being pretty fast (although I don't send a lot of mail internationally), hell, Purolator Courier uses Canada Post too!

[6pkrunner]

Hull.....for the nightlife.

[needswork]

Hull.....for the nightlife.

hehe, yeah, I lived in ottawa too.