Ebay headaches over some controllers...

[atarilovesyou]

Here's a note to self that I should have already known:

 

Don't click on Buy It Now unless the auction has the number of items you want, regardless of what the seller says.

 

I'm going through a giant pain in the ass about some NOS Colecovision controllers. I contacted the seller prior to clicking buy it now, and asked if he has more than one controller to sell. We sent a few messages back and forth, and he told me he has lots of controllers, and SURE he'll sell me an extra one. The auction was winding down and there didn't seem to be any takers, so I asked if he'd just relist with the option to buy two, but he assures me he has plenty. The photos actually have about four controllers in there, but I wanted to confirm. We also talked about combined shipping; no problem. So I click BIN.

 

I send him a message saying I clicked BIN, but before I pay with paypal that he needs to adjust the invoice to include two controllers plus a new shipping rate.

 

I hear nothing for four days.

 

I send him an email to remind him of our agreement and update.

 

He tells me 'what? I have no two joysticks, only one! I already shipped it to you! Did you get it yet?'.

 

Why didn't I listen to my Spidey sense on this one?

 

I tell him, politely, about our agreement through emails. Again, days go by without any word. I try to open a claim, but can't because of BIN policy. So I contact ebay customer service, who tell me not to worry, they have the email chain, and to NOT pay the seller until he can make good on his agreement. Why this guy would ship to a person who has not paid is beyond me. I think the guy has issues, to say the least...he keeps sending me these emails demanding my personal email address, in order to ship an invoice...no doubt outside of ebay, and bypassing their fees, which would further hoop me if he tried anything else down the road. I've given him all sorts of outs, from outright cancelling the transaction, relisting and simply invoicing me for the two sticks. Nope. All I get are the same email over and over. Worse, if he shipped me the stick, as he says he did, then I don't even have an obligation to pay according to ebay. Not that I would do that; but I certainly don't want to pay double shipping in the end.

 

All this guy needs to do is contact customer service but for some reason isn't. I'm about ready to just delete all and walk away; ebay has assured me that any attempt on his behalf to affect my feedback will be reversed. What a giant waste of time this has turned out to be.

 

But this is the last time I make such a dumb mistake. Please learn from my experience, if you will.

[icemanxp300]

Well if he sends you one controller, don't pay until he sends the other one lol. If he doesn't send the other tell him he can pay to have you ship it back to him. Tell him until he sends you a return shipping label you can't send it back.

 

He can't hurt your feedback, it is impossible as a seller to hurt a buyers feedback. He could try to open an unpaid item dispute, but those are a fn joke anyhow. Sellers get screwed on ebay, they always have the disadvantage before the sale takes place.

[atarilovesyou]

I just keep getting email after email about invoices, questions about invoices...I'm not paying shit until much further down the line. I won't accept any shipment from him...pull an old, 'return to sender'. Unless I get a new invoice for the second controller (minus any new shipping charges, which he has agreed to), that's it. He can file what he wants but all this does is strengthen my resolve in listening to the second sense in the future.

 

But they are nice controllers. Damn you, Coleco

[7800fan]

Do not refuse shipment if you are expecting refund. If you refused shipment and opened claim for refund, eBay may see refused shipment and close in seller's favor.

[icemanxp300]

Do not refuse shipment if you are expecting refund. If you refused shipment and opened claim for refund, eBay may see refused shipment and close in seller's favor.

 

This means shit now that paypal and ebay has split.

 

All he has to do is contact paypal and they will refund him. Had it happen to me a few months back, complete bullshit! Ebay may not like it but what will they really do? Nothing, if the seller pushes anything the most he would get is an unpaid item strike.

 

Ebay policies mean nothing as far as paypal is concerned now. Just show pp tracking when package gets returned to sender and boom instant refund. Seller doesn't even get notified, pp just takes the money back w/out question.

[MotoRacer]

I agree. Skip eBay. They're next to useless in cases like this. Paypal will resolve it. If he ignores the request, you win in default. If he responds, you get what you want. It's a win win situation.

[telengard]

I bought an NOS colecovision controller too, probably from the same seller. The NOS controller I got was definitely NOT new. Rusty screws, tons of scratches. Luckily I got a refund.

[TPA5]

eBay certainly does seem to be inundated with crap sellers these days, shockingly even ones with apparently positive reviews can end up being a nightmare to deal with. Hope everything gets cleared up soon.

[atarilovesyou]

I bought an NOS colecovision controller too, probably from the same seller. The NOS controller I got was definitely NOT new. Rusty screws, tons of scratches. Luckily I got a refund.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same guy. I still haven't seen anything in the mail, and I don't really plan to. I think it was some lame attempt at a bluff; pay the invoice, because I've already mailed it to you. I'm thinking....no. And he advertises them as NOS, even though I can see some wear in the pics. He mentions they're loose and probably were just all dumped into a huge box.

 

I haven't heard anything from him since his last attempt to send me another invoice for the second controller. I could care less at this point, and am looking for other means to get NOS controllers.