Got to love E-Bay sellers.

MadMarty

I bought a coin on E-Bay and asked the seller if he took paypal. I got this response.
How are you?
Congratulations on winning this auction. My mailing address is XXX. I would like you to send me a money order in the amount of $48.00 to include $41.50 item cost
+ $3.50 S.H.+ $3.00 insurance. Insurance is optional so total without
insurance would be $45.00. But as i said i will not be responsible for lost or damaged items that are shipped without insurance. That risk is up to you. When i recieve your payment i will ship the coin. I also need your shipping address. Thank you. Have a great day. Sincerely,XXX

No problem, I write him back and ask if a personal check is OK (he can hold the coin until it clears, I have over 1000 feedback yada, yada)... I get this back...
Sorry Marty,
I do not want personal checks. That is why i have specified Money order or cashier check. What part of this is so hard to understand.You can buy a money order at the post office and at many other places.Thank you. And i have every intention of holding this item until i have the money. You have a great day.

I wrote him back stating I would get a money order tomorrow, but would never buy another thing from him. I am a customer and a simple no would have been nice...
I guess I expect a bit of respect fron a seller...

FC57Coins

Yet another graduate from the Heinrich Himler school of customer service - Amazing!

Gilbert

MadMarty,

I think I would have waited to have coin in hand before laying down the gauntlet. Does he have a return policy, just in case he does something, let's say, inappropriate?

fletch2645

Some sellers just don't respect their customers. Furthermore, they make it difficult to do business with them. I've never understood the personal check problem either (sound like paranoia to me!). I've been selling for over 3 years on ebay and get at least 3 or 4 personal checks per week. I've never had a bad one and don't think I ever will. As a matter of fact, I don't even hold merchandise for check clearance, even though I reserve the right to do so in my auction descriptions.

This particular seller doesn't accept personal checks, and slaps you in the face when you inquire about it. Go Figure!!!

TheNumish

I have to agree with Fletch2645. Some people can be idiots. I've been selling on ebay since 1999 and have never had a chargeback or bounced check. You'd think after all the coins I've sold there would be one or two checks that bounce by accident. I'd like to say it's good there are so many morons selling on ebay because that would mean more bidders for my coins but I think sometimes they just turn people off from buying coins.

MartyF

LOL....he'll certainly do well in his search for repeat business.

IrishMike

Marty, having been a banker for a very long time, I will tell that this seller probably doesn't have a bank account, why because he bounced one too many checks. This gets reported to a company that all banks call before they open a new account for someone. Good chance he is on that list.

MadMarty

I know about the personal check thing, I take them also. If the user has over 100 feedback I'll ship right away. If not I hold the coin until the check clears. Most people have no problem with that. I also think his postage was a bit high. But it is a PCGS slabbed coin. I just didn's like the was he responded to my E-Mail. If my coin gets here I'll even leave him positive feedback. I just WILL NOT ever buy from him again.

zenny

i know people who have hearts of pure gold but have zero in the way of social skills. i am guessing that the auction stated "money orders or cashier's checks only." you ask about paypal, you ask about personal checks, he's getting tired of it, says just send me the money. i know people who have no checking account, and for them it is much easier to have a certified draft of some kind turned into cash. or maybe he has been burned by personal checks. just guessing, but if you had asked for either paypal or personal check at the same time perhaps he would have been a little less abrasive?

Russ

I'm waiting on a coin from an auction that ended on the 10th. I paid by Traveler's Express money order for $15.50, mailed the same day. On the 24th, I sent a followup eMail to the seller asking if he had received payment. Didn't hear back for two days, sent another eMail on the 26th. He responds by asking for my full name and address, so he can "look it up". I guess the auction number in the eMail didn't help?

The next day (27th), I get an eMail from him telling me that he received payment on the 14th, but that he held the money order until it cleared his bank, and would be shipping soon. I still haven't received the coin.

Now, that's paranoid. And, this guy is a coin dealer.

Russ, NCNE

66Tbird

There are some who live off SSI and any input to an account other than that (ssi) check is a red flag. Possible problems down the road are almost a sure thing. I've been there a few times, and they (SSA) will withold the amount or a percentage of it, it was earned income, end of discussion, open shut case, next.........

dbldie55

How does he get $3.00 for insurance on a $40 item? The PO only charges $1.30. He wants to charge $6.50 for S/I, unless this is a larger item this seems excessive. This part I would be upset with, the other part was clearly stated.

HuliganRS

Still...

That's no way to get repeat customers.

MadMarty

It was my own damn fault.
1: The seller takes E-payments. (but not Paypal, 1st E-Mail)
2: The seller did not state payments accepted in the auction (that's why I asked about the personal check)
3: The seller did not state shipping price in the auction (me stupid)
4: It was for a PR69DCAM SAE (paid half of CU price)

I should have asked the questions first. So maybe I asked for it. (But I don't think so)

Whitewashqtr

Good point Irish Mike. Many people do not understand that. However, that said, the seller could have been nicer. Some sellers just dont want to get out of the routine of holding items until checks clear. With a money order, he ships right away and doesnt have to keep track of anything. As for the insurance thing, that s a joke. It only costs $1.30 for the insurance. You assume the $3.00 mandatory shipping includes his markup for packaging etx.

IrishMike

I was in no way defending the seller, quite the opposite, would you want to buy coins from some one who bounces checks? Now having said that he might be true that he was burned with checks, however that has not been my experience or any one else I have talked to that sells on Ebay. In fact I have several sellers who over have shipped to me immediately because of my rating. The guy is discouraging bidders by refusing checks for payment.

Dog97

The sellers that take checks or MO only are always the last ones I pay. It so easy to go click click and PayPal them but when I have to print an envelope, write a check, or try to make it in from out of town before the PO closes to get a MO, well, they might just have to wait several days till I get around to it.

Bikingnut

This reminds me of a seller that I misinterpreted his extremely complicated shipping fees. I thought I had correctly figured out the fees and sent what I thought was the correct amount via Paypal. the next day I received a refund and a nasty email that he would not complete the sale due to my error in judgement and that he would never do business with me again. I was off by 25 cents! LOL

gsaguy

MadMarty,

What the guy was saying was:

1) I have never heard of the concept of repeat customers
2) The fact that you've got over 100 positives means nothing to me
3) I don't care if I ever hear from you again
4) I'm an idiot

Now, what part of that didn't you understand?

GSAGUY