Here's how I handled a bad e-bay experience
plifter
Posts: 361
I bought over 100 1975 Topps mini commons. The packaging was horrible. The cards were separated in 3 stacks wrapped in plastic with cardboard on the top and bottom. The problem was that they wrapped it all up really tight and taped it all together. The tape was way too tight and way too much of it. There was way too much plastic wrapping. I had to use both scissors and a knife to get the cards out. I tried my best to gently cut the cards out but I slipped and my hand went sliding down the edges of one of the stacks and I bent the corners on everyone of the cards in that stack. I haven't left feedback yet because I will give the seller a chance to make things right. Here's the e-mail I sent to them:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not satisfied with this purchase. It was packaged poorly with way too much tape and plastic wrapping. It required a knife and scissors to open. I damaged a good portion of the cards trying to open. I thought I would give you a chance to make it right before leaving bad feedback. I think a partial refund of $7.00 would make up for the cards damaged while opening. They were packed in 3 stacks and I bent the corners on every card on one of the stacks trying to get it out from the cardboard, plastic, and tape. I appreciate your fast shipping and I see that you have 100% positive feedback so I have faith that you will make this right for me. Thank you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The seller has already left positive feedback for me as I paid w/ paypal as soon as the auction ended. $7.00 is a third of purchase price. Do you think this guy will make things right for me?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not satisfied with this purchase. It was packaged poorly with way too much tape and plastic wrapping. It required a knife and scissors to open. I damaged a good portion of the cards trying to open. I thought I would give you a chance to make it right before leaving bad feedback. I think a partial refund of $7.00 would make up for the cards damaged while opening. They were packed in 3 stacks and I bent the corners on every card on one of the stacks trying to get it out from the cardboard, plastic, and tape. I appreciate your fast shipping and I see that you have 100% positive feedback so I have faith that you will make this right for me. Thank you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The seller has already left positive feedback for me as I paid w/ paypal as soon as the auction ended. $7.00 is a third of purchase price. Do you think this guy will make things right for me?
0
Comments
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Successful Deals: tennesseebanker, jvette,
<< <i>As a seller I wouldn't give you a refund. But maybe that just me. Seems to me the cards reached you safely, the seller fulfilled his obligation. >>
What if I had to use dynamite to open the package?
The "bad FB" threat would not help your cause, with me.
If I break something getting it out of the package, I might
be mad about it, but I am not sure why it was the packers
fault. If stuff is over-packaged, I take GREAT care in opening
it; if my hand "slipped," it is likely my own fault.
In the instant case, the seller probably thought he was doing a good
job of helping to keep the cards safe.
<< <i>Not often you see a complaint that the item was packaged too well. I think this deserves post of the month. >>
The use of tape around cards does not constitute good packaging in my opinion. The seller did this so that all 100 plus cards would fit in a bubble mailer. A box is the only way to ship a stack of cards.
<< <i>The refund amount requested is excessive. >>
One third of the cards are now worthless to me. $7.00 represents one third of the price paid.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
THAT might have been better grounds for complaint.
Still, the stuff made it safely.....Until unpacking time.
<< <i>
<< <i>Not often you see a complaint that the item was packaged too well. I think this deserves post of the month. >>
The use of tape around cards does not constitute good packaging in my opinion. The seller did this so that all 100 plus cards would fit in a bubble mailer. A box is the only way to ship a stack of cards. >>
According to you, they put cardboard on both ends of the cards, wrapped it in plastic and then taped it up. To me, that does not sound far from what PSA suggest you do when sending them cards to grade.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>
<< <i>As a seller I wouldn't give you a refund. But maybe that just me. Seems to me the cards reached you safely, the seller fulfilled his obligation. >>
What if I had to use dynamite to open the package? >>
Did you? No. He shipped them safely, they arrived safely, you damaged them after they arrived. I'm not trying to be a jerk here but it seems pretty black and white to me. If you would have said the tape he used stuck to the cards then that's a whole other matter. I'm no psychologist but it seems to me you are just made that you ruined cards that you wanted. The seller is not at fault here.
Successful Deals: tennesseebanker, jvette,
////////////////////////////////////////////
True.
BUT, that goes to damages. I am still stuck on "who was really at fault."
Sometimes, bad stuff happens to us and it is not REALLY another person's
fault.
I guess if the packs were to complicated to open, they should have
been returned before the accident with the knife.
Don't worry though. The guy will probably meet your demands, to avoid
the threatened NEG. Most sellers do.
<< <i>I will try to sugar coat this a little so you do not damage your monitor reading it. You are an idiot. >>
Dem's fightin' words boy!
Seriously though, you guys don't think packaging something as delicate as a baseball card in a manner which required the use of a knife and scissors very close to the cards is a bad packaging job? Wouldn't a box with bubble wrap to prevent wiggling be a better idea? I've never received a stack of more than 10 cards in anything other than a box.
To the person who mentioned that's how PSA recommends submitting cards, that would have been great if he put every card in a card saver holder and not left the corners exposed.
//////////////////////////////////////////
I think it is not a good idea to pack cards like that.
If the packing was so perilous, the cards should
have been returned unopened.
Once you assume the risk of trying to open the
package, your just remedy is history.
<< <i>Here's the e-mail I sent to them:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not satisfied with this purchase. It was packaged poorly with way too much tape and plastic wrapping. It required a knife and scissors to open. I damaged a good portion of the cards trying to open. I thought I would give you a chance to make it right before leaving bad feedback. I think a partial refund of $7.00 would make up for the cards damaged while opening. They were packed in 3 stacks and I bent the corners on every card on one of the stacks trying to get it out from the cardboard, plastic, and tape. I appreciate your fast shipping and I see that you have 100% positive feedback so I have faith that you will make this right for me. Thank you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The seller has already left positive feedback for me as I paid w/ paypal as soon as the auction ended. $7.00 is a third of purchase price. Do you think this guy will make things right for me? >>
From your own e-mail above, the bolded part says it all in my honest opinion. Yes, the seller could have taken more care and put more thought into packaging, but you could of as well when navigating the mess before you. I understand your being disappointed and even upset at the seller, but I do think your request was unreasonable as well.
Snorto~
Wow!! SORRY about that!! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to make good.
Later,
You guys on this board don't have customer service skills. I've worked with customers in many of my jobs. Most customers at a retail store would demand a full refund. $7.00 is nothing to keep a customer happy. I suspect most buyers would have just slapped negative feedback on him without giving him a chance to fix things. A good business stands behind what they sell.
When I was in high school I delivered pizzas. We would occasionally have a customer drop their pizza after we had already handed it to them or while we were handing it to them. We would still bring them another pizza at no extra charge without trying to blame anyone. The pizza restaurant wanted to make sure that their customers always had a positive experience. They were a successful business. E-bay needs more sellers that operate like a professional business.
My 2 cents
Successful Deals: tennesseebanker, jvette,
///////////////////////////////////////////
burrosheetoo
they might get it at WalMart...but more and more places are wisening up to this "blackmail" I think the guy is being generous if he gives you some money back and he DEFINITELY deserves a positive.
some folks dont sell cards, or dont normally ship them. Ive certainly used unorthodox methods at times shipping stuff.
he probably should have used a box to ship it, maybe he will learn a lesson.
Snorto~
<< <i>Well looks like a positive and a thank you is in order then... >>
Yes, he WILL receive positive feedback. I have already sent a thank you sir. I am now a satisfied customer. Hopefully he will package things better in the future and keep future customers happy and earn repeat business. It can be good for a business to hear a complaint from a customer. Most customers won't say anything and the business continues operating in the same manner except their customers do not return to make more purchases.
<< <i>
<< <i>Well looks like a positive and a thank you is in order then... >>
Yes, he WILL receive positive feedback. I have already sent a thank you sir. I am now a satisfied customer. Hopefully he will package things better in the future and keep future customers happy and earn repeat business. It can be good for a business to hear a complaint from a customer. Most customers won't say anything and the business continues operating in the same manner except their customers do not return to make more purchases. >>
I hear ya, believe me I understand your situation-all Im saying is there is a difference between "Negligent or careless" customer service and a situation like this where IMO the seller thought he was doing the right thing. Glad it worked out positively..
Kind of like blackmail.
<< <i>Sometimes, bad stuff happens to us and it is not REALLY another person's
fault. >>
Exactly!
Over the weekend I had to drop $550 bucks into the Wife's SUV; the gas gauge broke, and the car is only 3 years old but out of warranty. The truck is a highly rated brand and until this issue has been a good buy. But the gas gauge broke and needed to be fixed, and the only way to do it was to drop the gas tank and replace the sensor. I couldn't do it myself and had to spend the cash.
Was it my fault? No. Was it the manufacturer's? Nope. Sometimes bad things happen and no one's to blame. It sucks but that's just the way it is. People in our society will go to great lengths by hiring attorneys to avoid this truth; in your case you want someone else to take responsibility for your actions.
There are lots of people willing to do that in our society. There are bureaucrats who are forcing laws down our throats "for the children" or for "safety." The problem is that once you hand over this responsibility, it's dang near impossible to get it back.
Long story short: Move on.
wrap and packing tape. I didn't damage the cards.
Luckily for me the seller has a return policy. Had I wanted 22 cards with wax
on every front I'd have bid much lower. Of course my seller made no mention of this minor detail in his description. I gambled only
because he had a refund policy.
Glad your bad ebay experience worked out.
I threatened my seller with having his knees broken if he messes with me.
Steve
<< <i>Snorto, you said I should have been more careful. I spent 45 minutes trying to unpack them carefully. >>
Ok, if it took you 45 minutes to unpack them you may have larger issues then stabbing baseball cards.
I would make a challenge to even the most creative board members to "overpack" some cards as best they can and I can get them open within 45 minutes.
$7 refund to avoid a negative, I would probably do that as a seller and just add you to my blocked bidder list.
FB has been left that said stuff like:
"Fast Shipping. Bomb-Proof Packaging."
Don't take Allen up on his bet, he will make sure he does it in 44.
Steve
Wow
I also don't understand why certain people on this board are being downright nasty towards me. It's not your $7.00 or your cards at stake.
Anyway, the issue is resolved to my satisfaction and the seller will receive positive feedback and I will say he "provides excellent customer service" in the explanation section and then we will finally have world peace.
Not true, I didn't.
Steve
<< <i>I'm really kind of astounded by the flaming I'm taking. Everyone seems to agree that the manner in which he packaged the cards was poor but at the same time everyone thinks I'm 100% at fault. I wouldn't have pursued the matter if I didn't truly believe I had a valid claim. It's only $7.00 but I really needed those cards for my set.
I also don't understand why certain people on this board are being downright nasty towards me. It's not your $7.00 or your cards at stake.
Anyway, the issue is resolved to my satisfaction and the seller will receive positive feedback and I will say he "provides excellent customer service" in the explanation section and then we will finally have world peace. >>
I wouldn't say 100%, more like 95%. (Although creating a gripe thread should give you a bonus 5%).
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Glad to hear it turned out well. That seller is a stand up guy and worth purchasing from in the future.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Steve
I think what got most people flaming you was your e-mail to the seller threatening him with a neg. You could have come off as a better "customer"
Social skills 101 Try negotiating for an amicable solution first with a polite and thought out request. Who knows, you may even have been given a few freebies at the sellers expense as a token of good Customer Service. An opportunity you never gave him by coming off blazing your guns.
You stated Wal-Mart would refund in full. Yes they probaly would but if you threatened them in some way as you threatened this seller with negative feedback they might also tell you to hit the road. In my job if a customer has a problem we put highest priority on fixing the problem HOWEVER if they come at us cursing and threatening us we will not do a thing for them.
This was a spineless seller who does not know how to stand up to problem customers and is more concerned with their precious 100% rating. I would be willing to bet you are now on his BBL.
The other party knows if you have that leverage.
In my case I emailed the seller and politely told him
that I could not use his cards as they all had wax on them
and that I'd like to take advantage of his return policy.
Please let me know how to proceed.
Steve
<< <i>I agree, never mention that you can Neg a seller when trying to negotiate a return or partial refund.
The other party knows if you have that leverage.
In my case I emailed the seller and politely told him
that I could not use his cards as they all had wax on them
and that I'd like to take advantage of his return policy.
Please let me know how to proceed.
Steve >>
Agreed.
Shouldn't make threats, especially when you are the person that caused the damage.
Having said that, I can't believe this is the first time I've seen someone complain that the packaging was too secure.
NathanSr
Successful sales: xphunk, vjsteele4, onefasttalon, five7teen, yankeeno7
Successful trades: mijang
Generous Souls: MBMiler25, DES1984
This incident does not make me a bad person. I don't appreciate those of you that flamed me with insults. Posting personal insults against me is far worse than my alleged "offense". This is a board to discuss card collecting. There should not be any personal insults in a forum like this.
<< <i>I honestly wasn't threatening him with negative feedback. If he had not compensated for the destroyed cards I would have left neutral feedback. I mentioned that I had not yet left feedback so that he would know that I had not already given him a negative. >>
Your email to him:
I'm not satisfied with this purchase. It was packaged poorly with way too much tape and plastic wrapping. It required a knife and scissors to open. I damaged a good portion of the cards trying to open. I thought I would give you a chance to make it right before leaving bad feedback. I think a partial refund of $7.00 would make up for the cards damaged while opening. They were packed in 3 stacks and I bent the corners on every card on one of the stacks trying to get it out from the cardboard, plastic, and tape. I appreciate your fast shipping and I see that you have 100% positive feedback so I have faith that you will make this right for me. Thank you.