Describe your WEIRDEST eBay Selling experience
Dave99B
Posts: 8,701 ✭✭✭✭✭
Mine...not that strange I guess, but painful none the less:
I sold a couple ANACS MS64 Barber Dimes a few years back. Nothing really special about them...very common dates, old white ANACS holders, with fairly heavy toning around the rims. I posted several nice pics of each coin, which clearly showed the colorful rim toning. Very attractive coins, IMO. I sold both to a single buyer, who paid promptly. Off went the coins to their new home.
About a week later, I get an eBay Message from the buyer, who said 'These dimes a dirty around the edges, I don't like them, I don't like dirty coins'. I replied back that it was 'rim toning', and she was free to return them if she was unhappy --- no problem on my end'. She replied 'You should have told me about this, and I wouldn't have bought them'.
Huh???
I replied back to please return the dimes, and I even offered to pay the return postage. She replied 'No, I'll keep them, but I'll NEVER buy from you again'. Luckily she didn't leave me negative feedback.
A couple days later I left her Positive feedback for each transaction. Something like 'Thanks Mary for your dime purchase. A1+ transaction. Great Buyer.'
Next day, I get another eBay Message from her again, written in all CAPS, blasting me for not only selling dirty coins, but also violating her personal security by using her name in the eBay Feedback system. She reaffirmed that she would NEVER buy from me again. She hasn't, and I'm fine with that.
The End
Dave
Comments
Most of the coin transactions go pretty smoothly.
Bought a raw 1881-CC a decade ago at a very good price. Shipping tube arrives several days later capped at each side but not secured. Inside was a poster of Jesus and no coin.
Contacted the lady seller and she apologized. Sent back about a third of the purchase price, requesting time for the remainder. I got most but not all of the money back and let the rest slide.
Ok, that is weird.
I had a guy blast me for calling a half dollar a fifty cent piece in the same auction paragraph. actually took time to message me with that.
Blocked him immediately.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Very weird. Both of them. Peace Roy
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Had a guy rip me a new one after I sent him a roll of common circ silv roosies that contained ONE mercury dime (I was short one roosie). I thought it was a bonus but I guess hard-cores take their purchase very seriously. Threatened to neg me, but backed down when I offered a refund. Sheesh...
OMG, that's a terrible experience !!!
How about this one:
Naw, it's so weird that you wouldn't believe me.
A guy F'd up a slab trying to get a coin outta the holder! Returned it because my coins were too hard to get out of my holder!
Whew! @Dave99B , I thought, for a moment, you were going to name our ebay transaction, years ago.....thankfully, no one called me "Mary" back then though, so it wasn't about me
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I have 2 from long ago that stick out:
After the auction ended, I received a message from the buyer that I was absolutely NOT to leave him any feedback, even if it was positive. He also responded he would leave no feedback for me of any kind. I sent the coin and didn't hear from him. A few weeks later, while leaving feedback for some other buyers, I absent-mindedly left feedback for him also (eBay kept displaying the listing as needing feedback and I wasn't paying attention). I received an all-caps message from him telling me how terrible my customer service was (I've been selling on eBay since 1999 and have maintained 100% positive feedback that whole time) and berating me for not following his instructions. He did keep his end of the bargain, though, and didn't leave me a neg.
Another time, back in the PayPal-not-required days, I received a cash payment in the mail, with a note on a small piece of paper, typed with a VERY old typewriter. The buyer talked about how much he liked coins, and hoped I would throw in a bonus coin for him. I happened to have a couple of uncirculated 1950's-era nickels laying around, and put it in a 2X2 and included it. I don't think I ever got feedback from him.
Wait a minute...they call you 'Mary' NOW???? 😉
I have no weird stories about ebay... been really lucky I guess. Have purchased coins, marbles and other stuff there and the transactions have always been smooth....I will watch this thread though, the first couple of stories were definitely strange. Cheers, RickO
Been lucky with my sales I guess...trying to sell a few more non-BST worthy coins in the upcoming months and hopefully my luck will hold.
K
I’ve noticed quite a few buyers now will complain about nonsense in the hopes you will offer a partial refund to shut them up. I believe this to be a widespread tactic of post-purchase negotiation and I do not like it. I have a policy of absolutely no partial refunds. I offer a no-questions-asked return and that’s the only recourse if you don’t like your coins.
Another thing I find somewhat funny is: as a buyer I will sometimes contact a seller with an auction item that’s not getting attention and offer a fair price for the item as a BIN if they end the auction. All this is conducted on eBay/PayPal so it’s within the rules. When I do this I always use my wife’s account. I have a much greater success rate when the seller thinks they are dealing with a lady.
@Bochiman - Whew! @Dave99B , I thought, for a moment, you were going to name our ebay transaction, years ago.....thankfully, no one called me "Mary" back then though, so it wasn't about me
Mary, I hope you don't NEG me (or physically track me down) when you finally crack open those 'original' rolls and find a bunch of Home Depot washers.
Dave
Sold two $20 common golds to different buyers on same day. Wife switched coins when shipping. Found out from the first one to receive the coin. Both buyers were happy with what they got. All's well that ends well.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
just as well you never hear from her again and im sure youll move on with it
Good memory (or notes)
"Won't you be my neighbor....."
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I bought a coin on Ebay and paid less than I what I could resell it for. I thought I was in an alternate reality.
@Bochiman - Memory indeed. As I recall you bought a few of my rolls. Was great to see that; keeps them in the family. I still have about ten rolls from that original lot.
I actually had the opportunity to buy the full Federal Reserve box (50 rolls as I recall), but ended up buying just 15 individual rolls. All with beautiful toning. Still kick myself for that, as silver was cheap ... would have loved to have had the entire Federal Reserve box.
Dave
That's his forum nickname now; didn't you know?
Dave, I bought 3, and still have them.
I've been tempted to sell 1 or 2, but know I will keep 1 and hand it down
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I have no strange experiences as a seller (fortunately) however I do have one as a buyer thats very odd. I bought a lot of coins, it was so long ago I dont even call what they were. When I got them in hand the 2x2s had candle wax and wick on them. Of course there was also a bunch of broken wax pieces in the package. Imagine if you put a tea candle on some 2x2s and left it in the hot sun. The coins were okay, I never said anything to the seller, however I've lost sleep a few times wondering how it happened.
Weird ? I'm the weirdest, so find twosides2acoin on eBay and buy something.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
This goes back a very long time to when I first started selling on eBay.
I had a 1943-S Mercury dime with an RPM. I posted scans of the coin in a cardboard 2x2, and a close-up of the mintmark. When the winning bidder received the coin, he wrote me an angry message accusing me of switching coins. I finally got out of him that he thought the reflections of the mylar window of the 2x2 were part of the coin. He had no idea what an RPM was, he'd just seen the auction in the Error category and reacted to the pictures.
I offered a refund but he refused, saying he would keep the coin "as a lesson". He then left (positive) feedback accusing me of selling him "a used car".
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
My weirdest experience was attempting to sell a 1909-D dime on ebay. The coin is choice uncirculated and I got a bid on it but the wannabe buyer did not send the money. I called for the money several times but he wouldn't send me the money so obviously I could not send him the coin.
After repeated attempts to be paid I finally had enough of him and told him to forget it, I would just relist the coin.
Here's the feedback he left for me:
Quirky seller--demands instant payment, changes terms, avoid--BUYERS BEWARE
And here's my reply:
Tried to run my auction. I request timely payment. He sent rude emails. Blocked.
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.
It's been a few years now, but somebody on this board got Negged because he sold some 3-Cent Silvers, and the buyer complained that they were too small.
Dave
Most painful came from re-sellers; one case, a "disabled veteran" and "good Christian" who with his wife from WA insisted on sending me a check that bounced, based on the feedback I had shipped the coins, over $300. The drama went on for months, finally the local police were able to issue an arrest warrant which got his attention, and I got reimbursed but not for the costs.