Ebay deal that went from "score!" to "huh?" to "bad :(" to "waiting..." to "yes!"

87redcivic · August 4, 2021 11:24AM

The hunt

I'm browsing through eBay a few weeks ago and I see a new cluster of foreign coins being listed. One of them is a small silver coin with more luster than a coin 100+ years old has a right to have. Starting a 99 cents with about a buck to ship. I put my snipe bid on the coin at $20. I see two other coins from the same seller where I need the dates. I put an actual bid of $3 for each of them. I figure they'd be "nice to have", but I'm not going to chase them. I check the evening before they go off and things are looking good: the first one that I really want is still in sleepyville, the other two I'm still winning for $.99 each.

The score

The next morning I check and I've won all three for a grand total of $13! I send in my payment and soon after tracking indicates the coins have been shipped.

Score overturned:

Two days later, by daughter grabs the mail hands me a small orange bubble mailer that has a thin layer of charcoal smudge from going through the mail system. "This came for you".
"Thanks" as I flip it over and go to open it. To my confusion, the mailer is open and there is absolutely nothing in the package. The package has two thick strips of clear tape holding the shipping address label on the bubble mailer. The mailer has another piece of tape... the piece that gets removed to seal the bubble mailer shut. D'oh!

The wait...

I go downstairs and message the seller about the situation. I'm wondering if he had someone else package the coins for him, or if he just had too many packages going out on the same day. He's a long-time seller with a very high feedback. (I'll call him Theophilus "Theo" for the purposes of this story.) I send him a message with the situation and nicely request a refund. I send pictures as well, because I halfway can't believe it as well. I wait two days for a response. At this point I'm halfway thinking that I was sent an empty envelope to avoid having the coins sold at way-below-market value.

A new hope

"Theo" finally gets back to me with an apology being so late. They ask me what coins I had purchased, and I nicely respond with the description and inventory numbers. Theo messages me within the hour and says that he's found the coins in his inventory. Apologizes again. Says getting old and forgetful stinks, and says that they will be on their way today.

Good ending unlocked

I get the coins in the mail within two days - the unique thing is this time it wasn't in a bubble mailer. The pictures match the coins. Very nice coins that'll fit in my set perfectly. I have to say, I appreciate them more. I now have a funny story to tell the forum about being mailed an empty package. "Theo" did right by me.

My takeaway

The mom & pop local grocery store near me has a sign hung out that says: "Say kind words, hear kind echos." I got a kind echo in this transaction. Thankfully, it isn't always the Wild West in the coin market.

Mgarmy · August 4, 2021 11:55AM

I love happy coin endings

airplanenut · August 4, 2021 12:02PM

I appreciate a buyer that accepts that a seller can make a mistake and doesn't jump from 0 to crook in one email. Glad it worked out.

pmh1nic · August 4, 2021 12:56PM

The few times I've had issues I always give the seller an opportunity to make it right before leaving any feedback. Stuff does happen. As long as I don't get the feeling the seller is dragging their feet I give positive feedback.