Another eBay etiquette question - now resolved

thecolourbox

So just under two weeks ago, I won an auction on ebay for a handbuilt Klone from a seemingly well regarded builder with 100% good feedback. It was a Sunday evening ending auction, I paid next morning. The description said the seller was away until Thursday of that week, but the item would be sent then and an expected date of delivery was 2nd March. I think somehow the listing did get relisted with the same description, but I don’t think it is still there now. By that date, I’d not heard anything at all, so although I am generally a patient guy and generally assume the best of people (perhaps he had some unavoidable issue crop up that was more important than sending a pedal in the post, I know it happens) I sent a quick message just to ask when I should expect it to turn up.

So the seller responded saying he’d been overseas sorting contracts or whatever, and that he was on his way back now so would send first class upon his return (Tuesday or Wednesday). I said fair enough we all get caught up with work  etc, it’s cool, at least I know

So now it’s 7th March, fair enough it might turn up on Monday, but it’s still not marked as dispatched on eBay. So I’ve sent him a polite message saying if he’s having trouble sending out please could he refund my money so that I can get one elsewhere.

Am I being silly/unfair/harsh?

Sambostar

NO. Communication in life is everything.  I emailed a seller after waiting for over a week for transit parts, worn spline on the handbrake mechanism on the shoes. New shoes and handbrake cable and the MOT guy let me go on, but as he knows I will fix it ASAP and it was vaguely working, he let me through with an advisory.  Seller emailed straight back as had the notification email about parts being dispatched almost immediately.  Apparently courier cock up.  If I wait another week, I will start to get a bit pissy I guess, only because fast shipping was advertised.

Who cares if he's lying, communication is what it is about and I'II take them at their word.

Equally well you are well within reason to keep emailing your seller and should get a rational response.

John_P

No, that sounds pretty fair to me.     It's understandable having a bit of a delay but it's going beyond that.  Hopefully it arrives and he just didn't update eBay when it was posted but if not then asking him for a refund if it's not sent would be fair after 2 weeks.

randomhandclaps

I think you're being perfectly fair.

The only thing I would say (not specific to this item or yourself) but the 'item dispatched' function annoys the hell out of me because it triggers automatically if you buy your postage through EBay/Paypal.  Plenty of times I sent people a message saying It'll be collected tomorrow via courier, which it has only for them to moan when receiving it that it was marked as dispatched because I had forgotten to go in and manually update it.

Fazer

if it hasnt arrived on monday put in a paypal claim for item not arrived, i think there is a tickbox for 'i still want the item' type thing which you can tick if you still want it.
then he can either sort out sending it or you'll get your money refunded

it sounds like you've already done enough of the polite sending messages, i'd give up on the personal messages at this point and just deal with the ebay system

Sambostar

Again communication wise, it depends, what did the seller advertise as shipping?  He should really have let you know about being away before you bid.  So not great communication on their part.

Fazer

its not up to you, the buyer, to be chasing up after him.
it's up to him, the seller, to be informing you of any unreasonable delays

if he's not going to be around then he shouldn't be selling things at that time

thecolourbox

Thanks guys, I was wary of becoming a tit. Thing is, is the seller is a regular on there with loads of good feedback (I’m not saying who at this point!) and usually sells his pedals brand new at higher prices, however I got this one labelled as NOS at just over £40. So part of me is niggling away thinking because it’s not sold for as much as he’d like, he’s not as bothered to sort it out quickly.
There have been several Soul Foods up for grabs here in the meantime (even a modded one) and there are umpteen other handbuilt Klones on eBay. But I managed somehow to bag this one so would be easiest all round if he just sent the flipping thing!

thecolourbox

His listing said:
"I am away until Thursday so will ship out on Saturday"
And had an expected delivery of "Estimated within 5-6 working days"
However, I suppose that is not clear, is that from end of auction (which is what ebay sold item list says, ie expected 2nd or 3rd of March) or from when he planned to come back into the country (which was Saturday 28th, so should have been either yesterday or Monday)

Sambostar

You whinging bastard.

thecolourbox

That's better, treat me mean, keep me keen!

Also, NikNaks....god I used to love those crisps.

Sambostar

I still do, they have changed a bot over the years but Scampi and Lemon still leaves your fingers smelling dubious.

Sassafras

Don't do much for your breath either.

DesVegas

ferkin ebay. if lada's made shops it'd be ebay

thecolourbox

Well good news, being nice does work. No pedal was received today so i sent a polite message to ask for a refund. The seller (who as mentioned previously is a uk builder who sells quite a lot successfully on ebay) replied to say his trip had hugely overran, apologised profusely for the crap communication, and said he'd call his wife who would send me a refund.

When the refund duly landed within an hour, the seller had bunged in an extra fiver "to get me a drink to apologise" which is nice.

Now, my gas fund has increased by a fiver, and replenished by the original £40. I think an architectural photographer might have some pedals for sale...

Sambostar

Being nice....yeah...spread the love man

thecolourbox

Love you too

Sambostar

Ahhhhh.