Question re: eBay Refund

[13stepper]

Let me give you some help. I have lived in 6 Provinces in Canada and 7 States in the USA.

1. Americans are entitled to almost $300.00 duty free dollars to start with on anything shipped into the USA. Canadians are charged duty on anything over $15.00

2. An (assumption of value or expense) because a card sells high, or over a specific amount is still an assumption that it has it's value hidden from Letter Carriers and even Customs Officers if you so desire.

Customs people don't have time to look up cards book values.

3. HOCKEY Cards are not stolen by anyone when shipped into the USA. 99% of all Americans really don't give a damn.

So why people think that they have to have costly shipping charges into this country because the perception (is theft) is simply not true, nor within the realm of reality when it pertains to Hockey Cards.

It's not theft by the post office workers that are as concerning, it's theft from the buyer themselves, that's why tracking on higher end items is so important.

[Statmoe]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone! Just for the sake of transparancy here's the response I sent after making the additional payment (I understand completely now why the second transaction was needed and that the seller wasn't trying to do anything funny):

"$9 USD sent. Why wouldn't you just indicate additional cost in the listing if it's mandatory?

Trying to circumvent eBay fees or something? Not trying to be rude but that's pretty irritating.

Regards,
Statmoe"

I could have positioned it better for sure but I don't think that warranted the response I received or refusal to complete the transaction. I did also send an angry response afterwards (was shocked by the sellers response) but once I realized what he was trying to say I sent a follow-up saying I felt we'd both overreacted and asked him to do what he thought was fair - which turned out to be refunding my payment and not responding.

I understand the need for tracked shipment on higher priced items and just want to be clear that I didn't refuse and immediately made the additional payment.

I'm thinking at this point that I'll just leave it be and just purchase the card I was interested in from another seller.

I guess in the end he did "teach me a lesson" but still feel that this whole fiasco was a bit over the top...

[centrehice]

It's not theft by the post office workers that are as concerning, it's theft from the buyer themselves, that's why tracking on higher end items is so important.

Makes sense

Much of the theft in Canada is from both Postal Employees and Customs Employees.

[reoddai]

I also don't agree with you to suggest this person go the "threaten negative feedback route" to force the seller to complete the transaction, how is that fair?

You make a really really good point. Its a dangerous and sometimes unfair route to go in some situations.

but the reverse is this. A seller who listed an item to sell online and is dealing with a buyer who made a single innocent mistake. Then refuses to sell even after an attempt and an apology contact.

If you don't care for the card, then let it go. deal with the NPB strike and work with the seller to get them their fees back.

If you want the card and you are still getting resistance you have no other leverage than your feedback.

Sellers are very fast to say to bidders. Hey, you bid. Its an online contract so you have to buy. You can't just change your mind and not buy it. Obviously they can't force you to buy, but they will try to convince you.

The reverse is true. When the seller sold online, they are also entering into a contract to sell. Once its sold, you can't just change your mind and not sell, especially if the buyer is willing to pay and apologize for their mistakes.

Cheers,
reoddai

[Statmoe]

I shouldn't receive a NPB strike since I actually made payment in full and the seller opted to refund it right?

[cygnusx1]

"$9 USD sent. Why wouldn't you just indicate additional cost in the listing if it's mandatory?

Trying to circumvent eBay fees or something? Not trying to be rude but that's pretty irritating.

Regards,
Statmoe"

While I wouldn't quite react like the seller did to you, I would take issue with your methods of communicating with people. You come off as rude and slightly confrontational, and I personally don't feel any of it is warranted. If you had just acknowledged your mistake (in that you did not read the whole listing), paid the extra money and used it as a lesson learned in the future, everything would have been fine.

While he did blow up a little, I don't really blame him as I don't see anything he really did wrong.

[Statmoe]

While I wouldn't quite react like the seller did to you, I would take issue with your methods of communicating with people. You come off as rude and slightly confrontational, and I personally don't feel any of it is warranted. If you had just acknowledged your mistake (in that you did not read the whole listing), paid the extra money and used it as a lesson learned in the future, everything would have been fine.

While he did blow up a little, I don't really blame him as I don't see anything he really did wrong.

I misunderstood and was angry so I was a bit harsh - no dispute.

At the time I posed the question I didn't understand why a second transaction was needed.

Please note that I did pay the extra money before I even posed the question and was just looking for an explanation and probably would have apologized for my mistake and learned the lesson - we could have both walked away happy.

Seller could have also been more tactful in his response and just explained clearly why the second transaction was needed.

You think that refusing a transaction for a paying customer is ok because perhaps I wasn't as gentle as I should have been w/ my question?

Personally I disagree...

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying I behaved appropriately either but I don't feel that refusing the transaction was the appropriate response.

[cygnusx1]

You think that refusing a transaction for a paying customer is ok because perhaps I wasn't as gentle as I should have been w/ my question?

As I said, he overreacted. Refusing the transaction was a childish way to do business and I definitely don't think it was the right thing to do.

Maybe he was just at his breaking point and lost his mind. I think it could have been handled better by both sides and it wouldn't have been an issue at all. As I said in my previous post though, lesson learned. I've been an ebay powerseller for a few years and to be honest, I haven't had a single problem with a buyer that couldn't be fixed. In general I think people just need to take a friendlier tone and then everyone involved will feel more at ease. I find a lot of traders/buyers/sellers to be extremely agitated lately and it has made trading a bit less enjoyable.

[Statmoe]

In general I think people just need to take a friendlier tone and then everyone involved will feel more at ease. I find a lot of traders/buyers/sellers to be extremely agitated lately and it has made trading a bit less enjoyable.

Agreed, I'm typically pretty easy going and I shouldn't have positioned the question the way that I did - it was fairly confrontational.

I will certainly make an effort to take a deep breath before I ask stupid questions in the future!