Awesome eBay moment

[MachineCode]

I'm currently selling a garden mulcher on eBay, with a starting bid of $90 and "Buy It Now" for $150. It's practically brand-new, and I bought it for $280.

A guy wanted to test it before committing to buy, so we arranged a time to see it, but he called about an hour before and said he'll buy it now for only $30! I said no way, and that I could only accept $150 as stated. He then verbally went off on the phone at me, saying mulchers aren't big sellers and nobody will buy, and that it's only worth $30 these days. He kept pushing and saying he'll give me $30 cash on the spot, but I kept refusing. In the end he said I won't get my price, and that once the auction is over, and if I had no bids, that if I wanted him to buy it, he'll only pay $20 for "wasting his time". What an attitude!

Anyway, just now, my mulcher got its first bid for $90. Wish I could see his face.

[netmaestro]

After that I wouldn't sell it to him for any price.

[MachineCode]

It wasn't him that bid (different eBay name, but that doesn't prove anything I guess), which is what made it so sweet.

But yeah, if I got no bids then I didn't intend to sell to him, based on his attitude. He's the sort that would leave neg feedback even for a good sale. I would've just kept it. I don't need to sell it (not desperate for money) but it's just taking up space in the shed. So, I wasn't fussed either way if it sold or not.

[netmaestro]

I'd definitely put a bid in if I knew what a mulcher is

[MachineCode]

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=garden+mulcher

[Kuron]

Not quite big enough to help with the one obnoxious neighbor I have.

[MachineCode]

Just an update: the auction has ended and it sold for just over $150! Haha, I hope he now realises how pathetic his offer of $30 was.

[Kuron]

Congrats!!

[MachineCode]

Thanks. The winner paid with PayPal though (dammit). So they take $4 for their cut. Since it's pickup only, the winner should've just paid cash and I'd have gotten the entire $153 instead of $149 in a few days. I hate PayPal.

[Danilo]

I hate PayPal.

Hate/hatred comes from your heart.

PayPal just provides its worldwide infrastructure for transactions and they
can not do this for free. It is a company. There is no reason to hate this company.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatred

Hatred can result in extreme behavior such as violence, murder and war.
...
In psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud defined hate as an ego state that wishes to destroy the source of its unhappiness.

More recently, the Penguin Dictionary of Psychology defines hate as a "deep, enduring, intense emotion expressing animosity,
anger, and hostility towards a person, group, or object."
Because hatred is believed to be long-lasting, many psychologists consider it to be more of an attitude or disposition
than a temporary emotional state.

[MachineCode]

I know they can't provide their services for free, but they sure don't act like a regular financial institution (or bank) and have a majorly bad reputation for screwing over honest people and freezing people's money and not giving it back. You can't deny that.

They even held some of my funds for a while at one stage, when someone raised an uncalled-for item-not-received dispute. The buyer hadn't bothered checking the tracking number I gave them, nor contacted me about it. The first I heard was when I got the PayPal email that a dispute was lodged. PayPal instantly froze my funds. It was only when I sent them a screenshot of my post office's website, that proved delivery of my item was attempted, that they believed me and let me have my rightful money. The buyer then closed the dispute without a word of apology to me.

Anyway, yeah, hatred is not good for the soul, and all that. I agree there. But I only hold that attitude for personal relationships, and not for organisations or businesses.

[GWarner]

After that I wouldn't sell it to him for any price.

Yeah, plus I'd have added him to my blocked bidders list so he couldn't bid on any of my auctions, and then I'd file a complaint with eBay, there's no excuse for that kind of crap.

TThe winner paid with PayPal though (dammit). So they take $4 for their cut. Since it's pickup only, the winner should've just paid cash and I'd have gotten the entire $153 instead of $149 in a few days. I hate PayPal.

If the auction is for local pick-up only I turn off PayPal so the only payment option is payment on delievery (pick-up).

I know they can't provide their services for free, but they sure don't act like a regular financial institution (or bank) and have a majorly bad reputation for screwing over honest people and freezing people's money and not giving it back. You can't deny that.

That's because they are not a bank so they don't have to follow the banking laws and regulations, it's been a problem almost from the day they started and it's why I never keep any money in my PayPal account. I don't trust them either. I wouldn't even have a PayPal account except they are kind of required if you want to sell on eBay.

[Zach]

Best way to handle with Paypal.

Setup a separate bank account, and link that one to your account. Then when you get enough money to warrant it being taken out of paypal, dump it into that account, then dump it from that account into your real bank account.

That way they can't freeze your funds on a whim, nor can they hit your bank account (and yes they will do this in some cases) for any amount of money they claim is being disputed; because there are no funds for them to steal.

Granted this works best if you actually have an awesome bank like USAA, which is 100% no-fee banking. No maintenance fees or funds transfer fees, balance inquiry fees (they will refund up to 6 ATM surcharge fees per month too) or any of that lame crap.

[DarkDragon]

Best way to handle with Paypal.

Setup a separate bank account, and link that one to your account. Then when you get enough money to warrant it being taken out of paypal, dump it into that account, then dump it from that account into your real bank account.

That way they can't freeze your funds on a whim, nor can they hit your bank account (and yes they will do this in some cases) for any amount of money they claim is being disputed; because there are no funds for them to steal.

Granted this works best if you actually have an awesome bank like USAA, which is 100% no-fee banking. No maintenance fees or funds transfer fees, balance inquiry fees (they will refund up to 6 ATM surcharge fees per month too) or any of that lame crap.

You just shouldn't let paypal access your bank account through direct debit. Always transfer the money the usual way: go to your bank (maybe even online) and transfer it to paypal.

[MachineCode]

I'd have added him to my blocked bidders list

Already done.

I'd file a complaint with eBay, there's no excuse for that kind of crap

It was all verbal over the phone, so there's no proof.

If the auction is for local pick-up only I turn off PayPal so the only payment option is payment on delievery (pick-up)

You don't get to disable PayPal in Australia for small sales. It can only be disabled for cars and big items like that.

That's because they are not a bank so they don't have to follow the banking laws and regulations

I know, that's why I said "financial institution" first.

I never keep any money in my PayPal account

I transfer it out ASAP too, but read my next comment...

You just shouldn't let paypal access your bank account through direct debit

In Australia, part of the PayPal signup is that you give permission for PayPal to access your real bank account at any time. Otherwise, you can't sign up with it. And if you don't sign up with it, you can't sell on eBay. Should be illegal, actually.

Setup a separate bank account, and link that one to your account. Then when you get enough money to warrant it being taken out of paypal, dump it into that account, then dump it from that account into your real bank account.

You know, I think I'm actually going to have to do that, for my own protection.