Post #97110 by WillTiki on Fri, Jun 18, 2004 12:35 PM

When I first started buying on ebay, I was impressed with and hopeful of the concept of the feedback system creating an "on-line community" that engaged commerce honestly despite the lack of face to face communication. I have had many straight up honest transactions; but it is the few bad ones that have soured me to the whole thing. I once traveled several hours to look at an expensive and fragile musical instrument listed on ebay (but not won due to no one meeting the min bid) rather than risk having it shipped sight unseen. I agreed to look at it to confirm the condition and details not clear from the photos and description and pay in person. I should mention that I had previously bought another item from this seller and received it fine, but feedback from him was still pending. After some bargaining, I ended up paying his asking price. After I paid and was leaving, he said it was good I did not try harder to bargain him down more or did not end up buying the item, because if I had, he would have "had to leave negative feedback" on the earlier item I had sucessfully purchased from him through ebay. In other words, this creep was willing to use ebay feedback as a weapon for non-ebay transactions!
Your story about the Hawaiian shirt seems typical of many others I have experienced, heard or read. It would be sad and unfortunate if her son really had sickened and died. However, sadder still is the fact that such stories, told as lies to defraud a buyer, are now commonplace on ebay. As far as fragile items go, the hassle factor of making an insurance claim for things broken in shipping makes it worthless in the first place. Generally, the breakage is not the fault of the carrier but rather the seller who thought that putting several pieces of glazed pottery (Tiki mugs) together in box with little or no packing materials was good enough. They would have been safer just tossed in the mail with the shipping label and stamps pasted to their little Tiki butts! I have given up on buying anything fragile or expensive on ebay. That leaves ebaying for things like unusual but cheap books etc. and buying Tiki mugs from Tiki Farm etc. and of course, looking in thrift stores.