AndyF
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2003
- Location
- Phelps, NY, USA
Long story long, I bought a small tractor on eBay a few weeks ago for a little over $6,000 and didn't do adequate due diligence on the seller. The tractor is approx. 500 miles away in Southern Ohio, and the price was fair, but not a real bargain. The tractor is for work on farm, not a collector machine. I contacted the seller within 24 hours to make arrangements and had goofy conversation - I tried to schedule time to pick up within two weeks he didn't acknowledge scheduling of pick-up only that he wanted his money in 7 days. Several phone calls later I've scheduled pick-up for Friday, 5 days after auction ends. Between the first phone call Monday morning and scheduling pick up on Wednesday I've also had a family emergency which required travel to Chicago and lots of contact with doctors and insurance companies.
Morning of pick-up I'm staying with family ~2 hours away and weather forecast is for >12" snow and freezing rain I call the seller and say its a no go for today based on the forecast and tell him that I can reschedule for the following week, he doesn't like this and again goes into tirade about wanting money, that I'm trying to screw him, he knew from the first time I called that I would screw him and on and on and than either he loses his cell connection or hangs up on me. I call back and leave message - here are options, If you didn't hang up on me and can behave as an adult doing a business transaction, I can come back next week when there shouldn't be a weather emergency and pick up and pay (assuming machine is as described in eBay listing) or since I won't be paying within 7 days, we can cancel sale and I will pay listing fee. He calls back and is conciliatory, claims a bad cell connection and requests a deposit. I'm not really comfortable with this, but agree. I get home early Saturday morning after a long drive through a bad winter storm and have problems with computer, email and am still dealing with medical stuff, but once everything is working get an email from eBay Sunday evening that he has filed a non-paying bidder report on me. I email him through eBay's system reconfirming that I will send the deposit, Paypal the deposit and desired pick up dates, March 15, and get an email from him that he doesn't want deposit, he wants entire payment, but no comment on whether I can pick up the tractor on the 15th. I email back to return the deposit and call me. Two days later the deposit is returned, but no call. I called on Thursday got his voicemail and let him know that I could pick up on Saturday (yesterday) but never heard back.
So, from my perspective I've tried to pick up on two different dates, sent a deposit which was returned and haven't had any success in dealing with this guy. From his perspective, he probably thinks he is dealing with a deadbeat flake who is trying to jerk him around and won't send in full payment on the tractor. Now, I'm at the point where all I want to do is cancel the purchase. So, any words of wisdom on next steps here. My personal impressions of the seller so far aren't positive and his feedback includes 5 negatives, several neutrals and several mutually withdrawn for items he has sold. He has feedback for approximately 500 transactions including many where he was the buyer and usually has 10+ pieces of equipment listed for sale each week.
Morning of pick-up I'm staying with family ~2 hours away and weather forecast is for >12" snow and freezing rain I call the seller and say its a no go for today based on the forecast and tell him that I can reschedule for the following week, he doesn't like this and again goes into tirade about wanting money, that I'm trying to screw him, he knew from the first time I called that I would screw him and on and on and than either he loses his cell connection or hangs up on me. I call back and leave message - here are options, If you didn't hang up on me and can behave as an adult doing a business transaction, I can come back next week when there shouldn't be a weather emergency and pick up and pay (assuming machine is as described in eBay listing) or since I won't be paying within 7 days, we can cancel sale and I will pay listing fee. He calls back and is conciliatory, claims a bad cell connection and requests a deposit. I'm not really comfortable with this, but agree. I get home early Saturday morning after a long drive through a bad winter storm and have problems with computer, email and am still dealing with medical stuff, but once everything is working get an email from eBay Sunday evening that he has filed a non-paying bidder report on me. I email him through eBay's system reconfirming that I will send the deposit, Paypal the deposit and desired pick up dates, March 15, and get an email from him that he doesn't want deposit, he wants entire payment, but no comment on whether I can pick up the tractor on the 15th. I email back to return the deposit and call me. Two days later the deposit is returned, but no call. I called on Thursday got his voicemail and let him know that I could pick up on Saturday (yesterday) but never heard back.
So, from my perspective I've tried to pick up on two different dates, sent a deposit which was returned and haven't had any success in dealing with this guy. From his perspective, he probably thinks he is dealing with a deadbeat flake who is trying to jerk him around and won't send in full payment on the tractor. Now, I'm at the point where all I want to do is cancel the purchase. So, any words of wisdom on next steps here. My personal impressions of the seller so far aren't positive and his feedback includes 5 negatives, several neutrals and several mutually withdrawn for items he has sold. He has feedback for approximately 500 transactions including many where he was the buyer and usually has 10+ pieces of equipment listed for sale each week.