Ebay ethics queston (plant related)

[Darren Garrison]

Wanting a few opinions on this.

I order some Lilly of the Valley pips (one order of 5 white, one order of 3 pink) from a high-volume Ebay seller using buy-it-now and immedately paying via Paypal. Soon afterwards, I get a boilerplate e-mail with the subject that the item "has been shipped", but in the body of the message it points out that the seller ships on only Mondays and Tuesdays. So that would have allowed for a few more days before shipping. But 14 days after the "item has shipped" notice it still hadn't arrived, so I e-mailed the seller and asked if he could double-check on if the order had actually shipped yet (and yes, I was polite and non-confrontational about it). He told me that he would ship it again.

Then, the very next day (15 days after the "item has shipped" notice) the order finally arrives-- and is postmarked 12 days after the "item has shipped" e-mail. As quickly as possible, I e-mail the seller to say that the item has arrived, and to not ship the replacement order if possible, and asked how I should handle the second package if it has already been sent. I get no reply from the seller.

Now, yesterday, I get a package from the seller in the mail. Postmarked 6 days AFTER I told him to not re-send the order. AND, it turns out, it contained only the pink pips, so if the first order really had been missing, I still would have been missing half of the order.

Now, if the first order really had been lost in the mail, it would have been a great gesture from the seller to re-send the order at his own expense. But it hadn't been lost-- it just hadn't been sent, despite his e-mail saying otherwise. And not only was he not able to track that, he didn't bother to NOT resend (half of) the order even though he had multiple days notice that I had finally received the first order.

So (and here's where the question comes in) I've decided that I'm just going to keep the damned pips from the re-sent order and not offer to ship them back to him or pay him ($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping for 3 pips, even though it cost only $1.29 to send them) for the extras, as in my opinion almost all of the problem has been caused on his end.

Any opinions of wherether I do that with clean hands?

[Cereus-validus]

eBay ethics: Caveat Emptor! Gotcha Sucker!

You would have gotten a better deal at your local Home Depot. (and a lot cheaper too!)

3 pink) from a high-volume

afterwards, I get a boilerplate

of the message it points

have allowed for a few more

still hadn't arrived, so I

actually shipped yet (and

would ship it again.

order finally arrives--

as possible, I e-mail the

order if possible, and

I get no reply from the

days AFTER I told him to

pips, so if the first order

been a great gesture from

lost-- it just hadn't been

to track that, he didn't

notice that I had finally

going to keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

as in my opinion almost all

[Brian]

3 pink) from a high-volume

afterwards, I get a boilerplate

of the message it points

have allowed for a few more

still hadn't arrived, so I

actually shipped yet (and

would ship it again.

order finally arrives--

as possible, I e-mail the

order if possible, and

I get no reply from the

days AFTER I told him to

pips, so if the first order

been a great gesture from

lost-- it just hadn't been

to track that, he didn't

notice that I had finally

going to keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

as in my opinion almost all

[quest]

Thank him for the bonus plants he sent as a result of the problems he caused you by not shipping when he should have. Since it isn't a full order, you have every reason to believe it is a peace offering. ;)

3 pink) from a high-volume

afterwards, I get a boilerplate

of the message it points

have allowed for a few more

still hadn't arrived, so I

actually shipped yet (and

would ship it again.

order finally arrives--

as possible, I e-mail the

order if possible, and

I get no reply from the

days AFTER I told him to

pips, so if the first order

been a great gesture from

lost-- it just hadn't been

to track that, he didn't

notice that I had finally

going to keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

as in my opinion almost all

[Phisherman]

pink) from a high-volume

afterwards, I get a boilerplate

the message it points

allowed for a few more

hadn't arrived, so I

actually shipped yet (and

ship it again.

finally arrives--

possible, I e-mail the

if possible, and

get no reply from the

AFTER I told him to

if the first order

great gesture from

it just hadn't been

track that, he didn't

notice that I had finally

keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

my opinion almost all

Ah, post this on eBay explaining exactly what happened. I've ordered many things in my lifetime, but none took 14 days after "item has been shipped." (The longest shipment took 5 days.)

[Darren Garrison]

I was looking for something to grow in a raised bed under the shade of a large hickory tree. I thought that these would do a good job of living in those conditions.

[Jim Elbrecht]

pink) from a high-volume

-snip-

keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

my opinion almost all

First off- the shipping-- *actual* shipping may be 1.29-- but he probably has more than $3.99 invested in shipping and handling. Packaging and trips to the PO are not free. [Chances are he's paying someone to do all the work & that's why the long delays.]

You asked about ethics-- You, legally & ethically, owe him for the plants. If I were you I would offer to pay for them.

He, on the other hand, if he[she] is any sort of a business person will apologize & tell you the plants are a gift.

Don't forget to reflect his lack of quick communication when you leave feedback for him.

Jim [And if you need some more Lilly of the Valley's & live anywhere near zip code 12309-- give a holler & I'll dump a couple shovels full in your trunk-- and throw in some old fashioned Iris that are nearly as hardy & don't mind the shade.]

[Brian]

large hickory tree. I

[dr-solo]

pink) from a high-volume

afterwards, I get a boilerplate

the message it points

allowed for a few more

hadn't arrived, so I

actually shipped yet (and

ship it again.

finally arrives--

possible, I e-mail the

if possible, and

get no reply from the

AFTER I told him to

if the first order

great gesture from

it just hadn't been

track that, he didn't

notice that I had finally

keep the damned pips

($10.00 plus $3.99 shipping

my opinion almost all

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Bob]

Doesn't that kind of thing make "feedback" kind of useless.

Bob

one order of 3 pink) from a high-volume

Soon afterwards, I get a boilerplate

in the body of the message it points

that would have allowed for a few more

shipped" notice it still hadn't arrived,

[tmtresh]

You don't owe him for the plants, because it wasn't your order. To give your conciense a rest, (and it's the nice thing to do) you should attempt to contact the seller to see if he would like the pips returned. I know you're having communication problems, but if he answers back most likely he'll let you keep them. It would most likely cost him more money to collect them from the PO than to just let you keep them. Even if he wants them back, it's no great loss at $1.29 postage (He might even offer to pay it). If he doesn't answer, well you tried, not much else you can do.

Give the most detailed feedback you can, so others have a good idea of what kind of seller he is.

[Jim Elbrecht]

Forget that I disagree with you on the payment issue. Why leave 'glowing feedback' for someone whose goods are not that great a deal, communication is poor & apparently can't get an order sent out right? [first late, then incorrect]

Misery loves company, but on Ebay the tools are there to forewarn people about less than stellar dealers.

Jim

[theoneflasehaddock]

I've had the same problem.

-

theoneflasehaddock

[theoneflasehaddock]

You do not owe him for plants you didn't order.

I wish you hadn't supported price gouging on ebay. Remember, it MAY be cheaper to deal with a plant nursery than ebay, in some cases.

-

theoneflasehaddock

[dr-solo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Frogleg]

And lead others to think this seller's perfect? I think not. I would leave neutral feedback and a comment like "shipping problems, but satisfactory outcome."