Another eBayer to watch out for

[Erin]

Normally don't care to post these kinds of things, but this is the 2nd time I've had issues with this buyer. Both times, they take several days to pay (say they have an eBay gift card to find, first), THEN start asking questions.

Username: generationmac (now changed userid to biditdown)

I recently listed and sold this lamp:

Buyer doesn't make any contact with me until I file a non-paying bidder claim. Then tells me they'll pay for the lamp Wednesday, which is the last day of the case. Says they have to find their eBay gift certificate. 

THEN, they start asking me questions about the lamp (bulb used, flow). Admitted they "wanted a glitter lamp anyway" and that they "didn't read the auction correctly to understand this was the "refilled lava" without glitter". 

I had a problem with this same user when I sold a wave machine.

Anywho, I'll try and keep it somewhat short. 

Seller beware. It just SUCKS that you cannot leave neg feedback for buyers anymore on eBay. I have blocked them from bidding on any future auctions of mine. 

Grrr...

[Erin]

I fully expect to hear from her after she gets the package. I really do. 

[Erin]

In hindsight, I should have cancelled the sale and refunded the money (or cancelled before she paid), but I wasn't real clear on if I could do that or not. 

[Erin]

This was the note she included when she finally paid (after a non-paying bidder case was opened):

Listing states "Expedited Shipping" and invoice you sent states Priority Mail, yet now ebay system is implying UPS Ground. I bid based on and expect EXPEDITED PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING as listing states. Please email Tracking information when available.

I lost money on the shipping, too. Guh. I just want this to be over. 

[Erin]

Thanks Jim. I think she tends to bid at the last min (she did in my case), so I'd just block her period. 

Jim said:

I will definitely be blocking this person.  Or maybe let her bid once so I can cancel her bid and explain that her reputation is well known and I want no part of it.  Sorry about this grief Erin.  :-(

[Dr. WHAT?!]

Perfect! thanks Erin I blocked your buyer and that old one for me lol

[Erin]

Awesome. :)  I hope she ROTS!

[Steven]

Sorry that happend to you erin. I wanted to point out something to you to help. You mentioned in your post about basicly refuseing to send the product and refunding her money. I ran into this particular issue before and ebay "kindly informmed me" that I was violating the seller non-performance policy. Basicly lets say the item broke before you shipped it or the item was lost before shipping it.........and if your bidder turns out to be fruit cake and you don't want to deal with this particular person : these examples are all violations of that policy. Ebay may remind you like they did with me but they take away powerseller status or suspend accounts. Pretty crappy if you ask me.

[Metallica Man Trevor]

Damn it everyone having bad eBay sells! I've never had one yet.... I was about to sell a bunch of lamps to!

[Jim]

My recent, and one and only sale so far, went off without a hitch.  :-)

Metallica man said:

Damn it everyone having bad eBay sells! I've never had one yet.... I was about to sell a bunch of lamps to!

[OooLaLava]

Hello All...

I am eBay user "Generation Mac" and I've been reading "Erin" trashing me personally and my reputation, calling me names, hoping I "rot" all while claiming she's BEYOND HONEST ...   I'm sure you are all aware that there are two sides to every story, so here's mine. (Sorry it's so long)

• Erin posts a listing on ebay titled:

Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter

that shows a real nice Gemlite lamp with one that is actually for sale that is really filled with lava wax and not glitter. True, she stated in the listing the real Gemlite pictured was not for sale, but her listing appeared in my search results because I had searched for a "Lava Gemlite."  Unfortunately for me, I came across the listing right before the end and I bid and won. Yes it's my fault I didn't have time to ask questions.. but I figured oh well.... and I had every intention of completing the auction ( I ALWAYS pay for my ebay items and I also expect sellers to be completely honest and accurate in their listings. Sadly, I have found this is not always the case.) After I won, I saw the reference to "Oozing Goo" and went on this website to search for Gemlite and then come upon  Erin's previous postings regarding her history of this lamp, finding it cheap on eBay and snagging it, melting it  and so on...Now I'm wondering why she left so much out of the listing that she freely posted in the Oozing Goo forum.

So ask yourselves:  COULD SHE HAVE POSTED A CURRENT PICTURE OF ONLY THE ITEM THAT SHE WAS SELLING AND COULD SHE HAVE LISTED IN THE AUCTION TITLE WHAT SHE WAS REALLY SELLING? Such as, LAVA LAMP that used to be a GEMLITE AND MAYBE YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO REFILL IT OR GET A NEW GLOBE. Or FORMER LAVE GEMLITE BASE, CAP AND BOTTLE THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED AND FILLED WITH LAVA (you get the idea....)

No.. it's easier to show a picture you already have  of it looking nice and working (even though now it really is not working like it is in the photo) Spam the keyword GEMLITE GLITTER (which this light has NONE)  and hey maybe it will sell better this way...

Unfortunately, after I won, I learn that these photos were taken prior to her melting it and some other interesting tidbits that she could have included in the listing, BUT CHOSE NOT TO. I delayed payment because I had emailed eBay customer service for advice and had not heard back yet and did lose a gift card I got for Christmas for $100... (I still haven't found it)

Erin filed the non-paying bidder alert and I emailed her when payment was coming, but I did ask her about the photos and the light bulb melting and what happened with a lower watt bulb where she informs me she never tried a lower watt bul! Hmmmm Her attitude in these emails halfway earned her the negative feedback I posted because she refused answer the questions before telling me she wasn't  going to answer any more questions  and the rest was earned after the lamp arrived...
Here's  ALL the emails back and forth between us the more recent are at the top (please skip down if you don't want to read them)

Dear generationmac,

You have all information correct.

These are all questions you should have asked BEFORE you bid and won the auction. See the paradox here?

I have no interest in keeping this lamp. I listed all information I knew about it when I listed it. You bid, win, take seven days to even respond to my inquiries and waste my time?!

I'm not answering any more questions. You can either pay for the lamp or tell me to re-list.

You have been blocked from bidding on any future auctions of mine.

Ball's in your court.

- callisto9
Click "respond" to reply through Messages, or go to your email to reply



From: generationmac
To: callisto9
Subject: Re: Other: generationmac sent a message about Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter #200878654364
Sent Date: Jan-27-13 15:56:14 PST

Dear callisto9,

OK so let me get this straight... You took pictures of the lamp flowing with a 40 watt bulb that ended up melting the plastic... and then you list it showing those pictures with the lava flowing but your reference is that you can't use a 40 watt bulb because means that a lower watt bulb may or may not make the lamp function? If the Lava does not get to a certain temperature it won't flow. Do you see the paradox here?

Do you know if the cap come off the bottle with the lava? or is it permanently sealed on there...

- generationmac



From: callisto9
To: generationmac
Subject: Re: Other: generationmac sent a message about Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter #200878654364
Sent Date: Jan-27-13 15:34:09 PST

Dear generationmac,

In the picture, I was using a 40W bulb. After using a 40W bulb in it about 4-5 times, I put it away. Next time I took it out, I noticed the bottom was melted.

Your call on the auction. You have until Wednesday to pay or you can tell me now that you 100% don't want it and I will re-list.

- callisto9


From: generationmac
To: callisto9
Subject: Re: Other: generationmac sent a message about Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter #200878654364
Sent Date: Jan-27-13 14:57:38 PST

Dear callisto9,

Yes i'm still trying to find it. If you want to cancel and sell to the underbidder that's fine. i wanted a glitter lamp anyway and didn't read the auction correctly to understand this was the "refilled lava" without glitter. I'm asking because is the lower watt bulb that wont melt the plastic further will it make the lava flow as in the picture? Where did the picture come from if you never tried it?

- generationmac

From: callisto9
To: generationmac
Subject: Re: Other: generationmac sent a message about Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter #200878654364
Sent Date: Jan-27-13 14:09:36 PST

Dear generationmac,

This is the same excuse you gave me last time you bought something from me (remember me? - I sold you the wave machine). I have opened a non-paying bidder case yesterday.

I don't know if it works with a 25W bulb. Never tried it.

- callisto9

From: generationmac
To: callisto9
Subject: Other: generationmac sent a message about Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter #200878654364
Sent Date: Jan-27-13 07:50:56 PST

Dear callisto9,

hi, does this work as pictured using the 25 watt bulb ? also i can pay on wednesday, i've lost an ebay gift card I was going to use but havent been able to find yet

- generationmac
                  
Mystique Gemlite Lava Lamp made by Lava Lite USA Made 70s motion glitter
Item Id: 200878654364
End time: Jan-20-13 09:08:15 PST

-----------------End of Emails-----------------------

So I go ahead and pay the $95, ask for tracking info when she has it and hope for the best. When I'm checking out the ebay system says UPS Ground which as I'm sure we all know can take forever, yet Erin listed Priority Mail Expedited shipping. I included the note with payment to make sure she uses Priority Mail as the listing states and to email tracking info. (She never does until I email her of the third day after payment was sent.) Also, even today when I hit the track button on the listing it shows that it is not tracking in the system even though it was delivered yesterday:



The lamp arrives (I'm still hoping for the best)  and I take it out and put it on the floor in case it want to melt again and put a 25 watt bulb in to see what happens. Well nothing happens, as I suspected. Two hours later still nothing.

Here is the picture of the lamp now. NOT looking quite like it did in the listing's pictures. The masking tape on the bottle as pictured the listing is not there but probably ok because what is there is the chipped Grand Marnier cork in the top (so now I have my answer to my question is it permanently sealed?) . Also if you look at the angle of the picture in the listing, it is shot at an upward angle, so you cannot see the top of the cap, (which is missing mentioned in the description that's ok) but not mentioned is that the cap is not welded together so it spreads bigger when placed on top of the bottle therefore will not sit like it does in the picture - the top of the bottle is about 1/2 -3/4" above the top. (Of course she mentions JB Weld on oozing goo, but NOT in the listing) What's worse is I did wait to receive the lamp which stated in the listing "It WILL Work" but what is left out is "Well it did work like the picture shows when I had too high of a wattage lightbulb in it that melted it, However, I have not tried it with a lower watt bulb to see if it will still work as pictured." Guess what? Yep.. It does not get hot enough to erupt the lava with a low enough watt bulb to not continue the melting.

Here's the kicker, I never made the connection, but back in September I had bought a purple wave machine from Erin. On that sale, the wave machine was advertised as working perfectly, however, she failed to mention the amount of creaking noise it makes as it rocks back and forth. She also failed to email tracking information even though I repeatedly asked for it and generally had poor communication when it came to customer service after the sale. I didn't post any feedback on that transaction, but I should have because that was a $215 sale. Had I realized who it was and remembered the lack of customer service, I might not have bid. Had Erin sent a cancel transaction request thru ebay, I probably would have taken her up on the offer, but she has demonstrated that she is a vindictive person who I suspect wanted to ding me with a non paying bidder strike.

Erin EARNED the negative feedback I posted for her today. On a $100 sale, from a customer standpoint, I believe her attitude sucks. Her postings on this website about this auction is only half the story.  Her personal attacks and name calling are immature. The vast majority of my experiences on eBay have been positive ( I buy at least 10- 15  items a month), however, there are instances on eBay where sellers take creative license with descriptions,  are not always accurate in their descriptions or leave out critical details. I do post negative feedback WHEN AND ONLY WHEN WARRANTED. And believe me it is not done lightly. A lot of times I post nothing rather than a negative or neutral. Also I was a PowerSeller on eBay for over 10 years with over 3,300 perfect feedback before I sold my eBay store, I always took a lot of time on my listings to not write misleading titles or descriptions, to not manipulate the process or snag a buyer on an assumption they could make or leave out things of the description I know about something I'm selling.  Sellers usually don't get negative feedback when they respond promptly to buyers, post accurate descriptions and pictures and don't try to game the system.

Again, Erin (Callisto9) had information for only reasons she knows left out of the description, used outdated photos and tells me she's NOT going to answer my questions, doesn't email tracking info and then trashes me on this forum? Having earned negative feedback its the least of this person's "issues."  That's all I'm going to say, unless someone has more specifics on what I can do to repair this lamp. I'm going to take it to a Lucite and Plastic fabrication shop I know to see what can be done. I hope I can do something cool with it to get it working at least with the lava and if anyone knows where I can can get an actual Lava Gemlite with GLITTER in it, I'd sure appreciate it.

Again, sorry this is so long.
 

[Brad]

in erin's defense, the auction clearly stated the following, which you seem to have omitted from your tirade:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200878654364?nma=true&si=IU554tJtL2mMoz...

This auction is for a US-made Gemlite from Lava Lite. Consider this a "parts" lamp.

 

The black plastic base is badly warped and melted. This lamp cannot handle a 40W bulb.

The metal top and bottom are in good condition. The glass bottle is in good condition. THIS LAMP WILL WORK.

The lamp has been refilled with US Lava Lite formula - blue/purple. I did not refill it, it came that way when I bought it. 

The black plastic top is missing

Rubber feet have been added to the bottom

 

Would be a great candidate for a glitter refill. 

 

The glitter lamp on the right is NOT FOR SALE, nor PART OF THIS SALE. 

 

[Jim]

I am not wading too deeply into this mess, but I do have to point out one observation.

Binsky - why do you have such an itchy trigger finger to leave seller's negative feedback?  I see that you have left feedback on 90 occasions and close to 20% of the time it has been negative.  That percentage is absolutely staggering to me.  At some point you need to take a step back and ask yourself a simply question...

Do you gravitate towards horrid sellers or does the problem reside with you?  I take one look at your feedback record and you know what conclusion I reach?  Pain in the ass, not worth my time and will likely leave me negative feedback.