Subject: [Harp-L] quick question

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Wish I'd known that, or been that lucky   ;)   when my  singular bad 
experience on EBay was taking place. A woman sold me 4   different keyed 270 hohner 
chromatics.  I paid immediately (via paypal) as  I always do.  
 
She then sent 4 horrifically water damaged, cracked, filthy and unplayable  
chromatics (not remotely as they'd been advertised). I'm still curious  where 
she found the photograph she posted purporting to be the chroms I was  bidding 
on.
 
 When I contacted her she promised my money back upon the  return of the 
chroms.  I asked for a bit more 'security' than that  (since I'd already paid, 
what was to stop her from keeping the chroms (at my  expense of return postage) 
and not refunding any money)?  I needed some  assurance.
 
She then ignored any further correspondence after stalling me for  weeks, so 
I finally took it to the Paypal/EBay resolution group.   They explained that 
the procedure was to hold enough money back from  her account to cover the 
costs (over $120) and I'd be refunded that money  as soon as she got the harps 
back.  I asked several times if there were  sufficient funds in her account to 
cover my purchase...was assured this was the  case,  so packaged them up very 
carefully to send  at my expense  - (return receipt requested as they insisted 
upon). 
 
At first she tried to lie about not having received them  until I proved it 
with the signed return receipt, then paypal gave me  back one THIRD of the 
money  owed..claiming she'd taken money from her account in  the interim, leaving 
insufficient funds, and I could take it or leave it  since there was nothing 
more they could do.  (This after absolutely  promising me  the funds would be 
held for my refund and/or that the  insurance would cover any balance owed). 
 
She then closed her account altogether. At some point, I was  told I was 
lucky to have gotten l/3 back (without even taking into account how  much that had 
been reduced by the extra postage I spent to send the lot  back).
 
So please don't tell me the customer always has all  the edge.  I hadn't run 
into anyone like this before, and  haven't had as bad an experience since 
(outside of gross exaggeration of the  condition of a product), but I can't be the 
only one who was cheated like  this...else there would have been no reason 
for EBay to change the  set-up a year or so ago to further protect consumers. 
 
Elizabeth
 
Message: 12
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:51:17 -0700
From: "Randy  Sandoval" <randyharps@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] quick  question
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <001001c8e721$1c5be2a0$5d3bae43@genesis622356c>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset="Windows-1252"

Hey Dennis,
I havent  missed out on one sale . Most people ask if they can pay me with 
paypal. I  wouldnt touch paypal with a ten foot pole.
Ive had my account hacked twice  and my bank account cleaned out. You would 
be hard pressed to
find a more  insecure form of payment. Read some of the thousands of horror 
stories at www.  paypalsucks.com
And the customer has you by the gonads.He just needs to tell  them he is 
unsatisfied and they
hold up your money, forever. Many people shop  on ebay this  way.
Randy
www.genesisharmonicas.net

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