Strange ebay experience...

[Super8er]

Hello all,

I'll try to keep this short... it'll either be epically boring or mildly entertaining. This is not card related, by the way, but I don't know if anyone has had a similar experience on ebay. Mods, feel free to move this if its in the wrong place.

FYI... I have been on ebay 10 years, 100% feedback, not a power-seller-type but never any problems except for one card-related one I documented on here a few weeks ago. Here goes...

I placed this item on ebay for auction...

KODAK MINI HD CAMCOERDER VIDEO CAMERA WITH 2GB MICRO SD CARD 0004177182210 | eBay

It is a small camcorder that is exactly what is described in my description (below the stock ebay description).

Sells immediately with BIN. Next morning the buyer emails me and says "Sorry, I just realized I can't afford this and I will not be paying for it." He's not even polite or apologetic about it.

Awesome. So I don't bother filing a claim (lesson learned), relist it and on the last day it gets three bids and sells. Next day, an email from the new winner... almost the exact same thing. "Sorry, I just realized I'm overdrawn and can't afford this. Sorry!"

Super-awesome. This item is just something I was getting rid of, not desperately trying for fast cash, and I'm frustrated, but not impatient. So, I've never done the 'second chance' thing and decide to give it a try. Two days later, it sells with the 'second chance' offer. Buyer pays almost immediately, I ship the item safely and securely, mark as shipped, and sit back and wait for the feedback. I get a positive today, but the description says this...

"Poor communication, best item as described, fast shipping"

Huh? I'm starting to think this is a cursed item... Okay, so I misspelled the word 'camcorder.' Are the ebay gods cursing me for that? So anyhoo... I check out the buyer's own page to see what he/she is selling and I come across this...

Kodak Mini HD 128 MB Camcorder - Purple 0004177182210 | eBay

Double Huh? My photos, my EXACT description... I don't even know if this item went up before or after they got my item!

I guess the only thing I'm upset about is the somewhat false-positive I got in feedback. And that the feedback doesn't make any sense.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I know of flipping cards but, uh, this is a cheap crappy camcorder. Not too much profit to be made there. Any reason for the odd feedback or the turning around to resell so fast?

Thanks for reading.

[dthimesch]

I am thinking the buyer was thinking of a different item or was thinking he was leaving feedback for a different item. Idk the feedback really is not all that bad if you ask me.

[checkoutmydeals]

I agree that the item is cursed, and you don't want it back.

Your buyer doesn't have a history of leaving that type of feedback for other sellers. It looks like a one-off deal.

My best guess is that they don't want the item, for whatever reason. Either they misread the description and thought they were getting something different, or they don't really need a camcorder and didn't realize it until after they placed the order.

But, instead of having to ask you for a refund and then ship the item back to you and lose return postage and who knows what else, they decided that, since they sell stuff on eBay anyway, they would just try to resell it and get most or all of their money back. But since they don't want to put that much effort into it, they just thieved your picture / description, probably figuring that you're not going to use it anyway.

I would bet double or nothing that English is not their primary language. It seems likely that they feel partially responsible for the mix up.

I seem to vaguely recall that the boilerplate email that eBay sends with "Second Chance Offers" is very strange - bordering on outright hostility. eBay had many problems in the past with people sending fake Second Chance Offers to underbidders (this is the primary reason why 3rd parties can't see the actual names of the underbidders). So "Second Chance Offer" has been treated as a red-headed stepchild by eBay. eBay emails related to Second Chance Offers read like they were written by a committee - half the members of which want to congratulate the buyer and seller for taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity, and the other half who view the parties in a Second Chance Offer as potentially a bunch of thieving crooks who would slit their Grandmother's throat for a dime.

[scqg]

most probably the positive feedback was a "consolation" for the buyer's stupid mistake hoping it will make you less pissed off.

[XL5]

Originally Posted by checkoutmydeals

My best guess is that they don't want the item, for whatever reason. Either they misread the description and thought they were getting something different, or they don't really need a camcorder and didn't realize it until after they placed the order.

They're obviously flipping it. $20 starting with $10 shipping. If it sells, worst case they make a few bucks. Doesn't seem like it's worth their time but it doesn't seem like they're just unloading it.