Is there an agenda?

[clubesquire]

Good evening all 🙂

Some questionable seller behaviour you might be able to help me with.....

I have a handful of trusted Chinese based sellers I buy from occasionally. I usually don’t venture beyond them, with other Chinese sellers, because it’s generally a minefield, they’ve proven themselves trustworthy and I don’t buy specifically on price.

But, just recently I did and I’ve run into some rather bizarre behaviour.

Eight days after placing my order I received a message telling me, inter alia, that the seller had been contacted (by someone?)  and my address couldn’t be found so my order was being returned. I did the usual, checked my letter box and PO box for ‘item to be collected’ card, checked with my local PO, distribution centre, local courier etc, but not a sign of anything for me, not being able to be delivered.

I contacted the seller who then refunded me in full and ‘alledgedly’ cancelled the order, although I received no mention of it from eBay. Strange things do happen at times and I had no reason to feel uncomfortable about this seller who is well credentialed. I then I re-ordered after first confirming an alternative address, establishing they had stock, and upon an apology and promise they’d attend on my order immediately.

Five days after placing my second order for the same item I receive the exact same message from the seller, as I received relative to the first order. The penny finally drops (yes I know, I’m not the shiniest of them .... lol),and I thought, hang on, there hasn’t been enough time to process my order and have it arrive in Australia for a failed delivery to occur. Upon reflection, this would also have applied with my first order.

I’ve contacted the seller voicing my concerns over insufficient time lapse for this to have occurred, and veracity. I have since received an apology and monies refunded again. But, the issue of 'the impossible’ and the matter of honesty was not addressed. This time, I’ve received notification from eBay to the affect that the seller wants the order cancelled, because ‘I requested it.’ I’ve not responded (won’t until I receive your advice) yet, and I’ve still not received any similar notification from eBay relative to my first order.

I hope you all can advise .... is there some agenda afoot here? What’s in it for the seller with this type of behaviour? Will/can this somehow reflect badly on my eBay seller account?

Thanks for your valuable time in consideration of this 🙂

Melina.

[lyndal1838]

I suspect the seller is out of stock but does not want to say so because he will get a defect.

He is buying time until he hopefully gets new stock before too many pesky buyers come along wanting the item.

[clubesquire]

Thanks Lyndal. If it’s no more sinister than that, I’ll rest easy.

Obviously no respect for the precious time of others. May one thousand fire ants seek out his private bits and light up his life!!

Melina.

[joztamps]

That thought makes the eyes water.

There really is nothing like a woman scorned is there?

[clubesquire]

Hehe  !!

[countessalmirena]

I had the same thought as Lyndal.

Then I read your reply about the thousand fire ants and the private bits and made a promise to myself to double my vigorous resistance to selling on eBay, still more ever being out of stock of an item!

[stickerswa]

---

@clubesquire wrote:

Thanks Lyndal. If it’s no more sinister than that, I’ll rest easy.

Obviously no respect for the precious time of others. May one thousand fire ants seek out his private bits and light up his life!!

Melina.

---

When it comes to Chinese sellers - I would pay to see that 🙂 

[brerrabbit585]

One has to wonder why they felt the need to lie, unless the person answering isn't the person who processes the orders and the left hand doesn't know what the right hand's doing.

I don't know about the Chinese but in a lot of Asian countries they'll say anything to save losing face. People I knew who used to travel extensively over there said you had to be really careful when asking directions anywhere because they'd just make up something rather than admit they didn't know. Perhaps this is why they lied just before you placed the second order.

[clubesquire]

Yes Brer, it’s quite silly and inconsiderate. He could have just said, ‘ Sorry Melina, a stock issue at present. I can’t help you immediately.’

Rather than the convoluted ‘doesn’t stack up story’ and the inconvenience and time wasting.

He copped a bit of ‘closure’ last night 🙂

All types I guess and another warning about ‘some’ Chinese sellers.

Thanks to you all for settling me once again.

Melina.