Nonpaying bidders on eBay. *grumble*
I haven't had to deal with this problem in some years -- the last time was when I listed some BMW parts for Dario a few years ago, and the winning bidder didn't pay. Now it's starting to look like I've got two auctions completed with nonpaying bidders. Both of the winners have zero feedback (big surprise).
This is a pain in the ass. I wonder whether I should start putting in my item descriptions that I won't accept bids from anyone with less than a ten rating, or something like that. I'd rather not, because it makes me look like a jerk, but nonpaying bidders are a real hassle.
On the upside, this big collection of chai (which I bought from a good seller on eBay, btw) is a lot of fun. Currently, I'm experimenting with mixing vanilla and various fruit flavors -- half vanilla, half banana is a very nice one. It tastes kind of like a banana split. Peach is OK. I don't care for raspberry very much. I think next, I'm going to experiment with mixing chocolate and the fruit flavors. Chocolate and banana sounds like a nice combination. Chocolate and peach sounds a bit more iffy. :^)
Posted by Zathras at August 20, 2003 03:28 PMI admit I'm a little confused at the idea of alternately-flavored chai. Isn't half the point of drinking chai the taste? Or does it still taste like chai, just with mild mixing of other flavors...?
Posted by: Moggy at August 20, 2003 06:05 PMFlavored tea is like flavored coffee -- it's an alternative to "straight" tea. The other flavors enhance the underlying flavor of the tea or coffee (which is still there, as you were wondering). Not everyone likes it, of course; I knew a guy back in Honolulu who loved coffee, but wouldn't drink flavored coffee because "If I wanted the taste of chocolate, I'll drink hot chocolate instead of coffee." It's just a matter of preference.
For my own part, I usually find straight chai a little too bland -- of the various types I've tried, I prefer vanilla, chocolate, and banana, or some combination thereof. I've also tried raspberry and peach but don't care for them all that much. Once in a while, I'll have just regular spice, too, though.
Posted by: Zathras at August 20, 2003 06:42 PMDespite the fact that I've been a dedicated customer for about 2 yrs., I just got rejected from working at my local Borders :(
No Chai for me of any kind for awhile...
Posted by: Shaw at August 20, 2003 09:35 PMAre you going to give the two non-paying bidders negative feedback?
I have heard if you give negative feedback, the other person often gives you negative feedback in retaliation.
I don't have much of a 'reputation' with only one feedback, but it is something I worry about.
Posted by: Matt at August 23, 2003 04:05 AMI've left negative feedback two or three times on eBay (out of about 60 or so transactions) in the past. Nobody I complained about did anything vindictive. All but one had zero feedback to begin with, so most likely they created another ID to start over.
I left negative feedback for one of my deadbeats last Wednesday, after several email exchanges with him. He hasn't responded. The other person finally wrote back saying that there had been a fire in her house and that she was going to pay for her auction this weekend after they were able to move back into the house. (?) Sounds like a fishy story... the only reason I'm giving it any credence is that her feedback rating is 127 with no negatives. Then again, I've been burned by people with higher feedbacks than that before... I remember one woman, in particular, whose feedback was something like 300, then she apparently decided to start a whole bunch of auctions, collect the money, and vanish. Nine or ten people all filed complaints about her within the space of a couple of weeks... she vanished, no one knows what happened, and she's no longer a registered eBay user.
I've also heard that some people will spitefully leave negative feedback, and I suppose it probably does happen, since much of the human race are, after all, jerks. It just hasn't happened to me, and if it ever does, I'll let my eBay record speak for itself (I'll also post a reply saying that the person is merely abusing the feedback forum).
Posted by: Zathras at August 26, 2003 10:39 AMThanks - I have a non-paying bidder (on my very first auction), and have been ruminating about what to do.
Posted by: Matt at August 28, 2003 01:38 PM