I JUST COMPLETED ONE OF MY MORE CHALLENGING AUCTIONS - MY MOTHER'S PIANO. SHE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF IT. IT WOULD BE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THIS PIANO WAS IN "LIKE NEW" CONDITION. I COULD NOT SEE HER PARTING WITH IT FOR LESS THAN $1300.00.

SOME RESEARCH AND TWO FAILED AUCTIONS COMPELLED ME TO DROP THE PRICE TO $999 AND RUN IT AS A BUY IT NOW OR BEST OFFER AUCTION. WITHIN THREE DAYS, A WOMAN HAD PURCHASED THE PIANO FOR THE ASKING PRICE. AFTER ENDLESS PHONE CALLS WITH THIS BUYER (WHO WAS NOT THE BRIGHTEST PENNY IN THE FOUNTAIN), AFTER CLAIMING THAT HER PAYPAL ACCOUNT WASN'T WORKING AND PROMISING TO MAIL A MONEY ORDER, SHE CALLED TO TELL ME THAT SHE DIDN'T REALIZE IT WOULD COST SO MUCH TO MOVE A PIANO. THEREFORE, SHE WOULD NOT BE PURCHASING IT. WHEN I TOLD HER THAT SHE ALREADY PURCHASED IT, SHE SAID SHE WAS SORRY, AND SHE HUNG UP! THAT WAS A FEATURED ITEM AD SHE STOPPED WHEN SHE MADE HER "PURCHASE" AND I WAS NOW OUT 25 BUCKS! DEMON BITCH FROM HELL!

I FILED AN UNPAID ITEM CHARGE AND LEFT HER NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. I HOPE SHE CRIES.

SO I RAN THE AD AGAIN AND THIS TIME A LOCAL GUY NAMED JORGE RESPONDED BY PURCHASING THE PIANO. THIS GUY JERKED ME AROUND QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE PICK UP APPOINTMENT AND HE SEEMED TO BE SUFFERING THE SAME "STICKER SHOCK" OVER THE COST OF MOVING A PIANO. HOWEVER, HE HAD ALREADY PAID VIA PAYPAL SO I FIGURED HE WAS SERIOUS. THEN WHEN WE FINALLY MEET AT MY MOTHER'S, HE CALLS ME ON THE WAY AND TELLS ME THAT HE MAY NOT TAKE THE PIANO IF HE DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN HE SEES IT. I TOLD HIM HE'D BETTER COME UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD REASON FOR NOT TAKING A MINT CONDITION PIANO FOR $999 AND THAT HE'D BETTER NOT JERK ME AROUND. HE ASSURED ME THAT HE WAS A SERIOUS BUYER.

I TOOK HIM IN TO SEE THE PIANO, AND HE LOVED IT. I WAS RELIEVED. WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MOVE. WHEN HE ARRIVED ON MOVING DAY, MY MOTHER WAS HOME. I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED WHEN MY MOM INVITED HIM IN TO HAVE DINNER WITH US, BUT THEN CONSIDERED IT A NICE GESTURE ON HER PART. MY MOM AND HE DISCUSSED THE PIANO'S CARE OVER DINNER. AS HE LEFT WITH THE MOVERS, HE KISSED MY MOM GOODBYE.

MISSION ACCCOMPLISHED - AND POWER SELLER STATUS!

HEY EVERYONE,

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE WRITTEN! I'VE GOT A LOT OF NEW ITEMS ON AUCTION SO CHECK THEM OUT!

ANYONE REMEMBER MY DISPUTE WITH WAN-DUH?

WAN-DUH IS THE IDIOT WHO COULD NOT COMPLETE THE INK CARTRIDGE TRANSACTION  WITH ME.   YOU SEE...WAN-DUH FOLLOWS THE "ASS BACKWARDS" BUSINESS MODEL. FIRST SHE WINS AN ITEM....THEN SHE BEGINS TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE.  DUMB.

 SHE LEFT ME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK SO I HAD TO LAUGH WHEN I NOTICED THAT SHE RECENTLY RECEIVED MORE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.

IT IS FROM ANOTHER ONE OF HER POOR VICTIMS.

THIS TIME, SHE SOLD DANGEROUS, RUSTY OLD BABY PRODUCTS TO UNSUSPECTING PARENTS.

 THOSE POOR KIDS!

DAMN THAT WAN-DUH!

WON'T ANYONE STOP HER?

I've met some interesting buyers during my time on eBay, but my interactions with a person called Wanda is the nadir of my experience.

Recently, I put a bundle of 8 color-ink printer cartridges up for auction. I think I started with a minimum bid of $12.99. Each was in a sealed foil package, The morning after the auction closed, I opened a Question from Wanda regarding their expiration date, which she sent on December 29th at 9:29 PM. The auction closed at 19:18:53.PST that same day. I checked the expiration dates and was disappointed to see that they were expired by 6 months. Wanda already had bid $14 + change and won the auction. I explained this to Wanda she began posing additional questions and pressing for a price break. Since I know that cartridges are typically good beyond the exp.date, I was not inclined to lower the price.

In the interest of good faith, I told her that she did not have to buy the cartridges, and I sent a Second Chance Offer to another bidder who had bid 13+change. This bidder also had purchased a similar bundle of black-ink cartridges on the same day. She immediately responded to thank me and accepted. After she explained that she was a work-from-home mom who really needed them, she asked if I would combine shipping for the two bundles. I was happy to go a step further and gave her free shipping on the color cartridges. I felt good about the deal.

Shortly thereafter, Wanda resurfaced with a message saying she is now ready to buy. I told her that the cartridges were no longer available.

To be continued…

Read the bizarre conclusion in my next entry, “A Nut Called Wanda”.

Hey Simpson's Fans,

 According to last week's episode of The Simpsons, Gil was homeless and Homer told Marge that he only made $6000 a year. So how the hell do Marge, Homer, Bart, and Lisa end up living in a new house with Gil? Who paid for the house? 

Leonardo447