cat slave diary

Well, I’ve just had my first experience with eBay of being kicked in the teeth for being honest. I’ve been a member for six years, and until last week, I maintained a perfect 100% reputation basically by being me in all my dealings. Here’s a hint - it’s simply not worth it as eBay will not back you up when the going gets tough.

A woman wins one of my four auctions last week. She bid several times on a table setting, comes to my place, asks to measure the table in a lame effort to prove that the table is smaller than I said in the listing, and says she doesn’t want it as it’s too narrow and she likes to spread out. She then leaves.

Sorry lady, on eBay, like all auction houses, if you bid on it and you win it, you own it. So I leave her negative feedback for abandoning the sale:

Refused item even though exactly as described and as per photos. Not recommended

She then leaves negative feedback for me, but in her case, she lied:

item failed to meet description. do not recommend, waste of time

This is a laugh as:

0) the description is accurate (8 seat table with 6 chairs). The table can seat eight if you must, but six is about right.
a) the description of the condition is accurate (as new, with minor dints from regular use)
b) there’s photos of the item including a photo of the only chair which has (cleanable) marks
c) there’s accurate measurements in the questions area five days before the auction ended for all to read

I complain to eBay. They suggest asking her to withdraw the feedback. I do so, even though I know she wont. She didn’t. I complain again to eBay. They tell me that due to US law, they can’t remove even slanderous postings. Sorry fellas, Gutnick proved that Victoria, Australia defamation law trumps US defamation law. All the way to the High Court. eBay have a responsibility to deter and remove slanderous postings when they occur, and not hide behind some lame interpretation of US law which simply doesn’t apply here.

So what’s eBay’s final offer? Ask the liar who didn’t pay for her winnings to mutually withdraw the negative feedback. I’m loathed to do this as a poor rating is a good warning to other sellers / buyers that all is not well with that person. But I want my 100% back for exactly the same reason, and I’m buggered if I’m going to pay some shiny arse lawyer $20k or more to get a clean eBay account again through winning a defamation case.

Six years of being “me” down the drain.

So if you want to be treated nice at eBay - shit all over the other sellers. There’s nothing that eBay will do to you. At all. eBay is not the good guy’s friend. do not recommend, waste of time.