need feedback on ebayer

johnhickman · Post by **johnhickman** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 9:26 am

This guy's an *SQUEE*, pure and simple. My guess is that the way he lists his descriptions in this incredibly large anoying font makes most people not read it all and then "get" people on the excessive charges. I've been selling stuff on "feebay" since 1998 and while not every buyer has been 100% happy, I always try to be polite and make the situation right. Sometimes you can't make everyone happy no matter what you do, but I digress. His shipping charges are excessive pure and simple.

Check out the shipping on this lot: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 94581&rd=1

$350 !!!!!! for 20,000 baseball cards - I could ship this to Europe via air 2x for this price! Absoultely amazing. And yet some idiot is bidding.......

johnpaulbill · Post by **johnpaulbill** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:55 pm

The third book finally arrived today--via Media Mail, with $1.42 in postage (keep in mind he charges $5-6 per book!), and the book was inbetween two very floppy pieces of USPS priority mailing box pieces, in a manilla envelope. To be very honest I'm quite surprised it survived intact for 19 days in the mail. Don't know why I expected it to be the Dynamic Forces issue, but it isn't. Just a regular copy with a guaranteed for life certificate of authenticity, and the $95.00 sticker on it.

I am still amazed that people can rip us off like this and get away with it. I've sold some books and charged $4 for S&H and felt bad about it, and even sent them in boxes and such.

Everyone just beware and make sure you read the incredibly obnoxious big bold blue print on his auctions.

Hey, I want to know what kind of feedback to leave this fella. I know I can't just write "what an *SQUEE*" in the feedback line, but boy is it tempting. Any suggestions?

COMICKINGS · Post by **COMICKINGS** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:50 pm

JP...leaving any feedback for that *SQUEE* isn't gonna do much.He has 61 negatives out of 2100 positives.That is suckass feedback,and he could care less.There is always gonna be somebody that bids on a risky seller,wins the item cheap,and thinks/hopes they're not gonna get ripped off by a guy with bad feedback.It's 50/50 that your gonna have a good transaction with those type of sellers.I haven't been a buyer on Ebay for my time on here,mainly a seller.But in the last 2 months I have been an active buyer.I have won maybe 60-70 auctions since then and I'd say 10% of the sellers are quick shippers.I have been ripped off for $155 and had to wait 2 months for some posters I won from a guy in Canada....pay attention to the feedback.See if the guy has Paypal guarantee protection...I've learned the hard way & quick that people out there take their sweet *SQUEE* time after getting paid.I have recently opened up a 2nd Ebay account for buying,and I wont hesitate to drop a negative on the jackasses on that account.As a seller I try to be as quick as possible to get the transactions over & done with.Keep everybody happy,but there aren't alot of guys out there that do their business like that. Joey

johnpaulbill · Post by **johnpaulbill** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:25 pm

Joey,
Thanks for the good advice. It's pretty much what I had come up with anyway. And I want to say how much I appreciated purchasing stuff from you, and the fast and well packed shipping (even the extra spider was a very unique addition!not to mention the incredibly cool T-Shirt). Just wish all other sellers out there were as pleasurable to deal with. Thanks again. jp

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:52 am

johnpaulbill wrote: Everyone just beware and make sure you read the incredibly obnoxious big bold blue print on his auctions.

Frankly, I never would have bidded on one of his auctions simply because of the format of his listings. In my opinion, if a seller uses a huge, colored, all caps, one paragraph description then I usually figure that seller to be an idiot.

If my eyes can't stand his description, then chances are he is just as obnoxious as a person and I don't want to deal with him - No matter how great of a deal it is. Guess my assumption is right in this case. Just my two cents.

johnpaulbill · Post by **johnpaulbill** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 7:06 pm

I left him neutral feedback on the 3rd book, and positive for the first two books. He did not leave anything until I posted the third feedback, then gave me three Negative feedbacks as follows:

<BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS EBAY BUYER! WATCH THAT HE CHANGES TERMS!
Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2272094137

<TRIES TO CHANGE TERMS ON MULTIPLE AUCTIONS! NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS HERE!

Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2272094131

<DOES NOT WISH TO FOLLOW TERMS OF AUCTIONS, CLEARLY STATED BUT CAN COMPLAIN LOUD!
Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2271380860

WTF!?

I paid the *SQUEE* the money he wanted, and then he got mad when I complained that he didn't send me all the books I paid for. And, yes, I did ask them to combine shipping--figured it couldn't hurt, you know! HELP!!!!! What can I do? (besides never buy anything from him again?) I've never received anything bad from anybody. I don't know what to do.

And I received an email from a new person:

<What are you saying? You leave us an ugly feedback when you did get the book that was sent? I told youy very nicely it was shipped. Somehow USPS did not deliver the book on time. Did you notice a postmark? This book shipped several weeks back because we have been closed for the past 2 weeks. I did not appreciate your feedback and have left you negatives. I am sorry that it came down to this. Also, we will block your eBay account so you wil not be able to bid further on our auctions.

Thank-you,
Mandy @ Vanderbooks

I have seen several of their feedback "mutually removed," but don't know how to do that. On top of this, looking at the signature on the book, it doesn't match any of his other signatures that I have and I haven't been able to find any on ebay that look like it, either.

Any suggestions? jp

Wizard of Utopia · Post by **Wizard of Utopia** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:00 am

Try writing him a reasonable letter, & ask him if he's willing to mutually withdraw your feedback to each other. Explain that you had no problems with the first two books, & it was unfair for them to counter your positive remarks with their negative ones. It's worth a try. Good luck!

Chuck · Post by **Chuck** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 1:59 am

Hey johnpaulbill,

Man, that vanderbooksauctions is a total PHUC!

Sorry, I can't offer any suggestions.

However, vanderbooksauctions should be on a VALIANT.COM BLACK LIST (new thread E-BAY BLACK LIST). They are certainly on my BLACK LIST.

johnpaulbill · Post by **johnpaulbill** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:07 pm

And to top it all off, I received an email this morning (Sunday), after I added comments to the feedback I had received and given (which I probably shouldn't have done, but OH WELL--he *SQUEE* me off, you know). Can they threaten me with the law for their mess-up? Here it is:

27 November 2004
John-

I am the owner of the business and none of my responses to you were ugly in any manner. They are all on file.

After reviewing the situation I was going to remove all 3 comments for you until I read your e-mail and saw the follow-ups you have left. Due to your lies regarding these transactions and the fact that you stated a signed book was never received that sells for $25.00 now unsigned, we will not remove any of the negative feedback.

You were trying to steal something from us and I do not appreciate it. If you did not agree with our shipping and HANDLING fees, you should not have placed any bids. I certainly do not appreciate you trying to get a refund when all along you had the Batman #608 signed book.

Keep the books you won and have received in full, the negative feedback's and your personal trashy comments to yourself in the future.

This will be your only warning not to contact myself or any members of our company (28+ years!)by e-mail, phone, mail or any other means. If you fail to honor our request we will notify the authorities in your area through our corporate attorney and file charges against you for harassment. This is our final e-mail regarding this situation with you.Do not
e-mail use back again.

Thank-you,
Gregory @ Vanderbooks
(Owner, President & CEO)

cc:Buncombe County Sheriff's Dept. {Bobby Medford}
eBay SafeHarbor & Powerseller Rep (Jane Alexander)
Corporate Attorney for Vanderbooks (Larry Elmore)

Here's what I wrote him prior to this email:

Mandy,

Hi. I have not heard from you before. I've been dealing with a Gregory person, and he has been quite hateful to me via email. I find the feedback you left for me totally inappropriate, and you need to change your feedback you gave me. I paid you what you wanted as stated in your auctions. It is not my fault that your people were unable to get my order correct the first time, and I shouldn't have had to wait as long as I did for the third book to be sent. It should have been sent without the hateful emails I received from this Gregory fellow (I have them if you are interested).

I paid you, and he were an *SQUEE* to deal with. I left you positive feedback on the first two books that arrived in a timely manner. I should have left you negative feedback on the third, but chose to leave it neutral just to be nice. I do not appreciate you leaving me 3 negatives for me over your businesses' screw-up. You should really treat your customers better. You have several valid complaints against you and I can see why.

In regards to the shipping and time. For $5 shipping and handling for each book, I expected more than flimsly cardboard in an envelope sent via Media Mail. For $5 for each book, I, as a consumer, expect a well-packaged book in a box sent either Priority or First Class mail.

Also, I have a question about the signature on this book. It does not look like any of the other signatures of Jim Lee I have or have found on the internet. It comes with your "Certificate of authenticity" and has a Jack Hayes's name as your representative on it. I also have a question as to how you can say it retails for $95 at your store, when the Dynamic Forces book only sells in the $20 range? Sorry, but that's just crazy pricing.

Mandy, I'm sorry you feel my remarks were not nice, when in fact they were very nice considering. Being blocked from your ebay account really isn't a big deal since I won't buy anything from you again anyway. About the postmark (Nov. 5)--back to the whole $5 for Media Mail?--this should have been sent out ASAP via much faster mail to make the customer happy.

Please respond. John

I wasn't out of line, was I? Now he has posted that I tried to get a refund? I have no idea where that even has come from. He even said I wouldn't return an item--once again, I have no idea what he is talking about. And on top of their lies, I can't even reply on eBay to them. Arrgghhh! What a holiday weekend, this has turned out to be! jp

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:30 pm

Man what a bummer.

Sounds like they have no legal means to go after you (yeah, I'm really scared by the CC to the sheriff

), but it might be better to just drop the dude from memory and move on. It all depends on how much of a commitment you want to make to a struggle.

Some people will kick and scream over every last little detail, and even if you eventualy hammer them into submission the whole thing can be such a pain in the *SQUEE* that it ain't worth it.

Thanks for the warning, though.

tssgery · Post by **tssgery** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:39 pm

what an *SQUEE*.

I haven't looked, but is there some way to block sellers? I'd like to never see this guys listings when I do a search...

Eric Jackson · Post by **Eric Jackson** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:42 pm

we could all write him and tell him the way he handled this is BS and that we won't be buying from him. Since he doesn't want to hear from you anymore, we can let him know. I will certainly not be buying from him, but i'll let him know that as well.

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:00 pm

johnpaulbill wrote:I left him neutral feedback on the 3rd book, and positive for the first two books. He did not leave anything until I posted the third feedback, then gave me three Negative feedbacks as follows:

<BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS EBAY BUYER! WATCH THAT HE CHANGES TERMS!
Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2272094137

<TRIES TO CHANGE TERMS ON MULTIPLE AUCTIONS! NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS HERE!
Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2272094131

<DOES NOT WISH TO FOLLOW TERMS OF AUCTIONS, CLEARLY STATED BUT CAN COMPLAIN LOUD!
Seller vanderbooksauctions(vanbooks@aol.com) ( 2078) Nov-27-04 14:54 2271380860

WTF!?

I paid the *SQUEE* the money he wanted, and then he got mad when I complained that he didn't send me all the books I paid for. And, yes, I did ask them to combine shipping--figured it couldn't hurt, you know! HELP!!!!! What can I do? (besides never buy anything from him again?) I've never received anything bad from anybody. I don't know what to do.

And I received an email from a new person:

<What are you saying? You leave us an ugly feedback when you did get the book that was sent? I told youy very nicely it was shipped. Somehow USPS did not deliver the book on time. Did you notice a postmark? This book shipped several weeks back because we have been closed for the past 2 weeks. I did not appreciate your feedback and have left you negatives. I am sorry that it came down to this. Also, we will block your eBay account so you wil not be able to bid further on our auctions.

Thank-you,
Mandy @ Vanderbooks

I have seen several of their feedback "mutually removed," but don't know how to do that. On top of this, looking at the signature on the book, it doesn't match any of his other signatures that I have and I haven't been able to find any on ebay that look like it, either.

Any suggestions? jp

Welcome to my world.

I deal with this kind of nonsense all the time.

These are just nasty, vicious, evil people and the BEST thing to do would be to walk away, while you have your dignity intact. Respond to the negatives, respond to YOUR feedback left for them, and then be done with it.

And then, JPB...ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read EVERYTHING before bidding.

You can mutually agree to withdraw feedback through Squaretrade. But they're masters at it, obviously.

A solution? Well, SOME might suggest a bullet in all of their heads...quick, clean, painless, over in a second.

People like this are vicious, and exist only to do harm to others, while enriching themselves at other people's expense.

It's like putting down rabid dogs. Their only purpose at that point is to do harm, and that makes no sense.

No, of course *I* am not advocating that this actually be done, I'm just suggesting that in a world where people like this are allowed to operate, to continually harm others to their benefit (they left THREE negs after TWO positives AND a neutral) it would be better if they were put down.

Extreme?

Well, if you think this is the WORST they do...I'd say it probably doesn't even come close. It's not just ONE event...it's years and years of nastiness piled one on top of the other.

Nasty, nasty, vicious people. Sigh.

JPB...there are other ways to make their lives difficult, but that would require compromising YOUR integrity, so I wouldn't suggest those routes, either. Not that I haven't DONE them, I just wouldn't SUGGEST them.

Let's just hope these people get what they so richly deserve....good OR bad....

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 3:14 pm

Even though they say you can not report the to eBay you are within your right to file a complaint with square trade. I would stop emailing them and try to resolve it through eBay only. They seller can not prevent you from using eBays system.

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:07 pm

x-omatic is correct. Use square-soft or whatever that system is with eBay where you can make your complaints. File as never recieving the book despite paying your money. I'm pretty sure when they look at his feedback versus yours, you will win the arguement hands down.

How do you block sellers so I can make vanhaderbooks my first customer?

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:29 pm

And the nonsense about 'harassment' is baloney, meant to scare and intimidate people into cowing to their bullshite. Not only is it NOT illegal to try and resolve a dispute between two parties, you have the RIGHT and the OBLIGATION to...also, in the US Justice system, a person or entity does NOT have the right to comment and then DEMAND a response not be given.

Doesn't work that way.

That they make up those names and call them 'lawyer' and 'sheriff' just reveals the depths to which they are willing to sink to get people to do what they want.

EVEN IF those people exist, law enforcement and their 'corporate lawyer' are NOT going to want their time wasted with such nonsense. At the VERY least, he is lying and misrepresenting himself, because HE CANNOT BE A POWERSELLER. Therefore, implying that he has 'sent e-mail' to a 'Powerseller rep' and is therefore a Powerseller himself is misrepresentation at the VERY least.

It makes you want to scream, I know...hell, it makes ME want to scream, and I'm not even involved....but hey, that's what injustice does to me.

And don't you just LOVE that UTTERLY NONSENSICAL 'you are blocked from bidding on our auctions in the future' line? Talk about petty....what person in their right mind would BID on these fools' garbage AFTER THIS?

It's meaningless, and only serves as a petty barb. These people are just VICIOUS, NASTY, NASTY people...I mean, that comment about 'I WAS going to remove those 3 negatives'...the guy CANNOT 'remove' negatives, ONLY EBAY CAN. What kind of CRACK is he smoking?? Come ON.

I would write back, JPB, and tell them you are pursuing legal action against them for libel, defamation, and improper use of eBay's feedback system, tell them you're getting a lawyer...and then be done with it. Oh...also tell them that they are blocked from sending you further communication, and if they wish to do so, they will be in violation of USA Code 793-B, which states that continued harassment by a vendor who has failed to provide restitution regarding a dispute can be considered a felony, and they can be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

(no, it doesn't, but it sure sounds impressive, huh? Just make sure you use the 'A'.

)

Also, make sure you mention that accusing someone of theft is also a violation, and cause you severe emotional distress, for which you will be seeking punitive damage.

One last thing...everyone with an eBay account, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE report this guy for misrepresenting himself as a Powerseller. This is against eBay policy, and if a LOT of people do it, they might get around to doing something about it...and with 400 eBay accounts saying something....well, who knows.

johnpaulbill · Post by **johnpaulbill** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:16 am

Hey guys! So far I've reported them to eBay for Excessive S&H, and for improperly stating they are an eBay Power Seller. Heck, I even contacted one of the Sheriff's deputy's (the sheriff is a real person, even). I even spent a good deal of time emailing other people who have had similar incidents with VanBooks in the past and have heard from one so far and he just confirmed my dealings with them.

If the rest of you want to inundate them with email complaining about them, please feel free!

:x