eBay SNAFU

[jronald]

OK so a month ago, I listed a really nice T30 on the bay
IBM T30 2366-81U
Quite possibly one of IBMs best made laptops.Built specifically for business road warriors, this corporate class IBM ThinkPad is a thin, light notebook that will help you get the job done. It features a battery-easy 1.8 GHz Pentium 4-M for great battery life while away from the power grid and the Windows XP Professional OS. Weighing just about 6 pounds and measuring 1.5 inches tall, this notebook also features a 40 GB hard drive, 1 gig of installed RAM, a bright 14.1-inch screen, a removable CD-RW- DVD-ROM drive and an award winning Intel 2200bg Wireless Card! The wireless card is ON-BOARD and is not sticking out of the side, getting in your way.



Screen, Graphics and Sound
Video and graphics are powered by the ATI RADEON 7500 card (AGP 4x) with 16 MB of video RAM, which provides a maximum resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels on the 14.1-inch screen and 2048 x 1536 pixels on an external monitor. It also features an integrated Sound Blaster 16/Pro-compatible audio card with headphone and microphone jacks.

Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The T30 is loaded with just about everything you could ever need!

* 2 USB 1.1 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
* 1 VGA monitor port
* 1 Serial port
* 1 Parallel port
* 1 infrared port
* 1 S-Video out
* 2 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
* 1 headphone jack
* 1 microphone jack

It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Gigabit Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).And as a bonus, it even has a Intel 2200BG wireless card installed!

Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Professional Edition, this is the official IBM edition, and the restore partition is on the Hard Drive, if you ever want to or need to use it. Of course the OS is up to date, and using the Recovery Partition will require quite a bit of work on your part to get the OS back up to date.

The system comes with AVAST Anti-Virus, this is the free edition that works very well for most personal use. If you are using this laptop on a corporate network we strongly recommend you check with your IT Department for their recommendations.

This system comes with ThinkVantage Update 3.14, it will keep your IBM software update.

This system comes with Office 2003, and includes Access, Excel, InfoPath, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.

This system comes with Notebook Hardware Control, this is an outstanding very small program that keeps a tab on all things Laptop-ish, including extending the battery life!

This system comes with Clementine Music Player possibly the best open source music player on the planet.

Dimensions and Weight
Perfect for portability, the T30 weighs 5.7 pounds and measures 12 x 9.85 x 1.5 inches (WxDxH).

Power
It's powered by a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that has up to a 3.2-hour battery life. Sorry battery life can not be guaranteed. It also includes the Ultrabay 2000 auxiliary battery!

What's in the Box
This package contains the IBM T30 2366-81U seller reconditioned notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and AC adapter. It also includes an extra Ub2k battery mentioned above, an Ub2k Floppy Drive

What you get

IBM T30 2366-81U, Primary Battery, Secondary Battery, CD-RW/DVD Drive, Floppy Drive, Power Supply and Cord




Use the Buy It Now button

And we will sweeten the deal! By using the Buy It Now Button, we will throw in the 2366 Docking Station! This is the Mac Daddy of docking stations and will allow you to add many, many extra peripherals to your system. See below:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkPad_Dock

Pass-through connection to all ThinkPad system ports
RJ-11 and RJ-45 mini-PCI card architecture support from ThinkPad notebook
Power Supply on board, to recharge your batteries
Industry Standard half-size PCI slot
Two Type I, two Type II or one Type III PC CardBus slots
Plug and Play (dynamic reconfiguration and hot/warm docking)
Line-out: Stereo mini jack 3.5 mm
Line-in: Stereo mini jack 3.5 mm
Ultrabay 2000 slot
PC card slot: Two Type I, two Type II or one Type III CardBus card
PCI slots: Three 32-bit PCI BUS connectors

* This item supports :
* ThinkPad A Series ** 2628, 2629, 2633 All
Thinkpad A20, A21, A22, A30, A31 except A21e and A22e models
ThinkPad T Series 2647, 2648 All
Thinkpad T20, T21, T22, T23, T30
ThinkPad X Series 2660, 2661, 2662 All
Thinkpad X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X30, X31

Docking Station will be shipped separately and may not arrive at the same time. Laptop and accessories may be shipped in separate boxes, and may not arrive at the same time.

Reserve Price
After watching eBay for several months, I have placed a very, very reasonable reserve price on this system. Trying to snipe it for less than $100.00 in the last 30 seconds of the auction will not work. I'm not giving the thing away. Its a huge value at the reserve I have set. Good Luck!
Other Notes
Upon final inspection, it has been noted that the Docking Station door on the bottom of the laptop is missing. As this is 100% cosmetic, and does not effect the use of the laptop in any form or function, we have reduced the reserve price to more than compensate for the door. To repair the door would require the motherboard to be removed. Don't turn the laptop upside down, and you will never see it is missing! Laptop contains normal signs of use, stickers on the palmrest and the keyboard look brand new! If you would like, we will send the docking station door with the laptop, of course please wait to install the door till after the warranty period is over. We mark/secure all parts to protect both the customer and ourselves from fraud!

Some jerk-off did the Buy it Now, then gave me the run around and I ended up filing a no pay against him.

New Day! New way, same laptop!
So I list it again. Below you will see an email trail:

First email
Dear jronaldrose,
I have purchased the following from you on eBay. Please send me an invoice with the total amount that I owe you.
Thank You,
XXXXX
Click to send an invoice to the buyer.
Item # Item Title Quantity Price Amount
280677794074 IBM T30 Laptop plus Accessories 1 $162.50 $162.50
I would like to have the item shipped to the address below:
AXXXXX WXXX
5173 WXXXXX Rd
# XXX
SXX DXXXX, CA 92120-2705 United States


Second email:
Dear jronaldrose,
Mr. Rose, first I want to clarify, that though this is my responsibility, I am hoping for your understanding. I was away yesterday and when I opened my emails last night I saw ebay's "auction won" notice. It was traced back to my teenage son who did not have my permission to bid through my account. Though I understand this is my problem, I ask for your understanding since I do not have $162.00 I wish I could make my son accountable for his errors by having him deal directly with them, but it would not solve this matter. Please respond with your thoughts, and again I apologize with all sincerity.
- XXXXX

Third email:
Dear jronaldrose,
Good afternoon,
I am hopeful you saw the email I sent you last night, please respond with your thoughts. I cannot tell you how embarrassing this is for me, and do not want any trouble. This is a lot of money for me, otherwise I would have immediately resolved this matter.
- XXXXX

OK
I have traded with a bunch of you fine fellows, overall I consider myself a reasonable person. The fact that I have sold this laptop twice, and still have not been paid a dime for it, is not really the point. Considering for a moment only the attached emails, what should I do? I have been pondering this all day, and frankly Im not inclined to cut him a break. Im not aware of anywhere that you can go and buy things at a auction and say Oopsie, er' maybe not.

Your thoughts?
Ron

[killer]

Good grief, all this fuss over USD 162.50. If I were to be p!ssed about by someone for GBP 100 I would ignore it as it isn't worth the aggrevation.

All the same, I feel sorry for you and I can understand your frustration. The world is full of people that bid and cannot pay ... and children that abuse their parents' kindness.

Solution for the parents: a good lecture to the child, then no dinner, an early night, disconnection of mobile phone, and then no internet access for six weeks.

In my youth I would have been caned for behaviour like that. I don't support corporal punishment but hanging, drawing, and quartering might resolve the problem.

[ArtShapiro]

... overall I consider myself a reasonable person. The fact that I have sold this laptop twice, and still have not been paid a dime for it, is not really the point. Considering for a moment only the attached emails, what should I do? I

Well, as you asked for opinions:

I realize a T30 isn't a hot commodity these days, and you're probably delighted to be able to sell it. But if the guy's "story" is true, and it probably is, I'd personally cut the guy a break if he agrees to pay the relisting fees and any eBay / PalPal charges that you incur from what they recognize as a sale. You might also inquire what he's doing to prevent his wretched little tax deduction from doing this again.

Yeah, nice guys finish last, but it just seems too minor an amount to put the bamboo under the guy's fingernails.

Art

[jronald]

I have a 9 year old myself, so Im more than a little creative with punishment.
I dont go for corporal punishment, but at 46 years old, as a kid my Father had NO issues with a whack of the belt on my butt! Normally I deserved it!

For my uonder boi, its no computer/TV/DSi/BB gun, Bow and arrow or restriction to the "yard" proper. Just mention to him that he cant go to the creek on the back of the property and normally, he will straighten up and fly right.

Ron

[jronald]

I have given the the 3rd place bidder a 2nd chance offer.

Ron

[ajkula66]

Do you now understand why I shut down my eBay account? Excuses, excuses, excuses...apart from other stuff...

BTW, you can set the "Buy It Now" option to require immediate payment...that takes care of a variety of unpleasant surprises.

[fefrie]

I stopped selling on ebay once I realized what a high percentage they took for their 'fees'. Of which I hear now they include shipping prices too.

[RealBlackStuff]

Did you check that person's feedback for any recent purchases?
If he did buy recently (as shown by checking the numbers/dates/prices of the 'feedbacked' items) I would insist on him/her paying.

[ParatoOptimal]

I agree with what others have already said.
Perhaps don't completely throw the book at him but maybe don't let him completely off the hook. Saying that you hope that he sets the kid straight is good. Maybe giving him a complete pass would encourage him to give his kid a complete pass which means it will happen again. He'll tell his kid if I hadn't gotten that nice man to let me off the hook, you'd have hell to pay. That means the kid gets away with it.
On another note, how stupid is the father to leave his ebay userid and password saved in his computer so his kid can just turn it on and bid ... even worse if the father left his laptop on, open, logged into ebay and the door to the room open with a sneaky, dishonest kid in the house.

If you're assessed any fees by ebay for this mess, that father should pay your expenses for letting him off the hook. The guy's story does sound believable. Perhaps let it go and make a note never to sell to his userid again.

[Unknown_K]

Could be the buyer won a better/cheaper laptop and changed his mind, or just didn't have the cash and blames it on the kid. People are quick to come up with excuses for their issues, how many deaths in the family excuses have you heard from ebay sellers who have to be reminded to ship your items?

The only good thing about ebay is bad sellers eventually lose their accounts and have to settle for trolling craigslist (unless they have another credit card and then just get a new ebay name).

[jronald]

What a jerk-wad............................
Im not going to bother to post anymore of his rambling emails, frankly with his "its not MMYYYYY fault" attitude, he could buy a 10 year warranty Thinkpad, and I can guarantee it would not make it through the first 24 hours before it broke down. NOT worth, NOT even. I have canceled the sale.

Geez what a PITA

Ron

[Nigellus]

What a jerk-wad............................
Im not going to bother to post anymore of his rambling emails, frankly with his "its not MMYYYYY fault" attitude,

Actually, assuming his story is true, it was his fault. He failed to properly control his account. Now, I wouldn't try to force the sale, but I would insist on him covering the relisting fees. It was his negligence, not yours that caused the expense (he is not alleging that his password was stolen).

[ZaZ]

Typically, ebay will refund the listing fees in this type of situation.

[AMATX]

Suck it up, learn sumpin' and move on. You'll never know for sure about the 'wayward' kid, so you're left with whatever's the easiest way to mop up the mess.

Have the nopay guy make good on ebay fees, etc. Maybe call ebay to discuss; however, if you do, prune 90% of what you posted above so they don't have to wade through so much. Just the facts.

And, as mentioned above, for buy-it-now, add on the immediate payment option so this kind of situation can't occur.

Contrary to other posts above, ebay isn't all that bad, as a buyer or seller, if you understand and accept it going in. Yes, ebay wants more of a cut than they should get. Yes, there are deadheads out there, but many many more legit types, too.

Just part of the cost of doing business.

I've bought many Thinkpads, computer goodies and a hell of a lot of other stuff off of ebay and it's a very handy way to shop in America's garage sale(America's garbage dump, perhaps? ). I've also sold quite a bit of stuff, and as long as I was detailed and thorough, I had very few issues(did have a problem or two, but got 'em solved OK).