eBay & Paypal - Policies and Practices

[Room 217 Caretaker]

... I won't post his Abebooks or Ebay contact just yet but sellers like this need to be posted as a warning to stay away from.
...

Ralph, if you choose to identify the seller, here's the thread for it.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope the seller does right by you and refunds your payment.

Thanks for the support everyone. Unfortunately it has taken a turn for the worse. I won't be posting his Ebay or Abebooks name here because of this:

Dear Sir

First, no return of book and no refund. My description of fine/pristine still stands. I've been selling books since 1989 in the California and have never run across an unprofessional buyer like you. You never asked enough questions about the condition before I shipped.

Second, I can tell you are a rookie in the book collecting world. Be careful what you post about me and my business. I will and can go after you for slander. If you want to see what a group of collectors is like my friend (this is the killer here dt.com members and why I'm not posting his info here) why don't you stroll over to www.thedarktower.org and check out the professional collectors there. Learn from them, and consider this to be a $50 lesson in buying etiquette.

R**S (I'm leaving his name off on purpose)

In another Email he mentioned he knows two of the higher end King collectors and recommended I get in touch with them to learn about book grading.

So, I'm just venting here my friends. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. He is right with one thing. I got a $50 lesson in buying. That is, I won't buy from him again. If he knew about my closet and what's in it he would have been very happy to return the book and offer a new one just to get future business. HIS LOSS.

Ralph Mulleins signing off of this issue and moving onto better things and better sellers (picking my coffee cup up from my new coaster)

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[Brice]

... I won't post his Abebooks or Ebay contact just yet but sellers like this need to be posted as a warning to stay away from.
...

Ralph, if you choose to identify the seller, here's the thread for it.

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope the seller does right by you and refunds your payment.

Thanks for the support everyone. Unfortunately it has taken a turn for the worse. I won't be posting his Ebay or Abebooks name here because of this:

Dear Sir

First, no return of book and no refund. My description of fine/pristine still stands. I've been selling books since 1989 in the California and have never run across an unprofessional buyer like you. You never asked enough questions about the condition before I shipped.

Second, I can tell you are a rookie in the book collecting world. Be careful what you post about me and my business. I will and can go after you for slander. If you want to see what a group of collectors is like my friend (this is the killer here dt.com members and why I'm not posting his info here) why don't you stroll over to www.thedarktower.org and check out the professional collectors there. Learn from them, and consider this to be a $50 lesson in buying etiquette.

R**S (I'm leaving his name off on purpose)

In another Email he mentioned he knows two of the higher end King collectors and recommended I get in touch with them to learn about book grading.

So, I'm just venting here my friends. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. He is right with one thing. I got a $50 lesson in buying. That is, I won't buy from him again. If he knew about my closet and what's in it he would have been very happy to return the book and offer a new one just to get future business. HIS LOSS.

Ralph Mulleins signing off of this issue and moving onto better things and better sellers (picking my coffee cup up from my new coaster)

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

Well, that makes your reluctance to say who it is totally understandable.

It also makes them a total bitch and I hope they read this.

[The Library Policeman]

You never asked enough questions about the condition before I shipped.

Unbelievable!

[Cujo56]

"I will and can go after you for slander"
That only stands if your statements are false or untrue.

"My description of fine/pristine still stands"
"You never asked enough questions about the condition before I shipped"
Why would you have to? The book according to the seller is "Fine/pristine"


I would still contact ABEbooks.com. I'm sure they have higher standards than this seller.

This is copied from their website under "Seller Ratings"

Your Satisfaction Guaranteed
AbeBooks booksellers guarantee the condition of every book as it is described on our web site. You are eligible for a full refund of the purchase price, including shipping costs, if your return is a result of an error on the part of the bookseller.

I would probably link to this thread if you contacted ABEbooks. Since the seller isn't named, it reflects on them (badly) since he is a member/seller there. I think it also reflects on other sellers there. I for one would be a cautious about buying from that site now

Pay by Paypal or CC? contact them about a dispute.

This should not be a "$50 lesson in buying etiquette."

[lophophoras]

That sux Ralph!!

Now I want to know who the seller was so that I don't do business with them.

[Lenny]

Ralph you are a better man than me. I would do what ever I could to put him out of business. First for lying to me about the book and taking my money. Second for being a smart ass. I would go to court if I had too, would cost me more money and would be stupid on my part but like I said you are a better man than me.

[e_taylor]

Ralph -

What book was it? (Curiosity)

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Ralph -

What book was it? (Curiosity)

WAG without jacket.

I will be able to put a mint jacket on it (i think I paid $5 for the WAG jacket) and get my money back.

I will explain ALL defects as I always do. The book is in nice shape though except the water ring on the black board making it GOOD. Not Fine/Pristine.


To answer a private message I received. No. I'm not posting info. The seller isn't on here but he knows people here. I value everyone here too much to possibly hurt the relationship between the seller and contacts here. If that makes sense.

It is 5 o'clock somewhere isn't it? Time for a drink.

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[biomieg]

It is 5 o'clock somewhere isn't it? Time for a drink.

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

As a matter of fact, it's 5 PM here right now, so... this one's on me!

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

It is 5 o'clock somewhere isn't it? Time for a drink.

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

It's 4.30 pm here...close enough. Hic!

[Randall Flagg]

If you are not willing to post the seller's name-partcucularly in the Book Dealers / eBay Members to Avoid like the Plague thread, you increase the chance the seller will burn someone else.
As far as the "Sue for slander", I wouldn't sweat that at all-as they say in Texas: “all hat and no cattle.”

[jemaher]

Ralph,

what you describes sounds like you have opened the wrong kind of dispute with paypal. If they are saying they cant help you because the item arrived, then you need to open a NEW claim as " item not as described".... I had a similar experience just this month with paypal involving a $600 signed book. I waited over a month had lots of dialogue thru ebay messages and finally got tired of the bullshit after 3 phony tracking numbers and filed a claim. The seller overnighted a bookturd with a forged signature but because they could prove delivery, they closed the item not received claim in the sellers favor. I turned around the same day and opened a BRAND NEW CLaim as "Item not as described" and paypal refunded my full amount. The only out of pocket expense was the return shipping with signature confirmation.

Give paypal another crack at this.... what have you got to lose.

[jemaher]

If you are not willing to post the seller's name-partcucularly in the Book Dealers / eBay Members to Avoid like the Plague thread, you increase the chance the seller will burn someone else.
As far as the "Sue for slander", I wouldn't sweat that at all-as they say in Texas: “all hat and no cattle.”

The truth is a complete and total Defense against libel and slander. They don't have to like what you say but they have no recourse if it is true!

[Room 217 Caretaker]

Ahhhhh Haaaaa. Hold the phone here.

I received an Email from Paypal customer service AND Ebay customer service about the seller I'm in having issues with. Apparently they are looking into a couple things with this book seller from CA (a store in CA and a store in Hawaii)

Mulleins
Cumberland VA

[Fsmdr]

Well, I am pretty confident that you will be able to recoup your money. Please let us know if there is any new development.

[CurtSeattle]

Ralph, don't let him bully you. People who threaten legal action are usually doing it because they know they are WRONG.

I'm not saying "out" him if you don't want to, but I'd take a picture or two of the "water ring" and send that to PayPal and ABEBooks/EBay whoever you need to and in the e-mail copy/paste the NF/VG/G breakdown which which is pretty clear on certain things.

It's not like they said it was VG- and you are questioning that. They used INDUSTRY SPECIFIC terms that mean freakin pristine for the most part. A giant water stain is clearly an "item not as described" as suggested above.

The fact that he says you should have asked more questions is admitting fault in my mind. With the specific distinction he provided in terms of grading you do not have to ask questions. He should have chosen a lesser grading and then it would have moved the burden of proof to you more likely. With that grading, I think the onus is him to provide any defects no matter how small and a water ring is a huge defect in anyone's mind...let alone a collector's.

[Patrick]

You never asked enough questions about the condition before I shipped.

Unbelievable!

I agree. That excuse is utter bulls**t given the seller's grade and description.



I suppose it is a compliment to all of us in general that a seller would refer someone here to this very site to get an education. However if they were paying any attention whatsoever they might have realized that you are one of the referenced collectors - you use your real name for your screen name after all!

[Rahfa]

If you are not willing to post the seller's name-partcucularly in the Book Dealers / eBay Members to Avoid like the Plague thread, you increase the chance the seller will burn someone else.
As far as the "Sue for slander", I wouldn't sweat that at all-as they say in Texas: “all hat and no cattle.”

Any reputable book dealer will refund your money with no questions asked - especially a $50 sale. I wouldn't refund shipping, probably, but I would never care about refunding the sale itself.

But, if they think YOU are trying to scam THEM, it can change things...you're NOT a novice collector, so he read you the wrong way for some reason.

If this is Roy at Bad Moon Books, I know from other stories that he can be snarky and defensive, but is also a good guy...he gets his hackles up kind of quick, especially if he's approached in a confrontational way. I've always had good dealings with him, though.

No matter who it is, I can't see the "slander" from a purchase dispute...

[e_taylor]

If you are not willing to post the seller's name-partcucularly in the Book Dealers / eBay Members to Avoid like the Plague thread, you increase the chance the seller will burn someone else.
As far as the "Sue for slander", I wouldn't sweat that at all-as they say in Texas: “all hat and no cattle.”

Any reputable book dealer will refund your money with no questions asked - especially a $50 sale. I wouldn't refund shipping, probably, but I would never care about refunding the sale itself.

But, if they think YOU are trying to scam THEM, it can change things...you're NOT a novice collector, so he read you the wrong way for some reason.

If this is Roy at Bad Moon Books, I know from other stories that he can be snarky and defensive, but is also a good guy...he gets his hackles up kind of quick, especially if he's approached in a confrontational way. I've always had good dealings with him, though.

No matter who it is, I can't see the "slander" from a purchase dispute...

Its not Roy. It seems to be "Russel's Books".

[Randall Flagg]

Great promo shot, but careless regard for books.

[The Library Policeman]

Great promo shot, but careless regard for books.

Santa!

[jemaher]

wow, i dont feel so bad about my library now

[Cujo56]

I think I see a copy of my high school yearbook in there!

[herbertwest]

the french eBay dont show anymore the possibility to search international items...
So if you're looking something, there is nothing in France (but it exists in the USA for instance)... Shows NOTHING, and you cant bid, and therefore eBay loses money on fees..

It is so stupid!

[biomieg]

I never use the Dutch eBay website to look for books from other countries - when I'm looking for US books I use the US eBay website and when I'm looking for UK books I use the UK eBay website. You can log in to all of them with the same account so I don't see the problem