UPDATE: eBay Buyer from h**l!

[Aaron2]

I think I'm done selling on eBay after this last experience.

I sold this guy an Elektron Machinedrum, the version that samples and has the +Drive. He got it this past Saturday and then proceeds to sends me a series of abusive e-mails, calling me every name in the book ("filth," "scum," "fraud," replete with F-bombs).

Why? He couldn't find the +Drive in the menus, I guess, so he's accusing me of stealing the +Drive. I mean, even though the unit says on the product label and on the front panel that it's a +Drive unit, he says that I switched out the internals from a non +Drive unit.

Here's one of the crazier e-mails he sent me:

I don't have any f**k remorse whatsoever. I just find it disgusting this f**k ebay site is so full of scumbags like yourself trying to rip people off while the f**k police is too busy beating up people on the streets instead of putting you filth in jail. I will open a case to document your bullshit. This is actually my only remorse: having to waste my time with uncalled-for garbage from fraudulent scum.
And yes, what you just tried to pull here is DEFINED as fraud, FYI.

Then he sent me this one after I told him that I reported his conduct to eBay:

Very funny.
So what you did was most likely just replace the labels from a wrecked actual + model, and you thought you get away with it, huh?
Yup, that would explain the impurity under the screen, which happened during your counterfeiting activities.
ALL THIS can be corroborated with Elektron if I involve them via the police.
Here is your ONLY ONE CHANCE:
Apologize and tell me the truth or else face the legal consequences of your counterfeiting and fraud. Choose now: I will give you half an hour to respond.
Piece of advice: DO NOT TRY ME, I will report you and have the police clarify what you did for you.

I actually had to call the police in the town he's from just to make the e-mails stop. He literally barraged me with e-mails.

He also demanded a refund, and before I could even respond to that request, left negative feedback. The feedback said, "Bad item. Asks for additional personal data. A nightmare to deal with. Avoid." The "additional personal data" I asked for? His phone number for FedEx shipping.

What is wrong with people?

[synthparts]

Wow, horrible... Please let us know his ebay ID so we can add him to our blocked bidder lists...

[Aaron2]

His user ID is "welovesynths" (no quotes, obviously). Oh, I forgot to mention: He's left negative feedback on 4 of his last 6 transactions. Yeah. And based on his most recent positive feedback, it looks like he's in the habit of extorting refunds from sellers, too.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d ... tForOthers

[garranimal]

Dear Mr. Unhinged buyer, if you are here reading this then shame on you. Time to start acting like a reasonable adult and seek a solution in a rational manner.

Buyers only need do two things: 1) ask questions before sale ends, 2) pay for the stuff.
And then if they are not satisfied they should ask to return the item for a refund, given all is in good order when returned. At very least, the buyer should point out any issues and wait for the seller to offer some solutions to the problem.
It is real simple.

Aaron, reporting the coercive emails was the right thing. Police do not deal in matters such as these, ebay operates on the principle of self-regulation through their feedback system and their own complaint management system.

PS. looking at the feedback link you sent, looks like only recently big problems. Either recently they are off their meds or their account has been hacked.

[Z]

Aaron, sorry this happened, but thanks for sharing with the group. Since this buyer is leaving lots of negative feedbacks to sellers which probably aren't warranted, I'm going to add this user to my blocked list.

I hope you get this matter resolved.

[Aaron2]

Aaron, reporting the coercive emails was the right thing. Police do not deal in matters such as these, ebay operates on the principle of self-regulation through their feedback system and their own complaint management system.

Unfortunately, it's a less-than-perfect system. I did nothing wrong. But because I got stuck with an unreasonable buyer, my reputation on eBay is ruined. I've actually had back-to-back bad buyers. The other transaction involved a used cell phone. Ugh.

[thared33]

I've been a seller on Ebay for 15 years. I've had my fair share of buyers like this as well.

Your feedback will eventually correct itself. I believe it used to be where all of your negative feedback added up, even from years ago. However in the last few years they changed it to where feedback only from the past year or so counts toward your percentage. Mine is currently at 100% with two or three negatives, and that's two or three negatives from 15 years and 1200+ transactions. The last one was 4 years ago or so.

Don't sweat it too much, I sold stuff when my percentage was 98% or 99% just fine. It'll go away in due time.

[analoglsd]

Buyers only need do two things: 1) ask questions before sale ends, 2) pay for the stuff.

^This^

I think I'm done selling on eBay after this last experience.
What is wrong with people?

...Welcome to eBay. It can suck, but in reality, these types of buyers are actually pretty rare. I've been on the 'bay for over a decade and have over a thousand transactions, buying and selling, and 99% of them have been great. Like sending you thank you notes great. Sadly, your buyer was not familiar with the product, which is very complex, and blamed you. I can't count how many times I've walked people through synth functions on eBay, and everyone was happy. I like nerding out about synths, and people like having their questions answered in a clear and timely manner. That being said, I got negative feedback a month ago which stated that I hadn't provided enough pictures or written descriptions. The listing in question had twenty HD pictures, two paragraphs of text, and a video demo of the actual synth for sale. The buyer didn't contact me or attempt a refund, just negative feedback. But, whatever, every once in a while you get a bad apple. Generally when you're selling music gear, you're dealing with other musicians or aspiring musicians, and from my experience those are the best people to deal with in most any circumstance.

[Blue Monster 65]

Sorry to read this, Aaron. It would have been funny, though, for him to send it to Elektron only to be told, "here's how you access the +drive." I remember I had a question about that myself when I got mine brand-new from Sweetwater, but I sorted it out with minor effort. Go to the Elektron site if you can't read the manual. Or ask the seller for instructions and clarification if you have a problem.

I hope he does read this. Or at least forward it to him. The lesson? Don't be an idiot. Sheesh!

[meatballfulton]

When eBay changed it's policy to give the buyer the benefit of the doubt, they opened the door to this sort of behavior.

I gave up on eBay after one sale.

It was an MC303 that I had bought for $25 with a broken master volume pot that I modified to be at full volume all the time. After deciding it wasn't for me, I sold it for $75 (well under the going rate for a fully functional unit). The buyer said it was DOA which I highly doubt.

Eating the shipping both ways wasn't worth it, I refunded his money and told him to keep it.

Never again.

[supermel74]

Your feedback will eventually correct itself. I believe it used to be where all of your negative feedback added up, even from years ago. However in the last few years they changed it to where feedback only from the past year or so counts toward your percentage.

I actually prefer the old way where your entire history is calculated. The way it is now, you can be a 10 year seller with 1000 positive feedback and zero negative who sells maybe 20 or 30 synths a year and 1 crazy buyer like this guy can knock your feedback from 100% to 90% even though that may be your only negative in 1000 lifetime sales. Some buyers will see you score of 1000 feedback and 90% and assume you have problems 10% of the time throughout your entire history. So far I've been extremely lucky on Ebay as a seller with no negative or neutral feedback in almost 10 years of selling. Needless to say "welovesynths" has been added to my blocked bidders list. I noticed that he also left a string of negative feedback a while back. My first thoughts were that he's on and off his meds. Ebay should look at his track record and boot him but they won't.

[sequentialsoftshock]

eBay is a POS. I use Reverb and Craigslist now solely. I don't always sell for as high, but in the case of CL I keep all the money, and with Reverb a lot less gets paid as a fee.

[silikon]

eBay is still a solid resource; it's just unfortunate that there are a faction of people out there that game the system for their benefit. They know that stupid s**t that might not fly elsewhere (buyers' remorse, trying to snake a seller out of an underhanded partial or full refund, etc) so they abuse the current system (with it's obvious and inherent flaws), and largely get away with it. Keeping people honest and making sure that you get the truthful word out there will help everyone as this community is still quite small. Chances are high that person is on one or more of the larger forums (this place included) and will see exactly what is written. That has to be some bit of deterrent, I suppose - Unless of course you're a sociopath.

From reading his/her more recent feedback history (the ones he's left specifically), it's sort of obvious that this person is gaming the system. If one person treats you poorly, they're an asshole. If everyone is treating you poorly, you're the asshole. Given his feedback claiming literally 99% of his most recent transactions rating poorly and then adding provocative language, I'd say he's the asshole.

[Aaron2]

If one person treats you poorly, they're an asshole. If everyone is treating you poorly, you're the asshole. Given his feedback claiming literally 99% of his most recent transactions rating poorly and then adding provocative language, I'd say he's the asshole.

Brilliant.

[plikestechno]

Don't list anything you can't afford to lose. That's Paypal/Ebay in 2015. I've sold tons of stuff on Ebay over the years but no more synths now. You might have 10-20 transactions in a row go well but one asshole ruins everything and you're out a ton of money and/or gear.

Lots of crappy sellers now too selling broken gear and then freaking out and calling you a scammer for wanting to return it. There's garbage on both sides now. I see the need for buyer protection but it gets abused.

Synth gear I'll only sell/trade to trusted people online or preferably trade/sell locally. There's enough people in my city into gear now.

If it wasn't for selling music I'd be done with paypal altogether. 180 day buyer protection for US and UK? Thats just dumb now.

I sell LPs and CDs mostly through Discogs and get scammed at least a couple of times a year. To the usual countries. Italy, Russia... but these countries are also a large base of my sales so I have to put up with the occasional loss. But a $5 CD is different than a $500 synth.

The thing I'm most worried about with buyer protection is that people sending it back won't pack it/treat it as nice as you so now you don't have the money, the synth is busted up and you're out the Ebay and reverse shipping fees. Sorry, done with that garbage.