A truly horrible eBay story with a happy ending.

[fishsandwich]

I have been slowly selling off my Saturn collection on eBay.

I put a bunch of fairly expensive Saturn games on eBay with a "Buy It Now" option.

A buyer I'll call RETROGAMERTIM bought "Crows The Battle Action" for $150.

The same day (and almost the same time) another buyer bought THREE games... Radiant Silvergun for $150, Hyper Duel for $150, and PSone Catstlevania Chronicles for $50.

I ship out the games and go about my business and pocket my earnings. Sweet!

RETROGAMERTIM leaves me excellent eBay feedback for “Crows The Battle Action”

About a MONTH later, I get a message from the buyer of the three games wanting to know where the games were. WHAT??? I checked PayPal and saw that all the games had been delivered. I had even bought signature confirmation so I knew who signed for them. This POS buyer was trying to rip me off and I had proof!

Oh wait… the post office says that the games were delivered to an address in Montana. The buyer with the three games was in California. The buyer of the single game (RETROGAMERTIM) was in Montana.

Oh shit!

All games were sold separately with free shipping and the payments were received separately so I had to cut and paste the confirmation number in PayPal so they would show as shipped. I thought I could have made a mistake and pasted the wrong number to the tracking site. I had sold a lot of games that week and I could not remember how I'd boxed them up.

I realized that there might be a chance that I had somehow sent one of the buyers the wrong set of games.

I found the phone number for RETROGAMERTIM and left a very friendly message on his answering machine inquiring if I had possibly sent him the wrong games. I also e-mailed him this message:


***(ME) “Greetings. I just got back from vacation and found a puzzling message from another eBay member regarding an item I sent out. Did I happen to include an additional game in your package? The USPS says you signed for it and I'm thinking I put the wrong item in your box. Please let me know. Many thanks.”***


I get this response from him the same day:


***(TIM) “Sorry it took a few days to get back to you. I just spoke with my nephew who opened the package you sent (one of his birthday presents) and he said there wasn't an extra game packed in there. Thanks again, he really likes it!” ***


So he didn’t get the games. Crap. Wait… he bought his nephew a copy of the very obscure and pretty shitty game “Crows The Battle Action” for $150 and didn’t open the box I mailed him to make sure everything was OK? That is very odd.

I decide to check his eBay account. I see that he is quite the Saturn collector. Lots of imports.

I go to PayPal and check the parcel that I sent RETROGAMERJIM. I had paid $10 for the medium flat rate box. Who sends one game in a medium box? And who gets a big box like that and doesn’t open it but instead wraps it up and gives it as a gift? Then I remembered… I HAD boxed up all four games and sent them to the wrong buyer!

This is certainly one of the stupidest things I have done lately. Now, I’ve done A LOT of stupid things in my life but nothing this grand in recent memory. Maybe I was excited about my overseas trip to India the next week. Maybe I was confused by all the games priced at $150 that sold so close to each other. Maybe I was confused when I looked at PapPal and all the games with the same prices in a row. Perhaps I went into some sort of fit when I saw all the pretty colors on the computer screen. Whatever the case, I boxed all the games up together and shipped them to RETROGAMERTIM and then stuck my head back in the sand.

I am a simpleton who needs to have a full-time babysitter.

But what could I do? RETROGAMERTIM had clearly stated that he did not get the games. I believe that he is allowed by law to keep whatever I sent him. Even if I could sue him, I’m not going to sue anyone (who lives across the country) over $350 or fly to Montana to confront someone.

I decided to do a little research on the dude. After all, I had his name, address, and phone number. A casual search revealed that he is 38 years old and that he seems to live with his parents, both of whom are in their 70’s. I type in his eBay ID on Google (far superior to BING, I might add) and WHAMMO… I get a photobucket page with pictures of him and his video game collection. He appears to be a serious geek. He also looks a bit like me. Dammit! Thankfully, I have never worn an ill-fitting and appallingly ugly demon/wizard outfit, taken a picture of myself in a bathroom mirror, and posted it online. Awful. I included his picture below. Then I spotted a recently-added picture of “Crows The Battle Action”. The one he supposedly gave to a nephew.

I decide to contact him again. What have I got to lose?

I call him again and leave a firm (but not threatening) message where I say that I mistakenly sent him three extra games and that I need them back, please. I tell him I will pay for shipping them back. I also leave him my name and phone number and ask him to call me.

I also e-mailed him this message:


*** (ME) “No, Tim, that is incorrect. I mistakenly sent you someone else's games. I packed them in a medium flat rate box and you signed for them. I need those games back, please. I will pay to have them shipped back to me. You signed for the games at your address on --- ---- ----. Please call me at --- --- ---- so I can arrange the return. Thank you. ***


I’m hoping the guy will fess up. Maybe ask for a “reward” to send them back. Or at least tell me the truth and tell to go f__k myself. It was MY ridiculous mistake, after all. He might even be legally entitled to keep them. It would serve me right for making such an asinine mistake.

The next day I wake up to this e-mail…


*** (TIM) “I heard your message. I’m headed to my sister's this weekend and I can take a look at my nephew's games. I can have my sister look tonight (or as soon as you respond).”***


Well, this is promising. It seems he has decided to continue to run with the “nephew” story. I’ll go along with it. What else can I do?

Two days later, I get this e-mail…


***(TIM) “Holy crap! Two of those...well you know. I called my sister and she has Radiant Silvergun and Hyper Duel in her hands. She WILL find Castlevania and meet me on Friday. I'll cover the return priority mail and tracking since Crow Battle Action had a great price. Please send me your address. Sorry for the trouble.”***


SCORE! He fessed up! Kind of, anyway. He blamed it on the nephew but I’ll take what I can get.

He sent me a tracking number for the package the next day. It arrived two days later. All three of the games are in fine shape.


I am one lucky stupid asshole.





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[portnoyd]

Before I give the CSB, I will say you lucked the fuck out. Excellent google-fu, btw. Also:

[VACRMH]

Thankfully, I have never worn an ill-fitting and appallingly ugly demon/wizard outfit, taken a picture of myself in a bathroom mirror, and posted it online.

Best description of a Juggalo I've heard in a long time

[Aussie2B]

I guess if you REALLY wanted to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, being nearly 40, he could have a nephew around 20 that's gotten into Saturn collecting just like his "Uncle Tim" and took of photo of Crows for his uncle to put up as a recent game purchase. But, yeah, fat chance, haha.

But that's awesome that it managed to turn out well. I once had to return a game-related item that was supposed to go to someone else (and that person got mine), and it eventually was straightened out. I also once forgot to ship a piece when some jackass sold me a broken Virtual Boy and made me pay for the return shipping, and in my frustration, I left out the plug, forcing me to ship a second package for more money yet. That's about the extent of my shipping fumbles experiences (unless you count all the morons who can't pack decently), and thankfully I haven't had them with high-value items.

[MrNelson]

Anyone that thinks being a Juggalo is cool is in serious need of a mental evaluation. On a side note, what is your ebay ID, as I'm in the market for some Saturn games.

[Icarus Moonsight]

The most ridiculous thing is not your shipping blunder, but how a Juggalo could hold up and save $150+ without blowing it all on meth and Faygo. I guess this one figured out magnets.

[old_skoolin_jim]

I would like to clarify that I am in no way, shape, or form involved in this story, particularly in reference to "RETROGAMERJIM".

But to OP, you are one lucky/resourceful d00d. Super sleuthin'!

[TonyTheTiger]

You know, you could perhaps give the guy a little respect for being a decent enough person instead of posting his picture to make him a clown.

If he were more lacking in the morality category he could have easily made this far more difficult for you. Stop counting yourself lucky and instead count him a decent person who chose not to screw you over like he easily could have.

[The Shawn]

I would of gotten away with it to if it wasn't for those pesky kids.

[portnoyd]

You know, you could perhaps give the guy a little respect for being a decent enough person instead of posting his picture to make him a clown.

[fishsandwich]

You know, you could perhaps give the guy a little respect for being a decent enough person instead of posting his picture to make him a clown.

If he were more lacking in the morality category he could have easily made this far more difficult for you. Stop counting yourself lucky and instead count him a decent person who chose not to screw you over like he easily could have.

I blocked out his face. I left out his address. I changed his name and eBay ID. I could have done far worse that write a story for the entertainment of others.

You whine too much.




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[Icarus Moonsight]

He only gave the stuff back because the Juggalo religion would bar him from the Wicked Carnival in the Sky. The Great Milenko sees all, lying in this case would not be MCL at all.

[TonyTheTiger]

I blocked out his face. I left out his address. I changed his name and eBay ID. I could have done far worse that write a story for the entertainment of others.

You whine too much.




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And you could have lost $350 due to a pretty obvious error. I mean, shit, if I had somebody send me back something like that I'd be relieved more than anything.

[The Shawn]

and you could have lost $350 due to a pretty obvious error. I mean, shit, if i had somebody send me back something like that i'd be relieved more than anything.

retrogamertim?

Also, if the guy had been a "decent enough person" he would have notified him as soon as all 4 games came and told him. Not when the sender told him he had his signature for all 4 parcels and he got scared without thinking. Their is no such thing as half honesty. Guess he simply forgot to put on his wizard hat...

[TonyTheTiger]

retrogamertim?

Haha, I wish. I could use $350 worth of Saturn games.

[Enigmus]

I would of gotten away with it to if it wasn't for those pesky kids.

And their meddling mutt.

[pseudonym]

Agreeing with Tony, here. He didn't have to send the games back and there's probably nothing you could have done about it.

[The Shawn]

Also, if the guy had been a "decent enough person" he would have notified him as soon as all 4 games came and told him. Not when the sender told him he had his signature for all 4 parcels and he got scared without thinking. Their is no such thing as being half honest. Guess he simply forgot to put on his wizard hat...

Self quoting, yes very lame.

[APE992]

Agreeing with Tony, here. He didn't have to send the games back and there's probably nothing you could have done about it.

Not sure honestly. We aren't talking here about $12 in cheap jewelery but a tidy sum of cash. Probably would have to talk to a lawyer realistically and since it crossed state lines it'd be a felony if there was any wrong doing on his part.

[fishsandwich]

This is certainly one of the stupidest things I have done lately. Now, I’ve done A LOT of stupid things in my life but nothing this grand in recent memory.

I am a simpleton who needs to have a full-time babysitter.

I believe that he is allowed by law to keep whatever I sent him.

I’m hoping the guy will fess up. Maybe ask for a “reward” to send them back. Or at least tell me the truth and tell to go f__k myself. It was MY ridiculous mistake, after all. He might even be legally entitled to keep them. It would serve me right for making such an asinine mistake.

I am one lucky stupid asshole.

I am one lucky stupid asshole.

I am one lucky stupid asshole.

I am one lucky stupid asshole.

I am one lucky stupid asshole.

I have to agree with fishsandwich on this one.



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