an ebay seller for electric fans -- my experience

[XXL]

My recent experience with an ebay seller offering Hayden electric fans... since it's against the rules to post ebay user information here, you'll just have to figure it out on your own. Take a look at my ebay feedback and look at the guy who posted on Date: May-08-03 07:44:17 PDT.

Anyway...

I was tracking one of his auctions for a pair of Hayden 12" electric fans, and I put a snipe bid on them as it was ending in the middle of the night. The next morning I saw that the bid had been run up waaaayyy high. So, I just decided to buy from his ebay store as it was MUCH cheaper than what the auction had gone for. I bought 2 of the fans for $37.50 each + $12 shipping, and I bought them from ONE listing.

When I went to pay, it turned out he wanted $12 EACH for shipping. So I shelled out the money (thinking that fans must be heavy). He sent me an email a while later thanking me for my fast payment and offering to "upgrade" my shipping to Priority for free. For those of you who ship with USPS regularly, you know that the price difference between Parcel Post and Priority is usually about a nickel unless you're within the first 3 zones (and I'm not). Plus, with Priority you get free packing materials... so I realized the free "upgrade" meant nothing.

Product arrived today... shipped fast, but not packed too well. They were in good shape nonetheless. But I noticed that the shipping cost was $9.30... for which I had paid $24.00. So I emailed the seller to let him know that the fans arrived in good condition and to address the shipping overcharge. I said exactly--

Fans received and they appear to be as described. Thanks.

I'm a little dismayed at the shipping discrepancy... what you charged versus what it cost... a $14.70 difference. I think you should consider refunding me the excess I paid. While I'm not sure it was your intention, Ebay rules do not allow excessive shipping costs as they consider them a fee avoidance tactic. I'll wait to give you feedback until I hear back from you on this.

Thanks again,

Kenneth

His response was about as long as this post is, and ranted on and on about how I screwed up and I didn't know what I was doing when I bid, and on and on. But... he offered to refund me $9 of the $14.70 overcharge. I emailed back that that would be fine. In the Paypal payment, he titled it "extortion money" and ranted on yet again about how this was all my fault and that I had ruined a perfectly good transaction by asking for the refund, and so on.

So... since I've rambled on for a while now about this guy, I just wanted to comment that the product seems to be good and fairly priced, and that he shipped promptly. And after all that, I was still fine with the transaction (even though I hoped he would see fit to fix the overcharge). And then he waylaid into me and it instantly soured an otherwise acceptable transaction. I described it to him in my response email as his "nice guy/jacka$$ trap" and let him know I'd be passing on my experience to the 8500+ board members here.

Kenneth

[lotik]

i have never used ebay and this is a prime example of why.

[BillGent]

I've used Ebay on many occasions during the years. Never been screwed yet, but I know it happens. Almost got kicked off once because the post office lost my money order. Only thing that saved me was that the seller got my money order a month late and it showed that it was postmarked the day after the auction ended. I dont buy high priced items (i collect matchbox and hotwheels cars) so im not gonna cry over a small loss. sorry you had a bad experience!

[XXL]

Originally posted by BillGent
sorry you had a bad experience!

Well I've had about 3500 successful transactions on ebay, and I've been trading there since 1996 (current username since 1997). I've had my share of bad deals, but most go very smoothly. This seller just really chapped me with his sassy attitude. Had he just kept his mouth shut, all would have been fine.

Kenneth

[78SilveradoSWB]

I did see that in his ebay auction text, he did state $12.00 for shipping & handling plus additional $12.00 for additional units. It appears that he was up front about it. As the saying goes, "Let the buyer beware." $12 sounds more like a UPS charge at a Postal Net than USPS. Auctions like that I tend to hesitate getting involved with, especially shipping charge gouging. At least you can still give him a negative or neutral feedback in regards to customer relations.


He has an auction for a pair of fans and he is only asking $15 to ship both. He also states additional $15 for more than 2 fans.

Anyways, are these Hayden fans any better than Spals?

[old Rusty C10]

i wasnt aware of the shipping rule ive paid way over what i thought shipping should be in the past ill have to be more careful in the future

[XXL]

Originally posted by 78SilveradoSWB
I did see that in his ebay auction text, he did state $12.00 for shipping & handling plus additional $12.00 for additional units. It appears that he was up front about it. As the saying goes, "Let the buyer beware." $12 sounds more like a UPS charge at a Postal Net than USPS. Auctions like that I tend to hesitate getting involved with, especially shipping charge gouging. At least you can still give him a negative or neutral feedback in regards to customer relations.


He has an auction for a pair of fans and he is only asking $15 to ship both. He also states additional $15 for more than 2 fans.

Anyways, are these Hayden fans any better than Spals?

I agree, and I did understand the terms when I bought. That wasn't the problem... I figured shipping was just expensive. It's been 15 years since I had an electric fan in my hands and couldn't even guess how much they weighed. But when I received them, found out how light they were (and thus relatively cheap to ship), I thought I'd ask him to refund the difference. I didn't threaten him or call him a cheat or anything of the sort... I just thought I'd see what he said about a refund... and frankly, had he said NO with a "it's our policy to blah blah, and so I'm sorry I can't refund blah blah..." I would have been satisfied, and gone and kicked myself in the rear privately. But...

As for Hayden v. Spal... I dunno. I've used Spal fans before and they were top-notch. I've never used Hayden but am familiar with the brand and have heard good things about them. We'll see.


Kenneth

[Denhamich]

On a side note...how do the fans work...what kinda air do they pull (CFM). I assume here that you mounted them on one radiator...right

[XXL]

Originally posted by Denhamich
On a side note...how do the fans work...what kinda air do they pull (CFM). I assume here that you mounted them on one radiator...right

I haven't mounted them yet. And yes, two for one radiator. They are rated at 1500 CFM each, I think. It should be plenty of cooling capacity for my monster motor 250/1bbl

Kenneth

[Denhamich]

1500 CFM each sounds like enough cooling capacity for any radiator...I dont think the Vette fans pull that much air...