A Letter to an ebay Seller

[alfredo_buscatti]

I got an old Sav Autograph for $65.00. The following is a letter I sent to the seller on the conclusion of the transaction. I'd appreciate your feedback.

___________

Dear Seller,

The pipe arrived today and it is substantially as depicted on ebay. Thank you very much!

However I feel your dilatory, casual style of communication is unsuited to the current climate of larceny and distrust on ebay. In this climate nothing but prompt communication and delivery will serve. I took a chance with you as an unknown seller with few positive recommendations, and I'm glad I did. I'm more than happy with the value I received for the price I paid but doubt I will take a similar chance in future.

I ask a question but get no response until after the sale ended. I enquire about shipping and get a response three days later. You have my payment but days go by without communication from you, and as you know in the ebay buyer/seller relationship, the only thing that can reassure the buyer, so exposed, is a reply from the seller with details of shipment. This lapsed communication was what I felt was your major error. In the current climate of distrust and larceny only prompt communication will serve. Lacking that what am I to presume?

I also wanted to address the condition of the pipe. It needed a thorough reaming. Also, the heavy deposit on the rear portion of the rim could be peeled off with a fingernail. Also, and this should have been put in the write-up, the inner rim at that location is damaged, just where you would think it would be with a forward-canted bowl. It is worn away; the edge is not crisp but gradual. I would be requesting an adjustment for this were it not that I got such great value for the price I paid. I would be approaching my bank and ebay for a refund and would have surrendered the pipe for that privilege.

I'm under the impression at this point that you know very little about pipes, and it is a fact that you are an ebay novice.

However, none of this is cause for negative feedback or outing you on the pipe boards.

Good day, M

- abuscatti

 

[Toirtis]

Sounds fine to me.

 

[Slide]

You are giving him some polite and valuable feedback.

As you know, he may or may not take it that way  

 

[Geoff]

I wouldn't send that. There are a lot of infrequent sellers on ebay that don't know the product or how to best promote it. Such items usually sell below fair market. Finding poorly represented product like that is cause for joy rather than critiquing.

 

[riff raff]

I wouldn't send that.  There are a lot of infrequent sellers on ebay that don't know the product or how to best promote it.  Such items usually sell below fair market.  Finding poorly represented product like that is cause for joy rather than critiquing.

While I like how you worded the letter, I tend to agree with Geoff. My best pipe deals have come thru such ebay sellers, they are the low-hanging fruit. Not that one letter willl change the hundreds/thousands of unknowing pipe sellers. Your seller will certainly learn something about Ebay etiquette if he choses to heed your words.

 

[Slartibartfast]

It sounds to me as though you're determined to find problems when none really exist. You feel like you took a chance with a seller "outside of your comfort zone", but it sounds like it worked out for you. If you're really that uncomfortable doing business with the casual ebay seller than stick to the professional retailers. Myself, I've always enjoyed yard sales and second hand shops, and this is what I like in ebay as well.

 

[RDPipes]

It sounds to me as though you're determined to find problems when none really exist.  You feel like you took a chance with a seller "outside of your comfort zone", but it sounds like it worked out for you.  If you're really that uncomfortable doing business with the casual ebay seller than stick to the professional retailers.  Myself, I've always enjoyed yard sales and second hand shops, and this is what I like in ebay as well.

I agree, and think the letter is just demeaning.

 

[Richard Burley]

The letter is "sent," right? Didja get a response from Mr. Casual? :lol:

 

[idbowman]

I think that everything you said about prompt communication, responding to questions, etc. is appropriate enough. I think that should be universally true for anyone selling on Ebay, regardless of the product they are selling. I think it was more than fair to express your concerns in that regard, and (in my opinion) it would be enough to impact the rating I'd give the seller.

I'm not sure I'd have gone into the complaints about the condition/description of the pipe. As you pointed out, this was a newish seller with little feedback or history - it is fair, I think, to presume that he may not know a whole lot about our little world and may not know how to describe a pipe to someone who knows exactly what to look for, let alone properly ream or clean it.

Just my $.02.

 

[Anonymous]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

:face: 

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Mike,

It's best to keep these sellers in the dark. In other words please don't enlighten this guy with your letter until after I get my 65.00 Sav Autograph. :lol: 

 

[Fr_Tom]

I like these sellers. They will have the stem in upside down or describe a Peterson as a Pioneer. Someone gets a box of pies from e a neighbor and has no clue. So you get a good deal of a Savinelli or a Peterson. There is probably not much good in educating someone about pipes. That box from the neighbor is gone. brief comment about better communication seems appropriate and may improve the experience for the next customer.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I think the letter was sound, if not a bit persnickety. Which, is fine, but...everyone has an opinion these days. It's part of our culture, just having an opinion. To what end? :shrug: Contemporary satisfaction with transactions, in my mind, is simply "Thank goodness I didn't get screwed." The rest is details. Getting people to know more (or better), care or give a rat's arse is another matter of philosophy. Too big a job.

Seller-buyer relationships are always a risk. You take a place like eBay, and compare it to a fast food chain. If the menial worker didn't put the cheese on your taco in the right order with the meat, is that the menial worker or the environment of the place? Is eBay the reason people do as they do, or is it the individual? Or is it the expectations of the consumer (then apply the same logic--eBay, fast food chain...)...

...chicken or the egg cases. All of 'em. Still, not terrible once in a while to shed some light on the situation for someone, even if it's yourself.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Thanks to all for the comments. Persnickety, yes; another opinion among the many opinions folk in our society tend to have, yes; and above all I did get the pipe fairly promptly and got it cheap.

She did respond, citing life impingements that got in the way of communication.

Thanks again. Now I can get back to complaining about something else.

 

[MisterE]

You set 'em straight, Fredo!