Very wise Tynxuk - the paradigm shift and all that.
We're not all the same and it's hard sometimes when we find people who are so diametrically opposite, not bad, just coming from a different perspective.
Hankakampa, I'm so glad you've recovered your equilibrium (although I'd have been tempted by something stronger than tea!). The elongated journey home and the thought of acquiring a great piece of kit for a good price would be enough to jangle anyone's objectivity.
Enjoy playing with your new awning
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Quote: Originally posted by Tynxuk on 17/9/2013Ok so here is my (tongue in cheek) version of events from the womans point of view:
Sold my lovely drive away awning on ebay for much less than I expected but at least it will be out of my way. I was a bit concerned as winning bidder was all the way in Scotland, does he even know where Norfolk is?
me - Told her via message i was camping in Cromer last summer only a few miles away from her village - pity she wasnt selling it last summer - i was a stones throw away!.
Prepared myself for a time waster here as he can't seriously be travelling all that way on public transport?
me - seriously? - i have 540, 100% positive feedbacks & been a member for 7 years.
she had 19.
Best show willing, gave him my postcode and agreed he could collect the following lunch time, expected a friend over for late lunch and planned on taking the hounds for a drive/walk if the weather was good in the afternoon.
me - weather was terrible - showers on and off all day - not picnic weather at all!
He sent me hundreds of ebay messages
me - i sent 8.
in the morning so obviously hadn't even left his house yet!
me - obviously? really? - she not heard of smart phones with always on internet?
Wanted me to phone him but I'm really not a phone person,
me - yes- weirdo!!! cant use a phone???
what if he's some pervert who just wants to breath down the phone at me? decided to withhold my number and not give my name just in case. Mustered up the courage to phone him and question how he's getting it back (without a car really?)
me - not heard of legs and arms and walking and public transport? - the entire world doesnt get around by personal motorised transport.
got a bit flustered so said I'd phone at 2 if he was in the village. Got the awning out ready for him to collect as it was now looking like it will eat into my dog walking time and friend had arrived for lunch, I was expecting him to have collected by now.
me - so she shouldnt be selling ANYthing at all unless she can post/courier conveniently outside of her pooches walking times!
He was a bit impatient as he messaged me to phone him so I gave him directions and he arrived shortly after. I had change ready for if he didn't have the correct amount but he did although delivered it slowly as to expect a discount (for me waiting around for him? he'd already got it for a good price!).
me - counted it out slowly so it wouldnt fall out of the little plastic bag the bank gave me to carry it in actually and make sure it was accurate.
The dogs were getting impatient
me - poor pooches, bless them, i mean imagine the hardship of the poor things in the back of the new land rover - anything less and id imagine the neighbours calling the rspca and insisting it be a range rover instead!
and all he wanted to do was chat,
me - good gawd, the audacity of it! a chat!!! so - chatting is out amongst people with similiar recreational interests now? recomendations of a nice place to grab a bite to eat or a great campsite ...
hope shes not wasting her time on here then!
couldn't he see I have things to do?
me - well dont sell anything then and expect collection dear - just pop it into the back of 4x4 at your convenience and take it to the nearest refuse tip - much simpler and avoids all of the above situations inconveniencing your busy life.
He loaded himself up and was off thank goodness, a bit too friendly for my liking!
me - i was outta there tout suite thank goodness - total weirdo she was!!! - the bus couldnt come quick enough and thank goodness it did!
Post last edited on 17/09/2013 13:06:42
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Quote: Originally posted by bridgeywidge on 17/9/2013
Very wise Tynxuk - the paradigm shift and all that.
We're not all the same and it's hard sometimes when we find people who are so diametrically opposite, not bad, just coming from a different perspective.
Hankakampa, I'm so glad you've recovered your equilibrium (although I'd have been tempted by something stronger than tea!). The elongated journey home and the thought of acquiring a great piece of kit for a good price would be enough to jangle anyone's objectivity.
Enjoy playing with your new awning
i start playing with the awning tomorrow - its really a tent with a piece of material from side door outwards and over the top of the van!
im thinking i could have just bought an extension or 2 in polycotton for any of the outwell lake tents and made my own " awning " - might still do for a winter project. then id have a polycotton " awning "
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That is definetly a bit weird imho. I reckon she was very nervous and that's why she behaved the way she did. I can only imagine your frustration and I have to admire you effort and determination to go through with what became a stressful ordeal.
I sell a lot on ebay and don't like having to deal with people when they come to collect as I suffer from anxiety (if I am on my own) so I tend to leave it to my husband to arrange times etc. I would not dream of behaving the way she did though.
I did have a chuckle reading your ordeal (sorry but it made for funny reading).
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Quote: Originally posted by hankakampa on 16/9/2013
Anyways it was pick up only and so I emailed the seller immediately to say ill come the next day if convenient, around lunchtime to pick it up and they replied yes that was fine. They gave me the post code but no actual address of house no or contact no.
* Did you ask for her address and a contact number? I don't think that's too much too ask for a collection only item.
All I had was a postcode and an ok for lunchtime pickup.
* Did she specify the time, or did give a vague time of arrival?
All the way there, I was sending messages to seller via eBay to say, I'm on the coach and ill be there at around 2pm, & could I have the house no and the street so i can find my way there on arrival into stalham.
I got messages back, saying, ill ring you when you are nearer! ( how can you possibly know when I'm nearer?!? - have you got a tracking device on me or something?!? )
Meanwhile I'm on a coach, using my mobile which the battery is now down to 50%.
* Yes, I'd have been stressed as well. Why did you set off, before being given the address and a contact number?
I gave the seller my mobile no several times and eventually She rang me! She even with held her no so I couldn't call her back!
She wanted to know how I was going to get the awning back to Heathrow?!?!
- well A) at this rate I had doubts I would ever find this seller they were being so withholding on info
*Maybe you gave out too much info about yourself (jetting in to Heathrow etc. may have rung a few alarm bells for her?!)
She said on the phone she ll ring my back at 2pm and if I'm in stalham then she ll give me her address!!!.
* Bizarre!
She even referred to herself as " hi, I'm the tent lady " !!!! Despite me using my 1st name.
I was getting spooked out by this weird behaviour. With £300 cash in my pocket to pay for the awning and have some lunch & bus fares her behaviour was making me really worried.
Anyways, I eventually get to stalham ... And I sent her an eBay message to say I'm here by the church! She then rang me and gave me directions and it wasn't far from the church and she came out of her driveway and we saw each other.
* Did you wear a red rose, or carry a newspaper??!!
She was friendly and had the 3 bags for the awning laid out on the garden path. I have her the money straight away in case she thought there was anything odd going on.
* Please say you opened the bags and checked it over? Not much comeback on ebay, if you pay cash on collection for an item.
She didn't even offer me a glass of water.
* To be fair, she maybe thought you wanted to be off, esp. if you'd told her you had a bus / train / plane to catch.
Now I don't really know what to leave as feedback for the strange antics of the seller.
* I think you should check it over, first, and see if you've got a bargain (I hope you have!)
Something else came to mind. - if it had been me selling it, I would at the very least offered a drink and a snack after hearing of the journey ... Plus the awning sold for £266. I have her the £260 and she waited as I patiently counted out the £6 in pound coins - I would have just said keep the £6! But she waited for for very penny!
* If you'd handed over £270, would you have expected her to keep the change? I don't think it's weird that she waited for the full amount. Ebay fees already take a big chunk, so she was entitled to receive the full £266, if that's what you bid, IMHO.
Now some folks need every penny - there was some very nice cars in the drive!
* Nothing to do with it. You bid £266.00 it wasn't means-tested, it was a bid amount.
Anyways ... I dunno whether to leave feedback or not for her. I just don't know what to write!
* Check out the awning, then decide.
And if your the lady that sold it to me and your reading this, all I can say is that you were polite in person and it was nice to meet you. But you have the strangest way of handling the sale of something which You advertised as collection only!.
* Yes, I agree that it was a bit odd to refuse address and contact details to the winning bidder!
For someone coming from afar, with a dying mobile and you refusing to give your name address and tel no out until the last minute ... Very odd... And I still only know you as the tent lady!.
* I agree. She'd clearly arranged to have somebody there with her when you collected, so no reason not to give you the collection details at the beginning, so you could properly arrange collection.
It does all sound like a heck of a lot of effort on your part, and I hope when you're over the buying experience you do find you've bagged a bargain (which should make all the stress and worry fade a bit quicker!) I reckon this could end up as one of those stories you'll be able to laugh about, as you tell more friendly fellow campers about it at a future date!
Fingers crossed that it's a bargain, despite the hassle!
Oh it works both ways. I sold an awning on ebay for £80. I had it in my garage awaiting buyer's arrival expecting him to examine it carefully before paying..& I would have given him a cuppa. However, he turned up, I opened the garage, he thrust £80 in my hand, picked up the bag, his wife picked up the other bag, they walked to the road, threw both bags into the already open boot of their car, got into the car & drove off without even saying goodbye. That was my oddest one.
Quote: Originally posted by Jack+Jon on 17/9/2013
Oh it works both ways. I sold an awning on ebay for £80. I had it in my garage awaiting buyer's arrival expecting him to examine it carefully before paying..& I would have given him a cuppa. However, he turned up, I opened the garage, he thrust £80 in my hand, picked up the bag, his wife picked up the other bag, they walked to the road, threw both bags into the already open boot of their car, got into the car & drove off without even saying goodbye. That was my oddest one.
Ah, but did you give him your address, or just a series of clues for collection?!
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Topic: What do you think?
