How long, is long enough?

To my fellow collectors that have been through the "waiting game",

[edited version]

This concerns waiting for cels that you paid for from another collector or dealer-- How long, is long enough to wait before being really angered and pushed to the point of filing a grievance? (example: to Paypal Fraud/Claims or Internet Fraud Complaint Center-IFCC, etc.)

What is your experience with matters like this?

E

*chirp*

The crickets are out in force, perhaps.

I've luckily never had to do this. I had to return a cel once because it mangled fairly badly, but the dealer was really cool about it, which I do appreciate.

I would suggest not waiting more than 90 days or so, as that seems to be (if I recall) what credit card companies prefer as the limit to correcting charges and such. It is highly likely that I am making that up in my head though.

Hi,

I sent a pretty detailed reply via the feedback system, E, did you get it? If not, in a nutshell, I would be concerned too. Even though this collector has a good reputation in past transactions, that doesn't particularly count in THIS transaction.

I have had three bad experiences with people on eBay, who previously to failing to complete transactions with me (once I was the buyer and twice I was the seller) had perfect feedback ratings on eBay. I didn't even get the satisfaction of leaving non-positive feedback as in all three cases by the time I was spurred to action their accounts had been turned into 'non-registered users'.

However, bad things do happen to good people too. There could be real-life mitigating circumstances that no one is aware of. So, if I were in your situation, where direct attempts to email the collector, and indirect methods of eliciting a response (posting on public forums) haven't worked, I would try to find a way to get this collector's phone number, either through PayPal (if that is what you used) or perhaps a reverse look-up if you have the address (from sending a money order).

If this did not re-establish communication to bring the transaction to a satisfactory close, I would explore methods for getting a refund. You should probably see what the time frame is for obtaining a refund though. Twice in my eBay transactions I took a loss from failing to report it in a timely manner (you must file a non-paying bidder alert within 30 days of the end of the transaction with eBay to then be able to file for a final value fee refund before the 90 day mark).

Just my two cents. Aren't you glad I nutshelled it? ~_~'

Hi Kitt,

Thank you for your "nutshell" reply. The feedback page must not have been working for the detailed version. It is okay now though.

I see that you've seen my other post =)

Well, it took me a lot of restraint from going on a "counter-offensive" believe me. I usually don't show this much patience, but I was told from some "friends" of this collector, "to have faith" in regards to the person coming through, so I chilled for a bit longer.

Maybe, I have been in Japan too long, and over-react. I don't know, but over here you'd get black-listed pretty fast..and I mean REAL fast.
And most of my cel dealings are here, so I am kinda use to that kind of business culture.

You bid, you pay the next day or two--PERIOD. At the end of the week,,hmm okay, but don't make a habit of it!

They get ichy if you're a week late.. a month?? It is almost unheard of, you'd might as well stop collecting. You'd be blacklisted to death.

I learned real fast how to deal with it, or I'd have completely crashed out!

Maybe patience paid off in this case. Recently, I received an apology and an email from the collector mentioned, stating that the cels had been shipped.

I guess only "time will tell"... more time that is.

Thanks for your post!

E

I'm glad things worked out. I think I know who you were dealing with and have had great transactions with this person in the past. Things must have just gone wrong. And if it is who I think, the collection is wonderful and anything would be worth the mess. But ........it was a long time, really not a good way to do things, you were right to be upset.