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Need Advice NP purchase on ebay Harvey Storm related Update last pg Resolved

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tulagirl:
A Day Before Harvey Hit

Okay so I saw this one of a kind lot of something on ebay that I really wanted.  I contacted the seller before purchasing it because, I knew we were going to have bad weather here in Houston from Harvey.  I wanted to ask them if I could purchase it and they hold it until our mail was up and running again.  I was expecting that to only be like a week.  I also assured her that unless I lost my wifi I would contact her periodically to let her know when to ship them.  The seller agreed she would be glad to hold my items until I could receive mail.  So I purchased and paid for the lot.

Well, even though we knew it was going to be bad, none of us knew it would be this bad.  Postal services have been suspended in our city for most zip codes until further notice.    Yesterday I contacted her as I promised to do.  I told her that the storm was really bad and, we still have no postal service in the city.  I explained I needed her to hold them until next week and maybe it would be running then.  The whole city is under water.  So, then she suggests maybe she should refund me and relist. 

This kind of upset me because I contacted her ahead of time and asked if it would be too much trouble to hold things and she said it was fine.  She does not operate an ebay store.  So, I told the seller not to refund me.  I explained that I really want the lot very much and was looking so forward to getting it.  If she has to mail it, I might not get it, but I released her from holding them any longer if it was becoming too much trouble for her.  At this point seller says "no problem, I will just hold them."

I guess I am really stressed out right now.  We have gone through a lot over here.  I am worried she won't give me the time I need when she agreed to in the beginning.  I will be very disappointed if she cancels the sale and I guess there is nothing I can do. I had no idea things in my city would be this bad. I think the magnitude of it is hard to imagine. I don't want to be a problem for this seller.  I would have no problem holding something a couple of weeks for a buyer especially if I found out they were in this kind of situation.

What are your thoughts?  I need advice on what to tell her.  Do I just tell her to ship them when I know I won't get them?  These items can't be bought again ever.  They are one of a kind and antique.  They will not probably arrive for a long time if ever with things like they are?  Is it wrong for me to be slightly upset that I took the time to ask if this would be a problem and they assured me it would not and now I feel like it might be?  Or am I just getting emotional and misunderstanding this seller's intentions?  Maybe they were trying to be accommodating of me in a bad situation and I am taking it the wrong way?  Now I just feel all nervy about the fact they are having to hold my items a bit longer when I thought things were fine.  Maybe they still are.  I don't know.  Was it just plain stupid of me to purchase something before a storm?  :rain:

Talk to me... ;)

shelvesofwhimsy:
The only thing I can think of is (correct me if I'm wrong), but I think that ebay sellers get dinged if an item takes longer to be marked "shipped" than the standard handling time. I think it may contribute to their rating and if they're store is performing above average or not.

That being said, I am very very surprised that someone would be unsympathetic to the fact that parts of Texas are going through h*** right now! It's all over the news, so I would be just as frustrated and upset as you are. Especially because you communicated to them up front about the weather conditions. You have also paid, so it is not like they're holding unclaimed items :(

I would wait to contact them again until you think you can have the items shipped- unless they contact you first. She has said she will hold them at least.

tulagirl:
Yea but she doesn't have a store and she could mark it as shipped and just wait to mail it right?  I don't want to mess up  her rating but wouldn't ebay understand if they had a copy of our communications?  Should I call ebay and let them know what is going on?  I don't mind doing that. I have been on the phone all day just trying to figure out how I am going to pay the bills I have that are due with  no post office. blaaaaaaa :huh:

Duenia:
I'd probably at this point let her refund you and relist so that you can have a friend in a non-impacted area get the items and hold onto it for you until the storm clears. That way you have a level of certainty in the whole hey at least someone I trust has it until I can receive it.

That said I really am surprised as well at the lack of sympathy considering the situation.

jrr74:

--- Quote from: Duenia on August 30, 2017, 12:29:59 PM ---I'd probably at this point let her refund you and relist so that you can have a friend in a non-impacted area get the items and hold onto it for you until the storm clears. That way you have a level of certainty in the whole hey at least someone I trust has it until I can receive it.

That said I really am surprised as well at the lack of sympathy considering the situation.

--- End quote ---

This is what I was going to suggest.  I am sure the seller may be a bit nervous not getting the item shipped in a reasonable amount of time.  I don't know why they would get dinged by eBay, but then again, I don't sell on eBay, just buy

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