Frightening ebay purchase (non-pony)

[Tulips]

This is already resolved but I just wanted to share this experience as a warning... and because it's seriously just wtf. 

I bought a novelty lighter off of ebay, the listing stated that it would be sent empty due to air mail regulations. I was expecting this, since it's illegal to send a lighter with fluid because that's obviously a hazardous item... so imagine my surprise when the first thing I do is show it off by striking it and it lights! According to my family my face was priceless. I was only ever planning on using the lighter as a prop and have since empty it.

The first thing I did was give the seller negative feedback and report them to ebay (who have responded saying they will investigate the matter. I doubt anything will come of it but I wasn't going to let the seller's negligent actions slide). What they did was incredibly dangerous, to send an item filled with a flammable liquid internationally via airmail, it just blows my mind! I am absolutely stumped at how it even made it past customs (Aussie customs really dropped the ball on that one!) and so thankful that nothing horrible happened, somebody could have easily been injured.

Within hours of the negative feedback the seller contacted me offering me a full refund if I changed my feedback to positive, and that they would leave good feedback in return, not on your life. I was not going to lie in my feedback, I'm amazed at their actions and audacity to try and extort positive feedback out of me. I did not contact them first about the matter because frankly I didn't want to hear them apologising and asking for 5 stars despite it all. Plus I'm happy with the item, just not how it got to me. I'm still sort of horrified that this even happened, what were they thinking?!

So yeah, I just wanted to share because this experience gave me quite the scare.

[Sprintex]

Jeez! That is not good

It's stupidity like that which can end up dropping a plane from the sky! Well done for sticking by your principles and not retracting your neg feedback 


Paul

[Stormness_1]

That's appalling, but somehow not surprising. Good on you for sticking to your guns - moronic the things some people do! Not to mention in most countries it's a federal criminal act!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I hope your negative feedback included the fact that they shipped the lighter with FLUID in it! 

[Shenanigans]

Wow, that's scary I wonder how they forgot to empty it? The neg feedback will remind him to always check his lighters before mailing them!

[partypony566]

Good grief that's insane!

[Galactica]

Wow, I was about to say "how dangerous could a tiny little lighter be?" but looked up on Snopes.com- and I guess they can be pretty dangerous!  (Couldn't find out anything about lighters exploding in the mail though)

A number of injuries have been caused by exploding disposable lighters, as well as, it appears, at least one death.

In 1985, 66-year-old Ethel L. Smith of Pennsylvania died from injuries sustained, it was asserted, when a Bic butane lighter exploded in her hands while she was using it to light her cigarette, and her estate sued Bic for $11 million. The disposition of the case is unknown. (Bic is known for resolving lawsuits against it out of court and, as part of the settlements, insisting the plaintiffs agree to refrain from discussing their cases. Information is thus very hard to come by about the lawsuits said to have been brought against Bic over the years, including whether plaintiffs were ultimately able to prove their loved ones had died as a result of what they'd claimed.)

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/lighters.asp#k51XlLOEsvAGiGfi.99

[lindsayrose1985]

Wow that's incredible it passed customs!
I work in a well known jewellers in the uk and we often send lighters for repair via mail or internal courier, it's common sense to empty the lighters before they are sent as they are a hazardous item, especially when sent via airmail all that heat, you are asking for trouble.
Hopefully the seller will learn from this experience and be thankful no one was hurt.

[Tulips]

I do hope the seller learns their lesson. I can't believe after they said in their listing that it was illegal to send a lighter with fluid that they actually did so! They have dozens of lighters listed, most novelty designs, I hope mine was just a fluke and this isn't a repeated action.
The package had the contents described as 'Toy Sample', but customs still should have been able to pick it out with x-ray or sniffer dogs.

This was my feedback, "Lighter was sent WITH FUEL after stating it would be empty. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!"... I gave them fair star ratings and they seem to have dropped the matter, they were polite even if a bit obtuse asking me to lie in feedback. I'm never going to deal with them again that's for sure.

[MaronaPossessed]

You did the right thing sticking with the negative feedback.

[ponylady]

  Yikes, I hope they are more careful in the future.

[gypsyunicorn]

Wow
I can't believe that gets through customs but ponies sometime dont

[SeashellnBubbles]

I'd send that message on to eBay...they can't use feedback as extortion to get you to change the facts!