So I was eBaying stuff this week...

I haven't eBay'd with any regularity for a while now. There's been some changes. First, PayPal now acts like an escrow service. It withholds your money until the buyer has a> posted feedback (positive, I think) or b> they, PayPal, can confirm delivery.

The second big change - eBay is now completely full of jagaloon idiots. I was used to the occasional scammer, but after selling 4 items in one week, I can say the ratio of scammers and fools to solid eBay users has to have quadrupled.

See the below exchange for an example of what I have dealt with this week from eBay users.

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Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #
Dear You,

hi i am sorry i put the wrong amount of bidding your item. i put 855 instead of 85.50
so actually i dont want to pay that much for this item. but if you can sell it for 100 include the shipping, i will buy it

- Douchebag

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Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #

No, you can buy it for $120.00 or get a report of being a non-paying bidder.

- Me

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 i just put a wrong bid.
 if you cant do it for 85, i can pay you 100 include the shipping.
 if you want to leave a negative feedback to me, go ahead and i will do
 it to you too.
 i already told you i put the wrong bid. i put $855 when i just wanna
 pay $85.5 for it.
 but i still can do my best to put down 100 for it, or you can. think
 about it

- Douchebag

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There's really nothing to think about. You "claim" you put in $855.00,
but you would have had to CONFIRM it when you put it in, so you either
are really inept, or you are lying to me. Either way, I don't really
care. $120.00 is the price you agreed to pay. You might get away with
this with someone who was a retailer who had investment tied up in
stock. But thats not my situation.

I actually don't have to leave feedback to file an unpaid bidder alert,
so threatening me with retaliatory negative feedback is a waste of time.
I can then either give the second highest bidder a second chance offer,
or re-list it. Be assured, by the way, that all these emails will be
documented with eBay's Resolution Center. I may even blog about this,
who knows.

I will consider the item un-paid-for if I don't receive payment by 4PM
Saturday, which is actually pretty nice of me since you are basically
telling me you wont be paying...

You may want to read this.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/unpaid-items.html#problem

- Me

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Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #


well, i am sorry about the trouble.
i really put 855 by mistake. but i dont know how to cancel the bid.
if the phone is in fully function, and garentee work, i will think about it and see if i can pay that much.
cuz my budget for it is around 100. so how about 110 if you can garentee it works?

- Douchebag

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Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #

Wow you really have no clue. You didn't even investigate enough to know
what you were buying. Its not a phone, dude. Its a wifi tablet. And, for
you, it costs $120.00. Pay it, or don't and I will follow through with
all the steps available to me via eBay's processes. Its really very simple.

- Me

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Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #

well, yep i really no clue about it sir. lol.
i really willing to buy it but are you garentee it works fine?
and you will send me a second offer for 120 total if it works fine and no personal code on it rite?
thank you

- Douchebag

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(5 minutes later)
Subject: Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #

thx i guess i give up.
sorry for the trouble though.

- Douchebag