NOTE: nico432000 was deregistered in November 2007 as an eBay user, but the registration is again enabled. Click here to see current status. striker10 has been reported as an alias, please advise if you can confirm or deny, or if you are aware of any other aliases.

The Facts: Listing summary

The Facts: Chronology

• July 27, 2007, 9:00 PDT: Item listed with $25.00 starting bid.

  The description included: "IT IS IN MINT CONDITION".

• August 1, 2007, 9:00 PDT: Auction ended at $511.88 final price + 15.00 postage+insurance.

• August 2, 2007: Buyer sent seller check for full amount, $526.88.

• August 19, 2007: Buyer emailed seller:

        I received the Ott & Brewer jug/ewer in the mail today.  This
        item has been restored and oversprayed on the spout and the
        curled part above the handle.  These areas are not translucent
        like the rest of the item.  Also, the gold and exterior paint
        appear to be a different color and textures, too.
  
        Although I love the form, I am unhappy with the condition, as
        the item was described as mint.
  

• August 19, 2007: Seller replied via email:

        I AGREE THE PAINT COLORATION ON THE SIDES LOOKS ODD BUT IT HAS
        NOT BEEN OVERPAINTED.I SCRUBBED IT DOWN AS I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE
        DIRT.THAT PART OF THE EWER I SCRUTINIZED VERY CLOSELY.AS FOR THE
        SPOUT AND HANDLE TIPS.I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE RESTORED.THE
        BEST I CAN OFFER IS THAT YOU SEND IT BACK AND IF I MISSED IT
        BEING RESTORED I WILL REFUND YOUR MONEY.
  

• August 21, 2007, 10:54 am: Buyer shipped item back to seller. Buyer inserted instructions on how to strip the repairs from the item.

• August 23, 2007, 8:40 am: United States Postal Service (USPS) left pickup notice in seller's post office box. The tracking results show that:

        Label/Receipt Number: 0305 0830 0001 4947 4293
        Delivered, September 13, 2007, 2:06 pm
        Notice Left, August 23, 2007, 8:40 am
        Acceptance, August 21, 2007, 10:54 am
  

• September 6, 2007: Buyer emailed seller, forwarding tracking information from USPS:

        From the attached email, you can see that the USPS has the
        package containing the Ott & Brewer ewer at your post office
  

• September 7, 2007, 9:36 am: Seller emailed buyer:

        IT HAS BEEN 18 DAYS SINCE I TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD RETURN THE
        EWER FOR MY INSPECTION.I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE ITEM BACK AS OF
        YET AND THIS IS THE 1ST TIME YOU CONTACTED ME SINCE I REPLIED TO
        YOUR ORIGINAL EMAIL.THE STANDARD RETURN POLICY FOR EBAY
        PURCHASES IS 7 TO 10 DAYS AFTER RECIEVING AN ITEM.THEREFORE
        HAVING NOT HEARD FROM YOU AND NOT HAVING NOT RECEIVED THE ITEM
        BACK IN ALMOST THREE WEEKS I AM NO LONGER WILLING TO ACCEPT A
        RETURN.I WILL SHIP THE ITEM BACK TO YOU IF AND WHEN I RECIEVE
        IT.
  

• September 7, 2007, 10:26 am: Buyer called seller's post office. A post office employee informed buyer an initial slip was left in seller's box, that more slips were left later, and that the package was still waiting for pickup by seller.

• September 13, 2007, 2:06 pm: Seller picked up item from the post office box.

• September 13, 2007, 2:07 pm: Seller mailed item to buyer.

• September 15, 2007, 3:44 pm: USPS delivered item to buyer.

• October 2, 2007, 20:45 PDT: Buyer left this feedback:

  Beware: ignored restoration, refused return. Google nico432000 dishonest
  

• October 4, 2007, 15:08 PDT: Seller left this feedback:

  tried to sell the ewer for 4 weeks and then wanted to return it.totaly classless
  

• On or before November 1, 2007: nico432000 is no longer a registered eBay user, suddenly after over 7 years and with 419 feedback entries. Click here to find out more about this seller. (Google nico432000 "about me".)

• On or before December 5, 2007: nico432000 is again a registered eBay user.

Observations

• There is no such thing as a "standard return policy for eBay". In fact, the item listing specifically stated that no return policy was specified.

• That really doesn't matter, because the seller simply did not pick up the return from the post office box until well after any "return policy" might have expired. That's dishonest. The item was delivered to the seller's post office box 4 days after the seller said to send it back, that is what matters.

• The listing stated that the seller assumes all responsibility for listing the item.

• The seller ignores the timestamp information provided by the United States Postal Service.

• The seller has received negative or neutral feedback in the past for apparently similar, improper behavior.

• The seller's accusation that the buyer tried to sell the ewer for 4 weeks is not only baseless, but in direct conflict with all tracking evidence from the USPS. The seller's feedback is dishonest and shameful.

Recommendations

• If you are going to bid on an item from this seller, consider arranging, prior to bidding, for payment through an escrow service.

Please email any comments, corrections, or known aliases of nico432000 to chinabuyer@chinabuyer.x10hosting.com.

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