To this "Stellarola" person trying to reach me on multiple forums.....

[PCEngineHell]

When sellers use "fixed price" shipping, Ebay allows shipping prices to be higher than the actual shipping cost.  Sellers are not required to reduce shipping as long as each item's individual charge is under the maximum shipping price.  It might seem morally wrong to charge 12 bucks for three carts won in separate auctions, but it's not a violation of policy.  (To avoid trouble, the safest approach for a seller who wants to ream the buyer is to send the carts in three separate bubble mailers, each at a $1.50 actual cost, while collecting $12 in shipping fees.  That's totally allowed.)

A bit of advice... Ebay does have a feedback extortion policy.  Your message that talked about how "people" have left negative feedback for sellers when they failed to lower their shipping price was not technically extortion in my opinion (since you didn't say that *you* would leave negative feedback), but it skirted very close to that line.  If the seller opened a case against you, the outcome would depend on the mood of whoever was reviewing it that day.  You will want to be careful in the future, otherwise your account might have its buying privileges revoked.

I already contacted ebay Trust and Safety concerning this entire matter this evening. Been on the phone with them while chatting with Bernie on FB. I opted to do so since the guy was dropping my personal info in relation to the purchase on the Neo forums, and his comments to me on sega16 about contacting other ebay members, etc. They reviewed the messages I sent to him when I won the items, as just to be on the safe side I asked them to do so, and the agent found them to be fine, taking it as what I intended it to be, educating the seller about their polices since the seller seemed to be new.

They gave me an email so I can send them links to the rant the guy started on the Neo forums, and so I could submit screen shots of where he was dropping my personal name in his post. The agent thanked me for taking the time to deal with this kind of mess and encouraged me to join in on discussion regarding this kind of crap on their community boards because they are still having a hard time getting the point across to sellers about the new shipping policies and DSR standards, and what is now allowed, and what is not.

The Trust and Safety agent confirmed what I said, that they can not charge $12 like what they originally intended to do to ship 3 items at once like that and pocket the extra. They have internal guidelines for what they consider reasonable shipping cost. On an individual purchase yes, $4 is ok, as a maximum for shipping an individual item.

On multiple purchases, they do not consider $4 per game as being ok, and want to encourage buyers to voice their issue with this if there is a problem, especially if the seller is not clear about their shipping policy in the auction details. The agent encouraged me to scan the ship label when it arrives and forward it to them for review if I have something like this happen in the future and the seller refuses to be honest about the shipping cost (I already had this info, but it is nice to know they are actively encouraging this to be done).

[Emerald Rocker]

Thanks, that's different from what I've been told before.  They should probably update the "combined invoice" form to prevent this.  Another thing I never understood is how when a seller sends an invoice, they can actually increase the shipping cost in there.  Some bum once tried to be sneaky and raised the amount by a dollar!

[Sparky]

Wow, a group bashing with some, the funny part is none of you would have said a fucking thing individually to prof. Hahaha.
Prof was venting with lutz in mind, but it tuned into this? Prof you do not have to say anything more my friend your not on trial, the lutz was lost.

Prof is one of the good ones here, honest as fuck but truth hurts a lot so people start crying. I trust him more than anyone here.  (( group hug))

[PCEngineHell]

Thanks, that's different from what I've been told before.  They should probably update the "combined invoice" form to prevent this.  Another thing I never understood is how when a seller sends an invoice, they can actually increase the shipping cost in there.  Some bum once tried to be sneaky and raised the amount by a dollar!

Ebay has been taking the approach that they want a lot of stuff handled between the buyer and seller anymore, and they only prefer to step in when there is a dispute opened that cant be resolved, or something that relates to a account security risk, or as you said, some kind of blatant feedback extortion.

Which actually in this case, its what the seller is trying to do to me to get his feedback removed, by some ill attempt at public humiliation. Going on multiple forums posting lies about me and lying about our transaction, sending people I know private messages, and dropping my personal info in his public post.

Its extremely hard to just go and weed through the ebay options and get something like a email address these days without having to call them directly and explain the situation, or to go on to the community forums on ebay and discuss the issue there for help (without posting personal details of the buyer or seller). If you get ahold of a Trust and Safety rep via phone you can get a lot of stuff resolved.

They are not part of the call centers in India or whatever, so it is easier to talk to them then the normal reps, but you have to specifically ask to be transferred to them, multiple times. A lot of those reps on the normal line will try to stall you from doing this, because its them having to escalate the call because they cant handle it themselves. If you need to you can also utilize their public forums. Its pretty helpful, and ebay reps do go in there from time to time if something deserves their attention.

EDIT:
Emerald, here is some extra info for you.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/sellerstandards.html

Shipping and Related Charges—Sellers will continue to be required to charge only reasonable shipping and handling fees.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-practices.html#other

You should also make every effort to provide excellent customer service from start to finish, including:
Charging reasonable shipping and handling costs
Making sure the item is delivered to the buyer as described in your listing

Guidelines

Be sure to follow the guidelines in this policy. If you don't, your listings may be removed and you may be subject to a range of other actions, including restrictions of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account. Keep in mind that you could also lose your PowerSeller or Top Rated Seller status.

Item description
The listing page is where buyers get most of their information about an item. Information in the listing helps buyers decide what to buy and know what to expect when they receive an item. It's important to make sure that the listing is only used to describe the item for sale and to communicate the terms of the sale in a professional way.
You're required to:

    Specify the condition of the item

    Describe any defects or flaws in the item—this helps avoid problems or buyer dissatisfaction.

    Note: When selling a used, refurbished, or flawed item, you must include photos of the actual item for sale instead of a stock photo.

Terms and conditions
It's important that you clearly specify the terms and conditions of the sale in your listing so that buyers know what to expect.

What to do
   

You're required to include the following details in your listing:

    Forms of payment you accept

    Return policy

    Restocking fee, if applicable

    Shipping method, costs, and other information

Shipping and handling costs
Be sure to specify shipping costs and related service charges in your listings.

What you can charge
   

Actual shipping cost: This is the amount for shipping the item. It should be what you paid the carrier.


Handling cost: This can include the cost of packaging materials and insurance cost, if any.

If your shipping and handling costs are higher than average, consider explaining in your listing what the shipping and handling costs include.

Categories with maximum shipping costs
   

We set maximum shipping costs in some categories. You can only charge more than the maximum shipping cost if you use calculated shipping and enter an item's actual size and weight with the packing materials.

When using calculated shipping, make sure the calculated cost isn't higher than the actual shipping cost. If so, it's considered excessive shipping, which isn't allowed on eBay.

Thing is though, like I said, the second shipping price he gave was fair. Also, I should note, he did not try to charge me $12 on the invoice. It was $8.62, which initially was not fair, as the shipping method listed was standard shipping, which is what First Class Mail and Media Mail fall under. $8.62 for either of those methods is excessive.

Pretty sure I mentioned this amount prior, but if not, I apologize. My focus has been more on the fact the stuff arrived not as described since the guy did change the invoice. I think the whole $12 thing came because in my reply back to him I accidentally said that was what he tried to charge me on his initial invoice. When I was doing the reply back to him on Sega 16 I was going through old messages and invoices and misread something. I have had multiple tabs open today bouncing back and forth between different things. So to be clear, the guy DID NOT TRY TO CHARGE ME $12. HE TRIED TO CHARGE ME $8.62 before adjusting the invoice.

My apologies for the confusion on that in the latest post. My caffine has been wearing off since the evening, so my focus is waning between reading all this shit today and all the typing. But I do need to stress that yes per above I did talk to the ebay Trust and Safety agent about the maximum shipping caps of $4 per game, which the agent confirmed sellers were not allowed to abuse on multiple purchases.

Regardless, the feedback he got was not due to the price he gave. The feedback he got was due to the items arriving in bad shape, not as described, and that the reason they arrived this way, damaged, was possibly due to the guy not liking that I asked for a fair combined shipping rate. That is basically what I stated. I never mentioned anything in his FB about ripping me off on shipping.

Sparky, nuthin but hugs!

Also, side note, I spoke with my friend Will again for a long bit. I think we found the cause of Stellas confusion regarding him, so I dropped Stella a PM to confirm what we thought. Per Will's request,  he gave me his Monolith log in info so I could jump on the Neo forums and confirm what he suspected just to be sure. Per what I saw, I am betting Will is right. God having to do that makes me feel filthy. The things I do for friends to give them peace of mind...

But anyway, copy paste of what was sent to Stella regarding this:

BTW, I talked to Will some more this evening over the phone. He mentioned he thinks he knows why you confused him for me. You mentioned he posted pics of mine, so he went though looking at his prior post during his late lunch. He found the one where he posted about having issues doing a region mod on a Model 2 Genesis. I indeed took those pics, gave him the links, and asked him to post them around on the Neo forums since at the time the best hardware techs were there. I advised him though to try to see if anyone had clearer pics then my own also. My camera back then was a pretty shitty 1.3mp or whatever. He told me to tell you to go back and read. He never claimed those pics were actually his own at any given point, so if this is the reason by your confusion, you should have read his post better.

But yeah, to add context to the above, I was pretty sure I knew what needed to be done on that mod, well, like 98 percent sure at the time, but I wanted him to double check with others on that forum before we tried it. I actually advised him to not mention me by name when he did that thread, because I had a ongoing issue with a member of that forum at one point there by the name of D-Lite, and one of the admins also, Wasabi maybe???, and did not want him to risk getting in trouble with them.

At the time we met Will lived in the next city over, in Sherwood, Ark. I lived in Jacksonville at the time, about 25 mins away. I had him over to my home and we did a trial run on two or three of my spare decks, and it worked. We then put his under the knife and we modded his deck, had success, and I took pics and gave him the links to share because I felt people should have access to the info, in spite of the fact of me not liking that forum. I ended up giving him one of my decks we modded so he could have a spare also.

Will gave me full credit for the mod in spite of me advising him to not mention me specifically on the Neo forums. Given how vile the Neo forums can be, he was a brave soul for doing that. You pretty much proved that by trying to say he was me, getting him banned before he could even reply back to you or defend himself to Rot. Thats pretty much what happens there on your forums, a trial and execution without a proper investigation (something even our own forum has at times done, just not as much as yours has).

You guys tend to forget that the rest of us normal people have lives, kids, family, work, etc, and don't sit there hanging out on multiple forums days on end with some psychic intuition telling us we need to be ready to defend ourselves against some ridiculous and totally random which hunt. Us normal people can go days, or weeks, or months, without posting or lurking unless we need something or are just bored. Thats why you don't see me here on Sega 16. I did this forum a solid by helping them obtain a service manual, then I moved on to other things I had more interest in.

But yeah I recall helping with that, brings back a lot of memories, because I had to dig though a lot of my Model 2 decks to find the right revision he needed, the kinda sorta Majesco like Model 2 revision with the better Sony chip. He was trying to find info on how to do the mod and discussed it with me while we were shooting the shit about Neo and Jamma deals on craigslist and ebay back and forth online. This was pretty much when we had originally met. This brings back a lot of memories, because that region mod for that revision of the model 2 was kind of important. Granted, it wasn't for you, you were not there, but from a tech perspective, it was a big deal.

But anyway, again, you should have asked Will before jumping to conclusions or messaging him assuming his account was mine. If Rot ever gets around to reading this, since I plan to copy paste it on the thread, now you know why to not to jump to conclusions. And also, your welcome (for us giving your forum the last Model 2 revision region mod). I wonder how many of your members used said info to make a quick buck?

At this point, not that I think Will gives a flying fuck, but I think Stella and Rot both owe him an apology. Will they give him one? No. Not a chance in hell. Will is ready to wash his hands of the situation. I dont blame him, because he has no real ties to either of these forums, and only got dragged into this mess because of some dumb ass jumping to conclusions. This is exactly why guys like him don't actively post anywhere. Too much forum drama. Per Wills advice, I am taking a break from this for a bit myself.



I have said all I care to say on the matter for the moment. Stella stated to me on Sega 16 they are trying to join the forums here. That would be a great chance for them to explain here why the went out of their way to not contact me directly, by only dropping messages and post on forums I am either not actually on, or do not frequent often, and to ruin my friends forum standing over their personal vendetta.

They can explain why they opted to do this as opposed to just messaging me via ebay, like what most normal ebay sellers would do. Because to me, the entire situation they created basically reads off that they feigned an attempt to contact me so they could make it look like they made an effort at doing so before going to cry on the Neo forums, to imply that I was ignoring them on purpose or whatever.

Also, they can explain why their DSR ratings are lower then normal across the board, because my feedback left did not do that to their DSR.

[ClodBusted]

Wow, a group bashing with some, the funny part is none of you would have said a fucking thing individually to prof. Hahaha.
Prof was venting with lutz in mind, but it tuned into this? Prof you do not have to say anything more my friend your not on trial, the lutz was lost.

Prof is one of the good ones here, honest as fuck but truth hurts a lot so people start crying. I trust him more than anyone here.  (( group hug))

And that is why nobody who calls himself an honest and honorable person should fuck around with Prof.

Seriously, would you other guys enjoy to experience the same shit that happen to him? Don't think so.

[esteban]

STOP TAKING SIDES: we are one, single, fabulous dysfunctional family.

[Emerald Rocker]

Emerald, here is some extra info for you.

For what it's worth, your first response already convinced me that I was wrong about ebay policy, but thanks for the extra info about how to get ahold of people at ebay who actually know what they're talking about.  I've had trouble with that in the past.

[Psycho Punch]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

[Bernie]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, you can thank Rot for that.  Mike deleted his account.  He didn't want to be a source of drama for this guy.  Frankly, Mike has a ton on his plate with his mom being so ill. 

[o.pwuaioc]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, you can thank Rot for that.  Mike deleted his account.  He didn't want to be a source of drama for this guy.  Frankly, Mike has a ton on his plate with his mom being so ill.

I still don't understand. What happened? What guy?

[DildoKKKobold]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, you can thank Rot for that. 

Thank you, Rot.

[turboswimbz]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, you can thank Rot for that.  Mike deleted his account.  He didn't want to be a source of drama for this guy.  Frankly, Mike has a ton on his plate with his mom being so ill. 

Bernie next time you talk to mike tell HIm i wish him well with his mother and family.



---side note, this shit is over a freaking MD cart. . .  for real?   Well I suppose I've ssen stranger things.    ON a side side side note,   What UP Bitches?

[Bernie]

Done turbo. 


Sent from my iPhone using your mama

[geise]

ON a side side side note,   What UP Bitches?

Nice to have you back around swimbz!

[turboswimbz]

ON a side side side note,   What UP Bitches?

Nice to have you back around swimbz!

Good to be back!  been to long
I was like hmm haven't logged in to the forum in a bit...
wait it's been that long!????

[esteban]

ON a side side side note,   What UP Bitches?

Nice to have you back around swimbz!

Good to be back!  been to long
I was like hmm haven't logged in to the forum in a bit...
wait it's been that long!????

Ha! I know! I just went MIA for 2-3 months myself.

So, how is NJ? Cold as f@ck?

[turboswimbz]

ON a side side side note,   What UP Bitches?

Nice to have you back around swimbz!

Good to be back!  been to long
I was like hmm haven't logged in to the forum in a bit...
wait it's been that long!????

Ha! I know! I just went MIA for 2-3 months myself.

So, how is NJ? Cold as f@ck?

As you know yes yes it is

[SignOfZeta]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, he does that. He'll be back in 2-3 years, maybe less.

[bartre]

PCEngineHell
Guest

wtf

Yeah, you can thank Rot for that.  Mike deleted his account.  He didn't want to be a source of drama for this guy.  Frankly, Mike has a ton on his plate with his mom being so ill. 

wait, what about Rot?
*sigh*

he got bored fucking with people on Neo?

[JoshTurboTrollX]

I think he got bored fucking with people here too.

[Gentlegamer]

Bernie, nooooooooooooooo!

[wildfruit]

What on earth has happened here?