Recently I bought some brass from a member here. We made a deal on a small amount of brass for a small amount of money. What I received in the mail, however, was NOT what I was told I as being sold. I wrote back to the seller and had said: (actual quote from my messages)
"All is in good shape
BUT.....there are only
25.
You listed it as 35.
Hmmmmm.......
"
Because this wasn't a big money item and not a big deal at all, I really wasn't going to make much out of it. However, the seller wrote back and said that he would tear up my check when it arrived. That was a very nice gesture to which I wasn't going to ask him to do. However, in his very next line after the nice gesture, he made a smart comment alluding to the fact that he did me a favor by shipping before I sent my check (which was HIS choice, not mine) and that, and I quote, "
$10 bucks hardly paid for the gas to the PO and back." Again, keep in mind, this was al his choice. Had he felt that this was an inconvenience to him, he shouldn't have offered the sale to me. Nonetheless, I did NOT receive what I was told I was getting.
At that point, I was going to just let it all go and not leave any feedback on the transaction. However, on the day he received my check, he sent a second message. This one was, to me, somewhat snide and smug and I felt was not needed. In one instance, he's offering to give me the brass he sent me for free but on the other hand he tries to rub it in my face without any just cause. Here is the comment:
So is that the plan I tear up your check and you get free brass and shipping OK with me if you need the money that bad and the brass, because i'm not going too be able to retire on the net $4 I made on the deal.Maybe I'm taking this wrong and defensively....am I??
Again, I was going to just leave things as they were and not leave any feedback but after being treated as if I made the mistake here, I felt it was appropriate to let others know what they might face when dealing with this member in the classifieds. With that I left a negative feedback.
So, here is my issue: I didn't do anything wrong with this transaction but receive some used brass in a lesser quantity than I was told I was buying AND for a price in which I could have bought NEW brass for less or the same price. However, in the end, when I have tried to forewarn other members about this persons dealings I, in turn, have received a negative feedback. I had the feeling that this was going to happen judging by the manner in which this member seemed to be acting, with smug comments etc.
So basically, if one tries to forewarn the other members here about a "bad" deal or "suspicious" seller, you take the risk of getting a negative feedback on your record despite you not doing anything bad in the deal. That just doesn't seem fair.....and here is where the feedback system fails:
I will NEVER leave another negative feedback for anyone (if they so deserve it) because I'm sure I'll get one in return out of spite. By doing this, I cannot forewarn other members here of possible bad deals or exchanges. However, I now have a black mark on my record that was given to me from someone who did not follow through on their side of the deal and sent me a negative feedback just out of plain spite and for no other reason at all.
Doesn't make sense to me......
Now that I think of it, I'll probably never leave any feedback anymore. If the system doesn't work, then why use it?