My Ebay mate Terry

I feel the need to relate this tale of Ebay rage since my run-in with Terry Simms, ebay terrorist and enemy of spelling and grammar. It all started with me selling some radio equipment from work on ebay. Check it out here . Anyway it sold for more than I was expecting, and my mate Terry sent me the standard ebay buying message

9/6/06
Dear starrmania,

I will be sending payment of AU $200.00 via Bank Deposit shortly.

ok can you please send me your bank details as i will deposit via anz net bank can you email me on fumanny@yahoo.com.au

Seems pretty straight forward, although he forgot the postage bit.

9/6/06
Ok no problem. Did you want me to get a postage cost for you before you send payment?

My bank details are

xxxxxx
xxxxxx


Matt

I heard nothing from Terry for a while, I thought nothing of it, he probably has a busy life to attend to. I got this a few days later.

15/6/06
whats is goin on with my item
reagrds
Terry

Ok good, Terry is ready to get this thing organised.

15/6/06
Hi Terry, Postage will be $20 so the total will be $220. I will send as soon as I get the deposit. MY bank details are

xxxxx
xxxxx

Cheers

Matt

Easy. A nice simple Ebay transaction. Or so it seemed...

15/6/06
didnt you state in your add that postage was free as stated in your add whats this postage charges ?

Well I thought it was pretty obvious on the ad that the buyer needs to pay whatever the postage is. That's reasonable isn't it? I'm not trying to make money off the freight, I just don't think I should have to pay to mail it to whatever backwater this purchaser of fine goods lives in. Before I could respond to Terry I get this.

15/6/06
i have payed $220 this again can u please send it
regards
terrence j simms

This was on a Thursday, I checked my account on Friday and the money wasn't there. No great shock, these things take longer than expected sometimes.

On Sunday, Terry got a bit excited and decided to launch a salvo across my bow to show he means business.

18/6/06
can u please tell me what the hell is happening i have payed for this item $220 as u stated but u dont communicate `what are you a ebayer or not

2 Minutes later he fired the same salvo with, wait for it, a question mark!

18/6/06
can u please tell me what the hell is happening i have payed for this item $220 as u stated but u dont communicate `what are you a ebayer or not
?

By this stage I was a little bit fired up and keen to defend my status as "a ebayer" so I sent a lengthy but (I thought) polite response to let Terry know this wasn't appropriate.

18/6/06
Hello Terry, I have received your payment. In Australia payments between different banks are processed overnight so I could not confirm this until yesterday. I'm sorry I haven't responded as fast as you would like but I am not a proffessional ebay seller. I have a job and a family to look after as well. As it is a weekend the Post office is not open so I cannot send your item until Monday morning. Please show a little bit of patience and manners, and your item will arrive in due course.

Ok maybe I shouldn't have invented the family I have to look after, but you get the point, Terry is an idiot and he shouldn't be getting all uppity about this.

So I send off the item, it only cost me $14.40 and I thought about contacting Terry to see if he wanted the change. That was until I received this little gem in my ebay message folder.

26/6/06
hope you enjoy the feedback (learn to explain and not crap on thanx)
Regards
Wont Be Ripped Off by ebay scammers

Well Terry sure showed me. How dare I declare postage in the ad, ask him to pay for it, and then get a little miffed by his aggressive posturing. I did however see through his cunning ruse to change his name to "Wont Be Ripped Off by ebay scammers". This he left on my user profile.

"stated in ad postage free then makes me cop bank charges after refund a joke"

I was a little concerned people reading my feedback may not be able to tell from this incoherent rant that Terry is nuts, so I responded on my feedback profile.

Reply by starrmania: Stated VERY clearly postage at buyers expense. This guy was weird and abusive

Then I left Terry some choice words on his feedback.

Agressive, impatient and doesn't want to pay postage. Not a good guy . Avoid!!!!

The funny thing is, Terry's user rating is higher than mine despite getting 8 negative feedbacks in the last year.

I also sent him a message in reply.

28/6/06
Read the Ad mate. It said --I'm happy to post anywhere at buyers cost. The unit is reasonably heavy so postage may be significant-- I don't understand your aggression. You got the item, you paid the right amount, I sent it in a reasonable time frame. Please remember that sellers are normal people too, and try to keep some perspective on what is ultimately a minor matter. I've left you negative feedback in response to your childish and incoherent neg feedback on my profile.

The final poignant chapter in this story is written by my Nemesis Terrence J Simms. I thought I had him on the run with my clear writing and (mostly) correct spelling. I was wrong. Terry, with his deft use of language and pace left me looking like I was standing still while he ran circles of logic around me

30/6/06
your a con man read the top of your ad good
you can read not


And there it ends. I am broken...