Ebay the ripper. Review on Ebay

With due respect, in MP, which I have come to love like a second home, where the markets and clientele are pretty conservative, and where sometimes in remote areas, one looks forward to buying some out of line stuff; like some clothes, gadgets, collectibles, electronics, precious stones, or just while away the time for want of anything better to do. So that has led me to ebay once in a while.

It seems I have quickly forgotten my rotten experience, and didn't learn the lessons I should have learnt long ago. I wanna list some of my purchases and experience therein :-

Diamonds - looked like white sand pebbles.

Precious stones -- looked like glass. The jeweller gave me a look that would send a hippo cringing with embarrassment.

Mobiles - useless chinese ripoffs that are impossible to handle or interface with anything, with as much life as a moth on a flame.

Clothes - better stuff is found in dollar stores, red cross charity shops and sidewalk vends.

Jewellery - looks like cheap imitation gold or silver plated metal at best .

Dvds, movies and software - is inevitably pirated and never works from day 1. Moreover the seller vanishes after selling a ton of them so you can't even register a complaint.

Gadgets - have no documentation, warranty or bills of any lawfully enforceable kind.

If you complain they send you an automated response that runs into 3 pages, duly insulting your intelligence. Nobody picks up their tele response number.

A negative feedback invites the wrath of angry sellers and management alike , wanting to know , 'what's wrong with you' . You can't complain till 7 days of usage ( how, why..? When it doesn't start why should I wait for 7 days? Will the damn thing awaken or come to life after being dead for 7 days..? Is this religion?). Your demand for refund, should the damn thing not reach you is put on hold for months till the seller can locate the damn package he has sent you through some shady courier.

I really wish I had something good to say about them, but I don't. I am not much of a poorer man because of the loss incurred by buying rotten stuff, but I feel in India there is total lack of integrity in business dealings.

Trust, faith and accountability is a forbidden commodity in relationships. The golden rule is if you give away your money, you will never hear from them again. Whether it is the agent who pays your property tax, or a builder you buy a flat from, or a dealer you pick up a car from, or an insurance or mutual fund agent, once they have your advance or full money, they have lost all interest in you. After that you keep chasing them, and they will keep making you run after them.

The guy who has the ( other guys') money - is the winner and dictates terms in a relationship here. Of course, immodestly speaking ( forgive me - but I am trying to make a point for youngsters), i am a very tough character - so I do manage to get my way, almost all the time, but after a lot of grief, threats ( legal or illegal), confrontation, struggle and battle, which takes away all the pleasure of a therapeutic purchase, and is in extremely poor taste, and highly unpleasant and avoidable. I am tired of it and have better things in life to do so I avoid transactions where I will end up fighting.

So my advice is ( and I am a much scarred man, , ), never give a penny more in advance to anyone- even the most near and dear ones ( check out ambanis, or jaipur royal family). If you have to give any advance - make sure you get something in return to keep an upper hand. Always keep a door open- wide and handsome - for an easy and smooth exit, such as a check stop option, if the other guy doesn't keep his line of promise ( which he won't).

The moment the salesman has your advance - he has lost interest in you and moved on to the next client - to tot up his own commission. The trick is to keep them running after you , and make the payment only when you have the keys in your hand. Go for installment linked options wherever you can. It's a dishonest and unscrupulous world -- beware youngsters.