Ebay Foolproof?

How many of you people tried selling or buying items via eBay in the past? I hope your transaction went smoothly. Recently I placed my tickets for the FIFA Soccer World Cup Germany 2006 on eBay for sale. I managed to sell it off but there are a couple of hiccups during the process.

First, the winning bidder did not pay me. In fact, he did not even respond to my emails even while the auction is on going before he emerged the winning bidder. I sensed something is amiss when he fails to reply my email but I chose to adapt a wait and see approach. This unfortunately for me turns out to be quite costly. Even with eBay’s buyer and seller protection policy where a winning bidder is legally bounded to purchase the item he bid in the event that he won or the vice verse, there is physically no way the policy can be enforced if the buyer or seller vanish without responding. The most eBay can do is to just ban that particular user from the site but they could always just change their username and address, conjured up with a false credit card number to register again and carry on with their mischief.

The agony experienced is that both valuable time, money and effort is wasted if such a scenario happens. You have to take into account the time it requires to deliver the item internationally and the time it will reach the hands of the buyer.

I contacted the second highest bidder when the winning bidder fails to response to my third email and we agreed on a certain price. He is already in Germany by then and requested that I ship the tickets to his relative staying in New York and they would pass it to him. In the end, after finalizing on the terms and conditions, the deal did not go through. Barely just a day after the discussion, he tried to undercut the price we already agreed on saying that since he is in Germany, it is hard for him to have access to his bank account.

I was like “Huh? What bullshit!” Does Germany have internet access? Does Germany have computers or internet cafe? Do the hotels in Germany have access to a computer or internet network? Yes to all of the above right?! So what’s the problem if all the equipment and gadgets needed to proceed with an electronic money transfer via internet back home in New York is available in Germany….or any major cities in the world for that matter?!! If you never seen my face before, do not assume I look like a carrot top with no brains.

I hate people who try to break their words after we reach an agreement so in the end, I sold my tickets off to the third highest bidder who in this case is an awesome fellow. Quick, responsive, sincere and an avid soccer fan. Thankfully, I managed to sell my tickets to someone who would utilizes and get enjoyment from the match rather to halfhearted individuals.

I feel that unless eBay who is making millions, consider spending a tiny fraction of their profit in hiring someone to personally travel to the place of residence registered by those forfeiters and issued a legal warning, there will still be people who would continue to abuse the policy and waste other individuals time and effort.

Golden Oldies

I have a soft spot for the oldies. Be it songs of yester-years by crooners dating back to the era of Jim Reeves, Jewel Akens and Peggy Lee, television shows or motion pictures as it first started out in black and white transmission or the gentlemanly and refined dressing of European countries in late 18th centuries. Therefore, it is no surprise that I indulge myself now and then with a couple doses of Lang Syne delights.

My latest satiating treat is watching the popular decades old action television series of Ultra Man. Yes, I know how it may sound like. Yes the special effects (If any) is pathetic, the plots are sometimes down right ridiculous and the acting worse but I have to say one thing. Damn it, it is addictive! I never watch any of it shows or movies before this but now I am a fan. So much so that I search the net looking for its history and never-ending story line.

Interested and curious folks can click HERE to find out more about the ultra man family tree.

Soccer World Cup Germany 2006

Sometimes you wish for something but no matter what you do, you can never have it. When you do not want it or need it anymore, it pops up into your hands like Harry Potter doing his magic and you curse that it did not occur sooner cos now it is just messing with your head.
“Do I want it now?”
“Do I really need this in my life now?”

Sometimes you tried to look for something you lost but it can never be found.
Then it appeared out of the blue after you stopped looking when the urgency is gone.

I always wanted to travel to the hosting country of FIFA Soccer World Cup or at least be able to attend ONE match and watch it LIVE upfront. Tickets are hard to get, not able to take leave due to work or not enough money. So you can say I pretty much given up on that idea.

Now I have not one but TWO tickets to the World Cup Germany 2006 ! What’s more, it is Argentina Vs Netherlands, the former being my favorite team!! So I should be jumping for joy right? I should pack my stuff and leave the next day.

Ah...but life has a way of messing with you. My house has finally started renovation after months of discussion and designing. I need to stay and oversee the progress of the reno in case something goes wrong. My fiancee is leaving for the states for a business trip so at least someone needs to be around to run whatever errands or cock-up that may occurs during the reno.

Not to mention that it is the Great Singapore sale now (Although I can’t see how great it is judging by the percentage of discount different stores are giving. Looks just like any other ordinary sales throughout the year.) and I need to shop for furnitures, lightenings, utensils, curtains, decorations, cookeries, etc…etc…etc... Not to mention the amount of time I need to spend comparing prices, workmanship, finding suitable designs and be there when deliveries are made.

To make the agony of missing the match a lot more solid than it already is, both tickets are category 1 tickets. 3 Rows from the soccer field! ARGHHH!! At that distance, I can see all the player’s balls jumping in all directions as they run about the soccer field!

For those who have not seen the world cup tickets before, this is how it looks like.

There is a microchip embedded within the silver squre sticker on the upper right hand side of the ticket to guarantee authenticity.

The best solution in my case would be to sell it to those who may better utilize the tickets and enjoy the match up on my behalf. I have put them up for auction on eBay. Anyone interested can look it up and bid for it. Serious soccer fanatic who are going over to Germany for the World Cup can leave me your email address so I can email you the item number on eBay in case any of you don’t already have your tickets for the match up.

Sigh….what to do? You can say that with so much commitment at hand, my only hope is that I would be able to attend the World Cup in 2010.