Jesus Herschel Christ!!!. The package hadn't been opened and wasn't (fortunately) damaged. That's the way it was sent. It's beginning to sound like Scott McClellan's briefings in here.
Phil Sieg Knoxville, Tennessee
dddd wrote:
> I think it's always possible that a package could have been damaged or
> opened by the USPS or whoever, and stuffed back in the box sans
> packing. I've gotten packages back that never made it to the buyer,
> the address label having been mutilated. In one case, an entire inner
> box went missing from an uninsured package and I was just super-happy
> that I got the complete item back. I notified the buyer and shipped
> it again and the buyer was cool about it.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Galen" <gvpoole@bellsouth.net>
> To: "Phil Sieg" <triodelover@comcast.net>
>
>> Phil,
>>
>> Thanks for the response, and for the link. By the way, those are nice
>> looking bars. The emblems are sharp, uninjured, and the cropped photos
>> show the detail very well. Much better than the too frequent fuzzy
>> pictures that show the whole item. I picked up a Phillipe Professionnel
>> handlebar off ebay for a pittance, because they had tape residue on them
>> in the photo, and that obviously scared off all the "gotta be NOS"
>> crowd. I spent 15 minutes cleaning them up (no polishing) and they are
>> the most beautiful NOS-looking bars you would ever care to own. Not a
>> mark on them.
>>
>> Phil, I think you got a nice bar and stem. You obviously wanted them and
>> were willing to pay the BIN price. The absence of packing has to be an
>> oversight, because everything Brooks has sent me has been well packed.
>> Like a lot of busy ebay sellers, he probably waits until he gets a batch
>> of sales to send feedback. Also, although I always refer to him by his
>> real name, he always refers to himself as The Sultan. It may be a touch
>> quirky, but its part of his persona, and he is one of the most
>> identifiable and honest sellers on ebay.
>>
>> Clean up the bars (mineral spirits followed by isopropyl alcohol will
>> take off most of the residue), have a beer, and have a great ride
>> tomorrow!
>>
>> Best in cycling
>> Galen Poole
>> Jackson, MS
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: Phil Sieg
>> To: Galen
>> Cc: Peter Jourdain ; Jay Sexton ; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>> Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 6:43 PM
>> Subject: Re: [CR]e-bay marinoni, the sultan, and a seller beware
>>
>>
>> That's it! OK, here's the deal - for the last time:
>>
>> Here's the auction. Please note both item description and cropped
>> photos. Also note ending date and payment date. Then check his
>> feedback and note the positive feedback left by me on 1 September when I
>> received the bars and stem. Yes, despite my reservations, I left
>> positive feedback. Then check my feedback and note that despite paying
>> his BIN price and doing so promptly, he hasn't left me any positive
>> feedback (at least as of right before I typed this).
>>
>> Today I finally received an answer to the e-mail I sent on the 1st, no
>> doubt at Jay's prompting since it came after this discussion started.
>> It was essentially a form letter recounting all the happy customers and
>> how his packing was never a problem. No recognition that he just threw
>> the bars and stem in a cobbled-together box with no protective padding
>> and hoped for the best. No "I'm sorry"; no "I was in a hurry and should
>> have taken more care", didn't even address me by name. Just a bunch of
>> BS trying to make it my problem and signed The Sultan. Couldn't even
>> sign his real name.
>>
>> So the gist is I paid his BIN price, paid within minutes of auction
>> close using PayPal, got no after sale communication advising me when my
>> items had shipped or when I might expect them, received them in a state
>> unexpected based on the description, found that they were just thrown in
>> an empty box and mailed, have received no positive feedback though I
>> have left same, and now receive e-mails in my inbox from list members
>> calling me essentially a whiner and problem customer (and suggesting
>> that maybe I'm just lying). Great. Maybe his spam filter is
>> responsible for the e-mail SNAFU, but it doesn't account for the rest.
>>
>> Glad all of you have had such positive experiences. BUT I DIDN'T.
>> Ask Greg Parker or Ray Dobbins (among others) what kind of customer I am
>> if you think I'm making shit up. And read my feedback. But stay the
>> hell out of my inbox with your thinly veiled character assassinations.
>>
>> FWIW, I've had 5 transactions since the first of August with
>> wwcyclery. All went off without a hitch. Each item was exactly as
>> advertised and delivered promptly properly packed. And wwcyclery always
>> left positive feedback for me. But according to our fellow list members
>> I'm a whiner and a liar so you probably shouldn't trust what I say.
>>
>> And Galen, I'm not teeing off on you. You just got the "boil over".
>>
>> Phil "I'll know better than to ever do this again" Sieg
>> Knoxville, Tennessee
>>
>>
>>
>> Galen wrote:
>> Phil & all,
>>
>> I have purchased several items from The Sultan and he has always
>> been fairly quick to answer questions and very honest in his
>> descriptions. Sometimes too honest, and some good items go for low bids.
>> I once purchased a derailleur from him that had a barely perceptible
>> crack. Not really noticeable, but enough to discourage me from using it
>> for anything except display. He fully refunded my money, including the
>> shipping fee, and never asked for "confirmation." Brooks is an honest
>> guy, and your experience seems a little out of the norm for him.
>>
>> Galen Poole
>> Back in power in Jackson, MS
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Sieg"
>> <triodelover@comcast.net>
>> To: "Peter Jourdain" <pjourdain@yahoo.com>
>> Cc: "Jay Sexton" <jvs@sonic.net>; <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 12:45 PM
>> Subject: Re: [CR]e-bay marinoni, the sultan, and a seller beware
>>
>>
>>
>> Peter,
>>
>> I e-mailed my concerns about his packaging and product description
>> and he didn't respond to that either. If anyone thinks I'm being harsh,
>> see the feedback for "old, gray and definitely in the way". As several
>> list members can attest, I pay promptly at auction's end. No one has
>> ever had to chase me down for payment.
>>
>> Phil Sieg
>> Knoxville, Tennessee
>>
>> Peter Jourdain wrote:
>>
>>
>> I have thrice e-mailed questions to The Sultan early
>> on during ebay auctions. In no case did he respond. He
>> has neat stuff, good photos and descriptions, but I
>> make it a practice of not buying from folk who do not
>> respond to simple inquiries. I would say he lost at
>> least a dozen sales from me for stems, wheelsets,
>> framesets, etc., because after three strikes I gave
>> up. I would like to buy from him, but I'm not sure he
>> understands who his best customers are or might
>> possibly be.
>>
>> Peter Jourdain
>> Whitewater, Wisconsin
>>
>>
>>
>> --- Jay Sexton <jvs@sonic.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> The Sultan is a friend of mine and has not yet
>> joined the list, depite my urgings. However, I can vouch for
>> him. I will
>> pass on the concerns expressed here and I am sure he will
>> consider them. He's an okay guy.
>>
>> He offered the Marinoni to me and I would have
>> bought it if it was my size. It has been used. Not
>> maintained the best
>> during it's life, but not crashed either.
>>
>> I cannot recommend doing business with e-bay seller
>> wwcyclery/profitcycling. When I sent a question
>> about an item for sale, he was condescending towards me in
>> reply. I
>> responded in as objective a manner as I could, and he then
>> petulantly blocked
>> me from further bidding on his items.
>> And a reminder.....next Saturday, the 17th is the
>> Sonoma County Vintage ride. Be there or be square! E-mail
>> me for
>> details if interested.
>>
>> Jay Sexton
>> Sebastopol, CA
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