Dang! Kuwarta418 is like Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher, man. Just when you think he's down for the count... you ain't seen or heard a thing from him... he shows right back up, as evil as ever.

This time around he's contacting bidders in my auction and telling them not to bid. Yeah, it's pretty shady. I got word from a bidder that he had been attempting to sabotage my auction earlier tonight. I fired off a note to the ebay po-po straight away. What follows is my note advising Kuwarta418 as to exactly what I told the ebay folk:

Kuwarta,

I hope your holidays are going well. I sure know that they've been busy! I thought that you would be interested in reading the note I had to send to Ebay this evening. You had to know that it was inevitable, right? Anyway, the note follows:

I have recently been having problems with a member with the screenname, kuwarta418. I recieved a question from the leading bidder in auction #220063512664 bidder informing me that kuwarta418 is contacting my bidders and advising them not to bid on my items.
If this member's actions negatively affect my auction, I assume I will be permitted to relist the item with insertion fees and other charges waived.
His violations are an act of harrassment and a violation of policy in response to a mistake I made earlier this week and quickly rectified. I used a picture he had taken (not knowing it was against Ebay's policy to do so) and took it down immediately when it was brought to my attention. Currently my listing includes a picture that was taken by ME and is clearly labeled as such.
I would prefer that this auction be allowed to continue without such harassment. With only twelve hours left, however, I believe there is probably little that can be done to prevent this member's continued violations. I do hope, however, that you might be able to assist me in relisting this item, should kuwarta418's violations negatively affect my sale, without redundant charges.
thank you,

-sbgibson2001

I'm sorry that I had to call in the fuzz, Kuwarta, especially on Christmas, but you had to see it coming. I mean, when I realized that I broke the rules and offended you... I stopped. You just keep on violatin'. Kinda' like some kinda' misguided, ebay vigilante. It might verge on admirable... if it weren't so sad.
If I catch wind of any further contact with my bidders, I will forward it directly to ebay.
stay cool,
-sbgibson2001

What did I say? Idiotic, right?

Labels: ebay

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Got a new question posted late yesterday concerning my auction listing from the angry Handycam photographer, Kurwata418.

Q: My guess is that you are either too lazy or lack the imagination to come-up with your own idea for presenting an auction. Next time use your own photo and if you can use your own imagination. Getting a reputation as an Ebay thief is not how to keep feedback at 100%.

Ouch! Now come on, buddy. Me... a "thief?" Plus, I never knew that ebay awarded prizes to the most imaginative auctions! I always thought of it as a place to score a quick and easy buck from crap you were gonna throw out anyway. Evidently, I've been wasting my imagination, time and energy at my job and not applying myself when it comes to ebay. Hmmm... anyway, here's my reply:

A: First off... congratulations on your awesome imagination that enables you to LIST CAMCORDER FEATURES. I have no doubt that you'll parlay that skill into a career as a great writer. Secondly... feedback has to do with what the buyer receives and how it is received, plain and simple. I already have a reputation on ebay that I have cultivated over many years from people who have gotten exactly what they paid for.
Now, unless you're planning to bid on my item (there's a great pic of EVERYTHING included in auction #220063512664) please refrain from using the "question" feature to harass me. It's the holidays. Go have a cup of nog and interact with some real people.
feliz navidad,
-sbgibson2001

So far, I haven't gotten a new reply, but I'm sure that it's just because this idiot is trying real hard to come up with something good. When it inevitably shows up, I'll post it here. In the meantime, if you want to check out the offerings from s uch a stellar ebay seller... you can check out his listings here.

Labels: ebay

>>> READ MORE ... you know you want to.

So, I sell something on ebay about five or six times a year. I'm a casual user of the site at best. When I decided recently to upgrade from my Sony Digital 8 Handycam to a minidv model, I figured I'd go ahead and list it and see what I could get out of it. I still have everything... the manuals, the software, I even have the original box!

So right off the bat, I log on to see exactly how much these bad boys are selling for, and soon I see a guy that has one going for $300! Same situation as me. He has the box, manuals, everything and a picture that shows the whole lot. So... as I've done a million other times on ebay... I ganked the picture... the description (which I doctored a bit) and applied it to my item. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm sure that ebay has rules against taking someone elses pictures, but let's face it... once his auction was closed, did he need the pics? No. Is it dishonest for me to portray my items as the same as those pictured? No, they are the EXACT same items!

Anyway, the seller of the original item gets all worked up because I used his original photo and starts threatening to cry "fraud" to the ebay cognoscenti and harrass anyone who bids on my Handycam. Then, I start getting emails from a bunch of his ebay buddies.

As it turns out, I am a "lazy" ebayer. True, I guess. So, to rectify the situation (and drive the point home that it was completely stupid for me to take a picture of my own) I staged an original picture of my own items up for auction. I had to clear out space in the library to match up the wooden floor in the original, but it was worth it. The ganked pic is on top. My interpretation is on bottom. Similar stuff, no?

As of my last check of the ole inbox, the guy even got the winning bidder of his own auction in on the action. It's weird and funny to think of people getting so worked up about this type of stuff. With this as a major disruption to thier world, I can only imagine that their holidays are gonna be pretty dismal and lonely. I'll keep you posted on how this all turns out. It's bound to be idiotic.

Labels: ebay

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