Half.com - description of three bad experiences selling items

# 8 for April 22, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on April 21, 2002:

From: Chas Partridge [Email User]

RE: Half.com - description of three bad experiences selling items I have been a seller on Half.com for approx. 1 1/2 years. I have sold quite a few items (books, computer games, electronics, etc.) on their site and was quite happy with their system. However, recently things have changed. I have had 3 bad experiences with them.

This is the worst:

On 2/17/02, I sold a Motorola cell phone (approx value $65) to one of their buyers for $20. I sent the phone that day, priority mail and insured (cost $5.10). I had boxed it with peanuts and bubble wrapped the phone. The buyer then emailed me saying he needed the lockout number.

I called my provider and they said it would take 10 days to get it. I let the buyer know this by email. As soon as I got it, I then emailed the buyer with the number. In the meantime, Half.com reversed the charges, took back the $20 from my acct. They did not notify my of this change, I just happened to see it when I was checking on another sale.

I then emailed their customer service several times, that the buyer had my phone, but had been given a refund. So finally after several emails, someone told me they would have the buyer return the phone to me.

The buyer "threw" the phone into a padded envelope and put 11 thirty four cent stamps on it and mailed it back to me. Half.com then took $6.45 out of my account to re-imburse his postage.

I them emailed them that he did not pay $6.45 for postage (I kept the envelope he sent it in) and they emailed back that they would not change the amount. They said that their decision would not be reversed, that it would stand as is.

So with this sale, I lost $6.45 and many hours trying to negotiate with them.

It was a very frustrating experience and now I am trying to close my account with them, but no one has emailed me with information as how to do this. I'm still waiting...

Thank you,

Chas Partridge