Where Have all the Cod Bags Gone?

Thank God!

I was afraid maybe we had been too effective and had already rid the world of Cod-Bags. This week was rolling along relatively douche-free until Wednesday when we got an irate e-mail from some guy who had won an item and then asked for it to be shipped to an unconfirmed address. Now, a week later, he's pissed because we shipped it to him. (Mind you, we shipped it the day he paid for it.)

His e-mail:

"I have sent one message a few days ago informing that you sent this item to the wrong address - an address requested different from the buyers. I had to resend today at my expense of $11.44. I am requesting a refund of the $15. which was paid promptly to you at the end of auction. If this does not seem reasonable to you, and refund not posted within 2 days, I will discuss this situation with eBay."

Wah, Wah, Wah, I'm telling! He sounds like my little sister did when I taped her Barbie doll to a bottle rocket and got it stuck on the roof.

First of all, Note to all Cod-Bags: Seriously, if your gonna buy someone a present, buy it from a retail store. If your too f#*king cheap to do that, then at least give yourself a couple weeks buffer. EBay is not BestBuy.com. Many sellers are doing this part-time from their homes. If you expect immediate shipping and all sorts of logistical contortions you're smoking grass (and not that good BC Hydroponic stuff either).

Second, if shit doesn't go your way don't bother threatening to tattle to eBay. I do $5-10K a month through eBay and they don't give a crap about me. Do you really think they are going to take your e-mail serious about a $14 item.

Anyway, I digress.

Our response was short, sweet, and to the point, albeit probably not what he was looking for.

"We will not be refunding your money. What you asked us to do violates EBay and Paypal policies which require items only be shipped to a buyer's confirmed address. This policy protects sellers from fraud. You are encouraged to read through eBay's community forum where you will find numerous accounts of rip-off scams where buyers request items be shipped to unconfirmed addresses. We are sorry if you feel slighted, but this is our final opinion on the matter. "

Congratulations to our CODBAG of the WEEK, your dirty diaper should arrive in the mail shortly.

You Might be a Cod-Bag

You might be a COD-BAG if...

• You've waited until a seller filed an unpaid item dispute before telling them you have a problem with your paypal account
• You've ever asked someone to deliver a Craigslist item that is selling for under $100
• You ping sellers for positive feedback because you feel entitled after leaving it for them
• You've asked a technical question about an eBay item that you could/should have Googled for yourself.
• You think "Cash Today" is somehow worth a 50% discount.
• You've ever claimed you accidentally bid on an eBay item... Really? You accidently clicked "Place Bid", then accidentally typed in a dollar amount, clicked Continue, and finally, accidentally clicked the CONFIRM BID button which is conspicuously placed under the phrase "By clicking on the button below, you commit to buy this item from the seller if you're the winning bidder."... Really?
• You e-mail three word questions to craigslist sellers that will take them an hour to research and respond to and then you never follow-up.
• You think that your bogus garage business qualifies you as a commercial address for trucking companies, then get pissed when a 53-foot tractor trailer crushes your petunias.
  

Cod Bag of the Week

Now granted, this has been a slow week, but here's a typical cod bag. This is a real e-mail sent to us from a guy looking to buy a Fondue Set.

"There is a mix up with a seller and I with regards to payment for an item. They subsquentially sent me an unpaid strike for that which was paid thru Paypal but the never got it. This is preventing me from bidding on this item that I want. Can you allow me to bid on it by lifting your restrictin?"

Here's what he failed to mention:

• He has 87.1% positive feedback (Total score of 26)
• 9 negatives in the last 6 months (all non-payment)
• 1 Neutral for slow payment
• 1 mutually withdrawn

I attached my response to the auction. It was "Not no, but Hell No!"

What a COD BAG!

Known eBay Cod Bags

Here is our blocked bidder list.

Please add your list so we can create a comprehensive list of known Cod Bags. Please don't give individual details. Leave those for other rants. This is just a place for the factual posting of individuals you have blocked from bidding on your eBay items. What others do with these lists in order to protect themselves is completely up to the individual user. (wink, wink)

2_da_rnk, 450bill233, 5621sam, aditrolio, akonabum, brandin1987, buzzbait700, hotwheeljc, isohakki, jacohen1, jenesnow, jenniferlynn_palomino, jerryraiber, jewelgrandma, jimayoung_2003, joshhigg, khabibu35, kougar1994, ldelgado90, masterwoodfinisher, mijit66, mj1679pink, oterkongen, pentad5, rain1916, sabres37ryan, sager1985, strobel2112, thewoodsinusa

NOTE: If you have added friends and family to your Blocked Bidder list to prevent shill bidding (something we highly recommend), make sure you remove them from the list before you publish it.