Here's an amusing little e-mail thread that was a result of a bad experience with one of Surplus Computer's E-Bay auctions.
What do you think? Did I do something wrong?

This was the reply I finally got from customer service. I guess asking for what you paid for is acting like a little child:

Since we never got your previous email, why don't you get a grip? Are
you done throwing around threats and accusations? Here's a tip, that's not
the best way to get what you want out of people. For your information, it
was an error in the shipping department and normally we would be happy to send you the correct units. We will still send you the correct units, but my advice to you would be to grow up a little and stop acting like a
child.



-----Original Message-----
From: Chris M.
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 7:28 AM
To: auctions
Subject: LAST CHANCE

Since you haven't responded to my previous e-mail
(below), I have no choice but to to leave negative
feedback, dispute the credit card charge and report
this fraudulent sale to e-bay. I'll give you until
Noon Central time today to contact me and resolve this
issue.

Chris Maloney
(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Here's the e-mail I sent you on 7/22:

In regards to eBay Item # xxx which I "won" on
July 15, 2003. Invoice#xxx. What I received was not at all what was
advertised. I was supposed to get 2 External SCSI CD ROM Changers with
at least one power adapter and one CD Cartridge.
What I got was 2 Apple SCSI Internal Single CD-Rom
drives. Obviously, there was no power adapter or cartridge
since these are single CD Internal drives.
Also, They were in terrible condition. One of them
was rusty. In short, they are junk and not at all what I bid on and
I am not going to pay for them. I am hoping this was an error in your
shipping department and will give you until Friday, July 25th to resolve
this before I leave negative feedback and dispute the charges. Please
contact me at xxx-xxx-xxxx (daytime) or by e-mail at
xxx@xxxx.

Highly unprofessional language being used there. Sounds like one guy running it for him (or her) to take it so personally.

Definitely an-out-of-the-basement seller.

The bad part is I have bought from them before, both from their website and their E-bay auctions and always gotten a good deal, but I guess the true test of a retailer is how they respond when things go wrong.

I'd still give them a negative - after you receive the replacements, of course.

I would too, that **** wouldn't fly in the Tarantino household.

Both of your emails were professional and to the point. The response you got was, ironically, childish and unprofessional. It's amazing how people project their own shortcomings onto others.

I got exactly what I ordered today. I left them a "Neutral" and put in the web address of this thread, which eBay will most likely delete. I don't really mind the delay too much. If only I hadn't gotten that snotty initial reply from them, I would have given them positive feedback and would consider buying from them again.

For those wondering, here is the closed auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2741078238

I just got an e-mail from the president of the company who said he saw the link to this page in my feedback and apologized for the original letter and told me the person responsible has been sacked.

So, in the end, they DID deliver what they promised in a reasonable amount of time.