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Thunderbird Club

#108,783
Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
So what's the deal with your G&L eBay purchase back in 2010?
Click to expand...
It's been nearly 10 years but as best I can recall...
Found a nice G&L 2500 Tribute on eBay for a fair price. Hit the pay it now option. Offer accepted. Emailed the seller with preference to pay via money order vs PayPal. He said ok. Got sellers name and address, mailed the money orders and got the bass serial number. One week later reconnected with the seller via email, no response. Had his mailing address so I did a reverse phone number search. Before calling him, looked the address up on google earth, turned out to be a music store. I thought, how odd, why make the money order out to a person vs the store.

Looked the store up on line, viewed their used inventory and found what looked like the same bass for less money. Called the store from my office phone number and asked for the manager. Asked the manager if the seller worked there, he said yes. I asked if the G&L listed on eBay was still for sale, he said he didn't have any eBay listings but he did have a used G&L in stock (it was the same bass), so I bought it on a credit card and asked him to rush ship it to me.

After a couple of days I got hold of the original seller and asked him if he had shipped the bass, he gave some lame excuse as to why it hadn't been shipped yet. I told him I'd pay a premium to have it Rush shipped, he thought that was a good idea, so I told him I'd overnight another money order to cover the urgent shipping. Instead I called the bank and voided the previous money orders, which fortunately hadn't been cashed yet.

The next day I received the bass in the mail from the store manager, serial number matched the one the eBay seller sold to me. So I called the store up, talked to the manager and thanked him for the honest and prompt deal. Then I let him know that his employee had posted that same bass on eBay at a higher price. The manager looked into it.

Manager called me back later that day and apologized about his employee, who he had just fired. Turned out the employee (eBay seller) was taking photos of store inventory, inflating the price, selling the instrument on eBay and pocketing the difference. The manager offered to completely reimburse me and let me keep the G&L. Told him thanks, not necessary - terminating the employee was good enough for me.

Haven't bought anything else on eBay since then.
 
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#108,784
GBassNorth said:
It's been nearly 10 years but as best I can recall...
Found a nice G&L 2500 Tribute on eBay for a fair price. Hit the pay it now option. Offer accepted. Emailed the seller with preference to pay via money order vs PayPal. He said ok. Got sellers name and address, mailed the money orders and got the bass serial number. One week later reconnected with the seller via email, no response. Had his mailing address so I did a reverse phone number search. Before calling him, looked the address up on google earth, turned out to be a music store. I thought, how odd, why make the money order out to a person vs the store.

Looked the store up on line, viewed their used inventory and found what looked like the same bass for less money. Called the store from my office phone number and asked for the manager. Asked the manager if the seller worked there, he said yes. I asked if the G&L listed on eBay was still for sale, he said he didn't have any eBay listings but he did have a used G&L in stock (it was the same bass), so I bought it on a credit card and asked him to rush ship it to me.

After a couple of days I got hold of the original seller and asked him if he had shipped the bass, he gave some lame excuse as to why it hadn't been shipped yet. I told him I'd pay a premium to have it Rush shipped, he thought that was a good idea, so I told him I'd overnight another money order to cover the urgent shipping. Instead I called the bank and voided the previous money orders, which fortunately hadn't been cashed yet.

The next day I received the bass in the mail from the store manager, serial number matched the one the eBay seller sold to me. So I called the store up, talked to the manager and thanked him for the honest and prompt deal. Then I let him know that his employee had posted that same bass on eBay at a higher price. The manager looked into it.

Manager called me back later that day and apologized about his employee, who he had just fired. Turned out the employee (eBay seller) was taking photos of store inventory, inflating the price, selling the instrument on eBay and pocketing the difference. The manager offered to completely reimburse me and let me keep the G&L. Told him thanks, not necessary - terminating the employee was good enough for me.

Haven't bought anything else on eBay since then.
Click to expand...
Bet you made the top of the"seller's"fecal roster.:laugh:
 
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#108,786
GBassNorth said:
It's been nearly 10 years but as best I can recall...
Found a nice G&L 2500 Tribute on eBay for a fair price. Hit the pay it now option. Offer accepted. Emailed the seller with preference to pay via money order vs PayPal. He said ok. Got sellers name and address, mailed the money orders and got the bass serial number. One week later reconnected with the seller via email, no response. Had his mailing address so I did a reverse phone number search. Before calling him, looked the address up on google earth, turned out to be a music store. I thought, how odd, why make the money order out to a person vs the store.

Looked the store up on line, viewed their used inventory and found what looked like the same bass for less money. Called the store from my office phone number and asked for the manager. Asked the manager if the seller worked there, he said yes. I asked if the G&L listed on eBay was still for sale, he said he didn't have any eBay listings but he did have a used G&L in stock (it was the same bass), so I bought it on a credit card and asked him to rush ship it to me.

After a couple of days I got hold of the original seller and asked him if he had shipped the bass, he gave some lame excuse as to why it hadn't been shipped yet. I told him I'd pay a premium to have it Rush shipped, he thought that was a good idea, so I told him I'd overnight another money order to cover the urgent shipping. Instead I called the bank and voided the previous money orders, which fortunately hadn't been cashed yet.

The next day I received the bass in the mail from the store manager, serial number matched the one the eBay seller sold to me. So I called the store up, talked to the manager and thanked him for the honest and prompt deal. Then I let him know that his employee had posted that same bass on eBay at a higher price. The manager looked into it.

Manager called me back later that day and apologized about his employee, who he had just fired. Turned out the employee (eBay seller) was taking photos of store inventory, inflating the price, selling the instrument on eBay and pocketing the difference. The manager offered to completely reimburse me and let me keep the G&L. Told him thanks, not necessary - terminating the employee was good enough for me.

Haven't bought anything else on eBay since then.
Click to expand...
Scammers are not always the brightest people.
 
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#108,790
@TBird1958
Assuming I don't end up with some crazy Fender Guitar, I'll be installing the Hellborg strings on the 2015 TBird. Will keep folks posted on what arrives (no I'm not gonna do an unboxing video - hate those) if I restring it, I'll write something up on that as well. Might be the first bird in the club on Hellborgs. :thumbsup:

...Then again might be the first bird in the club with six strings and a Fender logo. :roflmao:
 
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#108,791
GBassNorth said:
@TBird1958
Assuming I don't end up with some crazy Fender Guitar, I'll be installing the Hellborg strings on the 2015 TBird. Will keep folks posted on what arrives (no I'm not gonna do an unboxing video - hate those) if I restring it, I'll write something up on that as well. Might be the first bird in the club on Hellborgs. :thumbsup:

...Then again might be the first bird in the club with six strings and a Fender logo. :roflmao:
Click to expand...

I have a set of them on the '89 - Really like them, remind me I need to order two sets tomorrow, one for the Purple '76 and the other...….I don't know yet, perhaps the Lull.
 
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#108,792
TBird1958 said:
I have a set of them on the '89 - Really like them, remind me I need to order two sets tomorrow, one for the Purple '76 and the other...….I don't know yet, perhaps the Lull.
Click to expand...
Cool. IIRC You're a pic player down by the bridge pup. How do you think the Hellborg's will respond to a finger player up by the neck pup? Any insight on where you think they fall sound wise in relationship to D'Addario XL nickel round wounds? (Brighter, darker, gritty, crisp, etc)
 
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#108,796
GBassNorth said:
It's been nearly 10 years but as best I can recall...
Found a nice G&L 2500 Tribute on eBay for a fair price. Hit the pay it now option. Offer accepted. Emailed the seller with preference to pay via money order vs PayPal. He said ok. Got sellers name and address, mailed the money orders and got the bass serial number. One week later reconnected with the seller via email, no response. Had his mailing address so I did a reverse phone number search. Before calling him, looked the address up on google earth, turned out to be a music store. I thought, how odd, why make the money order out to a person vs the store.

Looked the store up on line, viewed their used inventory and found what looked like the same bass for less money. Called the store from my office phone number and asked for the manager. Asked the manager if the seller worked there, he said yes. I asked if the G&L listed on eBay was still for sale, he said he didn't have any eBay listings but he did have a used G&L in stock (it was the same bass), so I bought it on a credit card and asked him to rush ship it to me.

After a couple of days I got hold of the original seller and asked him if he had shipped the bass, he gave some lame excuse as to why it hadn't been shipped yet. I told him I'd pay a premium to have it Rush shipped, he thought that was a good idea, so I told him I'd overnight another money order to cover the urgent shipping. Instead I called the bank and voided the previous money orders, which fortunately hadn't been cashed yet.

The next day I received the bass in the mail from the store manager, serial number matched the one the eBay seller sold to me. So I called the store up, talked to the manager and thanked him for the honest and prompt deal. Then I let him know that his employee had posted that same bass on eBay at a higher price. The manager looked into it.

Manager called me back later that day and apologized about his employee, who he had just fired. Turned out the employee (eBay seller) was taking photos of store inventory, inflating the price, selling the instrument on eBay and pocketing the difference. The manager offered to completely reimburse me and let me keep the G&L. Told him thanks, not necessary - terminating the employee was good enough for me.

Haven't bought anything else on eBay since then.
Click to expand...
Quite the story!

My Studio V and Jazz came from eBay, both also about 10 years ago now, with no problems. But eBay seems to be a different place than it used to be, same with Amazon.
 
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#108,797
GBassNorth said:
It's been nearly 10 years but as best I can recall...
Found a nice G&L 2500 Tribute on eBay for a fair price. Hit the pay it now option. Offer accepted. Emailed the seller with preference to pay via money order vs PayPal. He said ok. Got sellers name and address, mailed the money orders and got the bass serial number. One week later reconnected with the seller via email, no response. Had his mailing address so I did a reverse phone number search. Before calling him, looked the address up on google earth, turned out to be a music store. I thought, how odd, why make the money order out to a person vs the store.

Looked the store up on line, viewed their used inventory and found what looked like the same bass for less money. Called the store from my office phone number and asked for the manager. Asked the manager if the seller worked there, he said yes. I asked if the G&L listed on eBay was still for sale, he said he didn't have any eBay listings but he did have a used G&L in stock (it was the same bass), so I bought it on a credit card and asked him to rush ship it to me.

After a couple of days I got hold of the original seller and asked him if he had shipped the bass, he gave some lame excuse as to why it hadn't been shipped yet. I told him I'd pay a premium to have it Rush shipped, he thought that was a good idea, so I told him I'd overnight another money order to cover the urgent shipping. Instead I called the bank and voided the previous money orders, which fortunately hadn't been cashed yet.

The next day I received the bass in the mail from the store manager, serial number matched the one the eBay seller sold to me. So I called the store up, talked to the manager and thanked him for the honest and prompt deal. Then I let him know that his employee had posted that same bass on eBay at a higher price. The manager looked into it.

Manager called me back later that day and apologized about his employee, who he had just fired. Turned out the employee (eBay seller) was taking photos of store inventory, inflating the price, selling the instrument on eBay and pocketing the difference. The manager offered to completely reimburse me and let me keep the G&L. Told him thanks, not necessary - terminating the employee was good enough for me.

Haven't bought anything else on eBay since then.
Click to expand...

But what kind of feedback did he leave on the transaction?
And what feedback did you leave him?

GonePlaid said:
He's fortunate he wasn't arrested-or was he?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that he would have done anything for which he could be arrested. As far as described, he had not committed fraud or theft. At worst, he/she broke eBay terms of service in that he/she was selling an item that he/she did not yet own (as many sellers do when an item is "on order").

Economics describes such a person as an "agent of efficiency". He/she has found a disparity in value between two markets and moves the goods between the two. If the agent is successful, usually the prices in the two markets will eventually converge (barring externalities). Until that time, the agent of efficiency gets paid commensurate with the inefficiency he/she has exploited.


Firing the employee may strike us as justice being done, but it does nothing to stop the individual. He/she could buy the instruments from the store and re-sell them in higher value markets. The better approach for the store owner would have been to hire the employee to run eBay sales and pay him/her a split of the excess profit. The employee probably should have taken a more direct route as well either buying the instruments then re-selling them or approaching the store owner to point out the price disparity and offering to run online sales for a piece of the excess profit.
 
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