W1CIA - BE CAREFUL!!

[aj1m]

I recently purchased a set of Mosley TA33JR traps from Don, W1CIA. I sent Don payment on these items which he recieved on March 3rd. After not receiving the traps by March 13th. I phoned Don and later that day he called me back with tracking information. Don had told me on March 6th that he would be shipping the traps on March 10th. In fact he didn't ship them until the 13th after I called him on that day. On the 14th I e-mailed Don and told him that I thought it was "Absolutely ridiculous that after receiving a USPS money order that shipment be delayed 10 days." Below are e-mails which have followed since my statement about being ridiculous.

My reply to Don this morning:

Don,

I'm sorry but I do not believe that stating the truth is "nasty and insensitive." You
received my payment via a USPS money order for the traps on March 3, 2008. On March 6,
2008 I called you and was told the traps would be shipped on Monday, March 10, 2008 (7
days from the time you received payment). Using the UPS website I could figure that they
would arrive on March 12, 2008 and even if you shipped them on the 11th or 12th, they
would be at my qth by the end of the week (March 14th.) That would still allow me to get
them up over the weekend, so I lined up the help to be here to take the antenna down and
put it back up. When they didn't arrive on the 12th or 13th, I decided to call you again
on March 13, 2008. When you answered you stated "they have been shipped, but I'm on a
long distance call right now, let me have you number and I'll call you back with the
information." A few hours later you returned the call to my voicemail and left me the
tracking information. When I put in the tracking information the next day, figuring it
was a two day ship by ups for there to here, I was surprised and upset to find out that
it was going to be Monday when the traps arrived. I then looked at the time the item was
shipped, and found that the item had not been shipped when I first called you on the 13th
(10 days after you received payment - sorry but that is ridiculous), but that the reason
you waited so long to call me back was because you went out and shipped it then.

I purchased a product from you. I paid in a timely manner via the United States Postal
Service and using a USPS money order in which I have the receipt for. I expect to
receive the product I purchased.

Thanks,
Jay
AJ1M


Don's reply received this morning:

Quoting DONALD HAAKER <augsburg68>:


[Hide Quoted Text]
Hi Jay, In thinking about your nasty and insensitive Email in regards to the two day
delay on shipping your traps, my wife convinced me to intercept the package and return
it to Fitchburg. You will be receiving a complete refund by mail.73.
Don W1CIA
----- Original Message -----
From: James Minnich<mailto:aj1m@frontiernet.net>
To: augsburg68@msn.com<mailto:augsburg68@msn.com>
Cc: aj1m@frontiernet.net<mailto:aj1m@frontiernet.net>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 9:55 AM
Subject: RE: QTH.COM Ad -- More Estate Items for Sal...



Dear Donald Haaker W1CIA,

You have received a response to your ad, titled "More Estate Items for Sale!!", that
you have running on the QTH.COM Free Ham Radio Classified Ads.

The response is from:

Name: James Minnich
Callsign: AJ1M
E-mail: aj1m@frontiernet.net<mailto:aj1m@frontiernet.net>

The response is:

Hi Don,

Thanks for shipping those traps out this past Monday as you said you would last
Thursday when I called. I notice by the tracking information that they weren't even
shipped out until after I called yesterday which means they probably woudln't have
shipped then if I would not have called. If they would have shipped as stated, I had
the help lined up to bring the antenna down this weekend and replace them. Since next
weekend is Easter, I'll have to wait 2 more weeks now to replace them. Thanks again.

Absolutely ridiculous waiting 10 days to ship after receiving a USPS money order. It
will be noted on the qth forum board.

Jay
AJ1M

--------------------------------------------------------
For your reference, here is a copy of the ad you are responding to:

Listing Number: 652499
Date Ad was Placed: 03/11/08
Name: Donald Haaker
Phone Number: 978-342-4463
Callsign: W1CIA
Category: ANTHF
Heading: More Estate Items for Sale!!
Ad Message:
HF Antennas For Sale!! HyGain Explorer 14 4Element HF Triband Beam 10-15-20 Meter
like new condition, manual $350, Mosley CL36 HF 6 Element TriBand Beam 10-15-20 Meter
like new condition, manual $450, Cushcraft A3S Three Element TriBand HF Beam like new
all Stainless Steel Hardware ,manual $350, HyGain V66 6 Element 6Meter Beam excellent
condition $175, Cushcraft D3W Rotatable Dipole , like new condition, manual $175,
Cushcraft 124WB Boomer VHF2Meter 4 Element Beam Excellent,manual$69, Cushcraft A148-10S
VHF 2Meter 10 Element Beam like new ,manual $85.
These must be sold to clear the Estate , There are lots of other bargains. Please
call to see what is still available! Thanks for your help!73.
Don W1CIA tel 978-342-4463

--------------------------------------------------------
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[aj1m]

What does anyone else think? Was I too nasty?

Jay
AJ1M

[N4ATS]

I do not think you gave him enough time before the emails or phone calls started to roll in to him. Sometimes things come up (some in which we do not expect or have control of) , however at the same time the "seller" should let you know that the status is changing (if it does) because some people may need the item(s) by a certain time (example , antenna going up and you have folks helping you on the expected day).

I do not , however , think that the “seller” is in any way a dishonest ham.

Usually , when I buy things or sell things , I always try to maintain a “friendly” environment with the seller because it can burn you if you don’t.

I have learned while driving, when someone runs you off the road, it is better to assume they had an issue that caught them off guard or a health issue and hope they are OK. I used to stick my finger out the window but then realized, what if that person had a mild heart attack? I have a change of heart when it comes to things like that now.

Same issue applies in that someone bashes the crap out of a guy or his wife for an item that was not shipped, only to find that during the transaction he became a silent key. (it has happened here more than once).

The rule of thumb in my book, use a “google” search on the person in question and if it comes up clean, trust them. I have been sending out radios and hardware for years BEFORE even getting payment on an item from the buyer. I am not saying I will never get burn’t however to date I have made a lot of friends doing it that way.

Usually when I buy something on here, I have noticed that the seller looks me up and will do the same , imagine that….

[kd5fxr]

i bought some rotor cable from w1cia,was a painless good experience.also priced some more cable just havent got back to him.tom kd5fxr

[KB3PET]

I have also bought from Don, with no problem. I don't know the whole story, but having run my own repair shop i always told the seller if i needed parts in a hurry to complete a job. Just my 2 cents worth. 73 Bob

[WA5JAV]

If I were planing on having help come around to install Mosley traps, I would have possession of the traps before asking the help to arrive. Anything can happen to delay shipping or arrival. Folks become ill, family problems, transportation breakdown en-route, wreck, fire, road flooding, etc. I'm not defending the seller. Only stating the way I would have handled the deal.

[aj1m]

Just to update he still hasn't sent anything. It's been a week since he stopped shipment on the traps and I've yet to receive the refund he promised.

Also on March 6th I only called to ensure he received payment. He offered up that he was shipping them on the 10th and if he was honest he would have stated on the 13th that they had not been shipped, but that he would ship them instead of flat out lying and saying they were shipped. Very obvious to tell when they were shipped that day and time stamped as to when shipped. Also obvious when it took him 10 hours to return the call with a tracking number. For those interested phone calls were used as that was his preferred method listed in his ad.

Jay
AJ1M