Buyer Beware: scubadic/ScubaDictionary

[AussiePro]

I just wanted to share my experiences with the ebay user scubadic, which also runs the website Scuba dictionary at .:: ScubaDictionary - Make Every Dive Count ::..
I thought I had purchased a Fantasea Nano Double Ray Strobe Set at a good price. What I really purchased was a whole lot of trouble.
I regularly use ebay, I'd say I would have made 100s of purchases on there and this is only the second time that I have had any trouble. I also occasionally sell on there and I always make sure that I send the item out the next business day and I make sure that I reply to any communication from the buyer within a couple of hours maximum.
On the 13th of June, now a month ago, I bought this item and immediately paid for the purchase through paypal. I received a message from scubadic informing me that it would be shipped out within 2 days. That was fine, I had a trip coming up in a couple of weeks but I figured it would still be plenty of time. At the same time I also purchased an underwater housing from Singapore which arrived three days later.
The strobe didn't arrive in time for my trip, but I figured the postage was just a bit slower so I didn't think too much about it. I waited until the 6th of July, by which time I figured that there is no way that it could not have arrived if it was sent within 2 days. I sent a message to scubadic through ebay asking him for the tracking number for the parcel. I didn't get a reply until the 10th of July, simply stating that the parcel was returned to him, he didn't know why and that he would resend if I liked. I'm actually quite insulted that he thinks I'm this stupid. Parcels don't just get turned around for no reason, I'm guessing it wasn't sent in the first place. Even if it had been sent and it was turned around, why didn't he let me know immediately? Also why on earth would he even question if I want it resent? Of course I do, I want my goods.
I immediately sent a message back saying that I do want it resent right away and that I want him to provide the tracking number. He waited until the next day, the 11^th of July to reply and said of course, he just wants to verify my address. By now I get the distinct impression that he is trying to stall me. I once again immediately reply and confirm the address. And now nothing. Another two days have gone by with no contact from this seller. I have tried sending him further messages through ebay, emailing him and even calling his place of business and leaving messages on the voice mail.
Whatever you do, think twice about dealing with this person. At this point I don’t know whether they are a scammer, just lazy or a terrible business person, but I know it is not worth the effort to pursue this type of person. Now I have to go through the drama of registering complaints through ebay and paypal to get a refund.

 

[Larry C]

Thanks for the warning. Before buying locally, I thought about buying my YS-D1 from this guy. Glad I didn't.

 

[flareside]

Just don't let him stall you past the 45 day complaint limit. Even if you get a tracking number and it appears to be on its way, start the complaint as a non-receipt case anyway just in case you a get damaged goods or a bait & switch.

Overall, his feedback doesn't look bad so it may just be a case of bad timing or poor business practices or he may be away and you have been dealing with an underling. Still, don't cut him any slack on the 45 day limit.

 

[AussiePro]

Just don't let him stall you past the 45 day complaint limit. Even if you get a tracking number and it appears to be on its way, start the complaint as a non-receipt case anyway just in case you a get damaged goods or a bait & switch.

Overall, his feedback doesn't look bad so it may just be a case of bad timing or poor business practices or he may be away and you have been dealing with an underling. Still, don't cut him any slack on the 45 day limit.

Well he is not away, so I guess it is either bad timing or I suspect more likely poor business practices. I stayed up late last night so that I could call him Friday morning, his local time. His new excuse was something along the lines of when it was mysteriously returned to him, it was damaged so he had to order it again from his supplier. He told me he would send that day, Friday and that he would give me the tracking number that day also. Well it is almost midnight his local time now and no surprise, still no word from him.
Thank you for informing me about the 45 day limit, I suspected there was a limit but hadn't looked it up yet. Still a couple of weeks before that expires.

 

[Larry C]

Sounds like he didn't have the product on hand and is stalling until he gets it from elsewhere.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for sharing

 

[AussiePro]

I now have a tracking number, so fingers crossed it arrives without any further dramas.

 

[scubadic]

I now have a tracking number, so fingers crossed it arrives without any further dramas.

It is unfortunate that the customer has posted a one-sided version of events. In retail, inevitably screw-ups happen. This customer had his order re-shipped via expedited shipping for free (admittedly and unfortunately late). I can not control anyone's behavior nor do I want to. In the future, please judge by the VAST majority of positive feedback against the inevitable few unhappy circumstances. As a professional underwater photographer I am only interested in providing excellent service for UW gear at great prices. I would like to make certain we make everyone 100% happy but that isn't always possible.

 

[Larry C]

It is unfortunate that the customer has posted a one-sided version of events. In retail, inevitably screw-ups happen. This customer had his order re-shipped via expedited shipping for free (admittedly and unfortunately late). I can not control anyone's behavior nor do I want to. In the future, please judge by the VAST majority of positive feedback against the inevitable few unhappy circumstances. As a professional underwater photographer I am only interested in providing excellent service for UW gear at great prices. I would like to make certain we make everyone 100% happy but that isn't always possible.

A lot of it comes down to communication. If the customer calls and you tell him it was shipped when it wasn't, or you track it and it went to the wrong address and was returned to you it's very easy to say so. Oops, sorry, I screwed up. I'll get it right out to you expedited. Then the customer doesn't have to wonder and ask others for their experiences. If Aussie Pro now has his product and is happy with it and your effort to improve his service, he should post that and say so.

 

[AussiePro]

I did receive the item yesterday, it was finally shipped some 5 weeks after I purchased it. Even after I posted my last comment that I had the tracking number, he still hadn't sent it. He had paid for the shipping, which creates a tracking number but it was something like another week, after I created a PayPal dispute that he actually bothered to go and post it. In my view, this was just an extension of his deceit, making it seem like he had sent it when he hadn't.

I'm absolutely positive that the item was not sent at the beginning of the process as the seller states. He didn't provide any evidence that it had been shipped and he didn't update the status on eBay to indicate that it had been shipped.

Larry is correct, the biggest issue is communication and there was a vital lack of this. The seller would take days to reply, or not reply at all. In the end it came down to me finding his phone number and making a couple of calls to him across the globe. After the first call I left a voicemail to which he also didn't respond.

It is sad that the seller takes no responsibility for his terrible service and seeks to defend his name rather than saying, yeah I screwed up, this is not my normal business practice.

I have received the item yesterday and it arrived in good condition and it works. I have no complaint about the product. I will say no more on the matter because these are the facts of what happened, with no embelishments.