Im rather upset with this guy.
He bids on a frame on ebay. I drag the frame all the way from Cornwall to Berkshire. I met Ralph in Calcot, close to Reading, and he was expecting a full bike (chumba frame, reba forks, XT cranks and X9 drive train) for the £200 bid despite the ad clearly stating frame ONLY with headset. He then says he dosent want it and walks off. I ask for money to cover petrol and ebays fees. No compliance. He drives a Blue VW t5 camper. If you know him give him a slap and ask him to do the correct thing and get in contact with me. Ive got a picture of his van and number plate. Im happy to post it all up if this will help jog peoples memories. Rather upset having put in the effort and time to meet this 40+ year old character. Im sure somebody must now him ? Seemed to now all the lingo. I would have expected more from a chap like that.

Complain to ebay surely? At least to cover your costs (assuming delivery mileage was to be paid)

ebay is fun isn’t it;

Can’t help but can help share the pain.

Here’s an email I got after somebody winning so rather nice Campy cranks I was selling.

hi can i dweposit this payment into your bank pl ? sorry i dont av paypal and i want to make payment to you unless you are in croydon any time soon i can wait as i got a project working on so its no real rush for it .if you are coming to croydon any time i would really apreciate it thanks

I mean WTF!

Barrel of laughs, ey! Im student so it was a huge amount of effort. I had to borrow a car and pay for fuel, etc. Is there a way of claiming through ebay as a reverse method? Cant imagine them being very helpful (as always).

Its a pain he didnt read the advert properly! but… Ive never been able to understand why ebayers put up a pic of full-bike if they are just selling a frame only. It confuses the thickos out there. If you’re selling a frame put up a pic of a frame rather than a whole bike!

Doubt you’ll have much luck with ebay – might be one to take on the chin and put down to experience mate. 🙂

from your ebay ad. the line

“** Can also sell with: XT cranks, bar & stem, Saddle & posts, Wheels (halo freedom) and a drivetrain (x9)** “

might put you on dubious grounds…

and…

“but often travel to Bristol, Reading & Coventry so theres plenty of scope to meet up”

suggests meeting up in Berks isn’t too difficult.

I assume this is yours:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chumba-HX2-29er-frame-hope-headset-and-more-/260988679548?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3cc423357c#ht_500wt_1122

only picture what you’re actually including in the sale and put it on a white sheet (note: sheet not included).

people look at the pictures and make up a story to suit themselves about the rest of the auction.

He’s probably postign somewhere else about how he had a wasted journey for some student who tried to rip him off.

[edi] just looked at the ad – it consistently talks about ‘the bike’ – tbh I was confused and I know you were trying to sell frame only. Even the extra pics are all of a complete bike.

Ive never been able to understand why ebayers put up a pic of full-bike if they are just selling a frame only.

+1

says the item is in Berkshire but then you say in cornwall in the text which doesn’t really help avoid confusion and did you make the trip especially? Surely postage would have been cheaper.

Nice frame though, and my size…must resist!

When I’ve sold stuff and the buyer wants to collect I ask for a paypal deposit upfront then costs are covered if it goes pete tong.

OP is a bit harsh considering how confusing their ebay advert is, learn from the above replies & move on

Confusing +1

On Ebay you have to assume that everyone viewing your auction is an idiot and won’t read every detail. If you skip the title, look at the pictures and read your description you would think you were getting the full bike.

Okay, I should have taken picture of the frame and bits only but ive been busy with my thesis. It does state what is for sale in the advert. It also states what COULD be included. All it takes is for some one to read the advert and title correctly to understand what the listing is for.

The issues wasnt with where the item is located but the fact that he could have just collected from my house. I didnt have to drive out of my way to meet him at a convenient location (for him) but I did.

Im not asking for peoples reasons as to why he cant read or why he wasnt man enough to pay up. Im wanting a little bit of help to track Ralph down.

Im wanting a little bit of help to track Ralph down.

but you won’t get any money out of him and the above responses explains why most people will probably be on his side?

“Chumba HX2 29er frame with hope headset and more” I thought it was the whole bike from the title. I’m 40 next week, and a linguist pathway student and I’d argue that you just sold the entire bike, mate.

Assume the general public are retarded (this is easily achieved) and only display images of what you are selling.

Just re-list it and move on. When you re-list it take new pictures and update your description and title making it clear that the auction is for the frame only. If you have extras to sell then list them as separate auctions state in each auction that you also have other parts for sale.

Confusing +1
On Ebay you have to assume that everyone viewing your auction is an idiot and won’t read every detail.

Likewise, I treat sellers the same though.

I assume they will put pictures of a full bike up, and talk about “the bike” when they are only selling the frame.

Might sound harsh, but it’s a very confusing listing, even reading it knowing that it was just the frame that was for sale.

wwaswas +1 to both posts

if you’d written the ad clearly there would have been no confusion. Miscommunication takes 2 parties. You were too busy to take a pic of frame only but had enough time to post the ad, borrow a car and drive a considerable distance to deliver? You assumed he’d interpreted the ad as you intended but didnt bother to ask the question?

The politely expressed consensus is you have to bear some of the responsiblity for your woes, so youre hardly going to inspire a burning pitchforks session. If I knew him I wouldnt “out” him, but I might encourage him to post his side of the situation which I suspect wwaswas hit succinctly in his first response.

Learn lesson. Move on.

There is nothing in the ad. which explicitly states what is included. There are some references to specific components, there are references to ‘bike’ several times, and to parts which make up a complete bike etc…

I’d not be surprised if you got neg. feedback saying not as described and their time was wasted meeting up with someone who had mis-described the ad.

[list]Looks like full bike to me. Doesn’t state anywhere it is frame Only and you also state the Bike not the Frame has an eccentric bb.

Together with the picture it’s quite misleading.

All this thread needs now is the real ‘Ralph’ to steam in and shout about his wasted journey etc etc.

Looks like an advert for a whole bike to me. It also looks like it wouldn’t be a problem to deliver it to the Reading area. If that is not the case then it is a very mis-leading advert (IMHO)

but ive been busy with my thesis

Finish your thesis and then do the ad properly.

I sold something through ebay a month or so ago and I CLEARLY stated collection only due to size. The winning bidder then contacts me and asks if I can deliver them to the kingstanding (25 miles away) as he has no way of getting to me. His emails were appalling and looked like they were written by a 12yo, we finally me half way for a small fee.

The mind boggles. 🙄

Yup, have to agree – if I was the winner I would have expected a full bike from your ad.

And I don’t think I’m retarded? Bit tired maybe…..

Okay, thanks guys.
Several lessons learnt here.

I’m worried that I may have been stitched up with this.

Garmin edge 705

After I hit the buy it now he gets a couple more negative feedback. I’ve sent several emails saying I’d be happy to collect but no response. I’m hoping he gets in contact soon and sends it out, but I’m not holding my breath.

I’m worried that I may have been stitched up with this.

Garmin edge 705

After I hit the buy it now he gets a couple more negative feedback. I’ve sent several emails saying I’d be happy to collect but no response. I’m hoping he gets in contact soon and sends it out, but I’m not holding my breath.

Just looked at his feedback… 😯

he enjoyed selling that Ribble Evo Pro Carbon Road Bike so much, he sold it three times. he even knocked £100 off the price for the last buyer! what a guy.
looks like mwamail actually got the bike in Oct last year..

tbf, the way you have constantly advertised changing the ads, no wonder prospective buyer’s don’t have a clue what is actually included in the sale.

you should of known £200 for a Chumba ht frame was far too rich and therefore a buyer for that amount should of sent alarm bells.

Oh did you ever sell the steel fs frame?

It’s bloody annoying that I have to wait til the 12th before I can start a dispute and if this is anything like the last time I’ll be lucky to get any money back and certainly not what I paid.

yer muggomagic has actually been scammed. good news is you have a fairly high chance of getting your money back if you file a claim with paypal, they usually side with buyers in these cases. only can get difficult if he has proof of postage, say, and sent you a brick.

The seller with the Garmin 705, all those negative and dodgy sales came pretty quickly for the expensive stuff he sold recently, after lots of positive reports. I’d bet that his account has been hijacked and the bikes/garmin relisted. He may know nothing about it himself.

he made a couple of grand. thing that gets me is it should be so easy to follow the money. paypal can see which bank account it was withdrawn to?

I’m sorry but what were you thinking driving to meet the guy, if he wanted to see the bike then its up to him to travel not you, did you not speak to him before hand to chat about the frame. Does your Uni do a course in common sense 🙄

Students couldn’t afford cars in my day!

Lots of use of the word “bike” in your ebay description, not qualified with “frame only”.

Ralph might be a bit dopey but your description didn’t help 🙂

The poster who found the link, is helful. When I click on the link, it was listed in “bikes” not bike parts. Perhaps listing it correctly might have helped the would be buyer, but I do think that the advert was whilst not a mastepiece of clarity, easy enough to work out that it wasn’t the whole bike. But the joy of asking a question was clearly lost on Ralph.