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Paypal lunacy: Tells buyer to destroy violin because of disputed authenticity.


RadioSilence

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I can see why in some cases, like those cheap Chinese knock offs of Les Pauls why they want the object destroyed, so they don't keep getting burned over and over. But this does seem to make little sense in this situation.

 

Now, not defending paypal at all, but I do question the seller claiming that there are no knock offs in the violin world. I could be wrong, but I don't believe it. They are counterfits of everything if you look hard enough.

 

And lastly, for a violin of such stature, as she claims, $2,500 isn't a lot in the violin world at all, this is a pretty minimal investment when it comes to "antique" violins. Although I suppose just because it's an antique, doesn't mean it's a great instrument. One of the local colleges in town has a good music program, there are a few students that violins in the $200k range, heavily insured too.

 

Moral of the story I guess, is not to do business with paypal with higher end instruments of this nature. If I were her, I would take the buyer to small claims court. Maybe take Paypal to small claims court too.

 

Interesting story of a former lawyer doing exactly this with Honda Motor company, about the fraudulent mileage she was getting with her Civic hybrid - she may just win, and open the door to a whole new level of do it yourself litigation:

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/small-claims-suit-honda-hybrid_n_1180581.html

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Paypal had sex with a child too.

 

The whole ebay/paypal thing is so {censored}ed now I dont know why anyone bothers. And if they story is true, then yeah, thats {censored}ing awful.

 

My missus sold her iphone on ebay a few weeks before christmas, someone bought it, contacted her to say they want it sent within the next hour of their email, she didnt see it till she got in from work. They followed it up with another email saying they found a better deal and because she took to long to reply they will go elsewhere and leave negative feedback... Funny thing is, they emailed her the other day asking if she still wanted to sell it...

 

How do {censored}ing idiots like this get away with it?

 

:facepalm:

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ebay has been a pain in the ass lately. I had negative feedback because it took to long to ship. I shipped it the morning I recieved payment, it took 5 days.... I didnt charge for shipping either. {censored} that was I supposed to overnight the goddamn thing? my favorite, I need this gift wrapped, please gift wrapp this...

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For realz. I really don't understand how that does not qualify as a monopoly?

 

 

It is a monopoly, but how long did it take for Microsoft to get dealt with? This is chump change compared and I cannot see the Competition Commission touching this, even with mine...

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Now, not defending paypal at all, but I do question the seller claiming that there are no knock offs in the violin world. I could be wrong, but I don't believe it. They are counterfits of everything if you look hard enough.

 

 

I believe the point is that even if it's not what the label says it is, its still a well made, hand carved instrument and a work of art in its own right

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I believe the point is that even if it's not what the label says it is, its still a well made, hand carved instrument and a work of art in its own right

 

 

Right. It's not like it's counterfeit money that is illegal to own. It's a real playable instrument with real value. It's like destroying a Danocaster than someone put a Fender decal on.

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god dammit I hate PayPal. if I can help it, I refuse to use them and I will not sell anything using eBay or PayPal. it's a shame, because there are stores/artists I support that only use PayPal, so I can't close my account unless I no longer want to do business/support the only outlet for certain things (beyond the grossly inflated used market).

 

I haven't found a viable replacement though, alternatives aren't common enough for your average user or retailer and not many places have accounts with multiple merchants to give you a choice.

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I believe the point is that even if it's not what the label says it is, its still a well made, hand carved instrument and a work of art in its own right

 

 

I think that's it exactly. If it's a good instrument, it's a good instrument.

 

In college my girlfriend played viola, she said the way she bought it was she played a load of instruments, without knowing the prices, and bought the one that suited her best; it just happened to be 275 years old, made by one of Stradivarius' apprentices and cost

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I believe the point is that even if it's not what the label says it is, its still a well made, hand carved instrument and a work of art in its own right

 

 

No, I get it and understand. None of us are experts on violin here - I did play the instrument for 16 years, but far from being an expert. And I don't agree that the buyer should have ever destroyed it - they should have contacted the seller first, told them what's up and what they would do according to Paypal, and then if Erica said return it, that's what should have happened. Just destroying it and then taking a picture of it is so wrong.

 

However, I'm not sure I buy all of Erica's story either. Different labels on different violins, that's a tough one to swallow for me. She should have sent (or maybe she did) a certificate of authenticity with the violin. It may be a work of art in its own right, but if you're not getting something you've paid for, then that is open for an honest debate about what to do.

 

If I buy a Les Paul, and it turns out it's a rebadged Agile, it may indeed be a very good instrument, but it isn't a Gibson, and it won't appreciate in value like a Gibson, therefore it is fraud. And if paypal has dealt with this same seller 5 times now in a row, trying to pawn off an Agile as Gibson, I'm sure they finally got fed up, made this rule that fraudulent merchandise should just be destroyed. I'm sure this is not what Erica has been doing here, but I bet there are many other unscrupulous sellers out there that do exactly this kind of thing.

 

Still, this outcome has no winners, and I don't like paypal either.

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