@Jeff:
I agree 100%. I've not delt with said person so I can't comment about her (although I'm curious about her, I have to admit, because she's sniped auctions from me, and she also has "high profile" stuff, at least as far as Amiga equipement is concerned, and I was always thinking: who IS this person? But she's clearly not so much a collector as a reseller, at least from what I recall).
But back to the point: if you're a shop (online or offline), you have a certain responsibility to your customers! You can't just be "sick" and disappear. No. You get sick, your FIRST action after opening your eyes is getting someone to get you a laptop or some other means to contact your sellers. It's EXTREMELY unprofessional if you don't. I mean, think of a real-world shop where you ordered stuff and every day you were waiting and you'd pass by the lights would be off. What would you think of that, huh? Same thing here. It's unacceptable.
But that's what happens with low cost of entry into a merchant position. You don't have liability when you never put a dime down to "own your store". There's not much that can be taken away from you, unlike the real-world. So you end up with scum and people who SHOULDN'T be allowed to sell stuff as a shop, owning a shop and being unprofessional. If you can't do the job right, GET OUT of it. It won't help anyone one, not even yourself (as a seller), because sooner or later your customers will be pissed off and you're going to go out of business. Take some time off, make some time, and get back into it commited and dedicated and with time on your hands.
This also goes for people selling items they've "misplaced" or "mislaid" or "can't find". BS. You don't go into Safeway, Target, or a local store and you pay at the counter and then wait for the guy to bring the item only to come back and say it's not found, and then leave WITHOUT getting your money back. NO. First they find the item, THEN you pay, THEN you leave. Not the other way around.
It's simply ludicrus to pay and then have the seller tell you he can't find it. If he honestly can't, then the FIRST thing that should happen is to return you the money, THEN to message you and tell you that the item is not found, along with an apology, and if he's smart enough to keep you as a customer (to his UTTER benefit), then he should also include a "coupon" or "deal" with his apology, so you can buy another item.
Finally, I know what you're talking about Jeff:
I see a lot of sellers (I occasionaly sell stuff too, soo I'm also a seller btw, but not as a shop), with goodies that I would definitely buy, IF only they had a good record. And it's hard, tempting and annoying to have to weed through the losers and have to find the items you want from decent sellers, even though you see them right there on your screen!
Last hint for the original poster:
Be aware that after a certain amount of days you can't do a claim/complaint. So act fast, don't wait around, and certainly don't wait on promises. You paid on time. It's their turn to pay back on time.
