What Would You Do Now?

Hey, that's me you're talking about. (I may boast, but I don't preen and crow. ) And I consider it a different situation. In the OP's example, the item was delivered very late and assumed lost. If I was the OP, I would have asked the seller what they wanted to do. It may even be that the OP had given up on it and purchased another stamp through a different seller. In that case, the OP would surely have offered to send it back, since they already had a copy. The seller could then choose what to do.

In my case, I consider it just an example of dumb luck. I didn't know what was in there, and the seller obviously didn't know or care what was in there. There are many instances of people seeing varieties or other such in the pictures that the seller obviously missed, and they ended up getting a great deal. Knowledge is Power, as they say.

I'm off to a stamp bourse tomorrow. Maybe lightning will strike again, but probably not. I still have many, many holes to fill, and thoroughly enjoy the hunt. Good luck to all.

But when you received the lot you then knew what was in it. Do you think that the seller really did not care or is it more likely that they did not realize what was in the albums? Is it every man for himself or is it do the right thing or is it in between? Interesting potential answers. And let us not forget karma.

Rogdcam. You are bringing up some excellent thoughts that a Sociologist could build a career upon. All of us have spotted something that was amiss and got a great deal (in our opinion). We have also purchased something we thought was a great deal and found out later that we misidentified it and paid too much. I have to hope that it all evens out in the end, but I also think there will always be winners and losers ... I've rarely seen those Win-Win situations.

I'll have to setup a situation in a new thread. Let me think how to phrase it, and we'll see the responses.

i don't sell on ebay, but 2 of my colleagues does.

they often complain about missing post and end up having to block bad seeds or entire countries.

ebay protects only buyers and the buyer will always get their money, because ebay just takes back money to pass back to the buyer with the case.

so if too much mail goes missing or too many dishonest people plague the sellers on ebay, they will eventually disappear and we loose a market.

said colleagues and I work at a stamp auction firm - and till today, we've NEVER had a customer come back in the store with a bag of money because they bought something cheap that was worth a lot more.
but we have had numerous returns because people have overpaid, the law says they're in their right to return, and we're obligated to take it back, even though it's their fault for paying too much.

point of this is of course, that you should always think of the long term consequences if you, yourself, do not set the example and do the right thing.

treat the sellers well!

Where is this statement the law?

Pay to them, of course, contact them by ebay and agree a method of payment (i.e bank transfer).
It is not fair to receive the stamps and not pay.

Have always stayed away from negative pack mentality. People who enjoy it have always puzzled me!

When it is all done and dusted there is only one person who has ever walk and lived on this planet we share that has been sinless. Totally sinless.

Many people come from a position where their comments would have you believe that they live sinless lives are .......

I think you know the answer or you would not have asked so pay or return that is how we should be.

How much do you owe ?? not that it makes any difference you'll feel like crap if you don't pay the sellers.

Definitely pay. Doing that maintains a good faith relationship between seller and buyer, making future purchases beneficial for all concerned.

I find this whole thread a bit ridiculous.
Anyone who was in this situation and didnt intend to pay for the items would hardly advertise the fact.
Likewise, anyone replying would hardly let it be known that he advocates dishonesty.
...
For the record, I sell on ebay and have to refund customers from time to time when something goes missing in the post.
I assume most of the items are genuinely lost.
but what really annoys me is the customers who leave a negative after they have been refunded -- presumably because they suspect I never sent the item.
And this is for low-cost items -- had it been a Penny Black that I listed (and sold) for 99p by mistake then I could understand it.

Honesty is its own reward. This is always true; it never goes out of style.