Do you leave bad feedback rating when.....

OK... So I bought a scope on AM for $125.00 on April 25th and I received a UPS Quantum View email the next day with a tracking number stating that delivery will be May 4th 2009... After NOT receiving the package I tried to contact the seller. After a couple days the seller responded, "I left the package for UPS... I was out of town... My neighbor was checking my mail and thought the package was mine.... The package is going out today.... There was no pickup on the weekend so the package will go out Monday... (place you excuse here....)" He had said them all....

To date there is NO movement on the tracking number that was provided, and I noticed someone else just left the seller a negative comment stating the seller ripped him off for $550.00... The seller had 31 positives up until recent...

PayPal said my claim was approved but there is no money in this persons account, and I am SOL...

So.... Do I leave this guy a negative calling him out or what?

As I'm sure you're aware, there are no guarantees in buying and selling on venues such as Astromart. That's why they have feedback postings to allow you to get some idea of the type of person you're dealing with. Still it's only an educated guess. Your success, buying or selling, usually boils down to communication.

In the situation you described in your post, those (however lame) excuses could be true and the seller might just not have all his ducks in a row. There could also be a hiccup with UPS or whatever carrier is used. In view of the time period you describe, either of these problems could be the reason for the delay, so I'd be hesitant to lambaste the seller with bad feedback at this point.

Keep in mind that the only tool you have at your disposal to deal with this situation is communication - either email or feedback. If you verbally punch the seller in the nose with your communication, you have probably closed your only window to a successful resolution.

I'd suggest continuing your attempts to contact him with constructive (not flaming) emails explaining the situation from your side and encourage him to respond from his side. Getting into a two sided flame war solves nothing. It could be that he's actually experiencing unexpected personal problems. Are you using the correct email address? Could his responses be intercepted by a spam filter? It could also be a glitch with UPS, in which case I would contact them to determine the status of the package.

If you eventually realize that the deal was a bust and you lost, then the negative feedback should consist of facts, not name calling. Ask yourself what feedback information is more useful to you; calling someone a jerk and a rip-off artist or explaining that the package received contained a rusty piece of 4" iron gas pipe instead of the promised TeleVue NP101.

I know that it's frustrating dealing with someone who doesn't treat the transaction as carefully and seriously as you do, but taking a deep breath and using all your patience in dealing with this situation might just pay off. Otherwise, you're just throwing rocks at fog.

Have to admit that one sounds pretty cut and dried..... I believe the 1st step I would take before posting a negative would be to contact the guy that posted the negative with your story and ask if he would give you the skinny on their transaction.... IF the story sounds pretty similar and I bet it does.....ie excuses regarding shipping etc then I would proceed with the negative feedback and also contact Herb (if he isnt already informed)....

At least it was only $125 and not $550 like the other guy....... sad truely sad.

I don't see much advantage in rushing to judgement.
I'd wait a while and see what happens. Packages
do disappear; tracking can fail; etc. According
to his excuses and your description it would have
shipped on 11 May, that makes this morning about
2.5 days later -- perhaps a bit early to get this
worried. If I follow your story, UPS seems to
think it was going to take 7 days for shipping
(Quantum View on Sunday April 27 indicating
delivery on May 4) so I'd wait until at least
May 18 and probably May 20 before expecting to
see it. The other negative comment may not
mean anything at all -- just another guy in
your situation -- if the seller was indeed away
for a time and same neighbor moved that package
too, it is all consistent.

In the mean time, you might attempt to verify the
tracking number with the seller. Be polite.

I've seen packages disappear from tracking,
re-appear on the wrong coast, and slowly make
their way back. Stuff delivered to wrong
address six states over, etc. It doesn't
happen often -- maybe 0.5% to 1% -- but stories
like this are similarly rare. No fun when its
your story.