The case I opened in PayPal has already been resolved. I’m just so happy with the news that I had to save a screen shot. Moments like this – when you feel truimphant over winning even on small battles, when you feel that there is fairness and justice in world – while not exactly rare, do not really come that often.
Because I feel overjoyed today, I feel I need to share this story in here.
Over a month ago, I bought a 1TB Western Digital Passport External Portable HDD on eBay. It was my first time to buy something from an international seller and my PayPal account has just been activated so I was really excited to use it. It was reasonably priced, if not altogether affordable for the item. Since the transaction required me to pay instantly, I did just that. I’m trusting that way… I guess this comes from my stubborn innate belief that everyone is good (I dislike that about me sometimes but I love it about myself as well, I think it’s always better to see the world in a positive light). A day after though, I received an email from eBay informing me that the listing for the item I have bought has been removed because it allegedly infringes on the eBay VeRO program, citing that the item might not be authentic.
Imagine my reaction when I read that email. I felt my blood freeze and my heart drop – if that were even possible – as the reality of what has just happened dawned on me. I might have just been cheated. I couldn’t believe it at first and wondered how it was possible that a seller with such good feedback could screw a buyer - me - just like that. I think I was in disbelief and shock for an entire week – enough time for me to process the entire thing. Since the listing was removed, I couldn’t search for the seller. Good thing though that I sent the seller a message just seconds after I have paid for the item, inquiring how long it will take for the item to reach the Philippines. Through that message, I was able to check back on the seller and saw that people started giving him negative feedback around the time that I got the email from eBay regarding the removal of the listing. I’m not saying though that the negative feedback the seller received sealed his/her guilt. I don’t remember now what exactly I thought after seeing the negative feedbacks, but I sure remember how I felt.
I felt scared and a bit angry. I also felt sad for being treated unfairly. I felt cheated. But more scared, really.
I felt scared that I might not get the item I paid for nor the money I spent to pay for it. I felt scared that there might’ve been a mistake, that the seller might’ve sent the item already and that I might be wrongfully accusing him/her of cheating me. But ultimately, I felt scared just because I was cheated on. It doesn’t feel good at all to not be able to trust that there is justice. I guess that’s what happens to people who live in countries that are so used to large-scale and everyday corruption; you just don’t have faith in justice anymore. It’s heart-wrenching to not be able to have faith in that, don’t you think so?
Anyway, I immediately took action as soon as I could. I filed a complaint seven days after the transaction (that’s six days after I received the email from eBay). Since I used PayPal for the purchase, I was directed to PayPal where I completed filing a complaint. It was a slow and painful wait. The seller sent a tracking number, which I tracked diligently – if not obsessively – almost everyday… actually, several times each day. But the status never showed any progress. After a month, I got an email from PayPal requiring me to provide further information about my claim. I forwarded the message I got from eBay and surprise, I received good news today.
It’s been a long day for me today and a long wait for that PayPal claim but all I can really say is that justice has been worth the wait. Here’s to victories no matter how small. Cheers!
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