Cindy Chicvara -aka- Dragonlady58 - take a pass!

Originally Posted by Mike Greathouse

Given that fact, from her point of view, she would have thought that the animals were being shipped on the 2nd, or at least on the 3rd. Of course we know that they were not and could not have been because of the weather. But because she had not received notification from you (I'm still unclear as to whether there were no emails sent or that they were and bounced back) what was she to think?

If she were thinking anything, wouldn't she think to email me to find out what happened?

For example Mike.....Cindy stated this in one email I included above.

"Still anxiously awaiting the new kids on the block. I should expect delivery on 1/03/06, Tuesday? Please confirm when you know. I will be sure to check my email Monday night to make sure they made it."

That was part of her email sent on Saturday, 12/30. When I had not confirmed because our internet was up and down...did she ever think to email me again when she hadn't heard back from me? Her first inclination was to assume this was a case of fraud and thought to make a stern stance by trying to intimidate me. God bless her...she's a woman that wont be rolled over.

The bottom line is this woman's replies were sloppy. My weather was sloppy. It was the holidays and she was notified that all shipment were suspended until 1/2/06 (of which I didn't realize was an official holiday). All of these things figured into the mix and made for a bad presentation.

BUT.....she did not have the right to start off her email accusing me of being some deadbeat and threatening me. All she had to do was ask me what happened and if she found my explanation to be unsatisfactory...request a refund.

I don't see this going down any differently with her if I had been able to communicate with her on the day of shipping. I firmly believe her patience was tried, tested, and broken when I told her I suspended all shipping during the holidays. Patience is something she'll just have to learn.

Originally Posted by Suncoast Herpetological

Chuck

No contact with her is necessary. Simply go to PayPal and reverse the transaction.....end of problem.

I'm done doing any work on my end. PayPal can notify me and I'll just click yes to the refund. You dont pee on my leg and then ask me for a light. No way, dont smoke.

Always appreciate your posts in the BOI, always inciteful, and sometimes enjoying a good well-intended laugh from them !! granted Cindy was out-of-line, but there are a couple of things to point in this incident.

1) UPS seems to have taken it down from their website now, but they did have a holiday schedule posted there. They are my regular carrier, and I had to work around it. They were officially closed as a company on both the 26th and the 2nd for all but the highest priority category (I think it was "expedite", but am not certain). What I am sure of was that regular pick-ups, and services such as Next Day Air were not available. I am completely certain of that, as I had to notify some customers of shipments working around those days. That the UPS person on the phone was not too well informed is no surprise, and as Rich noted, avoiding the holiday season has its merit. My regular UPS guy warned me as the system is full of so many temps over the holidays.

2) This woman was not a good customer. But I think that you let yourself sink a bit to her level. Just one quote from you:

Force me to tell you through my attorney and your $195 will be used for that expense with any additional balance being billed to you. If you think I'm joking just do try me once and I'll make you my pet project for 2006.

Now you know that is folly, and just blowing steam !! It makes me laugh too, cause I know how you felt !!

I hope you had plenty of good moments in your holidays !! You did catch a live one though !!

Originally Posted by critical bill

I'm done doing any work on my end. PayPal can notify me and I'll just click yes to the refund. You dont pee on my leg and then ask me for a light. No way, dont smoke.

Definitely your call to make Chuck but bear in mind that while she overeacted out of nervousness, your current stance is simply a way to "teach her a lesson". That is, in my opinion, petty and simply bad business.

She reacted badly, you are reacting worse.

Just my .02

Chuck, I know I haven't been around long...but I have read through many threads on the BOI and have spent the time reading through this thread.

And as I was going about some chores this afternoon, something popped into my beady little brain.

I was thinking about The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I don't remember any exact quotes and it has been many, many years since I have read this book. But I was remembering an idea put forth by Steinbeck. He wrote about old oak trees in a storm vs. willows. How the willows would weather a storm a better because of their ability to bend with the harsh winds. And the old oaks, being sturdy, and hard, would not bend. The oaks would be more likely to break eventually in a harsh storm.

The relevance? I believe that the 'storm' in this case would represent this particular incident. And you can either choose to be an old oak (sturdy and set in your ways) or you can choose to be a willow (able to bend).

I believe, as others have already said, that you should simply refund her money without her going through paypal and filing a claim. I believe that if you could bend in this matter, that your reputation and integrity would far better surpass this storm than if you choose to continue with you current stance. Not that this single incident would damage your reputation by any means. But more that it would just make you come out of this storm in a much taller manner.

Not sure that makes sense. I tried to word it as best I could. But I have actually put a bit of thought into this.

Sincerely, Kelly Johnson

Kelly,

He wrote about old oak trees in a storm vs. willows. How the willows would weather a storm a better because of their ability to bend with the harsh winds. And the old oaks, being sturdy, and hard, would not bend. The oaks would be more likely to break eventually in a harsh storm.

Well put - this statement could probably be applied to a large percentage of the posts on the BOI.

Thank you

Originally Posted by GuinnyOne

And you can either choose to be an old oak (sturdy and set in your ways) or you can choose to be a willow (able to bend).

Excellent sentiment Kelly

There is a similar quote from Sun Tsu that fits well her too

"If a war can't be won....don't fight it"

Chuck. In this "war" there is absolutely nothing for you to win.

Originally Posted by GuinnyOne

The relevance? I believe that the 'storm' in this case would represent this particular incident. And you can either choose to be an old oak (sturdy and set in your ways) or you can choose to be a willow (able to bend).

Thank you for your contribution to the thread. You dont need to be here any length of time to share your opinion with me, youre always welcome.

I'm a sturdy oak, I've weathered fine in all elements because of my fair side. No wind is capable of snapping me becuase I know eactly when to shed my leaves as the strong winds arrive. I admire the willows, but what the winds cant snap...they'll eventually blow them from the ground. My roots are way too strong for that stuff.

Originally Posted by GuinnyOne

I believe, as others have already said, that you should simply refund her money without her going through paypal and filing a claim. I believe that if you could bend in this matter, that your reputation and integrity would far better surpass this storm than if you choose to continue with you current stance. Not that this single incident would damage your reputation by any means. But more that it would just make you come out of this storm in a much taller manner.

Not sure that makes sense. I tried to word it as best I could. But I have actually put a bit of thought into this.

It makes perfect sense, Kelly, and I wish I were in a position to better help her. But she doesn't need me to do her leg work. She can do the leg work for a refund through PayPal and its a lesson learned. However petty thats my stance. I started this post not prove anyone wrong or right, certainly I'm dead wrong in all this for considering a shipment through the holidays without first contacting UPS to check the schedule. Whether its UPS's fault or a freak storms fault, I assume responsibility for all wrong. But no one, no one, is going to get a free shot at threatening me, lying to me, and implying I'm a deadbeat, and then ask me for a refund that they can easily file for themselves. I am no ones fool. This ain't baseball with three strikes and you're out. Twice she's contacted me for a refund and twice she had the chance to simply ask for it and leave her stupid comments for another time.

I'm not trying to learn her or take her to school on this, but certainly if she learns something from this it could be to watch her tone in the future. After all....she's going to be somebody's customer again....that I'm sure of.

Geesh my spelling stinks....sorry.

I have earthlink and I do utilize the spam blocker. Still, even though an email may not be allowed into the regular email box, It is not lost, it gets re-routed into a "suspect" email box. When I know that I might be receiving emails from someone not on my list, and the communication will only be temporary rather than ongoing, I know to check the suspect list everytime I check my email. Few people that I have one time transactions with want to make the request to be allowed into the regular email. I can always find them via the suspect box.