CICHLIDPETS@AOL.com (Bad Guy)

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;This guy CICHLIDPETS@aol.com is one of the people out there that makes it hard to be in business. many of you have went what I just went through but since I am fairly new to internet sales it was a crappy experience for me. Last weekend this guy says he wants my Tegus and Blackthroats and will express mail the money on Monday. On Monday night I confirm with him that he sent it. He says yes. I make arrangements to leave work early on Wednesday so I can ship early a.m. in order to guarantee overnight. Tuesday evening I ask for the Express reciept# so I can track it because it is not here yet. He says do not worry but I sense something is not right because he does not give me reciept#. Late afternnoon Wednesday I ask again for # and he gets pissed off. I e mail again telling him I do not mind holding animals and if he did not send out Monday but instead a later day it's ok. But if I do not get a reciept# now they go up for sale again.

I went with my gut instinct and sold the Blackthroats last night and reposted the Tegus on Kingsnake. I know deals fall through all of the time but when someone says the money is on the way and it is not I get pissed. I made sure me or my wife was home Tuesday or Wednesday so we could get the money and arrange an early ship time. The earlier I ship the better off the animals will be. This guy was getting a good deal and I was even willing to eat the additional shipping by paying more for American Airlines but he did not want to go to the airport. Getting the animals to him safe is my main concern.

Anyway last night I posted this in my ad which made him go ballistic and he threatened with a Lawyer and he said he would complain to kingsnake (which he did). My ad started out with "Deal fell through with CICHLIDPETS@aol.com so animals are for sale again" I know I am venting here but am I out of line for sharing this with all of you? Am I out of line for mentioning him in my Kingsnake ad? Over the last four days others contacted me regarding the animals and I said they were sold. This guy is also giving my friend the runaround on another sale now too. Oh well live and learn and most of all do not take this guy serious if he says he awnts to buy any animals. I have all of the e mails saved between us both so I have proof.

&nbsp;Jim Duffy
Beautiful Lizards

It does happen all the time. What I do is exactly what you did. Then I just make a post so others know. That's about it. As for taking time off work I wouldn't do that just explain that when you recieve the money you'll let them know the shipping day and then you can leave work early. Because a sale is never final until you have the money and your customer has the animals and is happy. Just my opinion. Frank