As submitted to http://acanac.org/blogs/geek

About a month ago I set out to purchase a satellite signal meter on ebay.  While this is not a terribly complex piece of gadgetry, it does aid one in the aligning of a standard 18" satellite dish.  This would be the kind of dish used for Bell ExpressVu, Dish Network, DirectTv and even StarChoice.  The meter helps you lock in on the best possible signal, without requiring anyone on the inside of the house shouting to you with the results of the on-screen signal meter.  They are also not very expensive devices, I purchased mine for less than $5.

I did however get more than I bargained for.  Once the auction had completed, I promptly made payment arrangements via Paypal and waited patiently for my package to arrive.  It took about three weeks for the meter to get here.  I personally felt that this was a little ridiculous, since the meter was coming from Pennsylvania.  It's not like it was coming from Hong Kong or anything.  I am used to waiting for ebay packages, so I didn't put too much thought into it.  When I opened the package I discovered that the seller had shipped the meter in it's original box and I noted that there is no foam or other insulator with the meter.  The seller had also shipped the original box inside of a brown envelope which had no insulator.  So, no foam, no bubble wrap, no air pillows, no newspaper, nothing.  I was perplexed as to why someone would ship a relatively sensitive piece of equipment with such poor packaging.  Oh well, it came, it worked and I was content with that.

I immediately went to ebay and provided positive feedback for this seller, as I do in any such arrangement.  Even though I selected positive feedback, I wanted my message to reflect my dissatisfaction with the shipping.  I left this comment:

Besides slow shipping and poor packaging, reasonable seller to buy from.

Not the nicest feedback I have ever left, but it was rated as positive and wouldn't affect his rating.  Apparently he didn't like that.  He sent me two very nasty emails which in detail described to me how to be a good ebay buyer.  He seemed to think that I violated a rule or something.  What he did next though, was despicable.  He left me a neutral rated feedback with a comment that said:

LIKE I SAID IAM NOT THE POST OFFICE OR CUSTOMS I SHIPPED IT SAME DAY NOT MY FALT

Wow, way to not read the English.  I'm pretty sure my biggest complaint was the poor packaging.  Way to write the English as well.  "Fault" is not spelled "falt", and "I am" is two words.   Seriously, babeebluee07, you need to relax and let it go.