What has our world turned into?

The world has changed!

Now, isn't that a fact? Yup, it is. More importantly is how it has changed. Has it changed for the better? Or maybe for the worse? As for what I'm bringing up here today, the world has become worse. Let me clarify.

Yup, it's regarding my recent purchase attempts of Pioneer & Kicker speakers. The Pioneer deal went sour. At every step along the way, the Seller responded as though he had the item for sale. Accepted my payment...informed me of despatch. Then came the excuses when the item was not delivered as expected. Excuse after excuse. Finally I had to seek the help of the Cust. Service ppl of that auction website. Then only was the truth revealed...he had none of that model in stock. A different model of Pioneer speakers were offered in exchange. Or maybe I could wait for arrival of new stock? After what I had to go through all that time, me decided that's it! Time to end it all. Luckily for me, my $$ were ultimately refunded. Phew!

In the meantime I had bidded for a pair of Kicker ones. Just in case something went wrong with the Pioneer transaction. (I did right cos something did go wrong there!) This transaction also appeared to move in the right direction for some time. My payment was accepted & I was told the item was to be collected & sent on same day. Date was Nov 6. I was told that I should receive it latest in 2 days. The 2 days passed. My SMSes & emails requesting for confirmation that the item was really sent were ignored. Request for the tracking number of the despatch brought none. No replies were forthcoming at all. Again I had to make a complaint to Cust. Services of the auction portal. I also sent an SMS to the Seller to refund my $$ if the item is not available.

Believe it or not...I got an "instant" sms from the Seller!! That was yesterday. Nov 9. Was told that the item should reach me today. Nov 10. Excuse? "Slight delay caused by Deepavali break... " Can you believe that? A courier company's despatch of goods taking FOUR (4) days to reach me? Just a few hundred kilometers away? Maybe a courier service run by inmates of an Old Folks Home and the goods carried by tortoises? C'mon, ppl...do you take Malaysians of today to be so dumb as all that? Phew! Double Phew!!

Whatever the reason, in such a situation, one can only wait...and hope that somehow the goods will finally arrive. And in good condition...not forgetting that the item is what it is expected to be. Genuine stuff.

That remains to be seen. As I had replied to the Seller via SMS..."Will wait see..."

Wish me luck one last time. Will update on any developments.

Anyway, like these sayings..." You can only fool me once! " and "Once bitten twice shy! ", don't think me gonna trade anymore via that auction site...very risky bznes! To meet with 2 such "untrustworthy" traders in a row, is too high statistics to ignore.

This quotation found at end of emails from Cust. Service ppl in that auction site says it all :

I have not met a reputable person when they are online ...

Kinda ironical, isn't it? Ha ha!