My Experience Buying from Amazon Third Party Sellers, and Reading the Time Bandit

The sunsets have been wonderful on the drive to work in the mornings. And the deer greet us home in the evenings.

Third Party Amazon Sellers

I guess I had my first experience returning something from a third party seller via Amazon. It opened my eyes to be more careful of what I buy through Amazon. I had my normal expectations of having the assurance that you can return something whatever it is. I return a very small percentage of what I buy through Amazon. Mostly due to the faults of not being able to see or feel in person what you are buying. Usually it is something that does not fit, does not work, or product damaged via shipment. And I buy a lot on Amazon. So I have high expectations that if something goes wrong that is not my fault, I have Amazon to back me. In all these years I have had quick and easy returns. But that is a false sense of security. As it is not always so.

I bought a picture that looked like this:

It came in rolled up in a tube and looked like this.

So, yeah it’s just so muted (and curly) with lines in it. See below.

So I thought no problem, I’ll just go to Amazon and return it – click of a button- get my label and off it’ll go and we’ll get a return for it.

Not that easy. To my surprise I had to submit a request for approval to return. What? No.

So I did. The sellers were in China, of all things. I should and did know that once my order was placed and I saw the ship date go from “Thursday to some date in November” LOL. However, I guess that put it on a fast boat and it got here in about 2.5 weeks.

So I waited and got a response back from seller to send photos of the item. What???? So I did. I was nice and said I appreciated them letting me return the item as it just was not going to work. (Letting them know my expectations nicely- if they read b/w the lines they’d know someone was going to have a fight before the week was over if the answer was no – so I let them know I was expecting a return. But I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I had been HooDoo’d. (We’ll come back around to that one later.)

So…the 3rd party seller in China said “Since this involves international shipping, how about we compromise with 50% dollars?”

While this is not ideal, I realize the shipping costs on their side has now probably surpassed the value of the item. I discussed with George and because (I guess) we get to keep the item (I’m not sending it back without a label anyway.) So George says he likes it and it will take it and so now he has it for half price.

But I have learned a lesson.

I‘m not ordering from 3rd party sellers from overseas unless I’m certain it’s something that will work or I’m willing to EAT the $money over.

I’ll be likely to change my selection when my order turns from arriving Thursday to a month from now. That is trickery in my opinion.

Something that does not have reviews, could likely be suspect. Just order something with reviews. Previous customers can give you great insight.

I will be more selective and yes, quite picky now. As if I weren’t before.

Getting HooDoo’d

So…..I guess I’ve heard my family say this over and over. “I guess I got HooDoo’d”. I took it to mean that someone pulled one over you. And well yeah, it pretty much does. After looking it up on line. Sometimes I use words and because I’m typing them out for the public to see (and make fun of as some like to do) so I thought I’d make sure it really does mean what I thought it did. After all in my 20’s at work I repeated a phrase my grandfather used and found out it was something someone took offense to and I had to say I was sorry as I was repeating verbiage and didn’t really know what it meant. Goes to show you – not to say bad things as it will be repeated even innocently. Like we have people out there today that worry about such things, what am I saying? Well I do worry about such things.

So, yeah, it means bad luck and it kinda comes from the VooDoo phrase which I didn’t know. I thought it was spelled “Who Do’ed” as in Who Did it – as in Someone – Who ever it was – Done Did it to me”. lol lol lol. But it’s Hoo Doo as in Bad luck or bad charms or bad spells, to bewitch. So yeah, bottom line….

Sonya got HooDoo’d by Amazon and this Third Party Seller. So scrutiny will follow every purchase now. I’m not viciously angry over this situation but I’m enlightened and miffed. And no longer as trusting. So there you have it.

So I had tuna for lunch. Trying to lose some belly fat! ha. Our recent outings of late has done some backward damage! Scaling it back some. I’d not had tuna in a while and it was really good. Back to using a honey dijon mustard instead of mayo. But as always on the home front, there is something good cooking up!

George made a potato omelette that was out of this world! Oh my gosh it was so good. Lately his dishes – I’ve been saying “oh this is a keeper” or “We should have this at Christmas” or “fix this for Katy” or “Let’s eat this one with the Irelands (long time friends)”!

Wow, it’s 49 degrees F this morning. Fall is here!

It’s Wednesday and the payroll went smoothly, well almost, I was a little late getting started as I had some last minute intakes that I had to stop and figure on before I could get started, but I was able to finish in time so that I had time to do my “after payroll shakedown” instead of throwing it all in a drawer and going home and dealing with it til Wednesday. Now all the payroll stuff is put up and reports sent that everyone needs from it. Now I will sort our local plant’s checks, do “dummy checks” or manual checks, and get reconciled for my garnishment check run in the morning. And will get our 941 taxes paid and weekly withholding taxes paid for the week.

Reading, My Way of Being on the Water

Last night I read more in my book, TIME BANDIT. I’ve not really given myself much time for reading, just audio books in the car. But it was nice to let everything go and just plain read. I love reading books about being on the ocean. Being on the Bering Sea would scare the life out of me. The book is interesting. The cost of running these fishing trips is insane. The crew makes a lot of money though in a short amount of time and it’s hard to get “the crazy” people who will be able to endure it and can take it to work on the boat.

A little Google research showed the Hillstrand’s sold the boat for 3 million – if that is accurate research. Why not sell at that rate? lol.

I watched Deadliest Catch a lot. Most of the episodes were about the same. I found that it was relaxing of all things to watch (not sure why- maybe the sound of the sea?) and I’d fall asleep. George seemed to only endure it and didn’t prefer to watch it, it seemed so we didn’t keep up with it season to season. But I do like reading about the business aspect of the fishing industry and all about running the boat itself. I’m not sure why I’m always about everything “ocean” and “boats”. I guess it is in my blood somehow. I DID have an uncle that was a captain on a ship for years. But I wasn’t around him much and didn’t hear about his experiences. If I were going to be on the boat, I’d be the cook – lol. That is about all I could do on that boat. But I’d be too sea sick and scared. I’d be a weini! No way. Just reading about the wave size in unreal!

Anyway, that is all the news I have. I need to get kicking here as I’m about 15 minutes late and have to make up the time somehow.

Since I stopped to read last night I didn’t finish the iMovie. I want to look up how to do the end of the movie – and see how to link prior videos to it. I always try to learn something new with each imovie if I can – in these early days! I think I have enough for another movie after that. Then I’ll need to start videoing some more. Not a lot going on to video! But I can always step up the game and just video something I’m doing around the house. About every 3 weeks seems to be about how I’m getting them out. I’d love to be able to do one a week but I think that is likely impossible with working Full time. Two I may be able to do once I’m in the groove. But it depends on how busy we are and such. I’m afraid to commit to certain dates like every third Thursday, lol. I think that would take the fun out of it for me.

Ok off to work we go!