What Made you Smile/What Ticked you off Today?

[jp1]

Ive had the gamut of home theater setups over the years - From high end pro audio to htib (no soundbars yet). And what jp1 said at the end of his post is the most important thing: if it sounds good to you, that is all that matters.

No doubt. That wasn't meant as a disclaimer. I realize the rest of the post might come off as a bit of "This is the way!" and I don't think that at all. I just wanted to share for anyone that might be curious because I have done some expensive trial and error and some time consuming research. In the end though, whatever totes your goats is all that matters. It's like telling someone there is a right cologne or a right way to game...it's a hobby, nothing more and there is no "right" way to do it.

[Hobie-wan]

I keep getting packages with consoles that I'm supposed to modify, but a lot of people seem to think that it's okay to send the package months after paying for the service or even before a deal was worked out and paid for.

Now I have a bunch of random consoles and packages that I have to figure out who owns what and what I'm supposed to do with it and half of the people don't ever speak to me again as they were new members to begin with and never log back into the site.

I have some stuff from several months ago that hasn't been claimed even after contacting them through several different outlets. Do I just sell this stuff or what?

Not sure where else this frustration would be relevant or have an answer for.

No, it's up to you to figure out what is what. If people contacted you, you should be sure that whatever name goes with whatever username, email, and address. You don't just throw up your hands and go 'oh well' and sell the stuff.

[Jmustang1968]

I keep getting packages with consoles that I'm supposed to modify, but a lot of people seem to think that it's okay to send the package months after paying for the service or even before a deal was worked out and paid for.

Now I have a bunch of random consoles and packages that I have to figure out who owns what and what I'm supposed to do with it and half of the people don't ever speak to me again as they were new members to begin with and never log back into the site.

I have some stuff from several months ago that hasn't been claimed even after contacting them through several different outlets. Do I just sell this stuff or what?

Not sure where else this frustration would be relevant or have an answer for.

Free consoles amirite?

[nullxor]

I keep getting packages with consoles that I'm supposed to modify, but a lot of people seem to think that it's okay to send the package months after paying for the service or even before a deal was worked out and paid for.

Now I have a bunch of random consoles and packages that I have to figure out who owns what and what I'm supposed to do with it and half of the people don't ever speak to me again as they were new members to begin with and never log back into the site.

I have some stuff from several months ago that hasn't been claimed even after contacting them through several different outlets. Do I just sell this stuff or what?

Not sure where else this frustration would be relevant or have an answer for.

No, it's up to you to figure out what is what. If people contacted you, you should be sure that whatever name goes with whatever username, email, and address. You don't just throw up your hands and go 'oh well' and sell the stuff.

Again, 50% of this stuff is sent by new users who never log back in, most of the time never paid and just sent me a package full of consoles months down the line from when we spoke, sometimes before a deal was even closed. It's like if we talked about a trade and never settled on a deal and I sent you my end of the trade 90 days later and never talked to you again, and I'm guessing show up several months later asking where my your stuff is.

I don't have information on a lot of the stuff, hell, even some have P.O. box return addresses and no names. Not to mention that my inbox is ALWAYS full and I have to delete several pages of old PMs.

Case in point, I never asked for this junk and don't have anywhere to store it.

EDIT

You wouldn't believe how many new users buy things off me. It's why I've done $1,000s worth of orders here and have 14 feedback, none relating to my old thread. I had to stop because I was getting so much stuff sent to me at once that the post office probably thought I was running a scam or something.

But I have posted an update about it in my thread.

[Hobie-wan]

Again, 50% of this stuff is sent by new users who never log back in, most of the time never paid and just sent me a package full of consoles months down the line from when we spoke, sometimes before a deal was even closed. It's like if we talked about a trade and never settled on a deal and I sent you my end of the trade 90 days later and never talked to you again, and I'm guessing show up several months later asking where my your stuff is.

Why are you giving people an address if you don't have a deal agreed upon already?

I don't have information on a lot of the stuff, hell, even some have P.O. box return addresses and no names.

I can't believe that many people are sending stuff without making sure you know who they are. At the very least if someone sends you a "Gamecube from Cheeseville Wisconsin" or a "Saturn from Oilville Texas" then you should have had a conversation about the GC or SAT that you've kept track of.

Not to mention that my inbox is ALWAYS full and I have to delete several pages of old PMs.

Try being a mod that also does a fair amount of trading. I have the same message limit you do. Heck, I trade on another site occasionally and there's a 25 message limit that includes inbound and copies of outbound messages.

Since you're reading the site on some sort of electronic device I'm pretty sure you have the ability to open up some sort of text file at the very least where you can either keep entire messages, or a list of the important details. You could stick use sticky notes or keep items in the packages they arrived in with printed messages or handwritten notes. Large scale mail order existed before things were done with computers and they managed.

Case in point, I never asked for this junk and don't have anywhere to store it.

You offered services and you apparently gave people addresses to have them ship things to you.

EDIT

You wouldn't believe how many new users buy things off me. It's why I've done $1,000s worth of orders here and have 14 feedback, none relating to my old thread. I had to stop because I was getting so much stuff sent to me at once that the post office probably thought I was running a scam or something.

It happens to everyone. I'm 'missing' lots of feedback from people too.

But I have posted an update about it in my thread.

You should PM/email people that you can that have sent you things as well.

[Fragems]

I keep getting packages with consoles that I'm supposed to modify, but a lot of people seem to think that it's okay to send the package months after paying for the service or even before a deal was worked out and paid for.

Now I have a bunch of random consoles and packages that I have to figure out who owns what and what I'm supposed to do with it and half of the people don't ever speak to me again as they were new members to begin with and never log back into the site.

I have some stuff from several months ago that hasn't been claimed even after contacting them through several different outlets. Do I just sell this stuff or what?

Not sure where else this frustration would be relevant or have an answer for.

No, it's up to you to figure out what is what. If people contacted you, you should be sure that whatever name goes with whatever username, email, and address. You don't just throw up your hands and go 'oh well' and sell the stuff.

If I were you I would continue trying to contact the people who hired you. If you don't have their contact info make a general post in your sale thread Notifying anyone who has sent you stuff to please check in with you and confirm their order. Also ask for their mailing address to confirm ID if you still have the items in the boxes you received them in or ask for paypal id's and go back and check your payments received if you used it.

I would say at minimum let the stuff sit for 3 months(at that point they should be contacting you asking what is taking so long) before even considering the possibility of selling it. Really the safest and most moral option after that point would be to ship the item back with a note explaining the situation or to hold the item indefinitely since the individual never intended to transfer possession of the item to you permanently.

If you want to avoid the dilemma of having to ship stuff back in the future I recommend adding a policy notice on your sale thread that items which are sent without payment, or which are unidentifiable will be "disposed of" if no contact or payment is received within _____ months(I would set it at at least 3 months) of receiving the item. That sounds reasonable to me from a business standpoint however the person most likely still has a legal claim to the item. If you want to be 100% legit check your states unclaimed property laws.

Also start keeping a spread sheet document or some form of documentation with customer info as well as a record of what they purchased anytime you do a sale and don't provide mailing info until payment has cleared. I keep a spreadsheet for my BST thread for tax purposes just in case the IRS tries to audit me one day.

[REPO Man]

They're revamping Night Trap

[mjmjr25]

Back from vacation and aside some car issues all was excellent - will likely post pics in a day or two. Long drive...beat.

[flex wood]

I keep a spreadsheet for my BST thread for tax purposes just in case the IRS tries to audit me one day.

Just don't go to H&R Block and you should be fine.

[nullxor]

I just wanted to add that it's not THAT serious of an issue for me right now, just venting my current frustrations. I'm sure that eventually I'll have everything settled. Of course I have a spreadsheet with all customer's information, most of the these people are not customers. I give my Paypal and mailing address almost immediately after communicating with anyone which I should probably stop doing as I never thought it was implied that a deal was settled before the discussion of such. I found a few people yesterday who read my thread, if anything I'll just return to sender and keep receipts. This is just about 10 packages though , not a huge pyramid scheme or anything, I have to stress that. Some of these are from other forums too probably, same situation though. No need to worry, honestly. I made a huge deal out of it and caused some unneeded paranoia apparently.

Thanks for the suggestions.