Long story short: I got screwed by "associated1" on ebay. Don't let it happen to you.

Here's the full story. I contacted him about buying an Iota power supply like many he lists on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3018326327&category=4671

He did not have the particular power supply listed that I wanted. Here's his words:

> Due to Ebay's policy we have to beat around the bush, because, there is not
> enough need by consumers and small businesses for all these different
> voltages to be listed separately.
>
> We have a factory built 36 volt model @ 20 amps and ( 4 ) of these can be
> paralleled to produce 80 amps. These are net to the trade at $ 260.00
> each.

So, I replied to this email and purchased the 36V, 20A PS for $290.00 with shipping/handling. I sent a USPS money order via Priority mail and made sure to include delivery confirmation. He received the money order on April 2, 2003. It is now April 21, 2003 and I have not received the power supply, nor have I heard from him in the past 2 weeks, even after repeated emails asking for a status.

I'm extremely pissed off, mainly because of this statement:
> Please e-mail when payment is sent AND include a FED-EX acceptable
address,
> so we can pre-address your package for same day shipping when payment
> arrives.
>
> Dave / associated1

Yes, he promised same day shipping when the payment arrived! Soooooo, assuming he really shipped it FedEx, I'm a maximum of 5 days from any place in the US. And let's add a couple more days in there for good measure. That'd be about 7 days, right? So by that measure, I should have received the package by 4-11-03 at the latest, even accounting for the weekends.

How in the world this guy got over 400 positive feedbacks on Ebay is beyond me. All I know is that today I'm filing mail fraud paperwork with the Post Office and contacting my lawyer. I'm going after this guy. Where do people get off thinking that they can do business like this? I know the legal fees will cost more than the power supply, but what can one do? Continue to let people like this screw whoever they want out of money?

Did you contact Ebay?

Unfortunately, the item was not purchased through ebay. That was my mistake for not making him place a "buy it now" auction. I just assumed that a person/business with over 400 positive reviews would be a professional. Expensive lesson for me, but it'll be an even more expensive lesson for him.

Oh that stinks! Not only for him ripping you off, but for charging that much for a 36 VDC supply. I just built my servo controller box and it is 36 VDC @ 30 AMPS!
I ordered a Toroidal transformer from Piltron for $137.86
I got a Cap from Mouser for $16.06
and a Bridge rectifier for $2.93. for a total to produce 36 VDC @ 30 amps was $156.85.
If you ever have the choice to either get your money back or get the product, take your money!

Sorry to hear about your missfortune with that crook from ebay.
After I ve read this thread I remembered something about an exploit on eBay wich allowed to write lots of feedbacks for the dealer, so I guess that is how "associated1" got his positive feedbacks.
It was on The Reg or The Inq where I have read it.

It happen to me before when i purchase a camcorder. i send the seller $450, 2months later still nothing. i even called him up, but he never answer the phone. I file a file a complaint to IFCC ( Internet Fraud Complaint Center) 1month later he send the money back to me.

Use this LINK (http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidence/isgw-fraud-protection.html)
to all the way to bottom

Additional Resources:
In some situations you may want to contact law enforcement to report suspicious activity. To do so, you can file a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center or visit the Federal Trade Commission's Web site. You may also want to contact a law enforcement agency in your location or the seller's location.

That sucks.
No way of getting this resovled?:(

http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewFeedback&userid=associated1&items=25

A fair price for a supply that size is about $0.25 a Watt. 20A times 36V is 720W, at $0.25 per Watt the supply should cost no more than $180. Try www.transformertechnology.com for a manufacturer of motor drive power supplies.

Mariss