Woody's Books and online reseller of used books, media and other items. They sell on Half.com and Ebay.com as woodysbooks. I did not follow my own advice of buying from a seller with a rating below 98.5% At the time, Woody's had a rating around 97%. What ensued was an issue of receiving the wrong edition of the book, excuses for the wrong order, lapses in communications and eventuallly a negative feedback. In what appears to be a regular occurance for Woody's the retaliated with a negative feedback and the immediately asked for a mutual withdrawl. Unfortunately, this appears to be Woody's attempt to cover up bad customer service. Below is the full detail of the issue to try to expose the truth and get justice to have bad sellers like this shut down.
I ordered a book from them on August 7 2007, Moby Dick : Herman Melville (Hardcover, 1990). The book was listed as "Brand New, May have small remainder mark. May ship from alternate location..." Not quite sure what "Remainder mark" was, I went ahead and purchased the book. Turns out a Remainder mark was a small mark on a book to denote a return, no big deal.
All seemed fine at the start, Woody's confirmed the order and noted it was shipped on August 7th. Seemed like they had their act in gear.
August 14th, the package arrives as well as the problems. The book Woody's sold was not the correct edition I was looking for. I wanted the full version of Moby Dick, what I got was a Jr. High School picturebook edition, used, yellow and musty, the cover marred from being used as a writing surface. I wrote to woody's books stataing this was not the book I requested and would like to know how to return the book for a refund.
August 15th I received an email from Woody's:
I'm so sorry we sent the wrong item! Unfortunately we don't have a
replacement but I would be happy to offer a full refund (including return
shipping if you ship USPS media mail). Please send the item back to our return
address:Woody's Books ReturnsP.O. Box 2977Martinez, CA 94553Please leave a note
inside with the order number and your first and last name and the reason for
return. Thanks!-April Customer Service Woody's Books
Great, so I package the book and send it back to the address and wait. Meanwhile Woody's continues to sell this book well into September.
August 26th - I sent a follow up email asking if they had received the book and would be sending a return. No response.
Sept 3rd - I sent another follow up email asking if they had received the book and would be sending a return. No response.
Sept 7th - I sent one final follow up, noting they had not communicated with me and they had until the weekend to respond. If not, negative feedback would be left. No response.
Sept 10th - Negative feedback for woodysbooks left and a Half.com buyer protection complaint was filed.
Sept 17th - Half.com sides with me and a refund is issued.
Sept 17th - Woody's books finally responds.
Hello, we have received your item as of today and refunded the amount promised.
Thank you for your return and have a good day. Please feel free to email me back
with any comments or questions you may have. Thank you!
Funny how it took a Half.com complaint to get them to respond.
Sept 19th - I sent an email back to Woody's books:
It would have helped if you had communicated when you received the book and
replied to my emails rather than me having to file a claim with half.com. Thank you for refunding my money.No Response
Sept 27th - I notice I have received my first negative feedback in nearly 7 years as an eBay member. woodysbooks left the following:
Left negative feedback without emailing to let us know about the problem.
I also receive an email from eBay that woodysbooks would like to mutually agree to withdraw feedback:
Message from seller:
I don't think I deserve a negative for this. Would you
consider mutual withdraw, since this isn't worth it to damage both our profiles.
I lose my cool with them, but I had to vent. I realy feel for people who have had to endure a false accusation now. My response to Woody's:
I just received notice of your negative feedback and request to withdrawl. You
people are absolutely incredible. I make a purchase for a new copy of Moby Dick
with an ISBN of the actual book. You send me a used Jr. High school picture book
version. I write to you and request a refund. You say you are out, but you still
sell the same book. I eventually got a response with a return address. I
promptly return the book and wait nearly a month emailing you 3 TIMES requesting
status and I hear absolutely nothing. I warn you that I am going to give you
negative feedback, still nothing, SO WHAT WAS MY OPTION?!?!?
Give
me ONE, JUST ONE GOOD REASON I SHOULD WITHDRAW MY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. CAN YOU
NAME ONE GOOD REASON?!?!?! I CANT
All the negative feedback you
get, you deserve. The only way I could get your attention was to file a
complaint with paypal buyer protection that threatened your account status to
get any reaction. And then you pretend to have just received the book I know you
already got and then have the nerve to say in your negative feedback that I
never responded. Sorry, but I will not be blackmailed into withdrawl. Your
practices are unethical and I only hope that some day your account and business
gets shut down. I will put all the comments in my blog with all my references of
how you tried to blackmail a withdrawl and expose you for what you are, an
unscrupulous business who should be ashamed of themselves.
Instead
of spending so much time trying to black mail half.com users, why don't you spend the time doing a quality
job. I know I try my hardest when I sell on eBay and Half and it is far more
rewarding.
Again - No response
Sept 18 - After a cooler head prevails, I decide to take them up on their offer but to create this blog and a link from my negative feedback reply so there is a permanent record that they can't cover up.
This is a bad news outfit. I received email from other users who also had problems. Looking at woody's feedback left for others, their last 58 feedbacks left for others, 57 has been with the standard "Left negative feedback without emailing to let us know about the problem" response. Many replies came back with comments of Woody's retaliation.
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=woodysbook&ftab=FeedbackLeftForOthers
Just so you understand, I am not the only lunatic in the asylum, here are some of the negative feedback replies left from others to woodysbooks:
- Bad seller deserved a neg feedback, then retaliated! He should not get away with
- He left neg.feedback to make me withdraw deserved neg. Check his feedbacks left!
- My reply was more than accurate. You have done this with numerous other buyers
- I paid for the item in July, I never received it, take a hint not my fault
Actually e-mailed SEVERAL times and had to have my money refunded by ebay!!! - Left in an attempt to get me to remove a deserved neg. I gave this poor seller.
- This ass did not have item listed and took 9 days to refund.
- An ebay loser FRAUD seller cancels book order of $14 then relists at $240. BBB & DAcontacted
Woody's Books are just bad news. Hopefully their day will come. Sites like mine will try to expose them for who they are. Complaints to eBay from buyers who have been subjected to their tactics can help to get sellers like them suspended or removed. If you had an issue with this seller. Do not accept their abuse.
If you have had an issue or success, please lat me know and I will post constructive replies. As I get omore info on my complaints I will add to this post as well.
