Basic competency is a bit of a problem for both buyers and sellers. I've been using Ebay as a seller for just these last two months when I started here at Bent Bike after serving a year at Microsoft[tm, etc.]. One thing I've noticed right away is that people don't have legitimate phone numbers in their profile. This makes it very hard to contact them when there is a problem with their credit card. We do not perform transactions by Email, of course, and people often do not check their Email. I've got one item that has been sitting on my desk for over a month because the buyer has yet to pick it up. I've written to him twice.

Contact information is extremely important. I've noticed that many people have inaccurate street addresses, even a few that do not list in Thomas Guide or on Google Maps. Most just have the wrong city or zip. These things result in charges from UPS, or returns by USPS. Unverified addresses are not insured if I ship to them. I have to send a postcard to validate the address. That is a one week delay on average.

Basic Buyer Competence:
[] Check your physical address with google maps or any online mapping site.
[] Use a valid phone number.
[] Check your Email after you make purchases.
[] BE POLITE!

People who fail to do these things create problems for the seller. Being rude or angry is not helpful. We *always* want to fix problems. It is not necessary to yell at us. One doesn't survive being in business over 30 years by being a cheater or defrauding customers. If there was a mistake on our part, it was an honest one, and we always fix them.

Advanced Buyer Competence:
[] If you ordered the wrong item, it is not our fault. KNOW what you need.
[] We can NOT refund shipping. Ever. UPS and USPS are firm in this.
[] You will have to pay to ship it back. *1
[] If we can't contact you, you won't get a credit or refund until we can. *2
[] We do NOT save Credit Card information. *3

* = Seller Competence point.

Seller Competence:
1. We list the EXACT manufacturer's specifications, in FULL, or mark the item as questionable, used, or unknown.
-- If you decide to buy it, and then don't want it, that's not our responsibility. If there is a manufacturing DEFECT then we will allow a refund. For other problems then we invite people to contact us to explain the problem, and we generally will give store credit. Shipping is and always will be the buyer's responsibility until UPS or USPS decide to allow charge accounts and bulk rates. Probably won't happen.

2. We retain all emails and shipping records for at least 30 days.
-- We have your shipping information on record, but as per #3, we need to call you to process refunds, or have you call us. Store credits do not require contact by phone.

3. We do not save Credit Card information or any other personal information about the buyer except the shipping and inventory records.
--This prevents the possibility of identity theft.

4. We ship in recycled and reused boxes whenever possible to cut down waste in our business.
-- You should see how many boxes go in the recycle dumpster anyway. This saves us having to buy large numbers of new boxes. For packaging we reuse the hundreds of feet of paper/material that we get every day. We try to avoid using any plastics, but will reuse them if we get them sent to us. Some buyers have complained about the "quality" of our packaging. It's 100% recycled.

5. We've got two physical locations, an 800#, Email, landlines, and we'd probably take sales by SMS if that becomes a possibility.
-- We give the buyer every possible way to do business with us. If we don't offer a transaction method, or shipping method, that the buyer wants it is because that option is cost prohibitive or mechanically prohibitive for our business.

6. We sell used motorbikes and mostly used parts. We do have new after-market parts. We are NOT a dealer through any manufacturer.
-- That doesn't mean that we know everything, or can understand what you might need if you don't know the information about your bike. We are NOT a dealer. We do not have access to proprietary Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, or other manufacturers data. If in DOUBT, call a DEALER. They still answer questions for free.

This last point is important! #6 happens every day. We list a part for an 85 Kawasaki KX250, and someone invariably asks "will this fit a 1986 model?" or other brand, year, etc. Sometimes we can tell you, 'yeah that will fit', and sometimes we don't know. It's ALWAYS best to ask a Dealer. In my experience the answer is rarely yes.

If you buy the 1985 parts for your 1986, it's on your head if it doesn't work. We get lots of people call back yelling about exactly this issue. Our response is always "that's why we said please call a dealer." Even if you get a "possibly yes" answer from us on the part, it is STILL your responsibility to be sure you are ordering the right part. Experimentation by the buyer is not guaranteed by Bent Bike.

At the very least, you're going to eat shipping costs even if we accept a return and give a refund. Please please please know your bike!

Don Lee
System Administrator
Bent Bike, Inc.