Got this eBay issue..

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

I just got a reply from him. Here it is:

another invoice sent, thanks for telling me this, if anything more i can help,please dont hesitate to let me know,kind regards,bosschen.

The new invoice has the $3.99 charge removed.

I think it's a smart play on his part. Some will just pay the thing, 'cos they just don't care and I think the price on it is very good for a 4gig player.

Yes, I suggest y'all buy one, or two. They seem to be a good deal. I'm gonna try for a second one for my wife.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Well, I figured, what heck and bought one for my wife; for about $10 less! about $19

I have a feeling I'll have to email him again about the shipping insurance thing. I have not checked yet.

Edit: the charge was not added this time!

[Kynaeus]

Originally Posted by Variol (Farseer) Elmwood So, I won the bid on an MP3-MP4 player, or some such thing. I thought I'd get one for my trip to Germany/ Europe next month for the plane ride. I won the bid and it clearly said "free shipping" on the item. When I got email payment thing, it says $3.99 Shipping insurance (required): I emailed the guy 'cos I'm feeling ripped off. I said would not pay it. It also says the insurance is optional, but recommended on the item description. He also has his country/region listed as Canada. But his profile has this : Member: since 10-May-08 in China Now, I'm feeling like I was lied to again. I thought I was buying from someone in Canada. What do y'all think? There has been no reply to my email yet. I'm feeling some negative feedback coming on.

You simply are under the impression that eBay works differently than you think it does.
Shipping insurance guarantees against damage or loss during shipping, he is still shipping it for free but if you choose not to buy insurance than it could easily be lost in transit and you lost the cost of the MP3 player.
The location of the item also indicates where it is being shipped from, not the location of the seller.

Edit: What is your free gift for purchasing this?

[Bungleau]

What I understood was that shipping was free, insurance was optional, and the invoice *included* the insurance even though Variol declined it.

That would be a deceiving practice...

As for the location, mea culpa. I've been to Toronto more than a few times, and I've been struck by the great cultural diversity there. It's very likely someone in Toronto is having something shipped from *anyplace* else.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Just to update:
I got both players today, in separate packages. They look pretty neat, but I'm not MP4 savvy. I'm just charging them now and then I'll try to figure out how to put some stuff on it. It has some interesting features.

I would love to put the manual on here, the English translation is definitely a good laugh!

[Firestormalpha]

Stuff like do not imerse in water? Keep away from strong magnets, extreme temps. etc.?

Or my personal favorite, the wires/cords with this product are known to contain lead, a substance known in california to be assosiated with cancer and various birth defects. (I'm so happy I live in florida where lead seems to not have those health risks.)

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

No, nothing like that actually. More like this:

Battery is full on 3.8V. As time goes on, capacity indication will monish. (I don't know that to be a word).

Visualized dynamical menus with text instructions make you easy control.

Hold: events occur in such frequency then the key is holding such as Fast Forward and Reverse

If displayed "Memory full", it means mo space to save new record files,

That's just on the first 4 pages; and it's a 3"x5" manual.

[Firestormalpha]

lol, nice, looks like instead of a translation they went for a transliteration, ignoring all english rules of grammar and spelling.

[Felix The Assassin]

I'm looking into making my bid.

[wellard]

Originally Posted by Beaumanoir Find him. Burn his home and tell his kids that they were adopted anyway. Show his mother his naughty magazines and slip some ones including farmyard animals in there just for good measure. Put sand in his vaseline and sugar in his petrol tank. Tape over the last episode of any series he has been recording. Also tape over his wedding videos with videos of you in bed with his wife. Find the nearest deceased relative he has; dance on the grave. For bonus points you may implement this one along with the video of his wife. Unscrew the lid of his salt pot, but only slightly. Pry all the keys on his keyboard off with a knife - rearrange them and put them back on. Poke holes in his contraceptives. Hide tin foil in under the plate in his microwave and a fish under the back seat in his car. Report him for drunk driving. Hang around in his local speaking loudly about his inclinations towards sleeping with the dead. Promise him a massage and then stop after thirty seconds because 'your thumbs hurt'. Tell him that Bruce Willis was a ghost all along, and insist that the Godfather wasn't all it was cracked up to be in his presence. Grab his advent calender, press in at the sides and then shake it so the chocolate falls out of the holes and to the bottom. Buy tickets to see his favourite band and then ask his best friend to come along with you. Pronounce his name wrong. And occasionally shout it from the otherside of the street, then look away when he turns around. Tell him via anonymous text messages that you demand to be the little spoon. Replace his aftershave with urine, and cover his toilet over with clingfilm. Then leave him negative feedback.

Makes mental note not to annoy Beaumanoir ever