Ok, I seem to have a passive aggressive curtain seller, how do I get my curtains?!

[FreeCodwitheverypacketofchips]

The story is that I enquired about some nice curtains on ebay a few months ago. The lady replied swiftly saying that she could certainly make some the right size for our enormous windows, and she sent me some samples of fabric and I said I'd get back to her when I had measured.

So we moved in, I measured, I emailed...she replied and we agreed on a colour and a price. All fine, except I kept asking things like to do with the lining and so on, to which I got increasingly delayed answers - however it all went ahead and about 2 weeks ago she said my curtains were finished, so I sent her the rest of the payment - I had already paid a £100 deposit weeks before.

I didn't even get a thankyou for the payment so I emailed a couple more times, then rang her. She was Ok and we had a chat but I found it hard to ask about the curtains and she didn't volunteer any info.
Eventually at the end of the convo I asked if there was an ETA and she said, 'well, I just have to finish them off, hmm, it could be Friday, or maybe monday - put it this way you could be hanging curtains at the weekend'.

I have had no curtains...and she had already said they were finished 2 weeks ago!!

I just emailed again and rang her but this time she isn't answering. I am very tempted to start a paypal dispute just to kick her ass into gear but I don;'t want to antagonise.

WWYDF...I paid the first amount about 35 days ago so have another 10 days before a claim has to be in iyswim. She has good feedback but I am just not sure if the more I harass her, the more she'll refuse to send them?

Bizarre but I am getting in a state.
Heyulp!

Errrr! Dunno!

I think I would give her the benefit of the doubt for another couple of days. She may be out tonight, so can't reply or answer the phone. Give her until Wednesday to reply to her E-mail, then call Paypal for advice.

what hasw her recent feedback been like remembering to read the comments as all feedback is now positive ie. green+

Why did you find it hard to ask about the curtains when the only reason she is in your life is because you employed her to make you some curtains? You wimp!

I suspect she may have taken on more orders than she can handle and is probably behind in her orders but doesn't want to admit it!

Ring her again, but do 141, in case she has caller-id.

I would do one more email of the polite, friendly type, tell her how much you are looking forward to them etc. Maybe you could mention that it has taken longer than anticipated and you hope she is ok.

I think then if no response you would be totally justified to mention the possibility of a paypal dispute.

I think that's how I'd handle it, but I am sure others will come along with lots of great ideas!

Ta, well she has 100% but this was a transaction outside ebay so I can't leave any. She has good points on her categories (described, comms, etc - unbelievable re the comms as she takes ages to reply if she replies at all!) and only loses out on despatch time, so I guess she is just a bit slow to send stuff.

I can't help thinking that she is really strange and resents people getting impatient, and if they do ask her more than once, she kind of gets cross and makes them wait even longer!

My ex was like that. You could never get a straight answer..

x post with mort & forever. Wasn't suggesting their ideas are not great!

X posted Hec...see I am slow typer like she is a slow emailer!
I've done the hinting to kingdom come, no respnse to that and yes I am a wimp. All she talks about when I ring is her poorly back or foot or something like that. I am v sympathetic
but it doesn't really help me!

Last time she said she would ring me, I waited all day and then said I hoped she hadn't rung as we had been out for 10 minutes at 4pm/ Surprise surprise she said she had rung at 4

Yeah well, right, hmm.

Good idea about 141. Deffo

Funny my phone didn't log the call, though!

I definitely think she will answer if I do 141.

Will seize my moment. But what do I say?

Errr how about
Hello its x
Where are my curtains?

Where the Bleep are my curtains?

How about 'where are my fecking curtains, beeeeyatch?'

or alternatively 'I'm getting a bit concerned about these curtains, can you give me a definite delivery date?'

I can't be that...erm,...direct, surely?

I could say 'hello, well you know you said Monday, well they haven';t arrived - do you mind giving me the tracking number?'

Read a troll thread
Get wound up
Then call her

Will do wonders for your self assertiveness

Hmm tried 141 and it still didn't answer.

The thing is i would not treat a customer this way. so I should get cross but behave like I am not cross. She wants me to get cross so she can be cross that I am harrassing her. She enjoys it. I must pretend not to be cross.

"I am down your way at the weekend, I was thinking I could pick up my curtains, could I have your address please."

That's good Hec, however it would require backpedalling if she agreed as I don't want to drive umpteen miles to the other side of Kent!!

I like the visitors thing. I could be honest and say, look, I need to take down the old ones before I paint the wall ready for the new ones and I don't want to have no curtains for more than one day.

That's fair enough isn't it? I know she will see through it but tbh I do need to know if they are coming or not as it's a lot of dosh and I'm stressed enough at the moment without being kept awake by money issues.

Where is the 'other side of Kent' that you speak of? I'm in Kent, I could send the heavies round if it helps!

Right...not that anyone will actuially be remotely interested in an update, but I thought I would vent here as it's as good a place as any!

I emailed and I sent about 5 messages through ebay in the last few days, and I still haven't heard a word.

I looked her up on google and she is in fact quite a prominent local person - seems to be a school governor, and also secretary? of something to do with plastic surgeons. I'm baffled, I thought she just made curtains.

Anyway I don't know what to do. She had a broken foot apparently last week when we last spoke, but it wasn't something she would be in hospital for.
Also she has been listing curtains up till last night, (scheduled listings are usuallly at a 'round' time like 8pm or 7.45 but they are random).
It's been over 5 weeks since I paid and I will file a dispute with paypal on Monday if I still haven't heard from her.

I just sent an email saying I am worried as she said they'd be here at the weekend. I hope she will bother to answer this one

I had this dilemma about this time last year with someone making me blinds through ebay.. she was up north though so not the same one!

I did get them in the end, and she was really apologetic about the delay and sent me a free cushion cover. It turned out she'd been away and hadn't seen my emails but i was convinced I'd lost my pricey Laura Ashley fabric and £100 so i know how you feel..

It's annoying but the chance you take when you aren't dealing face to face. Am sure it will work out though..

Thanks - that's reassuring!!! I wouldn't mind too much if she had told me she was going somewhere, if she hadn't said they would be there by the weekend, and if she wasn't listing while blatantly ignoring my emails!!
I will give her a chance to reply and if she doesn't I'm going to have to claim the money back. I need curtains apart from anything else, and she said they were finished 2 weeks ago. Grrrrr!!!

Right, you've been nice with her, maybe send her one last mail - explaining very clearly that you've fulfilled your terms in sending full payment, therefore if she fails to provide you with a delivery date within 48 hours you have no option but to file a dispute. No more niceties, you don't have to be friends with the woman.

Have you got the ebay helpline no? - it's 020 8080 2105. They were very good with me with a fake Ugg hoo ha I had last week..

You need to be stronger babe - you have been far to nice

Thankyou - I'm not even going to wait till tomorrow morning, I think I will just go through paypal. I'm quite angry actually. I still don't anticipate any reply. I think it's just rude of her.

Wish me luck...