Silk Road forums
Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: string on September 04, 2013, 10:43 pm
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I've had a small sample domestic order not arrive from my first order with a vendor. I don't know whether I'm the victim of selective scamming, post theft due to poor packaging or just pure bad luck but this is the first item of post I've ever had go missing in 10+ years at this address.
As it's only a small order I'm loath to go through the refund process and mess up my stats but I'm wondering what action others would advise on this issue?
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Anyone?
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if it were me i think i'd try to contact the vendor and see what kind of response i get. -- if the vendor's response is apparently reasonable (you'll have to rely on your intuition about that) and not unduly rude...then i'd probably ask for some kind of concession on another try at it (a re-order). It's a good thing that your order was small and presumably not a huge loss. -- If you didn't feel comfortable with the vendor's response or demeanor... then perhaps you shouldn't try to re-order from him at all.
One thing to understand is this: Vendors are just like customers, in the sense that they have to worry about their own anonymity and safety. It's not unusual for a vendor to imagine that a noobie is possibly LE in disguise just fishing around to gather info to build a case or set a snare. I've known vendors that were reticent to provide samples (or small orders) to newcomers.... not because they had concerns about the loss of product (if provided pro-gratis)...but because of worries that sample requests, or just very small orders, (even when paid for up front) *might* be sly hidden fishing attempts by authorities (LE won't spend more money than it has too...so small orders are preferred). It's a catch-22 situation for both sides.... and that my friend, is just the way it is.
Try not to worry too much by an occasional small-scale rip-off -- sometimes it's not anything intentional... sometimes it's something that's unknown and out of the control of either party.... and unfortunately in most cases there's not much that can be done about it without causing a stink (which often sticks to you as much as it does to anyone else). -- I'm sorry for your loss...and I'm sure a number of others here can sympathetically relate..... but it is, after all, something that (sooner or later) is likely to happen to the best of us.
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also, you might get some more feedback here if you provide some more info about why you think you may have gotten scammed. you didn't provide any info on how long, communication (if any), etc. etc. right now it just reads: "i think i got scammed".
i'm very new here as well and i find the toughest part of SR is the waiting which is exacerbated by not having the tracking number for a package. it's like once you submit your order you relinquish all control of the situation to another person. An unknown person at that, and doing something we probably shouldn't be doing :)