Very interesting. This is not the first time this has happened. eBay warns buyers to be factual and not use emotive language when leaving feedback and there is a good reason for that. There have been many times when buyers have left themselves open to law suits by going over the top with their negative comments.
Website: www.moviemem.com JOHN REID VINTAGE MOVIE MEMORABILIA PO Box 92 Palm Beach Qld 4221 Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Hershenson To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 8:30 PM Subject: [MOPO] Florida man sued for $15k over negative eBay remark Fla. man sued for $15k over negative eBay remark The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Can posting your opinion on eBay cost you in real life? So far Michael Steadman has spent $7,000 for his, and he isn't yet done defending himself in a $15,000 defamation lawsuit brought by the man who sold him a reportedly defective time clock. Steadman bought the clock for $44 in 2008, and said it arrived in three pieces that didn't fit together or even seem to be the same model. He got a refund through PayPal's buyer protection plan and sent the merchandise back, but wanted other potential buyers to beware. So on the profile of emiller1313, he wrote: "Bad seller; he has the ethics of a used car salesman." Steadman thought that was the end of it until a process server arrived with a court summons. It turned out that emiller1313 was a Miami Beach lawyer, and he wanted damages for ruining his 100 percent customer approval rating and "commercial reputation." "The laws don't work for us. Because I don't have the money to fight them, I'm losing," Steadman said. "It's not right. I'm speechless." Steadman recently lost his lawyer in the Miami-Dade County Court case because he ran out of funds. Seller Elliot Miller said in the lawsuit the time clock was "plainly offered for sale with the following language: 'we can not give you any guarantees and must offer it on an as-is, where-is basis only.'" Steadman said he joined eBay about six months earlier hoping to find bargains for his new welding shop. He thought he lucked out on the time clock, which he said Miller advertised as tested and proven to work. Now, he says, "I warn everyone that goes online not to leave feedback." Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/11/1574322/fla-man-sued-for-15k-over-negative.html#ixzz0ksez4H4E Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
