I am at work so I can't get the popcorn out, but I am quite excited and awaiting round two.

ps. we are on your side Cornfloozed

Ding.....

I take back what I said.

When I read the OP I was sure a woman was complaining because (s)he sounded so upset for petty (although yep, apparently dodgy) stuff and wanted to alarm the whole universe...
Then I read the other side of the story (what a rare thing these days btw) and discovered the OP was a he... So I am not surprised because the original story was a liiil' bit different than what really happened....I am surprised OP is a male.
What's the world coming to...

I've just read confloozed post.

The OP's race and ethnicity had never entered into my mind at all (although I also thought he was a she) - until the bit about renegotiating payment, where I said to myself, 'this sound's like a few Indians that I've encountered in the past' ..... and lo and behold .....

.....must be something in the blood, when it comes to payment in full.



[I fully expect to take a hit on this, for 'being a racist' - but I call it as I see it]

If you want to stay out of trouble, www.putzfrau.ch is a good website, they basically deal with everything and I had a great experience with them.

It's nothing to do with "racism", it's a deeply ingrained cultural trait and part of daily life for (natural born and un-westernised, in my experience) many Indian and Pakistani people. I have had the same issue more than once while doing deals on EF, and only ever with Indian or Pakistani people, one chap who even pushed strongly in my own home to get a pre-agreed price down. I must admit I struggled to keep my cool. Usually it's making me offers by PM that seriously undercut advertised prices, then followed up by a few more PM's until it's either very close to the original price, or I get fed up and refuse to sell the item. Bartering is something learnt in those countries from a young age.

I know a car dealer in the UK who would tell such people that he refused to sell to them. About an hour later someone would come in with the full asking price in cash. He called it the take away, it worked every time.

You're safe. Indian isn't a race so you can't be racist!

Confloozed - Hats off to you best post I have read in ages, a real page turner.

Pabitra - In the words of my teenage daughter "oooooooo.. You've been owned".