Auction site scores PR victory as toddler buys earthmover
A New Zealand online auction site has avoided a messy situation by refunding a woman whose three-year-old daughter bought an earth-moving digger on the site. Pipi Quinlan had been left alone near the computer while her mother slept.
Sarah Quinlan had been using the TradeMe site to bid for several children’s toys, including some Lego playkits. When she returned to the computer after her nap, she found an e-mail from the buyer assuring her that, “I think you’ll love this digger.”
Quinlan assumed she had won an auction for a toy until she saw the price: NZ$20,000 (approximately US$12,300.) It soon became clear that she had left the computer logged in to the sites and that Pipi had, whether intentionally or otherwise, wound up bidding on the item.
Quinlan immediately contacted both the seller and the site to explain the incident. TradeMe cancelled the sale and refunded the relevant seller’s fees and commission. That will have been NZ$150 (US$92) if the digger was counted as a general item. If it was classed as a vehicle the fees will have been NZ$68 (US$42) for a basic listing, or more if there were any additional promotional measures. According to the local newspaper, the Rodney Times, the seller “wasn’t impressed with Pipi’s antics” but has relisted the digger.
Several sites have pointed out that TradeMe comes off well in this story for its quick common sense response. Dong Ngo of CNet argues that if the sale had been on eBay then the seller would have had to wait two weeks to get a refund. By acting decisively, TradeMe has also helped quash any thoughts the seller might have had of trying to maintain this was a legally binding sale, which would no doubt have led to a particularly bizarre court case.
The story also makes for some good general brand awareness of TradeMe. I have to admit that when I saw a story referring to a wacky purchase on an online auction site I, no doubt like many others, immediately assumed it involved eBay. Stories such as this, even if pointing out the potential dangers of online auctions, do remind people that other sites exist.
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May 25th, 2009
For local sales in NZ TradeMe is THE auction site. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of someone buy something from eBay locally. If you’re buying internationally, e.g. from HK/Taiwan etc then yeah, you’ll probably use eBay but not if you want to buy something from within NZ.
May 25th, 2009
Trademe in New Zealand is much better than either eBay or Craigslist. It’s fast, responsive and very very well done.