IT'S FINALLY OVER!!!

It's been exactly two months since I won an auction for (what should have been) one of the nicest Linden cards to hit the pc in 2012.  And for the past two months I have been struggling with trying to get proper compensation for the damaged card that was delivered to me.

For those of you who don't remember.

Well, tonight was the night it ended.  Finally!!!

Earlier in the month I received a cheque from UPS refunding my brokerage fee.  I still need to get the government fees back from Revenue Canada (the forms are on my desk).  But the big chunk of money would be coming from the seller (or the insurance reimbursement....however you want to look at it).

From day one, the seller kept saying "Return the card and I'll give you a full refund".  That's all fine and dandy if there were other cards like this one out there that I could go buy.  But with this being a 1/1....I was looking for compensation.

Nope.  For a month and a half the seller either ignored my questions or just responded with the "Return the card and I'll give you a full refund".  It came to the point where I had to open a Paypal dispute.

Nothing.  No response for 10 days from the seller.  Then....all of the sudden he decides to escalate it to a claim (meaning Paypal will rule on the case.  He knew (as did I) that Paypal would say "Return the card and you'll get a full refund".

I was prepared to walk away out my money, but I would not relinquish the card.  The seller earlier this week finally offered a partial refund - a glimmer of light.  I made a counter-proposal that I felt accurately valued the damaged card.  No response.

So I woke up this morning bound and determined to finally put an end to it.  I issued an ultimatum.

I made one last proposal.  I felt it was fair for both parties.  I added that I would not barter and that it was a take it or leave it offer....that he had to agree to by the end of the month.

He agreed to it and tonight I received my partial refund.

While it's not exactly what I was hoping for, I can now look at the card and not be disgusted by it.

I just want to say that over the span of the past two months there have been numerous times where I have had to look at myself and ask "Have I done my part?"  There is nothing more important in resolving a dispute than communication.  And while it was a struggle (a HUGE struggle), I remained steadfast about being the one to communicate in an open, honest and respectful manner.

I have no doubt that it is for this reason that a mutual agreement was made today.

And with that......this chapter is OVER!