How One Rude eBay Seller Got Schooled by a Buyer With a Vengeance
If you spend enough time on eBay, you’re bound to run into a few characters: the lowballers, the hagglers, the “is this still available?”-ers, and, every so often, a seller so breathtakingly rude that you wonder if they’re running a side hustle in customer repulsion. But what happens when one of these sellers picks the wrong buyer to mock? Grab your popcorn—because this is the story of how one eBay “keyboard warrior” got a masterclass in karma, Reddit-style.
From Snark to Scandal: When a Simple Question Turns Toxic
It all started innocently enough. u/BestHD12345, a seasoned eBay flipper, spotted a bulk lot of TI-Nspire calculators listed as “for parts only,” with a cryptic note: “turns on but needs additional equipment.” Being no rookie, OP (as Reddit lovingly refers to the Original Poster) shot the seller a polite inquiry: Why, exactly, did these calculators need “extra equipment”?
The reply? Not so much customer service as customer savagery:
“Just for you to ask to show your intelligence! LOL!!! Bored?”
And when OP clarified they weren’t being rude, just curious, the seller doubled down:
“If you were smart enough to read the description, you wouldn’t ask anything. I’m not entitled to ‘edicate’ you.”
And, in a final flourish, the seller blocked OP for “wasting his time.”
Charming, right?
The Plot Thickens: Digging Deeper and Striking Back
Most people would shake their heads, chalk it up to internet weirdness, and move on. But, as one commenter put it, “Note to self, do not be rude to BestHD12345.” OP was not about to let this slide. Especially after discovering that this seller’s negative reviews were a graveyard of similar customer abuse—and, more disturbingly, racist remarks and discriminatory blocks.
Redditors quickly recognized the moment as more than just petty revenge. “This isn't just petty revenge...it's social justice. Amazing work,” wrote u/ContemplatingFolly, echoing the community’s consensus that sometimes, revenge is a public service.
OP’s investigation skills would make any detective proud. Using the phone number from the seller’s listings, OP uncovered a second eBay store tied to a company specializing in electronics recycling. But this was no ordinary yard sale—this seller was hawking high-ticket medical devices (think electrotherapy and ultrasound units) that, as any eBay veteran or FDA agent knows, are strictly regulated. Unless you’re an approved medical seller, eBay’s policy puts a hard ban on these.
So OP got to work: compiling a list, cross-referencing model numbers with FDA classifications, and reporting the most egregious violations through eBay’s “Item not allowed” portal—complete with model names and codes. It was thorough, methodical, and, as another commenter quipped, “the best kind of revenge—fixing the problem while taking down the jerk.”
Community Roast: Schadenfreude With a Side of Solidarity
The next morning, eBay delivered poetic justice: six of the seller’s priciest listings (worth over $18,000) vanished into the digital ether. “I’m not saying I sank his store… but I probably ruined his week,” OP wrote, sparking a chorus of Reddit applause.
Commenters had a field day with the fallout.
u/Naive_Figure188 warned, “Note to self, do not be rude to BestHD12345.” OP replied, channeling South Park’s Cartman: “I’ll Eric Cartman the hell out of this shit!” Another user, u/Expensive-Vanilla-16, joked about sending a follow-up message from an alt account, taunting the seller to “be more educated on what he sells.” (Just be sure to spell it “edicated,” of course.)
Plenty of eBay veterans chimed in with their own horror stories: missing packaging, sellers who block over innocent questions, and the universal struggle of dealing with folks who “make all of us sellers look bad.” As u/TheBadGuyBelow noted, “eBay can be overly harsh on good sellers… The more shitty sellers we can clear out, the better.”
And then there were the poetic justice enthusiasts:
One commenter summed it up perfectly, “If you’re doing something shady, don’t do crap that brings a spotlight onto yourself.” Or, as u/Majestic-Sea4459 memorably put it, “Some people just don’t learn.”
Lessons in Karma: Be Nice, or Be Prepared
What can the rest of us learn from this digital comeuppance? For one, eBay (and the internet at large) is full of people with “a particular set of skills”—and sometimes their patience runs out. As u/Old_Tiger_7519 observed, “You just never know what hornet’s nest you could be poking. Well done!”
And if you’re a seller? A little kindness goes a long way. “I bend over backwards for my customers. I have a 100% seller rating,” one commenter shared. The message is clear: Good customer service is not just polite—it’s self-preservation.
But perhaps the last word should go to OP, who delivered this delicious mic drop: “I was at least edicated enough to sink his business.”
Conclusion: The Petty Revenge We All Needed
The saga of the rude eBay seller is a satisfying reminder that sometimes, the universe—or a determined buyer with a grudge—serves up justice in the most unexpected ways. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or a casual shopper, remember: every message you send could be the start of a story just like this one.
Ever had a run-in with a nightmare seller or buyer? Drop your tales of sweet revenge (or cautionary customer service) in the comments below. After all, the best stories are the ones we share—especially when they involve a well-earned slice of karma.
Original Reddit Post: Don’t be a rude eBay seller