Sunday, November 16, 2014

Nancy Drew and The Case of the Missing Listings

It was a dark and stormy night.   Thunder lit up the room as I peered at the computer.  While pricing items on eBay, I discovered two of my items were not appearing in search.   They were in Turbolister, and I could pull them up with "View Listing" from that program, but no assortment of keywords pulled them up on eBay.  Both the missing listings were children's books, listed as fixed price (Good Till Cancelled), with nice big photos and item specifics.  They were listed on the same date, September 17.

I called eBay and a customer service representative told me I should just end and relist the items.   I still wanted answers, and was puzzled by the mystery, so I did what any good eBayer would do ... I called Nancy Drew.

Before I knew it, Nancy was pulling into the driveway in her jaunty blue roadster.  She came in for a cup of tea, and I told her about my dilemma.  "I'll be right on it," she promised.  "I'm sure there is a solution."

One day went by, and then another.  Before I knew it, a week had passed.  Then, just when I thought the case had gone cold, the doorbell rang and when I answered, I found that Nancy Drew had come to call.

She pulled a stack of photos out of her satchel.  As she spoke, she showed me the photos she had taken.  "I'm so sorry it's taken a while.  I've looked everywhere for your missing listings.  They weren't in the old clock.  They weren't on the steamboat.  They weren't in the crumbling manor.   Finally I paid a visit to eBay headquarters.  I searched high and low ... but your missing listings weren't anywhere to be found.   I am so sorry this happened.  I never have been stumped by a case like this before.  It's like they just vanished!   I'll continue looking, in case I find them in a treasure chest, or tucked inside an old book.  But -- in the meantime, I guess you should end the items and relist them."   And with those words, Nancy walked out of my house and into the night.  I went back to work, still puzzling over the strange and mysterious disappearance.  

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Great story, but too bad that it's true (well, mostly true). Makes you wonder what else is missing out there. I have a feeling, though, that even Perry Mason couldn't have solved that mystery for you. Hope it doesn't happen again.

Unknown said...

Oh Trish, how creative and entertaining. I love it!

The DSRS of our lives said...

Great story - sad ending. I posted on the ebay for business facebook page and on the ebay radio facebook page... UMMMM I forgot Auctionbytes! back in a flash

Good Job Trish..here's hoping good sales come out of this.

mymomsbooks said...

Trish there is still hope, contact Trixie Belden and the Hardy Boys to lend a hand. With all of the books you have sold for them I'm sure they would love to assist.
Great story for a bad day in ebay land.
Staying tuned for the end of the mystery,
mymomsbooks

Birdhouse Books said...

Thanks y'all!

Susan, you have a good point about Perry Mason. :-)

Suz, I agree with you about Trixie Belden and the Hardy Boys. Heaven forbid, if more items disappear, I guess we can call them in to investigate too.

Trish