My New Living Room

You all already know how much I love the mail. It's beyond pathetic, really, how much I love the mail.

But there's something I love even more than the mail: a UPS or Fed Ex delivery. I admit it, if I hear a large truck coming down our street I drop everything, run to the window and cross all my fingers and toes that it will stop in front of my house, even if I'm not expecting anything.

Imagine my elation this past week when the Fed Ex Ground truck slowed and eventually stopped in front of my house! YIPPEE!! My speedy little Fed Ex delivery guy sprinted up to my door carrying a rather large package and my level of giddiness was beyond measure. I ripped right into the package and found my IKEA slipcovers (you know, the ones I had to order on eBay because IKEA sucks).


We bought our Jennylund IKEA chairs about three years ago. We chose the white slipcovers because we liked the way they looked and figured they'd be easy to wash. What I never factored in was 1) well, they're white and get filthy easily and quickly and 2) they take a minimum two days to wash and dry (more if you're like me and forget to take them out of the washing machine) so that's two days where I would bar the door so people couldn't peek in and see my un-slipcovered chairs.

They look fine, even when with a little bit of a "lived-in" look (read: dirty) but those greedy bastards at IKEA keep designing cuter and more tempting slipcovers every year. I finally told myself I could just order a spare set; you know, so when one was being washed I wouldn't have to deal with the un-slipcovered chairs. A very, very important consideration, really.

Here are the Jennylund chairs prior to being rescued by the Fed Ex delivery man:

And here they are after:

Much nicer, right? Who here honestly believes those white slipcovers will actually find their way back the chairs (and why should they; IKEA now makes an even better style of white Jennylund slipcovers)?

eBay Etiquette

What is proper buying and selling etiquette on eBay? Is there an established code?

I don't sell things on eBay; I buy them. Not a lot, but I find a good deal on coat here, a book there or some other miscellaneous thing that seems like too good of a deal to pass up. I bid. I win. I pay within seconds of winning the auction and email the seller within a few minutes offering shipping information and a very polite request for positive feedback.

Now, it would seem to be that at this point, or after my Pay Pal payment reaches the seller's account, I should receive my positive feedback. My work is done; I have been a good eBay consumer, no?

Two times within the past few months the seller refused to leave feedback until I'd left mine and with the current item I'm waiting for the seller hasn't even bothered to respond to my email or acknowledge that I won the auction, though they've been paid and contacted.

I'm not going to get too bent out of shape. If I get my item in due time and in good condition I will leave positive feedback for the seller. Shouldn't the same have already been done for me? EBay experts, let's hear your thoughts.