PayPal orders buyer to destroy pre-WWII violin worth $2500

[benji]

http://www.regretsy.com/2012/01/03/from-the-mailbag-27/

I sold an old French violin to a buyer in Canada, and the buyer disputed the label.

This is not uncommon. In the violin market, labels often mean little and there is often disagreement over them. Some of the most expensive violins in the world have disputed labels, but they are works of art nonetheless.

Rather than have the violin returned to me, PayPal made the buyer DESTROY the violin in order to get his money back. They somehow deemed the violin as “counterfeit” even though there is no such thing in the violin world.

The buyer was proud of himself, so he sent me a photo of the destroyed violin.

I am now out a violin that made it through WWII as well as $2500. This is of course, upsetting. But my main goal in writing to you is to prevent PayPal from ordering the destruction of violins and other antiquities that they know nothing about. It is beyond me why PayPal simply didn’t have the violin returned to me.

I spoke on the phone to numerous reps from PayPal who 100% defended their action and gave me the party line.

[JaoSming]

[shadowgrin]

Just look at the label, looks like french to me. Destroying the violin was the right thing.

[Andrew]

Apparently, it is actually within their policy:



Of course, that doesn't mean the policy isn't stupid. Hopefully, this will garner the negative press it deserves.

[koberulz]

Of course, that doesn't mean the policy is stupid.

You sure you don't mean 'isn't'?

[Andrew]

That is indeed what I meant. Fixed.