Rash of Buyers Asking for Veterans or Military Wounded Discounts

[pogofuzz]

I've been quite active on ebay for 20 years and never until this month have I received messages from potential buyers asking for military related discounts. Retired military, vets, wounded vets, etc.  I'm getting messages "How much to buy it now for a wounded Vet"  Or "I am disabled ex-military. I can't afford your item but really would cherish it, how about a discount" type things.  When I saw my first one I didn't think much of it, and I did offer a discount and made the sale but only because it was something I was glad to get rid of :).  But now I've received several such messages over the past couple weeks.  Personallly I've decided they're all just people scamming for a discount.  Wounded vets don't really have a need for collectibles. Anyone else getting a bunch of these messages?

[ron_blount]

Hi, i also sell on ebay and i am wounded vet, i have had no vets contact me for a discount, and being ex army i know that vets will (not) ask for a discount if they what it they will buy it , military people are very proud,so don't be scammed.

[imakesugar]

OT My Son has an 80% disability due to time spent in Iraq. He is also in college. He wanted to become a medical doctor. He is a student who is on the deans' list usually. When he was required by The college that he was going to for his **bleep** would NOT give him a degree without credits in language. So, after going to school for A **bleep**  Now he is going to computer science to become a legal hacker. Anyone know what the formal name is of that degree?

So, what do vets collect? Star wars anything star wars, star trek, legos, some figurines he used to play with as a child, anything Tech. ( He is one of those who has the newest of everything...but does not have a car! ) He is single so spends lots of money on himself. He does buy collectible items from eBay. Maybe it helps him in his downtime. He also buys components to fix computers. 

He lived with me for 6 months after he got back from Iraq. he was pretty messed up. I had this sweet caring son when he left and a red-headed, green-eyed monster when he got back...(hopefully that is politically correct to say these days!) He is MUCH better now. I think My son is getting taken care very well by the government. Yes, medical treatments are slow...that could vastly be improved. I am sure he does not use many of the private services available to him. Maybe a free dinner on Veterans Day...

I'd certainly entertain the idea of giving a discount if asked and proven. Question is, how is someone going to prove that with online sales? With the identity theft going on then who would want to have their ID all over the internet? There is no way I can see that would be feasible. The thing to remember is Vets have many different levels of needs. Some are impoverished depending on the percentage of disability they can get, family size, lose of regular jobs, extensive medical treatments. 

So, I am giving the Seller the benefit of the doubt that she did not mean to say "Vets don't need collectibles"...I think they might need them MORE! Their hobbies and collections help them forget... pam

[bashamauctions]

I get those requests from time to time as well. And it's never from the veteran him/herself, it's always from a family member wanting to purchase (or receive for free) for a service member. I first tell them to thank the veteran for their service and then inform them this eBay account belongs to an active duty soldier who "picks" in his spare time and uses the additional income to supplement his military pay. I never hear back from the discount-seekers after that exchange. BTW...I'm not the soldier...just a friend who manages his account.

A few years ago, and on another account, I had sold a $3 Barbie doll with $3 shipping to a guy who first asked for the item for free. He claimed he wanted it to replace a doll exactly like the one he had gifted to his friend who had cancer and now he himself had cancer. I expressed my sympathies to both parties but held firm at the low cost. That should've been my first sign of trouble. Once the doll was received the buyer picked it apart and demanded a $3 partial refund because the doll wasn't as described. I told him to return for a full refund. He rewarded me with negative feedback.  I vowed 1) to always BBL those who ask for significant discounts due to some malady or circumstance and 2) don't get into a back and forth over a $6 item- it usually turns out badly.

-C

[imakesugar]

I guess Bachelor of Science is now a bleep word IF You don't write out the whole thing! LOL, I didn't swear I promise!

[*madison]

It took me a moment to work out why it was bleeped.

Was it because you just typed the initials ?

@imakesugar

[imakesugar]

yes, I think they thought I meant Bull ( frog...) dodo. LOL

[7606dennis]

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

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@chrysylys wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

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 you can log into your account and put in your military status.  Basically, it just your name, branch of service, DOB and Military Service Dates from your DD214.

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The verification system they use couldn't find mine.  Too long ago I guess.

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I'm not sure what to do about that.  I suppose taking a copy of your DD214 or if your service was before the use of the DD214 a copy of your Discharge to the service desk might work.  I'm not sure though.

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This is what they say on the site about verifying in-store:

I want to verify my credentials in store. What documentation do I need?

Bring any US military documentation that clearly shows your first and last name, date of birth or discharge/retire date and a clear affiliation with the military. Examples of accepted documents include Military ID, Veterans Identification Card, Common Access Card, Uniform Services Information Card or DD214.

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I mentioned the Discharge because prior to, I believe, 1954 one's service details was included on the back.  Alas!  I'm not sure of the actual year that they switched to the DD214.   Of course, those discharged prior to the introduction of the DD214 are getting to be rare as time goes by.  

[7606dennis]

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@ron_blount wrote:
Hi, i also sell on ebay and i am wounded vet, i have had no vets contact me for a discount, and being ex army i know that vets will (not) ask for a discount if they what it they will buy it , military people are very proud,so don't be scammed.

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I'm not sure that I can agree with your statement "... vets will (not) ask for a discount..."  Frankly, veterans from all branches and all eras are a widely varied group.  Many that I know are as keen to save money as the rest of the people.

Personally, I'm not a coupon clipper, much to my wife's dismay, and usually lean toward brand names because I believe they earned their reputations.  Of course, I tend to be a tad generous when tipping too.  However, when I hear that a particular business offers a discount to vets, I'm not too proud ask them if it's true and if I qualify.

That having been said, I must admit that I've never been asked by anyone online for a veteran's discount.  Actually, I don't remember too many sob stories from anyone seeking a discount, veteran or otherwise, from online customers.

[7606dennis]

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@*madison wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

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@*madison wrote:

Most people (or perhaps all of them ) coming out with a sob story fishing for a discount are liars.

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Frankly, that's sort of a rude statement, in my opinion.  However, I suppose there are plenty of sob stories out there.  Brings to mind the Sherlock Holmes case about the man with the twisted lip.

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@7606dennis wrote:

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@*madison wrote:

Most people (or perhaps all of them ) coming out with a sob story fishing for a discount are liars.

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Frankly, that's sort of a rude statement, in my opinion.  However, I suppose there are plenty of sob stories out there.  Brings to mind the Sherlock Holmes case about the man with the twisted lip.

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Sometimes the truth does sound rude..

Thing is, if people come out with sob stories for a necessity, like food for example, they are more believable. But people coming out with a sob story for an item, something they can live without, is not all that believable. I also think those kind of people have no self respect..

There is only one sob story I have ever believed, and it was from my neighbour who didn't have enough money to feed his cat until his next pay cheque which was one week away.  And he didn't ask me for money either, he asked me for tins of cat food, so I gave him one week supply for free.

Btw, I'm not a Sherlock fan, so I don't know the story about the man with a twisted lip. I'm a Columbo fan.

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I like Columbo as well.  When it comes to Holmes, I prefer reading the original stories as I've not seen too many screen or television adaptations that do them justice.  Might I suggest, as a bit of light reading, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  "The Man with the Twisted Lip" is one of the short stories in that collection.  I believe, it was first published in the "Strand."

[plumbingspecials]

While I DO have a soft spot in my heart for our service people, I DON'T buy sob stories online. It's a **bleep** shame people would stoop so low to play on our emotions so they can get a good deal, especially under the guise of being a wounded vet. They are doing a huge disservice to actual wounded vets.

[twousmcwives]

Veterans don’t want to ask people for anything.

I’ll bet my lungs it’s somebody hoping that you’ll give a wounded Veteran a discount, playing on your emotions, but they’re not the wounded Veteran.