The problems both you, gkl83 & moderno, face with FFKers is nothing unusual. It happens in all forms of trading, whether online or not, because most of the time, the seller is dependent on the buyers' support. If you make your terms and conditions too tough, you lose customers. If you are too easy, many ppl (does the term `window shopper' sound familiar?) will take advantage and pull out at the last minute. Not to mention all the conmen you will attract.

Running any business is an art where you have to learn to balance risks against profits. If you can't take the attitude of some ppl, then it is up to you to tighten your rules, not the Forum. But it may cost you more if you annoy the good customers instead. Remember the saying -`the CUSTOMER is ALWAYS Right!'

I think you will have to learn to take the good and the bad at the same time. Even Bill Gates has to deal with ppl who use his products without paying!

Personally, I have had issues with 2 sellers with `Safe Trader' status and no problems with sellers who later ended up blacklisted! It just goes to show you can't win them all.

Hehe, I first came across this term here in LY.net and I wonder if this is a true LY.Net original. I don't think I've ever seen it used in other Forums.

One explanation I got was FFK means Fong Fei Kei which is cantonese for `put on airplane' or `gone away on airplane'. It simply means one party failed to turn up at the appointment or honour an agreement and never provided a reason for the misdeed.

I hope this explanation is the correct one and I stand ready to be corrected.