Good advice for Ebay sellers (LONG)

The "your $30 item never arrived" plea smells of Standard Con Game #24/J. Basically, the equation for it goes like this: What is the seller's time worth? How long will it take the seller to search records, write the necessary letters and e-mail, defend his reputation, etc.? And how much is all that time worth? Thirty dollars is about the upper edge. Beyond $30, most people will do as you did, which is to start researching and so forth. Below that, a lot of sellers (especially sellers with lots of sales) will simply say, "You know what? It's just not worth my time to fight this."

As for eBay and PayPal. In the restaurant business, it's called spoilage. No matter how well you get to know your client base, you are going to end up with extra soup at the end of the night. Or five tiramisu more than you needed. Usually, you chalk it up to the vagaries of the bidness and let the staff gorge themselves at the end of the night. EBay and PayPal don't care one way or the other about who is right or wrong, who is evil or pure, because their business model has a factor, x, which is the sales that will be contested. As long as x remains at an acceptable level, they will let it continue to happen.

I would never purchase (or sell) any coin or stamp online from an eBay dealer, regardless of how many "positives" he or she had. It's just too easy to get the screwing of a lifetime.

 

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eBay only wants money in the form of fees. Kicking a bad bidder off eBay lowers final prices realized thus a lower final bid and thus lower fees collected. They could care less about deception and dishonesty and only care about what is in it for them. This will never change.

 

"These times are said to try men's souls, but something's wrong with all you see, and you.....don't take it all on yourself....remember.... misery loves company!" Metallica

Lol, Jay Z! Isn't he running for Dictator of Cuba???

I rest my case!

 

as i too sell on ebay, this is how they both look at it. the only thing you CAN prove is that the box/package itself was delivered. not the contents. it happened to me and i lost.

 

Bryantallard, that is too bad. I guess an unscrupulous buyer could always claim the box was empty like your case.

Ebay accepted the tracking number I had on my receipt (nothing on the box) which showed proof of delivery (as that was what the buyer was disputing) on the usps.com website and closed the case without issuing a refund.
So thanks to Ebay on this one.

 

I've been doing business with ebay for over 10-years with virtually no issues. In fact, I've had more issues at local auctions. If you don't like ebay, stop whining and just stop using it. After reading some of the diatribes about ebay, I get flashbacks to the movie "Forrest Gump". Stupid is as stupid does.

 

I think it is rather insulting that you would consider other's well documented and factual bad experiences with ebay as either "whining" or solely a result of their own doing. Glad you haven't had a problem yet, that doesn't minimize other's experiences through no fault of their own but due to eBay's horrible policies that have changed over the last few years which are heavily weighted to protect the buyers at the sellers expense. How about instead of "whining" about others "whining" you just keep enjoying your ebay experience and not demean those that have real serious issues with ebay policies?

 

Current Buyer Case Requirements As Stated By 2 Separate EBay Customer Service Reps.

2 weeks has elapsed without receipt of an eBay item located in NY, to be shipped promptly. Found to be unshipped still in Puerto Rico.

Called eBay requesting a Case opening, with escalation to closure, based on multiple lies in auction, and non-delivery, requesting "buyer protection" payment. Notified unexceptable to eBay as seller has 3 days to submit response and request case closure. Case can be opened stating "item not received". I had explained circumstances, case was opened, but knew that without a written documented buyer statement, case probably would be closed in favor of the seller.

I reviewed the representative statement, only "item not received".

I immediately wrote the Seller, thus:

"BAD!!!! I paid a premium for your tire and "economy shipping" (LOL), because although I ordered the tire for considerably less (received in 4 days). They sent a wide white wall instead of which you're selling, but didn't have in possession (undisclosed). I live in a rural area where there is only one facility that can change/balance my trike motorcycle tires without causing high speed vibration problems. The nearest other proper facility is ~4 hour round trip hauling on a special located/rented trailer. My shop that I use locally/annually had a 10 day window for installation, after which they're booked for the season. You indicated the tire was in New York, would be shipped normally within 2 days. I paid for the tire the same day as auction closure. You indicated the tire was shipped from New York the following day. LIE!!! After 10 days the tire still hadn't been shipped. An expensive trip to multi-million pop. metro. was in order. I'll not leave negative feedback if funds are promptly returned!!"

I then contacted a second eBay representative, asking the probable case outcome without inclusion of my written statement to the Seller. She stated that the case would probably be closed in favor of the Seller if he stated shipment and posted a "tracking number". She stated that eBay will close in favor of the seller, regardless when the object arrives if delivery is indicated.

I stated that I wasn't going to take possession of the item, arrangements have been made for replacement, as Seller was dishonest. She said I had to take possession, pay for return, prove delivery, and accept the Seller payment offered. Without my acceptance, etc., they couldn't determine whether the seller had the item returned.

I asked her to include my Seller notice in the case file, and she agreed if I removed the "no negative feedback" to be posted statement.

Quite Interesting, as the seller states 14 day refund period, with return paid by buyer, and without S/H refund.

Sounds like an expensive eBay buyer experience, with a great "deal" for a frugal Harley rider who has the same size tire on his "hog".

Caveat Emptor/Venditor eBay!! :thumb:

 

I had my first problem in 16 years earlier this year, I sold a pinball playfield to a guy, tracking number showed he received it a few days after the end of the auction. Didn't think about it after that until one day I noticed that my feedback score was no longer 100%...I have a negative from the guy, saying he never received the playfield, and that I was a bad seller.

He wouldn't respond to emails, so I tracked him to his business where he was selling pinball things and asked (using a different email address) if he had a playfield for X game. He said he thought he did, and low and behold he did. That's when I asked him why he left bad feedback when it's obvious he got the playfield, plus he didn't even notify me that he hadn't received it before (to even give me a chance to rectify the situation). He said his wife had put it out in garage, and that he hadn't seen it (mind you, this was a 2x4 huge box in the garage for 45 days that he missed, lol), but when he got my previous email (that he didn't respond to) he went and found it the day before. Oh and then he blamed me basically, saying it was my fault because I didn't send him a tracking number right away.

What a moron, lol.

 

New Seller Benefiting eBay Policy Change Update.

The following is an update of the previous exchange with a seemingly dishonest Seller.

As I suspected the seller responded that he promptly shipped, and would issue a refund when I return the item purchased, but not yet delivered. eBay concurred, refusing buyer protection payment.

I subsequently submitted this rebuttal:
"Thank you for your response, but I believe the facts remain: 1. You sold a tire which you didn't own at the time of my purchase. 2. The tire wasn't in the auction stated NY location. 3. The tire wasn't shipped from the stated NY location. 4. It appears that the tire wasn't even shipped for almost 2 weeks. 5. At no time did you inform me of delayed shipment from outside the U.S. proper, which would have allowed me to correct an expensive condition, by buying a less costly local tire. 6. You want me to TRUST, accept and return a now unneeded tire,which may never arrive, for a payment of your discretion. 7. This charade must go the natural course where your tire will be returned to wherever from it came, by the Post Office, and I will not be culpable for altering it's course. 8. I purchased the tire based on numerous promises on yours and eBays part, and have now asked that my refund is delivered. I completed my contractual obligation, but was mislead. Please inform future buyers!"

I contacted eBay resolution center employees, and was informed that effective May 1, 2013 the seller automatically suspends advancement of a case for 3 days, and at the discretion of eBay, suspends indefinitely until an item is merely delivered to a final destination postal station, where the item is adjudicated by eBay to have been delivered, and case closed in favor of the seller.

What a "crock"! So much for eBay "Buyer Protection".

It appears eBay has found a method to avoid future payments for faulty Sellers. :thumb: