eBay Pro Tip: Read listing before bidding

How is the fact being ignored that the eBay/PayPal machine REQUIRES all sellers to accept ALL items for return? You can put anything you wish in the description, doesn't matter what, you still have to accept a return if the buyer requests it. How are people who state arguments based on "but I have a no return policy CLEARLY stated in my item description" still pushing this mindset?

 

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It's being ignored because it's not a fact.

It's always possible to have a miscarriage of justice, of course; there's no guarantee that you won't be scammed by a false SNAD or empty-package claim. But to say "eBay/PayPal machine REQUIRES all sellers to accept ALL items for return" is misleading at best.

 

Really? So the 180 day mandatory return requirement in the new user policy notice was just a joke? Or have you just not read it? Or not use ebay at all maybe?

 

That's not what it says. The Hassle Free Returns program will be mandatory starting in Q4 2015, but this program still offers the seller the ability to offer no returns. It also gives several options for streamlined returns in the event the seller has a return policy.

 

Wow. Calm down, and read what I wrote.

Now, if you look at PayPal's upcoming policy statement, you'll see this:

See what I did there? I specifically pointed out that a buyer can try to defraud you with a Significantly Not As Described or empty-package claim. It might work, it might not. In the OP's case, it looks like eBay didn't accept the buyer's claim of SNAD, and the seller was not forced to accept a return.

The deck is still stacked against the seller to a degree, but again, saying "180 day mandatory return requirement" is misleading.

 

I guess the nice thing about sellers that don't accept returns is the fact that a buyer can claim non delivery and receive a full refund. So I suppose a seller has to weigh the odds and decide where the advantage lies....accepting a returned item, or accepting a complete loss.

 

I have attended many live auctions, all of which allow personal inspection before the auction. I do not and should not expect a return there. Online auctions are totally different and an inspection of an iteam can only be based on what the seller has presented. Very, very few, if any, will tell or describe the downside of an item or even attempt to post a picture that shows them well. I am willing to bet the OP dosn't either. In this case I believe that I should be able to return an auction iteam. The seller came to ebay to gain the attention of a broader audience, which in turn should increase competition and prices received for the iteams they sell. To get that benefit, excepting returns should be mandatory. I personally will not bid on any iteam online that the seller doesn't accept returns.That statement in itself tells me there are bones in the closet.

 

I see your point of view, @Hommer, but you seem to be thinking about only certain kinds of auctions -- specifically, auctions for individual coins.

What about the "odd lot" of coins, photographed in a pile? For the seller to be able to verify that the correct coins are coming back, he'd need to spend a lot more time recording each individual coin, making that type of sale impractical.

What about bullion? If everyone demands that sellers offer 14-day (or longer) return policies, bullion auctions become a cheap way to gain a speculative advantage. Buy today, and if the price of bullion goes down in the next two weeks, just send it back! What sane seller would do business on those terms?

 

I don't understand what point you're trying to make. Are you trying to say that an otherwise honest buyer, confronted with a "no returns" policy, will usually decide to fraudulently claim non-delivery? That seems farfetched to me.

I can't see a circumstance under which saying "no returns" would actually mean you'd lose the money and the coin. Anybody that bent on fraud would be able to attempt it regardless of your return policy, simply by claiming "there was nothing in the package".

 

In that case if the seller wanted to sell bullion and didn't want any returns they should take it to a buyer and sell for melt. If they are gambling that they will get greater than melt on ebay, well it is what it is, a gamble. If the house always wins, before long there wouldn't be anyone left to deal to.

 

This includes terms and conditions which conflict with eBay policies. I had a recent seller write under returns "14 day hassle-free returns" then put me through a bit of a wringer when I requested a return because the coin's grade in-hand looked different than the photo. We settled things amicably, but it was still a bit of a process to find closure.

There are coin sellers on ebay who think they have a "system" for selling, but it involves cutting corners, often on the service end--no returns (or hassles), bad pictures, misleading descriptions, inflated grades, cleaning, even outright deception. This is somehow considered "business" to them, and anyone who complains should adjust themselves to "their reality" Nonsense. A photo is not a coin, and the best dealers know this. They extend the buyer a review period, and never assume a sale is closed just because money trades hands. This is the kind of service ebayers should aspire to--rather than the "quick buck". /soapbox

 

With all due respect, Hommer; you cannot honestly believe bullion sellers should be forced into accepting a 14 day or longer return policy. While I fully agree with you that in general (there are a few exceptions), there should be a return window on most individual coin purchases - although 14 days is excessive - bullion is a whole different ball game. Such a policy would do nothing more than ensure that the buyer always wins, at least in the short term.

 

Sellers: Just provide corner-to-corner sharp, quality images that can be enlarged. And if you provide/require "standard" everything else (return policy, tracked shipping), you shouldn't have any problems selling to buyers who have good intentions.

Now, the buyers with not so good intentions...

 

On behalf of the Ginger Alliance of America would like to remind everyone that hair-ism is a real problem and discrimination based on hair color is not okay.
Carry on...

 

You cannot say it is definitely BU. You are not a TPG, and cannot certify or guarrantee your grade. It is merely your opinion that the coin is BU, so the buyer questioning your pictures is totally within buyer's rights. A seller's best bet is to state that there is a picture, and the buyer is to make their own decision as to condition. That was your mistake-- making a representation you cannot back up. eBay was right in the decision they made.

 

Just a question, but isn't a graders assigned grade just an opinion too? I am not saying I disagree with you, but thats all it is too. It is all moot anyway because eBay's policy is that you cannot label a coin with a grade unless it received it from one of the 4 holy TPGs.

 

you cannot label a coin with a grade unless it received it from one of the 4 holy TPGs.

You cannot use a NUMERIC grade in a heading, you can use a descriptive grade.

You can describe a coin as EF all you like, just not EFNN

 

No, it is a designation of grade from an accepted authority. No holiness involved--just expertise and professional business of grading coins.

 

So how can two graders from the same company, or even the same grader on different days, arrive at different grades if it is a factual conclusion and not an opinion? What if a person has more experience than a particular grader grading the coin in question? Or if they would score higher on a "grading exam?" Clearly a grade is an opinion, the major TPGs even state so themselves.....