New Scam? Very Odd. For a yard Seed Spreader.

[mharshman]

Hello everyone.  This is new for me.  I ordered a seed spreader for my yard.  Nothing special.  First seller (He was fairly new to eBay).  Shipped item through FEDEX.  OK?  It was free shipping and FEDEX is expensive.  FEDEX delivered a small, small package to someone in my neighborhood, but not to me.  FEDEX takes a picture when delivered, but when tracking....  Only states the city, not address.  (Out for delivery in Chicago, as an example).  I first thought of the Mercari scam.  But knew I paid through PayPal, so I'll get my money back.  I contacted the seller and got a refund.  Second seller, for the same item (and free shipping), had "issues" with shipping company.  Was refunded again in a two weeks' time.  Third seller of the exact SAME item (free shipping), had it posted that it was shipped, but no tracking number.  He agreed to a full refund two weeks later.  What is going on?  Three different sellers on the SAME Product, all failed to deliver.  My next thought, "Are they day trading with my money"?  Anyone with a clue?  Just tired of the refund game.  Thanks.

[eburtonlab]

Three different sellers on the SAME Product, all failed to deliver.

Most likely none of those sellers have seed spreaders to ship to you. No one can make money shipping such an item via retail shipping. At best you are dealing with drop-shippers; at worst, scammers.

In general, you can avoid a lot of headaches by choosing to purchase only from established sellers that have recent and past positive feedback as a seller for selling items in the same category that you intend to buy. If someone is selling a dozen apple watches, but has no feedback, or only has feedback as a buyer, or only has feedback for selling dress patterns or fishing lures (actual examples I have seen), perhaps wait until they have a track record of positive feedback for selling electronics before you buy from them.

[soh.maryl]

Have to ask:  How does a track record of positive FB for selling electronics reassure me that my purchase of a seed spreader from that seller will go as anticipated? The value of the item? 

[mudshark61369]

@mharshman,

The first seller you bought from is registered in China.  They do not give a city and state as an item location, and has a low 91% rating, and many of the feedback for their items are for private listings.  Why did you buy from them?   Chances are the other sellers you bought from have similar profiles. 

   FYI, Used, Walk behind and hand held seed spreaders are a dime a dozen on the local social media sites.  They are available at most hardware and big box stores that have a garden center, so why try to buy one 3 times online? 

[eburtonlab]

How does a track record of positive FB for selling electronics reassure me that my purchase of a seed spreader from that seller will go as anticipated?

The example I cited was that of buying from a seller selling a lot of new Apple Watches -- in that case you would look for feedback indicating successful past sales of electronics, rather than a history of only buying, or only selling things like doll clothes or fishing lures.

In the OP's specific case, you would look for a seller with a history of successfully selling and actually delivering bulky garden tools or something similar to that. You would want some indication that the seller is actually capable of delivering what was advertised -- that the seller had previously sold and actually delivered something larger than a keychain.

If you examine all the wheeled seed-spreaders listed on eBay, you can divide them into four basic groups: Individuals with a used one for sale available only by local pickup; wholesale or retail outlets selling new boxed units and that have their own shipping departments that can take advantage economies of scale regarding shipping costs; individuals that intend to drop-ship from a wholesale or retail outlet; or scammers that intend to take your money and deliver nothing to you at all.

[mharshman]

Actually, all THREE were listed in America.  (Two of them had positive ratings in the hundreds).  I would not buy a big item from China.   As for the spreader.  A walk behind at Lowes cost over $60.  For about $5 worth of plastic.  As with any purchase on eBay, I was looking for a deal.  You're not answering my question, just speculating the purchase.

[eburtonlab]

Actually, all THREE were listed in America. (Two of them had positive ratings in the hundreds). I would not buy a big item from China.

The one neutral feedback comment you left that I can see was for a seller registered in China. A seller registered in China listing an item in the US should indicate to you that the seller might possibly be a drop shipper.

As for the spreader. A walk behind at Lowes cost over $60. For about $5 worth of plastic. As with any purchase on eBay, I was looking for a deal.

An assembled walk behind seed spreader likely costs the same amount or more just to ship if the seller is paying retail shipping rates, and even unassembled shipping will not be much cheaper. Which, again, should indicate to you that you might be dealing with a drop shipper. At best.

You're not answering my question, just speculating the purchase.

Your question was: "What is going on?"

The answer is: you are running into problems because you are choosing to buy from sellers that fit the profile of poorly-performing drop shippers, or possibly scammers that act like drop shippers that ship nothing to you.

[asset_liquidators · Accepted solution]

Although, a lot of these Chinese sellers have inventory in warehouses here in the U.S. which is why the item location will say U.S. 

Problem is, as you pointed out, that a growing number of these drop shippers are also starting to claim the item is in the U.S. and they have no idea where the item actually is.

[soh.maryl]

Thank you but I'm not sure you understood my question.  Not that it's important but your statement was that a buyer should wait til a seller has a positive record for selling electronics before buying from them.  Since the OP was discussing buying a seed spreader, assumed the electronics reference was directed at him.  

[reallynicestamps]

(Two of them had positive ratings in the hundreds).

Were they recent? Scammers look for sellers who have taken a break (or quit or died) with good FB and then use that reputation to make their hijacked account look good.

A walk behind at Lowes cost over $60. For about $5 worth of plastic.

You are forgetting shipping. Bulky goods pay shipping based on dimensions , weight, and destination.

When you buy from even the next town over from you, the cost of shipping is likely to be the greatest cost to the seller.

If you buy from another state or another country , the cost of shipping rises.

And the $5 worth of plastic,yes, plus the cost of shipping to the store,in bulk so lower than your one-off, but also the rent, maintenance, and insurance for the Lowes store, employee wages and benefits, cost of unsold inventory, and taxes.

I don't know if Lowes makes 50% profit or 5% profit on their $5 worth of plastic, but they don't make $55.

[kensgiftshop]

---

@mharshman wrote:

Actually, all THREE were listed in America.  (Two of them had positive ratings in the hundreds).  I would not buy a big item from China.   As for the spreader.  A walk behind at Lowes cost over $60.  For about $5 worth of plastic.  As with any purchase on eBay, I was looking for a deal.  You're not answering my question, just speculating the purchase.

---

The seller you left the neutral for is located in China, dropshipping from Amazon in the US.

[adamcartwright]

I only buy from US sellers.

I don't even look at listings outside the US.

I know I may pay more, but I think I save some headaches.

[ittybitnot]

@mharshman 

When you see a price that is basically "too good to be true" it is an indication that you indeed should look more closely.  There are often indications that the typical "fake tracking scam"will ensue as well.  You cannot rely on what is printed on the listing to be in the US.  eBay has inserted more steps to get to the seller information that you need, and many people either don't know how, or don't bother to look.   You can always use the following link to see exactly where the seller is registered by inserting their user ID, but you may still need to change the sort of the feedback to "most recent" to peruse their latest products and feedback for same: 

https://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback-login.html

For sellers with ZERO feedback, you will not be able to see the necessary page without some extra work. Do these things BEFORE you purchase.  You are very lucky you got refunded for parcels with phony tracking.  It is not always that easy.