eBay

zeronullity · ‎07-23-2021

I've used eBay since it first started, in the mid 90's. I always knew from the start it had great potential.. However, year after year I saw eBay make mistakes, simply not fix mistakes that were already in place, or not make simple improvements that could have huge positive impacts on their business.

Today takes the cake! After speaking to a customer representative and a Manager about an issue I had about a product, they pretty much told me in not so many words that.. if a seller is slick enough to commit fraud and not be noticed after 30 days, there is nothing they can do about it.. REALLY? I'm talking about fraud, not a product that's out of warranty.. not a product that just stopped working after 30 days. I'm talking about a listing that was misrepresented since day one.. unfortunately the product wasn't as easy to test as a fake memory card, or fake rolex, etc. It's not really about the money for me, but about the principle. Sure if your corporation XYZ you can cover a lot of things in a 30 day policy or user agreement, but FRAUD isn't one of them. You can't create a policy to say we can get away with anything we want.. we don't have to abide by the law because we are a company. However, the fact that they would be willing to risk loosing a user that's both a Seller & Buyer that does thousands of dollars in business a year on their website.. for an item that cost a few hundred bucks is completely outrageous, not only that, but risk a multi-million or even billion dollar class action lawsuit? So, let's penny pinch to save a few thousand here and there, only to risk the potential to loose millions, if not billions of dollars in customers and lawsuits? Does that make any sense to you? It doesn't to me. I'd like to think if I were running the company users would be happy.. and eBay would be at 20x profits. I'm dumbfounded by it all. I sit back and say can people really be that stupid..?? Yes, yes they can.

stainlessenginecovers · ‎07-24-2021

This has nothing to do with a seller being 'slick enough'; it's about this:

It's past 30 days

The seller has not had any others complain

Ebay & Mgmt has nothing to go on except 1 person- you; and you have no proof, there is no proof that the 'thing' that you produce is the one you received from that seller.

So, ebay did correct.

supercharger-parts · ‎07-24-2021

First, I'm sorry you are dealing with a counterfeit item, it is truly terrible to have something like that happen. I would be very upset if I lost information because of a card the operated that way. If the card was a brand name, you might be better off to contact them or see if they are part of the VERO (verified rights owner) program on eBay. I saw you mentioned a brand in another comment, if that is the brand, gather your info and contact their company with the information. They can purchase for themselves and then have their attorneys send a cease and desist letter and push it further along if they need to.

Second, are you mentioning the hot coffee in regards to the spilled McDonald's coffee? If so, you might want to look up the facts on that case, it was by no means frivolous, though there are probably many cases that are frivolous.

fashunu4eeuh · ‎07-24-2021

“Many of you sound like you work for eBay instead of eBay working for you.”

Just because others are giving you a different opinion, one you do not like, does not mean they are speaking on behalf of eBay. In fact, eBay does not post here in the forums. No posters here are secret eBay “plants”, ready to defend the mothership against all invasions.

Ebay is a venue. All you can do is report the fraud through regular channels. Whatever action eBay takes will not be made public. So no one has a clue as to as to what steps eBay may have taken after a report is made. If the seller is removed, that is the only outward sign that will be known. I’m assuming that is what you are waiting for?

From personal experience, i’ve seen eBay take the issue of fraud seriously, especially if the reporter is the actual buyer who is the victim.

Have you contacted the authorities (the police in both jurisdictions, the postal Inspectors or the Internet Crime Complaint Center)? As you feel strongly about this, i would pursue all avenues to justice.

zeronullity · ‎07-24-2021

popblox: "I understand your frustration (I really do), but, hypothetically, what would you suggest eBay do? Keep in mind the lengths some sellers might be willing to go to get their competitors selling privileges revoked."

Just because a buyer doesn't know they are being defrauded doesn't make the issue any less illegal or immoral.

Simple, what they should have been doing from the start.

In areas where there is high risk of fraudulent items selling in a massive amount to the public.. order engineering samples from the seller using addresses not associated with eBay that appears to be from a "normal eBay account". Bill the seller for the samples as cost of doing business in a high risk category. If item's are fake warn the seller. If the seller continues to sell counterfeit or fake goods suspend their account.

It's not rocket science.. a one man team with the proper setup with something like memory cards could check a couple hundred sellers/items a day.

popblox · ‎07-24-2021

@zeronullity wrote:
popblox: "I understand your frustration (I really do), but, hypothetically, what would you suggest eBay do? Keep in mind the lengths some sellers might be willing to go to get their competitors selling privileges revoked."

Just because a buyer doesn't know they are being defrauded doesn't make the issue any less illegal or immoral.
Simple, what they should have been doing from the start.
In areas where there is high risk of fraudulent items selling in a massive amount to the public.. order engineering samples from the seller using addresses not associated with eBay that appears to be from a "normal eBay account". Bill the seller for the samples as cost of doing business in a high risk category. If item's are fake warn the seller. If the seller continues to sell counterfeit or fake goods suspend their account.

That's a great idea, but what would "trigger" eBay to evaluate an area?

zeronullity · ‎07-24-2021

popblox: "That's a great idea, but what would "trigger" eBay to evaluate an area? "

Well, sort of the same reason customs does a more thorough job of searching for drugs from known countries of drug trafficking at airports/checkpoints. Or why law enforcement knows what to look for on certain vehicles trying to smuggle or sell drugs.. profiling, tips, experience.

Professionals know what to look for.. your not going to sell an item for 1/5 of what everyone else is selling it for new elsewhere unless it's fake.. "usually" and there are many other "tells" depending on the item and what to look for.. In these areas one or two complaints should be enough to trigger a physical sample/review of the item in where it's considered a "high risk" item. In which they would just otherwise refund the buyer if it's been within 30-days or if it's been past 30-days do absolutely nothing.

IDK, maybe I'm just crazy.. I do consider myself on par with a similar mindset of "Robert Anton Wilson" and "Alan watts". It just seems to me the correct way of doing things.. but that is my opinion. I'm not offended of other people's opinion (except when they don't try to fully grasp the idea I'm trying to communicate) , In this situation I'm more or less just offended of people getting defrauded when it seems more can be done. And the resources most corporations have.. I feel like they can do a much better job than they usually do.