Seller deals in counterfeit items and ebay covers this up by removing negative feedback.

[lgngri]

I purchased a used buckle for Panerai watch from the seller e-watches. As the buckle arrived it became clear that the buckle was completely fake. I had couple of real Panerai buckles to compare with so the one purchased lately did not stand a chance. I communicated this to seller who tried to argue first but finally authorized the return. It took me another day to make him send me a return label. In a few days, the seller received a return and refunded my payment after couple of reminders. From communications with the sellers I had an impression that maybe he is not a bad guy, just bought a mixed lot of the real and counterfeit items. Happens to the best of us I guess...

Fast forwarding couple of weeks, I bid and win the Panerai rubber strap that was claimed to be AUTHENTIC (just like this, in caps). The bidding was last minute and on my cell phone, so the seller name was not immediately apparent. As luck may have it, it ended up being the same e-watches seller. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and paid for this item. When I received it, I was not too surprised to see that it was a complete fake, even worse than the buckle I received the first time. I decided to leave the seller a negative feedback for both items. This was the first time I left a neg in 15-20 years I've been on ebay but I felt it was important to warn the other buyer that this person is not trustworthy. When leaving this person a neg I noticed that there was another neutral feedback for a person who obviously left a neg but then was turned into a neutral. That feedback was for the same buckle that I bought and returned and was approximately 1 week after I returned it. In 3-4 days my feedback was removed by ebay. Along with his replies and my follow ups.

Lately it's been too many people who deal with counterfeit watch parts. The hardest part that they all have 100% feedback and now I know why. Ebay obviously covers this stuff as they are only after the bottom line. And people who have been fooled have no way to warn the other potential buyers from making the same mistake.

[ed8108]

Good that ebay offers a MBG providing a full refund of your payment

[mudshark61369]

@lgngri,

  "Fast forwarding couple of weeks, I bid and win the Panerai rubber strap that was claimed to be AUTHENTIC... The bidding was last minute and on my cell phone, so the seller name was not immediately apparent ... As luck may have it, it ended up being the same e-watches seller".

Not to put to fine a point on it, but it is part of a buyers due diligence to check out sellers before bidding or buying. I understand that finding an item in the last minutes of an auction, makes it hard to check a seller out but then that's a risk you run. A quick search shows there are several of those type straps available.

  "I decided to leave the seller a negative feedback for both items... When leaving this person a neg I noticed that there was another neutral feedback for a person who obviously left a neg but then was turned into a neutral".

A seller cannot change a negative to a neutral, the buyer has to accept a feedback revision request for that to happen.  Unfortunately, many people will not leave deserved negative feedback but leave neutrals instead, so one should read those comments as well as any negative ones.

  "In 3-4 days my feedback was removed by ebay. Along with his replies and my follow ups".

If you mentioned the first transaction in the feedback for the strap (2nd purchase), that might qualify as unwanted and malicious buying, and was the reason for the removal of both feedback. Also the fact that you sell watches and their accessories may also have played a part in the removal.

  "Lately it's been too many people who deal with counterfeit watch parts. The hardest part that they all have 100% feedback and now I know why...".

You should never go by a seller's feedback percentage alone. Neutrals do not affect a seller's percentage. A seller may have several neutrals that are very negative, as I mentioned above. 

[7606dennis]

Assuming that the item was truly not authentic, did you mention the case in any way in your feedback.  That might have caused it to be removed?

[7606dennis]

I see that you also sell watches.  Perhaps the seller convinced eBay that you were a competitor attempting to damage his business.  

[lgngri]

@mudshark61369 

My feedback was clear and to the point (being on ebay for almost 20 years makes you know the rules). The seller sells counterfeit items and being very argumentative. This was in both cases. Now that I checked this person's feedback I noticed that the neutral I was talking about was also removed. And that neutral feedback was also very clear and to the point, nothing malicious or offending or against ebay policies. I noticed another neutral yesterday and it was removed today.

I buy and sell watches and accessories, mostly to fund my own small collection. Most other watch collectors do the same. This enables us to look past sellers claims about their stuff being authentic where it truly is not. I have a list of 8-10 obvious fakers that I exclude from my saved searches. I learned about then either from the watch forums, word of mouth of by carefully studying their pictures. The problem is  - my knowledge stays with me and ebay keeps condoning illegal behaviour.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@ed8108 wrote:

Good that ebay offers a MBG providing a full refund of your payment

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That's true but buyers don't want to have to use that.

[castlemagicmemories]

Sorry this happened to you.  

You can call CS and ask for a feedback specialist to ask them why your feedback was removed.

[lgngri]

Thanks for suggestion. I called and spoke with ebay CS and they said they cannot divulge the information on why the feedback was removed but they can see that it was appealed and the seller won the appeal.

I see that not everything this guy sells is fake; some stuff looks fairly authentic, at least from the pictures. So I don't feel good about referring this seller to ebay for suspension and I am at a loss at what to do.