HELP EBAY SELLERS WITH FALSE CLAIMS ITEMS NOT AS DESCRIBED INAD

[retrosheep]

I have found there is an increase in buyers making false claims so much that i personally take pictures and VIDEO of everything that i send as its being packed and sealed. I tell my customers this in advance but you still get them trying it on. I sold multiple items to a buyer just the other day packed in the same package and TRACKED , they first sent me a message asking where their other parcel was then they stated that they couldn't see the 16 plants that was sitting right next to the other 5 plants that they had contacted me about , they were sent flat packed in a large letter box so it wast as if it was a large box and they had gotten lost in the packaging, They tried it on stating they hadn't recived all of their plants until i sent them their dispatch photos and private video that i had uploaded onto youtube to show the items being packed and sealed. Funny i never heard off them then and rather insulting when i have included EXTRA FREE PLANTS with their order, i always give just that little bit more that what i list as i belive in keeping my customers happy and its horrible when customers take you for a mug.

I get this all the time and its wrong that ebay allows this to happen, we as sellers are being taken for a ride on ebay constantly and it shouldnt have to come to ebay sellers having to go to such extreames as filming the packaging and sealing of their orders to protect themselves. The only advice i can give you is start taking pictures of the orders your sending out ...... here is the link to my guide to show you how i protect myself as a seller.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/HELP-EBAY-SELLERS-WITH-FALSE-CLAIMS-ITEMS-NOT-AS-DESCRIBED-INAD-/100000002...

[thehotrodgarage-net]

I just learned the hard way that nothing matters.  There is no protection for us as sellers, regardless of what the seller protection policy says.  An ebay agent told me that they do not allow pictures and videos from the sellers for investigations.  I just lost $1300 because of this theivery.  

[azncbr929rr]

I am learning a painfull lesson on eBay policy of the buyer is ALWAYS right. Sold on eBay for over ten years and its had up and downs but never as bad as a recent desicion of thiers. Even when lisitng a part as broken not working. The buyer can still claim that it doesn't work, file a return and win. I am apalled I thought eBay use to be a fair place for buyer or seller but lately I am left with finding new avenues to sell oterh than eBay.

[iart]

Basically, I think their thinking is that ebay sellers need to compete with the other site and retail stores where returns are usually pretty easy, few questions asked.

So, read it as, no matter what your personal policy is, eBay will usually allow a return for ANY reason.

I get your complaint and I understand why you think it unfair. But if you accept that this is the case you should stop spending so much time and effort on preventing returns and simply allow them to happen. Consider them a business expense.

[zacboy7_sales]

I am fighting a theft of goods/fraud right now. Buyer buys item, request return, then ships me a box of trash using my provided shipping label. So I get on the phone, about 4 hours total for 2 evenings. Bottom line, unless they admit it, I have to give them $94 back, plus pay for a shipping label for a total $105. They, of course get to keep the items too.

  Ebay help is worse that useless, they refuse to help or admit they have created this problem.

  I have 16 years of constant selling, about 21,00 transactions, including 16 months where I did no other income other than my Ebay selling. Zero complaints of me defrauding anyone. The buyer has 2 feedbacks, 1 of them is mine. But no, they are going to give the theif my money, my time with them means zero.

 Ebay has created the situation.They have cultivated a new way to steal, and it is so very easy. They require no proof no matter how outragous the claim.

  How long does it take for people to realize they can get free stuff from Ebay sellers? It is only going to get  worse. But Ebay has no plans to close this theft portal. It may get so bad that something has to be done, time will tell.

 I actually had an Ebay rep help me with one, that was about 6 months ago. Buyer sent back an empty box, I rushed home and got on the phone, they transfered me once to a gentleman(I cant remember his name!) who put me on hold for 5 minutes, came back on and said he had closed the return in my favor and canceled the buyers account. Total time, about 30 minutes. I thanked him over and over and told him he was the first one to EVER help me. Yesterday and today, all I got was a runaround. Almost the same senerio, but nothing can be done to run for a 16 year seller over a buyer with 1 feedback who is a theif. I asked the rep to go back and find who helped me with that case, but he couldn't do that and did not understand how he did it, which is part of the problem in itself.

The rep last night would not answer pointed yes or no questions, he was reading canned responses from a flow sheet. I asked to talk to a supervisor, he put me on hold for 5 minutes, said he couldn't find one. Asked if he could have a supervisor call me back, which he did, the next day while I was at work and could not answer.Then he sent me an email that basically said "I called, I did what you asked" The gentleman tonight I finally cornered into saying that unless they respond and admit the fraud or try to pass it off as an accident, I am out my money, no matter the time nor money I have paid them for all the years. BUT, he was going to send the buyer an email!! Wow!! I said why dont you try a little customer service and call the buyer? Nope, not going to do that.

 Ebay has created this problem for sellers, period. But if you deal with them you find out that it truly is the sellers problem, not theirs.

I could list of all the times I have had them refuse to help me, including the time they gave the buyer $750 of my money AND the items too. But it would become quite a write up, I am going to estimat that I have called at least 40-50 times through the years, I got results 1 time. 

   iI truly is the sellers problem, not theirs. 

[trukfixer1]

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@zacboy7 wrote:

I am fighting a theft of goods/fraud right now. Buyer buys item, request return, then ships me a box of trash using my provided shipping label. So I get on the phone, about 4 hours total for 2 evenings. Bottom line, unless they admit it, I have to give them $94 back, plus pay for a shipping label for a total $105. They, of course get to keep the items too.

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This is mail fraud - you dont report that to ebay - you report that to USPS and your police department. It is a felony crime. 

[littleicandyboutique]

It is aggrivating when you routinely go the extra mile for customers and one person decides to troll you, I don't understand why people act this way.  I have been seeing an uptick in this activity however myself.  My biggest problem is letting the customer set the price when making an offer, then they get buyers remorse for unfounded reasons, never ask to return, just give you negative feedback like a Scarlet Letter that you have to wear for a year.  So unfair.  Unfortunately Ebay has given all the chips to the customer, which is ok, but what sometimes I feel is overlooked is how much revenue they generate from our efforts.

[baggs-2024]

The problem with ebay is called desperation, plain & simple. It has become such a scamming site that the only real money being made is by scammers and ebay, because you don't get your fees refunded, and they need your listings for their ads.

the ship is sinking and sinking fast.  When all that are left are scammers, and that will be soon at the rate the good honest sellers are leaving, they may wake up, as they will have no one left to drain.

They play the "venue" but they do not take returns. they feel that they must compete with stores, who take returns OF THEIR OWN MERCHANDISE.  You don't get a refund from a store unless you return THEIR item.  that is the difference.

Very sad, but when you cultivate scammers, that is what you get left with.

[*eponymous*]

It isn't eBay's problem to fund seller expenses. Take your business losses as tax deductions like all businesses do.

Avoiding responsibility for normal business expenses seems to be unique to eBay.

Any time you accept card payments and do mail order sales in which buyers purchase sight-unseen and opinions about item are completely subjective and subject to interpretation, communication skills, motives, pictures, and other matters out of both buyer and seller's control, as a seller you ACCEPT - by listing an item - the terms of eBay User Agreement, PayPal User Agreement and underlying policies; and you risk wrong item returned, empty box returned, and a false claim for the buyer to avoid paying return shipping.

Those are ALL ordinary line-item business expenses. Run a business, and realize that only YOU are responsible for funding your business.  Add a few cents/dollars to each sale to cover the infrequent event of a faulty return.

It really is just that simple, though it is unpopular to post the unvarnished truth.

[iart]

I don't doubt that you are telling the truth.

But how is eBay supposed to know? Who is lying and who is telling the truth?

The time that ebay actually sided with you there may have been other reasons. Perhaps the buyer had a history of similar complaints?

I'm not sure but I would guess that if there is no proof then ebay sides with the buyer. And I don't think that's an indefensible position.

[baggs-2024]

Can you show us this policy? please?

[naidi0929]

I'm still in a case that I have to appeal, the truck was well packed, all my buyers say the same thing about their items but this guy broke the wheels while unpacking it as the far lower side of the truck was dented which can't be done from outside packaging. He open claim as damaged not described!! eBay told me to accept the return and they will look into the case before do anything, but guess what they even gave him the return shipping back although I had in my listing return shipping is paid by the buyer plus the item had free shipping. Now I ended up with damaged item, paid for shipping both ways, paid for selling fee and PayPal fees. eBay doesn't look at the situation from both sides, trying to keep buyers coming back with their unfair policy is just making eBay unsafe place to do  business, eBay is prone to theft. And yes more sellers will try to find other places to sell their stuff than eBay including myself. I just said enough is enough last year I sold Japanese clock I believe for $250, the buyer said that the light sensor to silent the clock during night is not working than said that the clock is not working, although it was new old stock clock and was working, I'm sure he burned the chip by directing strong light to the sensor. Ebay gave him refund before even I get the clock back and I never got the clock since then. In another case they told the buyer to keep the cookie jar and they refunded her in meanwile they told me eBay will issue refund and it's not going to be from my money because the pictures were showing that their was paint touch up and I also mention that in description, while the buyer was stating she couldn't see the paint touch up!! it is on listing description you know. I emailed the buyer to get my jar she said that eBay told her to keep it and if I want it I should pay her for return shipping although she was saying that she doen't want a cookie jar with paint touch. The same cenario the money including shipping actually came of my account...And the phone that went to Russia long ago with tracking that 6 months later up to now still show arrived at USPS  facility, Jamaica NY, and no more info....The buyer got refund saying that he didn't receive the phone and I'm guessing because he sees that tracking failure !! I'm sure he got the phone but eBay said unless I gave them proof that he received it, there is nothing they can do for me as seller and for that matter they are not allowing for appeal period !! My point here is eBay use to be fair enough although you have to go trough the hasle of proving yourself in addition to your reputation, but not lately it's all about the buyer no matter what you do, even when you call you feel that the rep. is not listening to you and will just start reading to you the samething you heard before and the funny is when the rep told you, you don't have to accept return if you don't want to, we can see that this is a remorse buyer!!. And then what they will hold the money then give it to the theif  next day....

[jamiemagnoliastudios]

im having the same experience lately.   i had a buyer message me 2 days after something shipped  Thanksgiving day asking where his package was.( should've not surprised me what was coming).   He then received the item which was clearly marjed as a large.  Items pictures show the tag stating large.  I get bad feedback from him as item not as described because he feels it isnt a large.  It was my husbands and I sold 2 others different color and logo but no issues with any other buyers.  Offered him a refund upon returned merchandise and he refused.    Im tired of it.   We lose our products to theses scams.  I knew he was up to something when he started with the shipping not being delivered on a holiday.   I have started looking into other selling sites because of how Ebay doesn't support it's sellers.  I have a great reputation and I am only selling to begin with to defray costs of the multiple medical issues my oldest daughter has.  We have gotten down to our own clothing lol   So to be taken for a ride is really not fair.  Does anyone know if you can block a bidder?

[jamiemagnoliastudios]

same here I am tired of losing product and being scammed Ebay has become a breeding ground for scammers

[jamiemagnoliastudios]

Ebay will eventually end up with a class action law suit.  I am keeping all my issues for that day.  It really has become pathetic.   I have found new sites advertising on tv that I am going to try and hope for good customer service with them