eBay

esell-resell · ‎12-10-2011

Has this happenned to anyone else?

I sold a Computer Server to a buyer on Ebay, this guy phoned me, we discussed everything about the server and shipping. Now this guy was cheap I could tell just by him whinning about how much the shipping would be and how long it would take.

So me being a nice person and I know what it is like to have to wait and wait for my package, I told him to send me $90 and I would express ship it out to him and he would have it in 3 - 4 days. He agreed and sent me the extra $90 plus I gave him a deal on the server $169.99 , when I could have easily got $200. The server weighs 70lbs and is 26"longX19"highX9"wide and has to be shipped in it's proper sitting place so I had to label it with THIS SIDE UP stickers and also HEAVY stickers (70lbs) and alot of FRAGILE AND HANDLE WITH CARE stickers. It cost me $280.00 to ship it to him (no lie I have the receipt from UPS on my account) and only charged him $90. When I packaged the server I did it at the UPS office that I go to all the time and the UPS agent helped me actually. I wrapped it in packing cardboard and used a bubble packing envelope for extra cushion on the back of the tower server so that none of the conections would be broken. It was then triple wrapped with cardboard boxes customly made top fit tight around the server and several layers of red Tuck Tape were used to seal it all up.

The buyer received it I believe 6 days later because some of the paperwork for the border ( Canada to USA) were not proper so it took a few more days. When his even NORMAL shipping, like the cheapest from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada to New York USA would have been $133.00 and would have taken 2 - 3 weeks to get there. Remember he only paid $90?

Anyway 3 days after he received the server he sends me a message that it was damaged during shipping because it was not packaged properly and he wants all his money back and also the shipping money. In my listing I had listed no returns or exchanges. I want all of you to know that I have sold many of these units and I always, ALWAYS run a system check on them before shipping them out and I have never had a problem. So I replied to him that I most certainly did package it properly and I asked him to send me pictures please and I also asked him why he would accept a package that was damaged. He would not respond or nor did he send any pictures.

Yesterday I received a buyer complaint thing from Ebay and Paypal puts a $179.99 hold on my account. I responded to the complaint and explained everything in detail and informed the buyer that I would be contacting Ebay and UPS this morning.

This morning I woke up a little later than usual 11am and noticed that the buyer had already escalated the complaint with Ebay at 6am. I immediately phoned Ebay and spoke to someone in the Ebay Buyer Protection department and I explained everything to the rep and also that I packed it in front of the UPS agent who helped me and that the buyer would not send me any pictures, and I expressed to the rep that I think what the buyer did was buy a different server locally because I noticed on his account that a few days after he bought my server, he was buying Tape drives for a completely different server, and after speaking with him on the phone he had said that he was in need of a server badly because they did not have one.

So here is what the Ebay rep did during the phone call I had with him. He ruled in the buyers favor and now the buyer can take 7 - 14 days to ship it to me and he can send it anyway he wants, so I will be waiting for 4- 6 weeks at the very least to get back a BROKEN server that has now cost me 280.00$ in shipping and is probably now worth nothing because here is what I believe happenned the buyer found a server locally and then read the buyer protection policy and then damaged the server ON PURPOSE then filed the claim. I know I cannot prove it 100% but I know that is what happenned.

So now I am out over $550.00 and apparently there is nothing I can do about it. I am sooo tired of getting ripped off on Ebay by buyers that LIE and Ebay rules in there favor all the time. I have 2 kids and this is christmas time and this extra money is for gifts for them, I am so UPSET right now with Ebay that I am about ready to quit selling on here completely.

I go out of my way to ENSURE that items are packed EXTRA well so that damage does not happen, and now I get ripped off by some goon that uses the policy to get away with it.

BEWARE SELLERS this can happen to you.

I think Ebay needs to wake up and change some of this NON-SENSE policy loop holes that these scammers use to scam you out of money. Oh and get this that buyer can now leave me NEGATIVE feedback but I cannot do the same to him, I can either leave positive or no feedback!

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Has anyone else had this happen to them?

compscrap · ‎03-16-2014

f\I wish I knew which actual seller complaint everyone was referring to because this thread started in 2011. But not much has changed since then.

I will say that adding the bad buyer to the blocked list will not help much as anyone can open up a new account. many people have several accounts. I'm not saying not to do it. we need to make it as difficult for the scammers as possible. its just not a fool proof solution when all a buyer has to do is make a new account.

If you think you ar ebeing ripped off you should make them open a case and report them every time. I think ebay looks at all the buyers accounts in aggregate to see if they have a history of trying to get refunds.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS

I actually won a case against a scam buyer who was insisting on a huge partial refund. Ebay decided in my favor and even removed his neg feedback but he was also threatening to get me kicked off ebay if I didn't comply with his demands so that may have been the deciding factor. I am hoping Ebay reviewed his account history and saw a pattern of deciet.

thats why even if you give in to the demands for a partial refund you should report them and explain your side of the story.

I for one always demand they return the item unless I am fairly certain I am at fault

asusundeviljustin · ‎03-17-2014

This is commonplace now. Don't negotiate with buyers...this is what they do. This is playing right into their hands. They either want full refund or partial (which is the oldest ebay scam in the book)...the partial refunds are a joke and epidemic. You can say anything and get some money off a purchase...the lies told are endless on ebay and of course, ebay backs up the liars. That's what they do.

asusundeviljustin · ‎03-17-2014

barely used...you don't get it...THERE WAS NO DAMAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

asusundeviljustin · ‎03-17-2014

ESELL...UPS is terrible at handling packages, almost as bad as the post office. What this guy is telling you is god's honest truth...ebay has cultivated an environment of fraud in at least 5% of all bidders out there...at least 5%!

asusundeviljustin · ‎03-17-2014

Don't wait by the phone, beachbabe...you'll lose and become just like all of us...defeated. Keep on selling with ebay, and you'll get more scammers taking your money. Just hope you can keep up the profitable sales to outrun the bad ones.

asusundeviljustin · ‎03-17-2014

i will not sell to Canada...only Continental USA. I have to at least know I'm being scammed by a real American.

2littleindianantiques · ‎03-20-2014

I am very disappointed with the treatment I've gotten. The buyer bid $105 for my brand new router. Then claimed a "part" was missing. I asked him what part was missing and he refused to identify it. He also called me names! I included a photo of exactly what was in the box in the original listing so there would be no dispute about it. The buyer then got back his $105 from my Paypal account AND kept the router! Seriously! I feel so ripped off. I am cancelling my Ebay account and posting what happened to me on Facebook. Apparently anyone can make any claim, without any proof, rip you off and you have no recourse.

On top of that my 17 year old daughter just told me the exact same thing happened to her! She sold a hooded jacket to some buyer. The buyer then claimed that because the hood didn't have draw strings she wanted to return it. My daughter included several very clear photos of the jacket (including the hood without draw strings). The buyer then got her money back and NEVER RETURNED THE JACKET EITHER.

adekprod · ‎03-21-2014

Yes, ebay sides with the buyers, obviously nothing can be done about that. I agree report the buyer however you can if you believe it to be a scam. FYI: For those of you that say you've refunded and never received the item back, there's no reason to refund anyone without FIRST getting your time back. eBay will hang itself if it's so bad, but until then, we're all partaking in "risk taking" with each sell. Hopefully in the end, the good sales/buyers outweigh the bad. Good luck to you all!

gokartgo4 · ‎03-22-2014

us sellers take all the the resposability and heat. ebay needs to give sellers more leway and some protection too! Like when a buyer bids and does not pay, no respons to emails, nothing. They should be billed 10% for incovenaice. I buy too, but when there is a problem, I work with the seller. only when they dont responed and wright me off do I make a case. Buying is great on ebay, but selling is hell, just waqiting for one buyer to screw you.

premium-audio-tubes · ‎03-24-2014

Just had a guy buy a turntable from me.He paid $450.Now this was from 1979 when i libed in Rio De Janeiro.Now I was a new depsartment head and I was not about to start paying bribes.The company i was with had just be nailed so that is why I was joinging the team.Anyway the tt stated in customs for 6 months and then went straight into the closet.For the next 25 years it was not used.I came back from Rio to Ottaw and then to Vancouver.No damage during those many thousands of miles.Well according to he recieved his turntable damaged.Proceeded to say that seller does not know how to secure the platter and no apology.Well he left the identical negative feedback word for word for A who has 3740 feedbacks not like little ol me whoi has nothing.Well he recieved his $450 plus a $60 chargeback fee =$510US and ZI have not recieved my tt back.Paypal is disputing the chargebaCK.oH EBAY REMOVED THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND THIS GUY TRIED TO SAY HE NEVER LEFT A NEGATIVE.wELL HE HAD LEFT A POSITIVE AND THEN i GUESS HE WENT AND DID AN UPDATE TO THE FEEDBACK A FOLLOW UP WHICH WAS NEGATIVE.wELL THANKFULLY EBAY REMOVED THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.BUT I AM STILL OUT $550 US AND HE HAS NOT RETURNED MY ITEM.SORRY FOR THE CAPITALS I HIT THE BUTTON BY MISTAKE.I DO NOT TYPE SO THIS IS WHAT YOU GET,THE INFO IS WHAT YOU ARE AFTER I HOPE.THAT IS THE BUYER HAVE A LOOK AT THE FEEDBACK HE HAS LEFT FOR OTHERS.NOW ANYTIME I SELL ANYTHING I CHECK TO SEE IF THE BUYER HAS LEFT A NEGATIVE FOR ANY SELLERS PREVIOUSLY.THIS GUY DID THIS TO THE OTHER SELLER 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO NAILING ME JAN 31 2014 AND ME FEB 14 2014.YOU KNOW WHAT JUST DAWNDED ON ME ?I HAD PHONED AND ASKED HIM HOW WAS THE TT AND HE SAID OH I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO OPEN IT AND I AM DROOLING OVER IT THOUGH.WELL NO I ASSUME NOW HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD BETTER BE CAREFULL FILING CLAIMS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AS HE DID AND NOW I AM THINKING HE SAID IT WAS DAMAGED WELL THEN WHY DID HE NOT NOTICE THAT AT IT SAT ACCORDING TO HIM UNOPENED FOR 5 DAYS IN HIS CLOSET.PEICE OF IT.

premium-audio-tubes · ‎03-24-2014

WHA DOES THE COUNTRY HAVE TO DO WITH IT?I LIVE IN CANADA AD I GO OUT OF MY WAY TO SEND ITEMS TO THE US AS IT COSTS FAR MORE IN SHIPPING THEN IT DOES FOR A US RESIDENT.I JUST SENT AN ITEM TO THE US AND GOT RIPPED OFF FOR $550 AND THE BUYER HAS KEPT THE ITEM.SO JUST SO YOU KNOW CANADA REAlly does not need you to go out of your way to sell to another person in canada.just do not sell.i personally am a canadian and i have lived all over the world yet i rarely sell to other canadians but noit becuase it would be going out of my way but because i sell on ebay.com and as much as the us is a tiny country in size compared with canada which is the second largest country in the world,the reason is that there are simply more people in the united states.people that are dishonest come in all shapes and sizes and we do not have to carry guns everywhere we go and still we are safe so what does that tell you.?

Glad to be a Canadian

PS When I lived in Rio De Janeiro and all my friends were from the U.S. but they always lied and said they were Canadian or German anything but an American citizen as they were afraid they would get killed as everyone hates the U.S around the owrld or at least far more then Canadians.

I guess you do not travel much.

premium-audio-tubes · ‎03-24-2014

How does insurance stop the buyer from putting a chargeback through his credit card company?Duh.He wanted no part of it and DUH yhe has not returned the item .So how can I put a claim through when he has hkept the $550 item and has his money back smartey pantds.Do tell.

multiresource · ‎03-26-2014

Ebay is using the feedback system to screw honest sellers. Even if a buyer gives you a positive - they have the option as most sellers know (because we are often also buyers) - to rate, shipping, item as described, etc;, with a five star system. The problem is - if they buy and item and it's 100% perfect and shipped fast - the buyer can click a low star rating by accident or on purpose for any reason (even if they had a bad hair day) - and cause you as a seller to suddenly become a below standard seller. It does not matter if you have a 100% rating and have been dealing with the common rip off artists searching Ebay items for a five finger discount - EBAY WILL allow buyers to damage your business by degrading your rating behind the scenes where you have no idea what hit you or any recourse. Ebay treats buyers like we work for them and anytime a buyer wants to rip us off - we should just shut up and take it with a smile! Problem is that Ebay forgets it's place; we are paying for a service (per the FTC) and they work for us. Unless a seller is doing something wrong - Ebay should be working with sellers under the implied contract we hold with them to sell our goods; to protect sellers from these kind of ridiculous ratings, "a star system"! If a buyer is unhappy or a seller made a mistake in a listing - honest sellers work with a buyer, but Ebay does not honor this kind of practice they punish sellers; "low standard" for subjective stars - equals higher fees, no free listings, and less exposure of your goods. If a seller is really doing something wrong - bravo for Ebay doing something right - but when a seller does everything right - this is like saying everytime a buyer at Walmart returns an item because the color does not exactly match their eyes - that Walmart should reduce the pay of their workers and allow less customers in the store! Wake up Ebay - good sellers also shop on Ebay and will be looking to take their purchasing power somewhere else.

multiresource · ‎03-26-2014

Chris, your studying the Ebay seller rules will not help you as an honest seller no matter how much you wish it to be so! Ebay is using the buyer feedback stars to degrade honest sellers with 100% feedback ratings (behind the scenes with no recourse) - to move top rated sellers into the dog house of below standard. The below standard undeserved ratings cost honest sellers higher fees, less promotional offers to sell for free, limits on the amount of items they can sell, and lower exposure to their items up for sale. The clicking star rating system is subjective it's shocking they would even take it seriously! After all buyer rating a seller on shipping charges (when the buyer is not the one packaging and item and knowing the total cost x the zip code, weight, packaging material) is wrong, also rating sellers on how fast we get an item to them (once we ship it's out of a seller's control what the post office does with a package), and finally, the star for item not as described - (1 - 5) - horrible idea to use this against honest sellers! What if a buyer clicks on the right side instead of the left side ....maybe they did it without their glasses on that day....or they just decided they bought the wrong color - YOU AS A SELLER will PAY MORE FOR EBAY SERVICES and sell less of your goods! And, you have no recourse - because no one has complained and they are keeping the item; can't be that unhappy. THINK OF IT THIS WAY - If a Walmart customer returns an item to a store because they bought it on Walmart's web site and shipper (UPS) took too long to deliver it ....Walmart takes back the item, reduces the pay of the store employees, and limits the amount of customers allowed in the store! That's what Ebay is doing to sellers - who are paying them for a service to sell their goods! If Ebay sellers are punished - sellers pay higher fees - maybe that's why they are using this subjective system - to charge higher fees. Considering the amount of sellers being subjected to this unethical practice - it maybe adding up in Ebay's favor!