Dishonest sellers driving me crazy!
I've been using eBay since 1998.
I've made literally thousands of purchases. Gas here is $6/gallon, so if I can find something on eBay that I would otherwise have to drive to get, it's a win.
But there have been times when it seemed like every eBay seller was a scammer.
About, oh, 8 years ago I was trying to buy some eyeglass frames, and bought several frames that were offered as NEW that were clearly USED. I got so much abuse from the sellers over the returns that I stopped using eBay for 2 years.
In the last year I have had about a dozen eBay buys go bad. Stuff that was described as "tested", "works", etc., but when received was just garbage. Sometimes in broken pieces!
If the item is under $20, I usually just throw it in the trash and move along... The price of doing business on eBay. And I don't normally give bad feedback because I don't want to go through the eyeglass frame issue again.
But lately the items have been between more expensive things... And the condition claims have reached the point of being outrageous.
I just gave my first bad feedback in many years, because the seller lied, and the purchase was non-trivial. The guy came back with all sorts of nonsense about my "claim" that the item was not as described, and wanted me to just return the item and not give bad feedback.
Well, in this case, I'm not going to be bullied. Let him eat the bad feedback. If the alternative is that I have to package and return yet another item, and if getting bad feedback is so horrible for him that he will start acting like a criminal trying to avoid jail time, damned if I'm going to be intimidated.
But I'm not likely to buy anything else on eBay that costs more than $20 for a long time. I forgot how pleasant it was, during my 2 years without eBay, not having to worry if I was going to get a box full of garbage in the mail.
soh.maryl
·2 years agoCan't figure out from your message, but are you not opening the appropriate cases when transactions go wrong?
Also those less than $20 items? You are allowing buyers to get away with bad selling practices.
Is that your intention? Why not open an item not as described case?
eBay's MBG offers good resolution if/when a transaction goes wrong for a buyer. Are you not using that option?
sin-n-dex
·2 years agoSounds like buying on eBay isn't for you.
Perhaps you'd do better ordering from a website instead.
C.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoWhenever I have had a bad Ebay transaction there was no way to know this was a bad seller. No negative FB, or no negative FB until after I had bought. FB is mostly useless, and many buyers know that.
I do not buy anything which is a blind item, if I need assurance it will work.
I buy Chinese commodity electronics which are cheaper on Ebay than on more tightly policed sites, and take advantage of Ebay's NAD process.
I never leave FB for sellers.
I follow the same policies and procedures I do on other sites when I sell here, but I lower customer service expectations in my listings. Those who buy are pleased to have their expectations exceeded.
Ebay is definitely viewed as a cut below other marketplaces, but it is currently the best place for me to sell. I have no problem accepting that as an Ebay seller, I will not be trusted, be under a cloud, and get little respect.
safan80
·2 years agomtgraves7984
·2 years agoI just gave my first bad feedback in many years, because the seller lied, and the purchase was non-trivial.
@Anonymous
I wish we could see it, but your feedback is set to 'Private'. I understand your moniker now, though. Hang in there...
safan80
·2 years agolady_madonna
·2 years ago@safan80
Some gas stations here in California DO charge $6.00/gal. for midgrade/premium. I paid $5.50 for regular yesterday. So what was your point of asking the OP to post a picture??
safan80
·2 years agosin-n-dex
·2 years agoGas in Canada is over $8/gal (in some cities).
Where I live it's probably about $6.50/gal.
C.
safan80
·2 years agotasteph343
·2 years agoHello, I'm really sorry to hear that you've had such a difficult time. I'm a seller and always show 100% due diligence and will recompense if something has honestly been my fault. I too have had my fair share of ripoff merchants but the other way around. I do feel that neither of us is protected in any positive way and I'm not even sure if that is possible. On my end we are expected to now just give a complete refund with no evidence whatsoever or suffer a negative feedback and I've even been threatened with that if I don't capitulate. I've double boxed, double bubbled and buffered with styrofoam and had to give a refund where I know, categorically, there was no possible chance of breakage. I guess you are right in saying that that is the price we pay if we want to use such a huge company as this. Pretty sure it happens everywhere but this seems personal somehow.
Not sure what the answer is but I'm not in a position to do anything else due to post covid-related loss of job and health issues.
Take care and wishes for the best, Tee
an-57470
OP2 years agoSo, let's see if I'm getting this right... You are all saying that I should be exercising more due diligence to make certain that I am buying from ethical sellers, but that nobody should give unethical sellers negative feedback? Sorry, my Ouija Board skills are clearly not up to your standards.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoLooks like your account is inactive...or you left eBay.
house*of*paws
·2 years agoHi @Anonymous
I'm surprised that with all your experience buying on eBay that you haven't learned to better evaluate sellers so as to avoid many of the kind of problems you describe.
Being unwilling to return an item ... and seeming to delight in the idea of leaving bad feedback for sellers ... definitely supports the position that eBay is longer be a good fit for you.
Your post caused me to recall what Pierre Omidyar ... the creator of eBay ... considered the 'Five Basic Values':
“We believe people are basically good; we believe everyone has something to contribute; we believe that an honest, open environment can bring out the best in people; we recognize and respect everyone as a unique individual; we encourage you to treat others the way you want to be treated.â€
If we insist that 'the other guy' must demonstrate these values before we're willing to adopt them ourselves ... then nothing will improve.
--------------------------------------------
And now for something completely different: Are you able to see your feedback profile when you click on your Feedback Score? I've been unable to view it.
lady_madonna
·2 years ago@Anonymous
Always use Ebay's Money Back Guarantee and file a Return Request when the item is not as described. The seller will have to pay for return shipping. If they do not cooperate, ask Ebay to step in. They will make sure you are refunded.
You can still leave appropriate feedback after you have gone through the Return Request process.
khetzel
·2 years agoI guess I try to be careful who I buy from, but I would say it is a very small percentage of sellers who "tricked me" sent something obviously not as described.. definitely under 5% more like 1-2% probably. Over 24 years for me also.
It used to be the buyer had no recourse or was expected to pay for return shipping in a case like that. I can say I just ate a few of those, others I just went to the credit card and got my money back. Told the seller send a courier or prepaid shipping label if you want this junk back.
Now it's incredibly easy, I've only returned one item in the last year but as soon as I said NAD I had a QR code in my email that was good for a prepaid label at the post office and a refund as soon as tracking showed it back with the seller.
I understand if seller doesn't issue that QR code in a few days, eBay will just give your money back anyway. Easy peasy.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoIt used to be the buyer had no recourse or was expected to pay for return shipping in a case like that.
I've been here since 1998, and while returns and refunds were difficult in the days of cheques and money orders, once BillPoint and later Paypal were introduced early in the 21st century, eBay was able to enforce their Money Back Guarantee.
It's worth reading to see what strong protection Buyers now have. And have had for two decades.
Basically if your purchase is Not As Described, the seller is required to send you Return Shipping and to REFUND you when they get the return.
There are details and quibbles, but you have 30 days from delivery to open the NAD claim (at the bottom of this page and most others) in Help and Contact.
Not knowing about this long standing policy means you have disappointed yourself, and cheated yourself out of a lot of money.
And frankly, buyers who don't open Claims against bad transactions are cheating not only themselves but all other eBay members, buyers and sellers alike, who want to get those bad actors gone and make this as safe a marketplace as possible.
I'm sorry to dump on you so much. I understand your frustration. Please understand mine.
khetzel
·2 years agoWell you got me I've only been here since 1999. And during the PayPal years when I had a NAD, going from memory, PayPal told me I had to ship the item back at *my* expense.
I did that a few times when it was the path of least resistance to get the majority of my money back. I was never reimbursed for my return shipping cost. Other times I just ate it, and a few times I went to my credit card and got my money back. I just refused to pay the return shipping. Told the seller to send a courier or shipping label if they wanted the worthless junk back. They never did.
I assume my credit card took it out of PayPal's hide who probably took it out of the seller's hide.
I agree it is easy and painless for NAD returns now. I've only done it once but I was amazed how easy and painless it was. I was very pleased.
bonjourami
·2 years agoSounds like you need to vet your sellers a little better.Ive only had two bad transactions in the twenty four years Ive been here. Yours sound way above the norm.