When will eBay stop people from selling BROKEN items as used?
Summary: wefixeverythingelectronics42 expressed frustration over sellers listing broken items as 'used' on eBay, suggesting they should be placed in the 'for parts, not working' category. Other participants, including inhawaii and pickapaper, noted that not all categories have the option for 'broken' listings and questioned the definition of scamming in this context. gurlcat and others highlighted the lack of specific category options and emphasized clear communication in listings to avoid misunderstandings. mamacassidy and bashort discussed varying degrees of 'brokenness' and the appropriateness of keywords like 'untested.' The general consensus was that sellers need to accurately describe items while acknowledging eBay's limitations in category definitions.
These scammers literally write “Broken, for parts” or “untested“ in the title, but then they list it in the USED category. There is a dedicated FOR PARTS, NOT WORKING category to sell their broken just, but eBay lets these spammers run wild. You guys might as well let them list it as an EW.
It’s been this way for 10 years and with all of your AI and technological advances, you still can’t get people to put stuff in the right category… And it’s really damn frustrating because it wouldn’t take that much coding.
MISSING, BROKE, BROKEN, AS-IS, CRACK,CRACKED,DAMAGE,DAMAGED,UNTESTED
^ ALL THOSE WORDS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY GET THEM THROWN IN THE FOUR PARTS NOT WORKING CATEGORY
redlinear
·1 week ago · EditedI sell quite a few damaged parts as USED.
1) The part is damaged, but it's well useable. It's for sure not "For Parts, Not Working".
2) The part isn't actually DAMAGED...It's just not pretty or might have something up with it that I want to make sure buyers know about it.
2) Using the word DAMAGED in the title and TWICE in the description...describing what the damage is. Well, that's one sure method to get somebody to read a description.
"DAMAGED One Cylinder Head removed from a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado. Engine was 6.6L Duramax Diesel. (LB7)
Good used cylinder head removed from a wrecked truck.
Casting: 687-3 on end of head.
This was removed from the DRIVER side. Although, Left and Right heads are interchangeable as long as you have freeze plugs installed in the rear coolant ports.
DAMAGE: The valve springs have light rust haze on them. This head was removed from a wrecked truck about 15 years ago. It was washed and put on a shelf in my shop where it's been sitting ever since. Rust is from humidity from years of storage. It's a light haze on the valve springs."
Haze rust on the valve springs does not render this cylinder head as Not Working.
It can be used without issue just like it is.
OR, it can be cleaned off.
OR, the springs can be replaced.
Springs are not actually a "Cylinder Head" if you want to get technical about it.
BUT, when you get technical about it with somebody that sees it differently, usually the seller loses that argument.
SO, I'm going to make the buyer WELL AWARE of the issue and do what I can to make SURE they read the description
zakstreasuretrove
·1 week ago · Edited.
robot-hands
·1 week agoNot all categories have a "parts or repair" condition field
luckythewinner
·1 week ago · EditedThere is no category called "for part or not working". That is one of the condition options.
That aside:
Cat Stevens: "Morning Has Broken"
Hanoi Rocks: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
"Broken Age" video game
"Cracked" magazine
etc.
A better option might be to exclude those words from your searches. Or just read the titles and skip them.
asset_liquidators
·1 week ago"These scammers literally write “Broken, for parts” or “untested“ in the title, but then they list it in the USED category."
That is not a "scam". That is generally a not too bright seller that doesn't know how to list but there is no "scam" there.
People really need to quit mis-using the word scam.
onefootflipper
·1 week ago · EditedMessage erased, leaving forum due to threatening forum member following me around on the internet.
simba6
·1 week ago“Broken, for parts” or “untested“ in the title,
I would say that is very clear and not a scam.
bashort
·1 week ago · EditedI do think that the words "untested" or "as is" should never be used in any situation, even for parts.
My opinion all of the other key words are OK for the used category as long as the item is still functional.
For example if I had a battery drill kit that worked as it should but the case had a broken or missing latch I would note
the missing or broken latch in the title and or condition notes and sell it as used.
In the end what matters is if the buyer is happy with the item.
gurlcat
·1 week agoI think 'untested' has its place but very limited, like if you have no way to test it because it requires something you don't have, or it's some high-tech device you wouldn't know how to test. But if it's something that just plugs into a standard wall outlet, who couldn't do that and at least see if it powers on?
As for "as is" we all know eBay's MBG overrides anything the seller says, but I think there's a case to be made for putting 'As Is' in the title, when there's something wrong with the item and you just want to make dang sure buyers read the description, to see if that flaw is a deal-breaker, so they won't waste both your time.
bashort
·1 week agoI sell things all of the time that I do not have the ability to test.
Unless I find something wrong by inspection I sell as used with no qualifications because "untested" provides absolutely no protection for a seller but lowers the value of the item.
On a for parts item I think that "untested" sends a message to the buyer that it could very well work, just never been tested.
If I sell something for parts I clearly put "not working" or "broken".
mamacassidy
·1 week agoAlso, I think there are varying degrees of "broken" and "cracked", so you can't expect ebay to automatically flag those words.
Some may disagree, but if the item still works for its intended purpose but has a small piece that's broken or cracked, I'd still list that as used. (ie, I recently bought an item that had multiple lights and one of the lights was broken. That one light being broken didn't affect the main purpose of the product at all.)
shire123
·1 week ago@wefixeverythingelectronics42 As others have said or will have said, not all categories have that option to list as broken,as-is, etc being put in for parts not working.
For the items I sell I have never seen that listing option.
gurlcat
·1 week ago · EditedWhat is an "EW" ?
What was it that happened 10 years ago that started this dastardly scammer craze?
ten_o_nine
·1 week agoI guess eBaywill.
gurlcat
·1 week agoEh?? Will what?
gurlcat
·1 week ago · EditedNot all item categories have a Broken/parts condition tier.
I know at least in some categories, correctly-chosen Broken/parts items come with only 3 days MBG, so for any sellers who list such items as 'Used' -it's really their own foolish loss.
Can we tone it down on the "scammer" thing, when it's not the case at all? I mean if they're literally stating the item is broken, doesn't work, etc. especially if they put it right in the title (like you said) well, it's not like they'll be able to trick buyers into thinking it's a used but functional item. That would be scamming, not just selecting the wrong condition tier, which could be accidental, or there may not even be a 'Broken/parts' tier for the item category.
How often do you think buyers refine their search results by condition? -We have no way of knowing, but I suspect that I'd suspect it less often than you would, ha.
zakstreasuretrove
·1 week ago"Can we tone it down on the "scammer" thing..."
That's exactly what a scammer WOULD say! :)
gurlcat
·1 week agoThat is true.
pickapaper
·1 week ago"These scammers literally write “Broken, for parts” or “untested“ in the title, but then they list it in the USED category."
Why are you calling them scammers? Just because they put it in the wrong category doesn't make them a scammer. Maybe they don't realize there is a dedicated category for parts/broken.
Also, why are you so upset about this? Did something happen?
inhawaii
·1 week agoQ: When will eBay stop people from selling BROKEN items as used?
A: How would any of us know?