eBay

ragsnrobots · ‎05-27-2013

Recently I had a buyer message me that he had received his package but that I had forgotten to put the actual item in there. Of course I smelled a scam immediately, because it's something that I only ever took out of the original box to photograph, and I always weigh the entire thing on a digital scale before I print the shipping label. I asked the buyer if the box might have been opened and stolen during transit, but he adamantly claimed it was well sealed the way I described it being, and I had taped it up so well it would have been apparent if it had been opened. Looking at the buyer's history, he's run this same scam on 5 out of 9 his last transactions.

He first wanted to be refunded without going through Ebay or Paypal's resolution center (not, or course, for me to just ship the item I "left out.") I told me that if he could sent me a picture of the shipping label showing that it was 9 oz (the weight of the item) lighter than it should be, I would immediately refund him...but of course he couldn't because I have a receipt, a screenshot of the browser history where I paid the full amount for the weight of the item, and even another picture of the same item in another color, which, with packaging, weighs exactly the same.

I spent half of this nice long weekend outlining my full case in a document to paypal, including pictures and the messages back and forth to the buyer in which he blatantly lies multiple times. He even lied about things that were clearly visible in his own pictures.

Naively, I thought I actually had a case, but in less than 2 hours, Paypal had ruled against me. I appealed to no avail.

I almost feel all the effort I put into making my case wasn't worth it, especially on one of the few days I have off from my full time job, but I don't feel right just rolling over and giving into scammers. I have read on these forums that Ebay and Paypal will pretty much ALWAYS side with buyers. I guess this is true? And what do you seasoned sellers do to protect yourselves from these situations besides buying shipping insurance, which I don't think would have covered me in this case anyway? Sorry for this long story, and I wish it had a different ending.

loveyourimagination49 · ‎10-24-2018

$1k 3D printers or $12 vitamins? 🙄

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.

jerryspens · ‎05-07-2019

Same thing happened to me, except I am a seasoned seller. I had 10 brand new Cross Townsend Rollerball Pens, of which I had already sold 7 of them. The 7th one was this guy "BIZSELLERS". The day before he got it, he messaged me saying it was late. I looked it up and told him they tried to deliver it, but it was at the post office waiting for him to pick up. Next day apparently he either picked it up, or they delivered it. So that day he opened a case to return the pen, and sent 5 pictures of a pen that looked like it had been through WWII. This was clearly an old pen with dents, black markings and major scratches. I sent him back a response showing what his pen looked like before I sent it. The response was maybe it happened in the mail. I said then why didn't you send me pictures of the torn wrecked package...no answer. I told him i would refund his money if he sent me the correct pen...the new one that i sent him. I would not refund him for his old junked pen. So finally eBay entered the case. They ruled in HIS favor to ship the pen back. Ok I waited and waited. Nothing. Called ebay and they said wait until the case closes and it will automatically go in your favor. Did it? NO! The day it closed, I called because they feedback wasn't removed. Escalated to the removal team...They took a look at the case, and said We feel he was just expressing how he felt. They said if you can talk to him and get him to remove it, is the only way you can get it removed. I said I will not deal with a scammer, that is eBays job. Well being that he is a scammer, i wouldn't buy into his scam, so he never did send it back to me. They just kept telling me "we don't remove feedback." You can deal with the buyer and see if he will remove it. I said why the hell would I want to deal with someone who has already tried to scam me. She (JEFF) yes a lady from eBay, said that's all you can do. She said we DO NOT remove feedback. I called her on that, because I know of other people who have had theirs removed. eBay ALWAYS SIDES WITH THE BUYER! EBAY is a HORRIBLE place to sell. They don't give 2 cents about the Sellers, it's always for the buyer.

I am looking to move to a better place, and I advise all other eBay sellers to do the same thing. It's time eBay starts to care more about their sellers. Even when it's proven by taking pictures before you send them, they will still side with the buyer. So there is no way to win. You are just going to keep losing money. No way you can make anything with eBays high charges and stupid rules that always favor the buyer. So YES you are right that is how eBay operates, at least how they did with me.