Ebay allowing broken items posted as used why?

[bfallona]

I have a peeve with Ebay & Sellers on listing items that are clearly defective or broken yet show up if I do a search checking the Used, refurbished boxes.   For example ipods that the home button is broken or the screen is cracked or the battery is dead.  I have to skip the first listings ( if I do a lowest price sort) to get to working items.  Why?

[jame234]

eBay cannot monitor or dictate what a seller lists.  That is the reason a Buyer has eBay's Money Back Guarantee.  Look at pictures carefully and read descriptions.  If you receive a broken item that was not advertised as broken, open a Return Case.

[itscalledapostingid]

You can use the filters on the left side of ebay website to search a price range.... for example $100 to $500.

[ms.rodriguez*]

People buy defective products to repair them or to get the good parts out.  You need to set your filters by price or write NEW.   You definitely have to read carefully and ask questions if you have a doubt BEFORE you bid.

[symbot1]

Broken items listed under used are much more rare exceptions in comparison to normal used items being listed in the new open box category.

More than 50% of items in new "open box" do not actually match anything close to the open box definition. This is because when eBay changed the category name from new/other to open box, the average person has no idea what open box means, and they just select it thinking its proper for used. Where under new/other, they would see new, and stop, think, read the definition, and figure it out.

This is why the item not as described rate under open box went through the roof, where it was manageable under new/other. This is a change eBay would rethink if they truly knew the statistics, but they don't because nobody at eBay is purchasing thousands of items selected as open box year after year to determine this, in comparison to the thousands of purchases made the prior years when the category was new/other.

This is also why eBay users are responsible for many changes that take place with eBay and not the eBay employees themselves.

[bfallona]

What I was getting at is that for example an ipod.  IF the item has an icloud lock it can never be unlocked or used.  And that is the problem.  I set up things for a search & don't check "parts"  I get a ton of listings where it say icloud locked or worse ic lock.  As a long time ebay with over 2k feedback of course I always read every single word of a listing & if done email the seller.  And luckily due to that caution, I haven't bid on a ipod that was locked.   Just curious as it should be obvious that the sellers are misleading all buyers with that listing.  Lastly it's funny I posed the same exact question on the Seller Board at the same time & have gotten zero replies.  Thanks to here who did bother to chime in.

[jonthemerchant]

I don't have a particular stance on this matter yet, I'm still in the process of developing my opinion on it. As I pose a counter narrative to your initial inquiry, let that be the framework from which it is interpreted.

So, by your aforementioned grievance; if I'm selling a car that has a broken sun visor, do I now have to list it as for parts of repair? Or, how about a more realistic hypothetical to pontificate; what if I'm selling an expensive gaming laptop that has blank spots on the touch screen digitizer but it's perfectly functional with that aside?  Am I no longer allowed to sell that as a used unit?  Would that not be counter intuitive given that the touch functionality is a relatively insignificant facet of its value and function?

I guess this is a problem that exists on a spectrum and will likely never have a one size fits all regulatory initiative that would be sufficient in all or even most cases. I'd love to hear a nuanced and measured take on this, as nobody really seems to have one.. Myself included. 

[ebooksdiva]

Old zombie thread from 12/2022 

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.