Just for those who somehow think I don’t do my due diligence when shopping on Ebay the following is the average work that I at least do when shopping on Ebay. Most people may be willing to accept (concede) and pay the differences for the lack of seller integrity or Ebays one sided policies. Please understand I am not saying sellers are primarily bad out here, not at all. I’m saying a few bad apples ruin it all for everyone and sellers can just as easily say that about buyers as well. I acknowledge that the vast majority of sellers are respectful and honest and genuingly care about their customers.
If you as a couscous buyer and are diligent the process of buying begines with finding what you are looking for and researching for specs. this often means cross referencing sellers (some sellers list more specs and info, then others).
Now this does not meant the items are identical you may have to determine that a seller who does not list this info may be hiding the fact that even if it looks the same it may not perform the same. Now if the specs are lacking you as a buyer must assume there is a reason the specs are missing so a buyer may want to ask the seller for the specs most sellers will attempt to answer but again some will not (I understand that they deal with 1000s of orders and don’t need my business) so now there’s a 50% my massage goes unnoticed or unanswered or the seller will simply say they don’t have the info available. Now I’ve wasted my time asking the seller for specs.
If I’m lucky and I don’t need specs or I find a seller who lists the specs I can move onto the next step, (This 1 & 2).
Now I can start weeding out foreign sellers (Shipping takes longer from foriegn sellers and extra fees can be added even if the seller asks for US Funds). I look at where it is shipped from and the Currency (this is step 3).
Next I have to verify if the seller is actually from the US this means I have to go to the sellers feedback page and if I click the right link I can see the sellers location (this is step 4).
Now after all these things if the specs can't be found . I may need to Contact the Seller verify product specs. sometimes requires a couple emails back and forth. (this is step 5).
Next I purchase the item (Pay for item including currency fee if disclosed (this is step 6).
Now I recieve Receive item verify item description I have 30 day protection If all goe well the transaction is complete (this is step 7)
If there is an issue with the item I will need to contact the seller this may involve several emails (this is step 8).
If I need Ebay asisstance to escalate I have to wait a week or 2 more before Ebay will interviene. (this is Step nine)
Once Ebay gets involved I spend more time emailing back and forth If I win I wait a cou8ple more days for a refund. Hope fully this is the end (this is Step 10).
Now there is a posibility after the transaction is conplete I may get a surprize when my bank statement arrives this comes in the form of a currency conversion fee that was not disclosed to me during the transaction. now if this accures I may have made several purchases in that time period. so I may not know which transaction the fee is applied to so now I have to search my Ebay Purchases and Pay pal withdrawls to see if I can find a corisponding puchase for the fee. This can take up to an hour depending on how many purchases I made during that time frame (this is step 11)
If I cant match the purchase with the fee i then have to call the bank which typically means being put on hold for several more minutes before solving the riddle (this is step 12).
Now why do I post this? where it is true these are extreem circumstances and are not the majority of the tansactions, most Transactions are indeed smooth aside from the initial research on the product and seller, I think this could and should be made better.
Sellers can list specs this would save alot of time some do but alot don't.
Sellers should not be allowed to get hits with false prices for items not being searched for. That is If we are searching for a phone the search brings up listings & pics of phone but when you click the search listing it goes to the liting where the seller search price is for a charge cord or ear phones and the phone is at a much greater price than the search indicated. This is rude, inconsiderate and a waste of buyers time.
Seller location and actual curency desired should be mandatory in the listing along with shipping location.
Sellers particularly Ebay Motors should not be allowed to lsit items with extended warrenties, Buyers are buying warrantees if Ebay won't enforce the listing beyond 30 days the seller should not be allowed to list as such. Buyeres have no recoarse if the seller will not honor the warrentee or pass on the manufactures info. This is false advertizing and it needs to stop, 4 out of my last 6 Ebay Motor purchases just flat ripped me off Ebay needs to stop these false litings.
The point of this post is that even if you are a diligent buyer it's alot of work and time. And so many posters out here just want to blame buyers for not being dilegent or some how accuse them of being stupid if they buy something and get ripped off. Like its the buyers fault that a seller rips them off. I just don't understand this kind of thinking like it's my fault that someone else lacks honor and integrity. I consider myself weak when it comes to honor and integrity yet I don't make excuses when I fall. If I can barely stand on my own how can I be respocible when another peoson falls. Is this what we have come to, its become easyier to blame others when we fail than to be responcible for our own actions.
Life and death are certain. It is what we do between that matters.
