Hello & Happy New Year,
I apologize for the length, but needed to get the details in for this to make sense. I am an EBay buyer & on Nov 16th, 2023 @ 8:45 pm I made a purchase for $187.75......& again on the same date @11:17 pm (same seller)..... for 3 more items @ $83.44 = a grand total of $247.20. If the math seems off, it was because the seller didn't get back to me till almost the shipping date of Dec 2nd.... advising me that she'd been out of town for the past 2 weeks. (she's in Germany.....me in San Diego, USA). Seller: "But hey, thanks for your prompt payment /money". She mentioned that a majority of the yarn purchases that I'd made, weren't even available..... even though there was a count down / tally for each quantity of yarn. To remedy this issue she offered an extensive list of what she still had in stock that I could pick from....(via EBay's messaging system). Basically, "I have these very ugly yarns available, instead". (Bait & switch? Not wanting to make that nasty leap as I really try to have faith in my sellers). She sent me a list of eh....."ok" yarns & partially refunded me $33.99 on Dec.05, 2023.... for the ones she couldn't accommodate = $83.44 + $153.76 = Grand total of $247.20.
Also she told me to accommodate her and translate every message to her, to German, since this was easier for her. Um, I don't speak German, at all.....so I guess she meant for me to Google translate all messages in German, to her & then send them through the EBay messaging system. If I failed to do so, I got no response from her.
This seller also never clarified what styles of yarn she decided to send me, or what quantities of what I was getting. (Yep, I'd inquired numerous times (In German).....w/ no response back......& the ones I hated & I absolutely put my foot down about....were not supposed to be in that shipment). Also, I paid with PayPal & decided never again with her. Also, prior & during my purchases....There also was no mention she'd be out of town. Her yarn quantity pickings were just business as usual.
Now I deal with overseas purchases on EBay from wonderful sellers in Germany, England, Vietnam, Ukraine etc....never with issues like this nor..... EBay turning their back on me.
The seller said she mailed the items to me on Dec 2nd, 2023......yet she advised she was stressed out & hoped that my items arrived. (Why would she say this? Duhno!) My items shipped December 2nd in two auctions....but 1 shipping number. They cleared customs in the USA on Dec 15th, 2023 where DHL picked up the shipment on Dec.16th, 2023 @10:28pm.
Unfortunately since Dec 16th, 2023 @ 10:28pm nothing has since moved & all appears lost. I awaited several days (12 days to be exact) just to see if anything would move before jumping the gun. I contacted the seller on 12-28-2023 & advised them of the frozen shipment. All DHL & EBay tracking proves this shipment stopped via DHL on 12-16-2023 @ 10:28 pm....Then nothing. This seller said that they'd be opening an investigation with DHL to recoup "their money".....(um, what about my money.... or items?) Since then, the seller stopped all contact & responses. She hasn't gotten back to me since I made this information privy to them.
They used DHL to ship from Germany to USA.....(I'm in San Diego, Calif.) Again, everything cleared customs on 12-15-2023 / 12-16-2023@ 10:28 pm & then no movement. Upon advising the seller on Dec 28th, 2023....she said it was a shame this happened & that she have to try to recoup her monetary losses & get back to me. She has made no more effort to contact me since 12-28-2023, no matter what I sent her (which has always been patient, cordial & professional - you catch more flies w/ honey, so I thought).
Also tonight I tried opening a case(s) this evening with EBay.....which the EBay system made me open numerous cases....1 for each item/ or ball of yarn.....there were 13 cases in total, with some cases luckily being 5 - 10+ balls of yarn per case. .... at $247.20 ....my total loss. (All this effort to open the all these EBay cases, only to be advised a few hours later, by EBay, that none of these will be covered....and no explanation why). There are 13 cases/ auctions in total w/ some balls being multiples. EBay was so "helpful" to advised me that I've reported: You've not received your items and that this loss will not be covered by EBay. But.....the seller has been notified & I should try to work things out with them. Really????? I "did indeed" try......When the seller will not get back to me what should I do? Fly to Germany? I don't have her phone number, but I do have her address.
Unless I missed something, I checked & rechecked the auctions again, to see if there was any mention of any items not being covered, to no avail. Also through DHL & EBay's tracking, the "non delivery" can "definitely" be proven. Again, I tried working things out with this seller to no avail...... including the DHL's loss. It seems that the seller who has 100% positive with 2 neutrals gets to make money hand over fist. First she gets my EBay auction/ Buy it now money + she gets paid again through DHL'S insurance, while I get nothing + EBay allowing this while the proof is right there.
My questions are:
1) Is it a guessing game on an auction if stuff will be covered if lost? I saw no mention of this on any of her auctions. IF so I'm going to another avenue....Etsy, etc.
2) Also I can at least prove this isn't an out of the country issue......because I can indeed prove the items arrived here in the USA & cleared customs. It is when DHL took the items, they disappeared. No seller assistance, and yet she gets to make money twice over......while EBay tells me to work things out with her, as she cuts all contact. This all happened in the USA, if it has any bearing....and can be proven.
3) Should I just ask PayPal to step in and assist since EBay washed their hands of me? Do you think I may receive better assistance?
I buy for my business, which now seems a moot point on EBay.......or is it just my stupidity that got me here in the first place? Where did I go wrong or miss the "We won't cover your EBay purchases....somewhere?" Is it because the purchase was out of the country?
Or worse yet, maybe because I received a partial refund of $33.99 for a yarn she didn't have & couldn't accommodate.....could this be why EBay said sorry Charlie, your outta luck! I am really bugged since $247.20 is really nothing to sniff at. If anyone can assist me, I would be very grateful~
Thanks much,
Granny G
