Scammed by seller (no response): How long do I wait before contacting eBay?

[raymondbitterlick]

Hello—

I purchased a pair of sneakers for my daughter yesterday morning, and it’s becoming obvious that it was a scam. How long do I need to wait before altering eBay?

The price was suspiciously low—but with a $38 shipping fee from here within the US—and I sent a message Sunday evening inquiring about the high shipping cost and asking if the sneakers will carry eBay’s authenticity guarantee. No reply from the seller, who has a feedback rating of 24, with 23 of those being purchases. 

I gave the seller the benefit of the doubt and placed my bid on the sneakers, with the auction ending early yesterday morning and no other bids than mine. I paid instantly, but I have not received an answer to my second question to the seller about shipping time, and the sneakers are still showing a “paid” status with no shipping update. It may happen, but I’m guessing this is a scam. Do I wait a week before reporting this to eBay? Ten days? Thanks. 

[klhmdg]

@raymondbitterlick  You can file for Item Not Received on the day after the estimated delivery date.

Always look at total cost. Had you thought shipping fee was high, you should have not bid.

Sellers do not have to answer messages. Some sellers see big warning signs when buyers question shipping fees.

Shipping prices have greatly increased with cost of fuel and other expenses sky high.

The sellers shipping times is also in the listing. 

Many sellers would have canceled the sale to you after the 2nd message about shipping times.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @raymondbitterlick 

I’m not understanding how you concluded you were ‘scammed by seller’ for not receiving an answer to a question within 24 hours of purchasing an item.

You can file an ‘item not received’ dispute AFTER the ‘estimated delivery date’ has passed.

In my experience, newer sellers may be a bit slower to ship or respond  to messages … but that doesn’t indicate criminality. 

[buyselljack2016]

eBay’s authenticity guarantee

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@raymondbitterlick 

a seal would appear when the item meets the requirements for that program

[ebooksdiva]

Every item you bought has an estimated date of delivery in the order details and every listing shows a sellers handling time in the shipping area .

If you don’t receive the shoes the day after that last estimated date of delivery shown in the order details you can open an item not received claim. 

The price was low…it was an auction..the seller may have expected more bids, explains the low cost.

If the cost of shipping is an issue for you then why in the world did you buy?

Sellers are not required to communicate, although it is good business to do so. Just because the seller isn’t responding doesn’t mean they are scammers. 

If the item was going through the eBay authentication process the listing would indicate this. 

[kathiec]

Have you looked on the Shipping tab to determine the seller's handling time? That would answer your question about shipping time. It seems very premature to be declaring the seller a scam artist. In any event, you "alert eBay" by opening an item not received case the day after the last estimated delivery date.

[raymondbitterlick]

Hello Klhmdg—

Thanks; day after shipping estimate is what I needed to know. 

The shipping charge on the pair of sneakers for non-expedited shipping was $38; seemed a bit high to me, but still much cheaper overall than these sneakers are going for elsewhere. I’m not a sneaker person, and it seemed prudent to ask if the $38 non-expedited shipping fee was part of the authenticity guarantee. Maybe $38 sounds like a reasonable shipping cost to you for sneakers; dunno. 

The second time I contacted the seller was last night, which was AFTER the auction had ended. Maybe I am out-of-touch and deserve to have my bid canceled as you suggest, though it seems like bad customer service for someone who has just one single item listed to blow off questions from a buyer spending over $100 on that item. 

I am bemused by the hostile tone in the replies. Thanks just the same: I will wait until the last day of the stated shipping estimate. 

[soh.maryl]

At the risk of sounding hostile, have to ask:  You have been an eBay member for 25 years. 

You bid and bought and then began asking questions.  You have decided this could be scam based on the fact that the seller has not replied to your questions. 

In all that time on eBay, have you never read the eBay Money Back Guarantee, or had occasion to use it?  

[albertabrightalberta]

Sheesh! Buyers are getting way too impatient and have been spoiled by Amazon and their delivery within hours. Most ebay sellers have lives, jobs, obligations, family and handling times and also, aren't on their computers 24/7. (Personally, I don't use my phone for ebay and if I'm out for the day, I don't respond to questions until hours later when I'm home on my laptop.) 

I think you're very premature in worrying about being scammed. Give the poor seller time!

In reading, I get the impression that you might be happier shopping in locations from which you see what you're getting, know the condition, pay for the item and take it home with you that day. 

[mtgraves7984]

I am bemused by the hostile tone in the replies. Thanks just the same: I will wait until the last day of the stated shipping estimate. 

@raymondbitterlick 

The posters are simply stating facts. Another fact is that you don't watch the last day of the stated shipping estimate, but go by the Estimated Delivery Date on the order. One day past that  (if still not received) you can open the Item Not Received claim. Good luck.

[kathiec]

I think most of us were bemused by the assumption a seller is a scam artist because they haven't shipped within a day and they didn't immediately respond to a question asking about things clearly visible in the listing. 

[house*of*paws]

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@raymondbitterlick wrote:

….  I am bemused by the hostile tone in the replies. 

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@raymondbitterlick 

I’m a buyer only  … so have no dog in this fight.  I’m disappointed that you are bemused … rather than enlightened … by the tone of the responses you’ve received.

I was hoping you’d realize the outrageousness of calling the seller a ‘scammer’ without evidence.

Buyers and sellers are fellow members of eBay.  One is NOT the servant of the other.  

[klhmdg]

@raymondbitterlick  - Dont take "tone" personally.  The tone could be all on you. It may be the tone you are expecting to get and not the tone at all.

I tend to write to give information. 

I try to answer the questions and not put fluff in the response. 

I know what things cost to ship. I would think $38 was a little high but it is Shipping and Handling. 

Not just shipping.

Good luck!

I look at total cost when I buy.  

[kensgiftshop]

A lot of new sellers jump in to selling on Ebay and they don't have a clue what they are doing, but it doesn't make it a scam.

New sellers will have their funds held and some don't like shipping if they haven't been paid.

[adla2009]

I want to know how to report a seller who scammed me. They never sent the item. It’s been over 30 days, multiple text and not response.