More issues with the "Authenticity Guaranteed" program

[albertabrightalberta]

How much money is ebay going to pay out before they figure out that this program has serious (and expensive) issues? 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Authenticity-Guarantee-Needs-Serious-Revisions/m-p/32567829#M1...

[petals_and_vines]

This is honestly the WORST cluster "bleep" of a program I could ever imagine. 

At first I thought all bags were being "authenticated" at an eBay warehouse, which, while not being a great idea is better than what I think is happening - bags being mailed to random "authenticators" HOMES, then being sent to the buyer from the "authenticator". 

Whomever came up with this idea should be fired immediately, and the smouldering brown hole from their departure should be doused with sage to cleanse all the evil and stupid away from that spot. 

There are shipping issues TO BEGIN WITH, on a normal, everyday transaction: packages get lost, stolen, stuck in customs, damaged.......on the BEST of days. 

With this completely idiotic program - now you have expensive packages changing hands AT LEAST TWICE (shipped from the seller to the "authenticator", then from the "authenticator" to the buyer), which means eBay has put A LOT OF FAITH in a person they plucked off the street to "authenticate" and ship. 

So they are basically trusting GOD knows who to be knowledgeable enough to authenticate (spoiler: I can GUARANTEE they are NOT) and trustworthy enough not to bait and switch the bag or to package it securely so that it won't be damaged during shipping.

My GOD eBay, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were TRYING to fail at this.

SMDH.

[luxury_handbags@ebay]

Hi @petals_and_vines and @albertabrightalberta, Thank you for your feedback in regards to the Authenticity Program in Handbags.

To clarify, sellers ship their Handbags directly to the AG warehouse and not to authenticators homes. Once received at the warehouse, they are reviewed by Authenticators and then shipped directly to the buyer.

Link below to further detail on our shipping and authenticating practices in the program:

 https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-handbags/

We greatly appreciate the feedback, please reach to us directly via PM or on the community board with any feedback or concerns.

Thanks!

[petals_and_vines]

Thanks for the clarification on the process. 

It seems like whomever is "authenticating" needs instruction on packaging and shipping - aren't the bags shipped with insurance to the buyer? Why are they arriving damaged or vanishing into thin air? 

How do you train your "authenticators" when it takes years (and years) to build up proper knowledge to authenticate? 

Are you accepting Chanel and Louis Vuitton items with the RFID chip and no date code/serial number? How do plan to authenticate those when many professional services won't touch them as they were faked from the onset? 

[live4lv]

@petals_and_vines, Like you, I have always taken a lot of care when packaging everything I sell.  One needs to when a buyer can complain that a fold or wrinkle or impression has appeared that was not in the listing photos and then use that as a basis for costly returns or ding you with negative feedback.  I would be extremely irritated to find that the bag I spent carefully wrapping up in a generous sized box that avoided crushing and the packing material added to prevent movement in transit as well as carefully wrapping its dustbag to avoid the slightest dimples or divots in the surface or scratching of hardware was undone by a self-decribed professional and then packed up and sent to the buyer with less care. 

Indeed, what is the point of sellers taking 12 close up photos showing the magnifying glass-level of detail and writing volumes about it in the listing so that it can all be undone by some third party whose qualifications and skill we 1) don't even know about and 2) don't have the option to bypass and 3) whose sloppy packing get the SELLER in trouble and not them?

I'm considering including re-packing instructions with the bags I have that would fall into this mandatory 3rd party diversion. But I know they'll be ignored but shame on me for not trying.

This of course does not address the idiocy and gross incompetence of losing bags for crying out loud, whether it's at the authentication warehouse or in transit.  FedEx Saver is Ground and that division is entirely separate from the "real" FedEx, with a completely different set of employees.  The drivers lie about people not being home, management of the centers cannot be contacted (not even by FedEx CS; nobody answers the phone and phone numbers aren't publicly listed anywhere) and the centers are randomly open, totally not matching posted service hours.  I've had several cases of items sold by national well-known retailers just disappear into a black hole at FedEx Ground centers in the middle of the country.  Why eBay just doesn't use USPS is beyond me; it's the cheapest by far and you always know where your post office is and what its hours are.  Your package is so easy to retrieve if you're not home.  I don't get it.  I know they got some corporate discount from FedEx Ground but sorry, you pay for garbage, you get garbage.

[fashionclubgurl]

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@live4lv wrote:

@petals_and_vines, Like you, I have always taken a lot of care when packaging everything I sell.  One needs to when a buyer can complain that a fold or wrinkle or impression has appeared that was not in the listing photos and then use that as a basis for costly returns or ding you with negative feedback.  I would be extremely irritated to find that the bag I spent carefully wrapping up in a generous sized box that avoided crushing and the packing material added to prevent movement in transit as well as carefully wrapping its dustbag to avoid the slightest dimples or divots in the surface or scratching of hardware was undone by a self-decribed professional and then packed up and sent to the buyer with less care. 

Indeed, what is the point of sellers taking 12 close up photos showing the magnifying glass-level of detail and writing volumes about it in the listing so that it can all be undone by some third party whose qualifications and skill we 1) don't even know about and 2) don't have the option to bypass and 3) whose sloppy packing get the SELLER in trouble and not them?

I'm considering including re-packing instructions with the bags I have that would fall into this mandatory 3rd party diversion. But I know they'll be ignored but shame on me for not trying.

This of course does not address the idiocy and gross incompetence of losing bags for crying out loud, whether it's at the authentication warehouse or in transit.  FedEx Saver is Ground and that division is entirely separate from the "real" FedEx, with a completely different set of employees.  The drivers lie about people not being home, management of the centers cannot be contacted (not even by FedEx CS; nobody answers the phone and phone numbers aren't publicly listed anywhere) and the centers are randomly open, totally not matching posted service hours.  I've had several cases of items sold by national well-known retailers just disappear into a black hole at FedEx Ground centers in the middle of the country.  Why eBay just doesn't use USPS is beyond me; it's the cheapest by far and you always know where your post office is and what its hours are.  Your package is so easy to retrieve if you're not home.  I don't get it.  I know they got some corporate discount from FedEx Ground but sorry, you pay for garbage, you get garbage.

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If I could give the above post 15 Thumbs Up, I would. 

It cant be said enough - sellers AND buyers of luxury bags need to know who is "authenticating" them. Why does that sound familiar?

The stories of how these bags are being sent on to the buyers, IF they are ever sent on at all. are appalling. Youre basically throwing a very expensive piece of merchandise that youve invested time and money in, and probably already had professionally authenticated at least once by a known authenticator, into a black hole.

[luxury_handbags@ebay]

Thank you @fashionclubgurl and @live4lv for your feedback above, and we are sorry to hear about your experience as we have been experiencing issues with the carrier and are working through those issues as they arise.

If you are continuing to experience these issues, please reach out directly via PM or on the community board.

Thanks again for your feedback, as we rely heavily on your feedback to create the best experience for our sellers and buyers, thanks again!

[ttownron]

They are KILLING US, especially on Manufacture Certified autographed cards.....

[ttownron]

Did eBay hire someone from the government to come in and come up with idea??????

Sure seems like it.

[sasci-41]

I had an issue with my Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Sperone backpack. They said it couldn’t be authenticated and that it wasn’t presented clearly in my listing …(which it was) and it ended up coming back to me with red ink all over it that wasn’t there when I shipped it to them! Ruined my bag to the point now that it’s a worthless piece of crap and got no explanation. I don’t know who’s authenticating these items but they clearly have no idea what they’re doing.  eBay, you might want to look into these people before they completely ruin your business!! I for one will never sell another expensive item on eBay again! These people are clearly morons!

[Anonymous]

Who is actually doing these authentications? What are their credentials?

[lacemaker3]

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luxury_handbags@ebay wrote:

Hi @petals_and_vines and @albertabrightalberta, Thank you for your feedback in regards to the Authenticity Program in Handbags.

To clarify, sellers ship their Handbags directly to the AG warehouse and not to authenticators homes. Once received at the warehouse, they are reviewed by Authenticators and then shipped directly to the buyer.

Link below to further detail on our shipping and authenticating practices in the program:

 https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-handbags/

We greatly appreciate the feedback, please reach to us directly via PM or on the community board with any feedback or concerns.

Thanks!

---

luxury_handbags@ebay 

You have been getting a lot more feedback on this topic. Haven't you been receiving the notifications? You haven't responded to anyone here in the last several months.

nicole@ebayand sheila@ebay, maybe you need to reach out to luxury_handbags@ebay and find out if there is some issue with their account receiving notifications in the Community.

[luxury_handbags@ebay]

@sasci-41 

Thank you for the feedback, please feel free to reach out to us directly via PM with additional information so we can take a look.

Thanks!

[sasci-41]

Why would I bother? You don’t listen to people screaming at you that these authenticators don’t work! I know so many people that have deleted eBay because of this authentication process. If you don’t start listening to peoples complaints you’re not going to have a business to worry about. Clearly these authenticators don’t care to take careful care of peoples expensive items! I don’t understand how they are helping eBay in any way. I put clear pictures and a clear description and they declined it and when I received it back it was clearly ruined! It’s almost as if they think it’s a joke that they decline it so they ruin the item before they ship it back to the seller. NEVER AGAIN FOR ME!!! 

[ronda719]

I recently also got to experience the nightmare that is the authenticity process.  I sold a Louis Vuitton handbag - it had never been carried and was CLEAN inside and out when I sent it off with it’s dust cover and papers.  Notified today that it failed because it was not clean - WHAT?????  Absolutely terrible experience - I’m done with E-Bay.  There are plenty of platforms to sell on now that I’ve had excellent success with and with no issues.