eBay

awoang5 · ‎05-30-2022

Hi everyone,

This is a bit complicated. I bought a dress from an eBay seller for much higher than it was worth because the size I wanted wasn't available anywhere else (size L) and their listing stated that they had exactly one size L left in that color. There was no tracking available while it was on the way, shipping was free, and it arrived to me in 3 days. However, when I opened the dress which arrived in Am*z*n packaging, the dress tag read XL. I would not have paid $105 total through eBay if I wanted a size XL since I already saw that size on Am*z*n for $40 and it wasn't the size I wanted or ordered anyway. (At the time, Am*z*n was completely out of the specific style and color I wanted in size L, hence why I was looking elsewhere & willing to pay more.)

The issue is, I paid an exorbitant amount of money for a size L (there is proof on my eBay receipt that I did in fact purchase size L) and that is not what I received, so "item received is not as described." I also realized after the fact that the seller is located in India according to their eBay profile. (I am in U.S.) It seems that eBay does not provide return shipping labels to international sellers from what I've googled and it's up to the seller to get a label or shipping cost to you. Plus, I was never required to pay international shipping for delivery which will likely be needed to mail it back to the seller if they're in another country. At one point, the seller's address in India was listed on my return request, but it seems to have disappeared now and I never took a screenshot for proof.

It appears that the seller put my address in Am*z*n to make an order after the fact of me buying from their eBay store. However, as I said, the size L was sold out on Am*z*n at that time while the eBay store listed one last size L being available from their eBay store. The only address listed on the package I received was my own. There was no seller return address or any indication it came all the way from India where the seller is located, especially since shipping was free.

I do not trust the seller to do the right thing based on their previous messages to me including asking if I've tried it on 4 different times (literally!) every single time I ask them for a return label. And the most recent message they sent on May 29 was saying it had been dispatched with a tracking number through BlueCare Express now listed (how convenient) for the dress I already received on May 27. This would be the tracking for the dress I already have - the one they sent in the wrong size. Oh, and it mysteriously doesn't list the location of where the package was shipped from either. They also wrote "Did you try this X large.. in case if its doesn’t fit we will send you prepaid shipping label for the same." I'm not even sure what that means, but I haven't received any type of return label and I want a refund not the same dress in the size I didn't order again.

And when I told the eBay CSR that I was concerned about this aspect of the seller's process, they told me that they didn't have a way to tell if the seller was using Fulfillment by Am*z*n (allowed by eBay's rules) or arbitrage - putting my name in on Am*z*n to put in an order there separately AFTER I order from their eBay store (not allowed by eBay's rules).

How can I even report this seller or get them looked into if there isn't a way to tell they're breaking the rules and eBay representatives don't know how to enforce their own rules? And how will I get my money back once I escalate when I'll still be required to mail the dress back to an international location I don't have the address of which is dependent on the uncooperative seller providing me it? Plus, the cost of tracking to another country to prove I mailed it back to the seller in India will likely take up half my refund...

Honestly, I have never had an issue with eBay before, but I may be done using it at this point if the recourse for a problem is almost solely dependent on a scammer seller. (And I paid directly with a credit card, not through PP so I don't have the option to use their dispute system).

Thank you for any advice.

TL;DR: I ordered a size L dress from an eBay seller for $105 (proof of size ordered is shown on my receipt) while they had that size listed as only one left & I couldn't find that color of dress in that specific size anywhere else. Shipping was free. The dress arrived 3 days after I purchased it from eBay in an Am*z*n package with only my address on it. The dress inside was a size XL. I politely messaged the seller to ask for either the correct size I paid for or a refund. They wouldn't stop asking if I tried it on. I told them I would only like a refund now. I opened a return request for "item not as described" as they did not send me the correct size which I had ordered. They never refunded me or sent me a return label, just keep repeating themself asking me if it fits and being difficult. They only put in the tracking number 2 days after I had already received the dress which does not list the origin location of where it was actually shipped from and is through a tracking system I've never heard of. My return request does not show me their address in India that they listed to eBay anymore which I previously was able to view. I only just noticed that the seller is based in India. (I'm in U.S.) I wasn't required to pay international shipping from India when I bought it, so I'll be losing money if I have to mail it all the way back there. And if they are indeed shady and send me a return label with an Am*z*n address, the refund will go directly to them not me. So far, they have not sent me any return label at all or given any help instructing how to return.

I just want my money back and a way to report this seller and/or leave a review warning others of my experience without affecting my chances of being refunded which I am requesting due to the seller's mistake.

fab_finds4u · ‎05-30-2022

Did you get a gift receipt wanting you to thank the sender?

Then they ordered it from Amazon which isn't allowed.

No gift receipt? Then the seller was using Amazon Fulfillment to store and ship the seller's items.

If the item location was the US then contact eBay and have them send you a return label to the item location.

awoang5 · ‎05-30-2022

Hi,

I didn't receive any gift receipt, no. The tracking doesn't show me the location the item was shipped from. It just shows a blank spot underneath the first carrier facility listed. I contacted eBay (had them call me through chat) which was a whole ordeal in itself trying to figure out how to contact anyone and they said to wait until June 4 because the seller has that long to reply to my return request and that there was nothing they could do until June 4. I have no idea where the item location is, the tracking only started listing locations once it was already in my state.

Thanks

fab_finds4u · ‎05-30-2022

The item location is in the listing. You only have to return it to the location in the listing. The seller is responsible to furnish a return label to a US location or give you return shipping money if the location is outside the US. If they don't ask eBay for help.

Since it did not have a gift receipt the seller did nothing wrong. They didn't buy it on Amazon and have it mailed to you. The seller sends items they own to an Amazon Fulfillment Center and Amazon stores, picks, packs and ships the seller's item when the seller receives a sale on eBay or another one of the seller's site they sell on.

papa486516 · ‎05-30-2022

@fab_finds4u wrote:

@awoang5 wrote:
[It's] putting my name in on Am*z*n to put in an order there separately AFTER I order from their eBay store
Since it did not have a gift receipt the seller did nothing wrong. They didn't buy it on Amazon and have it mailed to you. The seller sends items they own to an Amazon Fulfillment Center and Amazon stores, picks, packs and ships the seller's item when the seller receives a sale on eBay or another one of the seller's site they sell on.

Since it did not have a gift receipt the seller did something wrong. They bought it on Amazon, pretending to be @awoang5 using your address, to have it mailed to you. The seller didn't send any items they own to an Amazon Fulfillment Center, and Amazon didn't store, didn't pick, didn't pack and didn't ship the seller's item when the seller receives a sale on eBay or another one of the seller's site they sell on.

@awoang5 wrote:
I opened a return request for "item not as described" as they did not send me the correct size which I had ordered. They never refunded me or sent me a return label, just keep repeating themself asking me if it fits and being difficult.

I contacted eBay (had them call me through chat) which was a whole ordeal in itself trying to figure out how to contact anyone and they said to wait until June 4 because the seller has that long to reply to my return request and that there was nothing they could do until June 4.

You started your "Wrong item sent" return request during this holiday weekend, so the next business day is Tuesday, May 31.

Completely stop talking to the seller. The seller has 3 business days to click Accept the return, Wednesday to Friday.

-- If they do, then eBay tells you in an email that the seller cannot provide a return label, call eBay back.

-- If the seller ignores the return request, on Saturday June 4, click Ask eBay to step in.

awoang5 · ‎05-30-2022

Thank you for your assistance! I now have a new development/question. The seller has just now accepted my return request. To answer the item location question, the listing states that the item is "located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States." When I click on the return details, the first page says, "In order to receive a refund, you need to send this item back to the seller by Jun 14, 2022." The next line is Seller return information, then address, then a name and long address (located in India) although it only lists the city name, not the country India in that address. I put it into Maps just to see if anything came up, and there is no address that matches this one they listed exactly, but a very similar one that is connected to a craft store there.

When I continue to the shipping label page, the return label (UPS Ground) is addressed to a different address located in my state. When I looked up that address -the one on the return label- it shows it is for a 24 hour Am*z*n Warehouse in my state (in the U.S.)

Above the label reads, "Your seller has provided you this return label. Print the label and ship the item back to the seller by Jun 14, 2022. If you have any issues with the label, please contact the seller."

I just want to make sure that mailing the package back with the label they provided will still ensure my refund?

I have heard of instances where the eBay seller was refunded by Am*z*n, but the UPS tracking doesn't match the address on the return details page, so the seller claimed the item was not returned and kept the original payment and the Am*z*n refund money.

If this info helps, I never received any kind of printed receipt inside the package by the way.

And after further research, the tracking # on the outside of the package starts with TBA. According to another eBay community post, these are "mostly used with Am*z*n's Fulfilled by Am*z*n System" and "means it was delivered by Am*z*n Logistics. They hire local contractors to deliver items from their local fulfillment center." One user did say the items they received via FBA had small receipts in the packages though whereas mine did not...

awoang5 · ‎05-30-2022

P.S. The ebay seller is also using the exact same photos from the Am*z*n listing of both the dress (in all the different colors) & the size chart as their only photos and the exact same description text from the Am*z*n listing if that affects anything.