Goodbye Ebay 2019. Your policies hurt sellers, defraud them and if that's okay with you, so be it.

[mattyfolife2015]

eBay has really poor policy protections for sellers. I write this in hopes that you will heed my warnings about eBay if you decide to sell more expensive items in the future. 

TIPS

1. ALWAYS INSURE YOUR PACKAGES
2. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE PAID on PAYPAL DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE SAFE FROM FRAUD
3. A TRACKING NUMBER MEANS NOTHING
4. EBAY’S 2019 POLICIES FAVORS BUYERS, NOT SELLERS

Beginning:

1. I had an old 2013 MacBook Pro that was in fairly good condition and decided to post it on eBay to de-hoard my life and post it on eBay.
2. To my surprise, I had an initial buyer with "0" seller rating bid on my item. 
3. He wanted me to send it to Europe, which I clearly stated in my listing that I would only ship to the US.
4. Good-bye fraudsters and re-listed the item.
5. Someone in New Jersey with a "120" buyer rating purchased the MacBook Pro.
6. Buyer wins the item for around $500 and I decide to ship it free of charge, because why not?!
7. I choose to not buy insurance, which is my first mistake but assume with a 120-buyer rating that I won’t be scammed, this guy must be legit.
8. WRONG, BUY INSURANCE!!

Issues Begin

1. USPS says item was delivered with a tracking code. Awesome, made a little extra money off of my laptop and I wish buyer good luck with new item.
2. Buyer says when he received the item that it looks like someone had opened the package mid-shipment and then "re-taped" the box and removed the MacBook Pro but left the laptop protector case inside.
3. That’s weird considering I put the laptop inside the case when I shipped it, why wouldn’t the crook just take everything??!!
4. Now this seems a little fishy, because the buyers writing skills are a bit off, like Spam email I’m going to inherit a million dollars off.
5. Thinking that I had done my job and delivered the package I was clear of seller liability.
6. Let’s say for instance that you give the buyer the benefit of the doubt, so if it was stolen it should be USPS’s or the buyers issue to find the refund. WRONG.
7. Contacted USPS and they said that if the package had been damaged in transit, they would put a type of barcode indicating the damage.
8. As you can clearly see from the picture it is not.

The Resolution

1. eBay sides in the favor of the seller and I now have a negative $500 debit on my Paypal account
2. After 1-hour with customer service, they say sorry we cannot verify that you have sent the buyer the item
3. What do you mean? I think, well I have a good seller history of delivering hundred dollar goods, that must account for something?!
4. Nope, not in the eyes of the eBay elite.
5. Also, I had to ask for my final value fee to be refunded after I paid it, because you know eBay is refunding the transaction that never happened.

I am now out of a laptop and $500 dollars due to their defunct policies. I know that you try to be as careful as you can with a platform such as this, I’ve just never been quite manhandled so much by a platform that has developed such a clear and positive reputation in my mind.

Goodbye eBay, thank you for the transactions that you did get right but also good bye for how you’ve made your choice in helping fraudsters.

[goodluckselling]

Although I am sorry for the outcome of your latest transaction, most here you are trying to warn already know how to handle these instances. 

You admitted to several mistakes you made.  But I am a bit surprised you did not mention your inability to resolve the request and allowing it to get escalated into a case?

Did you not read the instructions eBay gave you when they informed you of the request being opened?  Have you ever read any info on the eBay money back guarantee?

it sounds like you just were winging it throughout the entire transaction thought process?

Good Luck Selling!

[grayirongolf]

It's pretty easy to defraud sellers on eBay.   My neighbor was just bragging about how he successfully scammed some poor eBay seller out of a $1,400.00 video card last week. He now has that same card selling on Amazon for $900.    Makes me sick.

[castlemagicmemories]

Integrity can be lacking these days.

[grayirongolf]

He threw that integrity out the window a long time ago.  Some judge in San Francisco granted him mental disability 20 years ago because he couldn't hold a stable job.  He's been scamming the system for years.  His eBay scams are   just bonus.    

[escuintla]

So, is Ebay wondering why their profits are shrinking? 

Well, now we know where some change ends up, in the hands of fraudsters while sellers get fed up and depart this venue.

These stories are a common thing nowadays to the point that you wonder how is possible that a company put more attention to the fraudsters than the sellers taking a hit and leaving its platform?.

Next time I get something very expensive to sell, ain't going to be here.  

[tsme35]

I stop selling anything expensive on ebay years ago, bad enough I get parts shoppers.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Very sorry to read about your trouble.

When the buyer contacted you saying the package had been rifled and the item was missing, at that point I would have made a big deal out of it, telling the buyer that theft in the mail is taken very seriously by the post office, that you would immediately file a theft report with them and ask for his cooperation while the PO investigated. To please save the shipping container as evidence, and be able to provide it to the PO for inspection when they look into the problem. That you won't rest until you get to the bottom of it.

Scammers don't usually want to call attention to themselves or their activity, or to get on the radar of the powers-that-be. Sometimes a scammer will miraculously find the item, or instead quietly go away. That's the aim. If the buyer actually did find the item missing, they will have nothing to hide. If they are scamming, you might not be able to resolve the situation to your satisfaction, but you can make it uncomfortable for the thief, if nothing else.

"7) I choose to not buy insurance, which is my first mistake but assume with a 120-buyer rating that I won’t be scammed, this guy must be legit."  I'm glad you posted your experience so other sellers can learn what to do if this ever happens to them. A buyer's feedback score is not a reliable indicator. Since buyers can only get positive feedback, a history or lack of history, does nothing to inform a seller ahead of time of possible scamming.

"2) After 1-hour with customer service, they say sorry we cannot verify that you have sent the buyer the item"  Was this a Not As Described claim or Item Not Received? You have tracking to prove delivery, was that uploaded into the case? 

"8) As you can clearly see from the picture it is not."  (What picture?)

"1) eBay sides in the favor of the seller and I now have a negative $500 debit on my Paypal account"  (You meant eBay sided with the buyer?)

[sweetpieces4you]

Here we go again !! Telling all the people on EBAY how to go about ripping people off and the BOO - HOO stories behind them !! And your telling me a story about something that happened YEARS ago !! C'mon man put your big boy pants on and move on !! And buying USPS INSURANCE wasn't going to prevent or help your problem !! That is for loss/damage/delivery protection only !! Doesn't have anything to do once it is delivered to the customer !! 

[sweetpieces4you]

Hmm, If I would get ripped off $1,400 from anyone 😎!! That person just might be hearing from me !! In more ways than one !! Just a thought that someone who is reading this may want to keep in mind ( IF ) YOU are even thinking about stealing from people !! 

[numisnorway]

I predicted this some years ago that a large masses of dumb criminals would find out about the gaping vulnerability in paypal and ebays policies.. we are steadily approaching the point where ebay will have to admit to having been in the wrong for a long time or simply go under. Nobody will continue to sell on a site that is known for giving away sellers goods.

[grayirongolf]

I'm sure Justice will be served at some point. If not through my hand, it will come from a higher power. 

These things have a way of working themselves out. 

[luckythewinner]

---

@mattyfolife2015 wrote:

eBay has really poor policy protections for sellers. I write this in hopes that you will heed my warnings about eBay if you decide to sell more expensive items in the future. 

---

So to sum up a long post ...

There is no seller protection on eBay, just like the User Agreement told you: 

"You agree to comply with the policy and permit us to make a final decision on any eBay Money Back Guarantee case."

[sweetpieces4you]

Goodbye !!! 

[chosenoneiam]

I couldn’t agree more, I just had an argument with Ebay and I demanded them to put the money back into my account they did the same thing to me. Over two weeks the buyer decided they want to return it and Ebay took money out of my PayPal account almost $200. I explain to Ebay that if you do not put the money back into my account I’m taking everything off of it and I’m going to go to every MediaSource there is and tell you know Facebook Twitter blah blah blah. I told Ebay if you cal I just had an argument with Ebay and I demanded them to put the money back into my account they did the same thing to me. Over two weeks the buyer decided they want to return it and Ebay took money out of my PayPal account almost $200. I explain to Ebay that if you do not put the money back in my account I’m taking everything off of it and I’m going to go to every media source there is and tell you no Facebook Twitter blah blah blah. I told Ebay if you call cohort thieves and liars I will not work for you any longer. I read them the riot act boy was I mad after a few days they refunded me my money and they refused the buyer their return! If the people don’t like the item they can return it within one week I do not mind. I say I do not except returns Ebay asked like the mafia they do it whether you like it or not and whether it’s right or wrong this is wrong Ebay has been sued many times I stood up for myself and Ebay did what was right I will not stand them to do what is wrong and if they do something else wrong I will close down my eBay store and I will say goodbye for ever and hello Amazon!! if the people don’t like the item they can return it within one week I do not mind. I say I do not except returns Ebay asked like the mafia they do it whether you like it or not and whether it’s right or wrong this is wrong Ebay has been sued many times I stood up for myself and Ebay did what was right I will not stand them to do what is wrong and if they do something else wrong I will close down my eBay store and I will say goodbye forever and hello Amazon !!🙏🏼✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️💃🏻