Selling Electronic Vacuum Tubes - Buyer Swap?

[radiorich1440]

Curious about other's experience selling new, old stock vacuum tubes. I'm just venturing into the selling here and listed several pairs. These were from broadcast stock, never used, and tested excellent before shipping. The first pair I sold, buyer wanted a full refund stating the item was not properly described. I issued a return label and upon receipt of the items, a full refund. I checked the tubes I received and one was completely dead, the other only 30% emission. The branding on each was worn away, not the case with what I sent originally. Is it possible the buyer swapped, made the accusation, and got two good tubes for a few pennies? Does this happen? Thanks...

[heckofagame]

Yes, it happens. Some people have no moral fiber whatsoever.

[dunavac2012]

Yes, this also happens to me. Read this: Hello, the customer contacted me before he bought e88cc mullard holland tubes from me and inquired about these tubes. when he bought it, i sent him e88cc dutch tubes. then he called and asked for a refund because supposedly the tubes he got from me were not the ones he bought. he bought e88cc mullard holland and these were sent to him and he reported that he got e88cc mullard england and sent me the picture. he wrote me that as soon as he opened my package, he photographed tubes !!!! why did he paint right away ?? so as a reason for the refund he claims he did not get the tubes he bought according to the picture from the e88cc Mullard Holland ad. already received e88cc mnullard england. perform return tubes. since eBay has such a customer protection policy because the tubes do not match the description in the ad, which is not true. he gets back the money he gave for the tubes, he is left with my new tubes, and I get his old tubes. I was stolen too !!! and EBAY does nothing !!!! customer - francis chinen, 6121francis on my pi sma wisely hear and listen to my tubes which he did not pay and sent me his old and thinks he is smart !!! sergey

[fab_finds4u]

My roommate finally quit selling electronics on eBay because he got screwed so much.   A scammer purchased an amp with 8 brand new 100% matching 6LQ6  RCA  tubes I personally tested on a  B&K-47.  They claimed they were all flat and he returned mismatched russian tubes . Another 10 tuber was returned missing all the the tubes and knobs and the meter. Sold a president hr2510 and received a worthless  broken computer part.

So yeah, expect to be scammed and used for a parts department when you sell electronics here.

[radiorich1440]

Sad indeed, and it was my first sell transaction too. Poop.

[ittybitnot]

Is it possible the buyer swapped, made the accusation, and got two good tubes for a few pennies? Does this happen? 

@radiorich1440 

Yes, and yes.   

Just about anything can be had on eBay for free at the seller's expense.  Now you see one of the ways it is accomplished.  You can report the buyer (after you refund, of course) and eBay may kick back a few dollars for the return shipping you paid. 

[donsdetour]

Yep it happens: its free parts on eBay> even be videos of how to do such out there in the Internets land.

Yet it is fraud and theft which can be filed with law enforcement.  This you should do, due to they just don't stop with one scam....

Oh and it is nit just electronics they do this with: Auto parts has gotten to be an extream risk to sell on eBay.

Of course the higher the value the higher the risk.

Just remember rule no. 1:

If you can not afford to lose item and all money paid for it including shipping... and possibly 20 extra if they have to go with a payment dispute....

DO NOT LIST IT.

[radiorich1440]

Oh, okay. Thanks for the tip! This wasn’t the way I was expecting selling these.

[ittybitnot]

@radiorich1440 

Totally understand.  This issue was one of the main reasons I quit selling here after 22 years.  eBay's system did not fit my business model.  I have my own website now, and list on a couple of "marketplace" type venues where the "pick a lie" dropdown menu does not rule the site. 

Good luck to you.   I really mean that.  

[byrd69er]

I sold tubes here for over a decade. I never once ran into a scammer. I had excellent buyers. Some that stuck with me for years.  When it shows that you know what you are doing, the scammers will avoid you.

I no longer list here. I've found another venue that costs nothing, and allows me to work with people like they are standing at a store counter having a conversation with me.

I now make more with much less time spent.  Yes, eBay was good for those years. But no longer, for a number of reasons.

[reallynicestamps]

You can report the buyer (after you refund, of course) and eBay may kick back a few dollars for the return shipping you paid.

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https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/How-do-I-contact-Customer-Support/m-p/32016431#M1783851

Use one of these - they are actual eBay employees not subcontractors phoning it in from Utah.

[juvikingnorway]

eBay will be forced to do something about this sooner or later. The playing field will have to be equal. Buyers will have to get responsibilities and feedback will have to be equal for both parties or else it will degenerate into a mess where competitors will come in and profit.. i think this process is already happening to a certain extent.

Some say that it has to be this way and that "its how all ecommerce sites operates", but that is nonsense. There are systems that work where buyers are way less likely to pull off such scams..

You simply cannot have a platform where it is so easy to get away with theft and expect it to last.

[fashunu4eeuh]

New sellers can get targeted by scammers who hope to profit from their inexperience with eBay's policies. When I help loved ones learning the ropes on eBay, I always strongly advise them not to list expensive items until their feedback scores are higher and they know how the eBay Money Back Guarantee works. So sorry this happened to you right out of the gate. 

In the 10+ years I've sold here, have never encountered a fraudulent buyer. Some possible reasons why are 1) my selling ID has a high feedback score, 2) i am cautious and avoid listing in high scam categories, like electronics, gaming, computers, smartphones, designer goods, etc. 3) I learned the policies that govern the site so I know how to respond to buyer issues. 4) Been lucky 5) Always use tracking on my sales. 6) Am extra careful when describing my items. 7) I rarely sell anything with flaws.

[radiorich1440]

Thank you! I’ve already reported the transaction to eBay. I appreciate the feedback.