05-09-2018 03:16 PM
Thanks to eBay's new streamlined return policy making fraud as easy as clicking a button, I'm done with returns because buyers changed their mind or decided they didn't need the item they purchased.
I've been selling used auto parts for Land Rovers for years on eBay, starting way back in the spring of 1999. I've been a top rated seller since the program was started. My feedback hasn't ever been below 99.6 (typically it's between 99.8 and 100%) with almost 20,000 transactions under my belt. But, sadly, I have been plagued lately with buyers who have fraudulently returned items. To put it bluntly, they've taken the parts I shipped them, installed those working parts, opened up a return request (ranging from "changed my mind" to "defective") and sent back their broken parts. Sometimes, they don't even bother to safely package the parts!
One example that is particularly egregious was an item that had been painted with an identifying mark before it was shipped in an effort to insure that, should there be a return, I would be able to confirm that the part was, in fact mine. The buyer claimed the part was defective and sent it back. The part did not have the paint marking that had been put on it before I shipped it. Essentially, the buyer installed my part and returned their broken part for a full refund included shipping both ways.
Another was where the buyer purchased a part, the kind of part that, if it's broken, your vehicle is not running. They got the part and within a few days opened a request for a return because they had "changed their mind." I find it curious, if your truck isn't running and you order a part to fix it, why, after receiving the part would you suddenly "change your mind." Well, I test all the electrical parts I ship out right before I put them in the box. This particular part was a solenoid so it was really easy to test with 12 volts.
On Monday I got back a box that had a part banging around in it like a child's rattle. It was the part the buyer had changed their mind over. No packing, no protection, even the box was closed using silver duct tape! Are you at all surprised that the part didn't have my usual enamel marking on it. Would you be surprised to learn the part failed the simple 12 volt test. Would it be reasonable to suspect that the buyer took my working part, installed it on his vehicle, got it running and used it to bring his broken part in the box with no packing to the post office to return for a full refund?
The third return involved another electrical part that is essential for a vehicle to run. The buyer bought it and before he even received it requested a return claiming they "no longer needed it." The part was a genuine Bosch part with Bosch markings all over it. What did I get back in the return? It was a cheap knock off from China with no markings on it at all. I'd never even seen one so poorly made before. Do you think the buyer might have thought he was saving a ton of money by purchasing a cheap Chinese part (probably for less than the cost of shipping my genuine Bosch part) only to find that those parts have a high failure rate. So, to solve his problem he bought the genuine part from me, installed it, got his vehicle running and drove it to the post office where he mailed off the Chinese knock off for a full refund.
In just three transactions I've lost my Top Rated Seller Discount for two months. Does eBay care? Of course they don't. They would rather believe a buyer who's been on the site for six months with a dozen feedbacks (all positive because a seller can't even hint at malfeasace when leaving feedback) than a seller for 19 years with almost 20,000 positive feedback ratings.
The treatment sellers receive on this site gets more and more insulting every day. So from here on out, no more easy returns for this seller. I'm done being the welcome mat for every perpetrator of fraud eBay seems to court on their "platform."
08-13-2019 12:58 PM
After 20 years I quit selling on eBay today. Very frustrating. I received a return item yesterday, eBay automatically refunded buyer from my PayPal account. I opened the return and parts were missing. The return electronic game device is useless without the missing parts. I contacted eBay resolution and the supervisor told me that this is the cost of doing business on eBay. No recourse for me, his decision was final. I asked about 20 years of no bad feedback and positive seller issues without any negatives. He told me that feedback and positive seller issues don't really matter. Bottom line, eBay is for buyers only. Sellers, think about how much you are willing to lose when you sell on eBay. Marking a listing As-Is with no returns is futile. eBay will always take the buyers side as they did to me.
08-14-2019 09:16 AM
some people don't understand what used condition means they expect something that's brand new and if it's not they want to return it. If the stuff was in brand new condition I would be charging more , not less . Really people can be stupid . The Refund system on ebay is messed up . I said yes to refunding they were supposed to hold it for 5 days then charge . NOPE they charged me next day and it caused my bank to fine with a NSF penalty I will in the end up paying 50 dollars for a 10 dollar refund. Whats with the holds on payment it sure screws up sending out stuff on time. I heard ebay stock is falling beginning to see why.The system is screwed up
08-14-2019 09:24 AM
Don't know why they even have a no return choice . They still almost twist your arm to make a refund. If you don't refund it will affect your rating or some other **bleep**. I'm out there looking for other places to sell my stuff online. EBAY is bad bad bad
11-07-2019 08:19 AM
11-27-2019 09:54 PM - edited 11-27-2019 09:58 PM
That’s the problem with EBay. There are crooked buyers and sellers.
They are using EBay as a means of scamming good, honest people just like scammers use the telephones to scam people and say they owe back debts.
Right now I have a new Samsung Galaxy S10 that I would like to sell on EBay but no way!!!
01-31-2020 02:16 PM
I used to sell a lot on eBay but I stooped using it, but last August I decided to sell item on eBay, it was sold, I got my money thru PayPal, I shipped the item it was delivered 2 days. All the sudden in December I got email from PayPal that buyer has opened case in PayPal and stated that they did not authorize this purchase. Since it been over 90 Days eBay does not provide contact detail for buyers and also when you track with tracking # on USPS it does not show that status anymore. So Buyers bank decided in favor of Buyer so PayPal deducted money from my account.
So I lost my item and on top of that PayPal charged me $20 fee for charge back. How can I recover this money?
01-31-2020 02:19 PM
This is an old thread; but funny how the seller still takes returns.
05-22-2020 07:24 PM
yes i dont like selling on ebay ! i just sell on marketplace facebook cos now i hear so many people buying on ebay and demanding a return when the product is good and they dont have to return it if seller doesnt pay for return or like u said will return a junk product so i wouldnt really do ebay unless i really had to !!!!
05-22-2020 08:07 PM
but then is it really worth it ? to sell on ebay ? sounds like awhole bucket of worms really !for the seller !
05-22-2020 10:10 PM
The title should now read "After 21 years of selling..."
05-23-2020 08:29 PM