eBay

keyboardkountry · ‎04-25-2019

There is an ebay seller offering an item for $5.50 with free FedEx overnight shipping. I couldn't believe it so I bought one just to find out and sure enough I received the item FedEx Priority Overnight. I checked the cost for that from his location and it is $95.00. Even if he is a FedEx employee and gets his 40% employee discount he would be loosing $50.00 on every item he sells and he's sold over 50 of them. There is obviously something very fishy going on and as an ebay seller that sells a similar item how could I possibly compete?

no_zero369 · ‎04-25-2019

@keyboardkountry wrote:
There is an ebay seller offering an item for $5.50 with free FedEx overnight shipping. I couldn't believe it so I bought one just to find out and sure enough I received the item FedEx Priority Overnight. I checked the cost for that from his location and it is $95.00. Even if he is a FedEx employee and gets his 40% employee discount he would be loosing $50.00 on every item he sells and he's sold over 50 of them. There is obviously something very fishy going on and as an ebay seller that sells a similar item how could I possibly compete?

eh, rather than see a scam, it could be a clueless seller, newbie or someone hacked their account and is collecting money and never will ship.

I guess one has their White Knight suit on today as I would just walk away from such a listing and not be bothered. But hey, use that suit to its fullest.

You are protected under the MBG. If item is never shipped or doesn't arrive by the last estimated delivery date (EDD) you CAN file an "item not received" (INR) case. If it doesn't come by the EDD you can also file a SNAD case. In either situation, you'll get a full refund and seller will get a defect.

I suspect that in a few weeks the seller will be NRU. Then again, perhaps one has found someone with extreme altruism and is giving away their fortune, one FedEx Shipment at a time?

Good luck - let us know how it plays out.

nmemoryof · ‎04-25-2019

I don't know how he could remain clueless for long. I'll place a bet in this contest. I bet he is using someone else's number to ship with....his place of employment or something. But it is not a scam exactly. One way or another, it will inevitably cause him problems, and soon.

tracdea1 · ‎04-25-2019

The problem with this scenario is that you purchased from a listing that you found to be suspicious.

Who has the time and money to waste on ebay seller listings that one might find unbelievable?

no_zero369 · ‎04-25-2019

@keyboardkountry wrote:
There is an ebay seller offering an item for $5.50 with free FedEx overnight shipping. I couldn't believe it so I bought one just to find out and sure enough I received the item FedEx Priority Overnight. I checked the cost for that from his location and it is $95.00. Even if he is a FedEx employee and gets his 40% employee discount he would be loosing $50.00 on every item he sells and he's sold over 50 of them. There is obviously something very fishy going on and as an ebay seller that sells a similar item how could I possibly compete?

Some thing I just thought about in addition....shipping costs....

Now this is may not be entirely relevant to the point being made as $5.50 and free shipping don't seem compatible unless one is shipping USPS 1st Class with stamps. But, fwiw....

There is no "one price fits all" shipping cost! USPS has various rates (commercial and commercial plus) as do UPS and FedEx. Then there are any number of regional services available too. Plus, if one is a larger shipper they can negotiate much lower shipping charges with the carriers. So to assume it costs $95 from point A to B is to assume retail rates are in effect. Who knows how high the discounts might go with UPS and FedEx? {but down to 5.50? er, no!}

Then again, perhaps a seller has decided that they want to achieve TRS level or something like that and is selling at a HUGE discount in order to get to that level? I have seen new sellers "give away" items for less than cost plus shipping in order to get feedback, remove selling restrictions, etc. I guess one could choose to "spend" their money that way and chalk it up as a business expense for start-up or something?

If the seller is new, I suspect human error in the listing process: clicked on FedEx O/N when they meant FedEx-SmartPost or something else. hey, if they did that then they are going to miss delivery dates and get hit with INRs or SNADs or ar least account dings for late delivery...all of which could lead to NRU if this happens with 50+ sales!

all fwiw

jeannicho22 · ‎04-25-2019

I see someone who is gaming the system somehow. Either the seller is using his/her employer's FedEx account, or you will be getting a bill in the mail..... YES, I've heard of this happening.

1786davycrockett · ‎04-25-2019

Not only is it a possibility that the seller may be illicitly using someone else's FedEx account, but there is also a possibility that these $95.00 items may be stolen from a warehouse. (And what are they, anyway?)

Are there any individualized code numbers on the item OP has received? There may be a police report floating around, to "be on the lookout for X quantities of such-and-such, reportedly stolen from the Acme Warehouse in Somewhere, Some State."

It wouldn't be the first time.

pburn · ‎04-25-2019

@no_zero369 wrote:
@keyboardkountry wrote:
There is an ebay seller offering an item for $5.50 with free FedEx overnight shipping. I couldn't believe it so I bought one just to find out and sure enough I received the item FedEx Priority Overnight. I checked the cost for that from his location and it is $95.00. Even if he is a FedEx employee and gets his 40% employee discount he would be loosing $50.00 on every item he sells and he's sold over 50 of them. There is obviously something very fishy going on and as an ebay seller that sells a similar item how could I possibly compete?
eh, rather than see a scam, it could be a clueless seller, newbie or someone hacked their account and is collecting money and never will ship.

If item is never shipped or doesn't arrive by the last estimated delivery date (EDD) you CAN file an "item not received" (INR) case. If it doesn't come by the EDD you can also file a SNAD case. In either situation, you'll get a full refund and seller will get a defect.

From the original post:

" . . . and sure enough I received the item FedEx Priority Overnight."

muttlymob · ‎04-25-2019

Maybe he's using someone else's (as already mentioned, maybe his employer's) FedEx account.

Maybe he's using stolen credit cards.

Maybe he is really, really stupid and doesn't understand the concept of selling something for $5.50 total then paying $95 for shipping. Can't you just hear this: "HEY! I just sold 50 widgets for $5.50 each! That's $275! Woohoo!!!!"

reda3615 · ‎04-25-2019

I bought 2 sealed packs each of 6x9 and 9x12 envelopes for $1 and $2 each with free shipping from a US seller on eBay because those were the lowest prices.

Turns out it's an administrative assistant selling their office supplies, and shipping with a FedEx account that's registered to an international corporation.