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Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

esell-resell
Thrill-Seeker

Has this happenned to anyone else?



I sold a Computer Server to a buyer on Ebay, this guy phoned me, we discussed everything about the server and shipping. Now this guy was cheap I could tell just by him whinning about how much the shipping would be and how long it would take.



So me being a nice person and I know what it is like to have to wait and wait for my package, I told him to send me $90 and I would express ship it out to him and he would have it in 3 - 4 days. He agreed and sent me the extra $90 plus I gave him a deal on the server $169.99 , when I could have easily got $200. The server weighs 70lbs and is 26"longX19"highX9"wide and has to be shipped in it's proper sitting place so I had to label it with THIS SIDE UP stickers and also HEAVY stickers (70lbs) and alot of FRAGILE AND HANDLE WITH CARE stickers. It cost me $280.00 to ship it to him (no lie I have the receipt from UPS on my account) and only charged him $90. When I packaged the server I did it at the UPS office that I go to all the time and the UPS agent helped me actually. I wrapped it in packing cardboard and used a bubble packing envelope for extra cushion on the back of the tower server so that none of the conections would be broken. It was then triple wrapped with cardboard boxes customly made top fit tight around the server and several layers of red Tuck Tape were used to seal it all up.



The buyer received it I believe 6 days later because some of the paperwork for the border ( Canada to USA) were not proper so it took a few more days. When his even NORMAL shipping, like the cheapest from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada to New York USA would have been $133.00 and would have taken 2 - 3 weeks to get there. Remember he only paid $90?



Anyway 3 days after he received the server he sends me a message that it was damaged during shipping because it was not packaged properly and he wants all his money back and also the shipping money. In my listing I had listed no returns or exchanges. I want all of you to know that I have sold many of these units and I always, ALWAYS run a system check on them before shipping them out and I have never had a problem. So I replied to him that I most certainly did package it properly and I asked him to send me pictures please and I also asked him why he would accept a package that was damaged. He would not respond or nor did he send any pictures.



Yesterday I received a buyer complaint thing from Ebay and Paypal puts a $179.99 hold on my account. I responded to the complaint and explained everything in detail and informed the buyer that I would be contacting Ebay and UPS this morning.



This morning I woke up a little later than usual 11am and noticed that the buyer had already escalated the complaint with Ebay at 6am. I immediately phoned Ebay and spoke to someone in the Ebay Buyer Protection department and I explained everything to the rep and also that I packed it in front of the UPS agent who helped me and that the buyer would not send me any pictures, and I expressed to the rep that I think what the buyer did was buy a different server locally because I noticed on his account that a few days after he bought my server, he was buying Tape drives for a completely different server, and after speaking with him on the phone he had said that he was in need of a server badly because they did not have one.



So here is what the Ebay rep did during the phone call I had with him. He ruled in the buyers favor and now the buyer can take 7 - 14 days to ship it to me and he can send it anyway he wants, so I will be waiting for 4- 6 weeks at the very least to get back a BROKEN server that has now cost me 280.00$ in shipping and is probably now worth nothing because here is what I believe happenned the buyer found a server locally and then read the buyer protection policy and then damaged the server ON PURPOSE then filed the claim. I know I cannot prove it 100% but I know that is what happenned.



So now I am out over $550.00 and apparently there is nothing I can do about it. I am sooo tired of getting ripped off on Ebay by buyers that LIE and Ebay rules in there favor all the time. I have 2 kids and this is christmas time and this extra money is for gifts for them, I am so UPSET right now with Ebay that I am about ready to quit selling on here completely.



I go out of my way to ENSURE that items are packed EXTRA well so that damage does not happen, and now I get ripped off by some goon that uses the policy to get away with it.




BEWARE SELLERS this can happen to you.



I think Ebay needs to wake up and change some of this NON-SENSE policy loop holes that these scammers use to scam you out of money. Oh and get this that buyer can now leave me NEGATIVE feedback but I cannot do the same to him, I can either leave positive or no feedback!



UNBELIEVABLE!!!!



Has anyone else had this happen to them?

Message 1 of 613
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612 REPLIES 612

Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

This is becoming a trend in the forums.  Sellers go out of their way to send goods to Canada and even cut their own profits to please the buyer.  The buyer turns out to be a con artist and ebay find in their favor every time.



I just had a Canadian buy a control4 table top controller from me.  5 weeks later he claims it doesn't work and demands a replacement immediately.  I told him it was out of my guarantee period, but he just opened a case and of course ebay found in his favor...what's the point of having a guarantee period.  The Canadian Con Artist didn't send back the $600 controller, he sent back a useless laptop charger and thought he could get away with it.  I contacted ebay and agreed that this was international mail fraud.  That was 2 weeks ago and I still haven't got my money back.  Moreover, the Canadian Con Artist is still happily buying stuff on ebay.



$600 tied up for 6 weeks, just becuase a Canadian Con Artist decided he wanted to try and rip me off!  What do ebay do about it?  NOTHING.  The Canadian Con Artist is still free to try and con others and I am still short $600.



If I treated customers the way that ebay treats it's sellers my business would be shut down in weeks because of negative feedback.  It's time for ebay to realize that it's the seller's that pay their sallary and not the buyers.



Me, I'm currently building a website and am going to start advertizing in the paper and on craigslist.  I'm not paying any more fees to a company that treats me like dirt.

Message 2 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

esell-resell
Thrill-Seeker

Thank God I am not the only one this has happenned to. I am going to fight this hard, this has taken $500.00 out of my christmas spending money and I have 2 kids. I am not accepting Ebay's decision on this and I will continue to call, write and proceed legally if I need to, to have this matter corrected. I did a buyer a favor and went way out of my way for them and now I am the one paying for it! Not this time, I have had to reimburse 2 customers a long long time ago, 1. I had a death in my wife's family 2. my e-mail acct had been hacked while I was out of town as well and my brother in law had dial up internet. So their money was refunded and I actually sent the one customer the item for good measure because I felt bad and I still received negative feedback! This is almost sickening to write and think about. Ebay better WAKE UP and show some respect for their sellers or soon they may find themselves OUT OF BUSINESS. If anyone else has had the same experience please tell me about it. I am going to do something about this, We legitimate sellers have been disrespected enough and not to mention charged enough for these meger services by Ebay.

Message 3 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

I feel for you. The same happened to me. I sold a few items for christmas presents, buyer said it was not described correctly, let me tell you it was written in black and white what they were getting and they still won the case. UNBELIEVABLE. Paypal froze my account, buyer has a 300.00 NEW phone and paypal has 350.00 of my money. Thats not all, the buyer is suppose to send back the item to me, well they put down a shipping reference (like its been shipped) and it has been 4 days ago, they live in Illinois, I in Michigan. I email the buyer, "where is my phone, and reason why I have not recieved yet?" there answer by email to me, quote: "have ebay contacted you? i ask them if i can buy another one and ship back you. i don't have the original one anymore." Hello, are you kidding.........this is unexceptable! What in the world is ebay thinking???? I don't know but if this thing does not close soon with me getting my money back, I am thinking of a class action suit. Enough is Enough, we need to fight back. We all work hard for our money, now mind you I know there are sellers who are not on the up and up. But you cannot link us all together in one group. and one rule should not go for everyone.  Punish wrong doing, whether it is the buyer or seller. Just do the right thing ebay thats all we ask!


I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I am all done selling on ebay. I will not risk more sleepless nights and a empty wallet. Done!

Message 4 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

NO SUGAR COATING GIVEN HERE



Damaged in shipping seems to be the problem here. Duh!!!



Buy insurance and have USPS to be responsible for the item.



And to pay extra for shipping as a favor makes even less sense.



If you are blaming someone other than yourself, get out of the selling business.

Message 5 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

Dear Sir , I read your entire story and i must say that you are not alone......I have not experienced such a case like yours as i sell collectables.....Many collectors in the world can upgrade their collection and swap things over and then return their lower graded items. Due to the ebay policy saying the buyer is always right and can leave negative feedback at any time they wish , for any reason at all, They keep the sellers good items and send back inferior items and not only that, report us to ebay.We sellers have to protect each others backsides and that is why this message is being sent to you from me as i agree with you. I pack up my items with cardboard and pay the extra for non machinable mail...If i send goods in a box, it is wrapped up with bubble wrap and the box is then filled with foam peanuts. if i send an envelope, then i place tape over the flap on the reverse and then sign over the lot. I also scan that for reference and send it to the buyer to show what they should expec in the mail.One thing i do is when i despatch the items to customers, i take a scan of the package and any relative information like customs forms , etc in case i have to need it to send to bay for verification it was sent. naturally the postmark wont be there as once it is pmkd, it is not allowed to leave the post office until it gets to its destination being their property....All numbers and relative information are stated in the message via the ebay system so it all on ebays files for them to refer to if need be. As pics cannot be sent via ebay message system, i save to pic of the package to photobucket and include the URL or link so all can view. If the bidders choose a form of mail that does not need a signature, This method i use is a must to cover our backsides. In all the time i have dealt in ebay, i have found in general across the globe, Australians to be the worst to deal with. I would say i could count the people that made me go to this length on one hand and has now ruined it for all....i keep all pics and emails for 7 years like legal papers or documents and i suggest you do the same. A banknote cannot be switched due to the serial number and that unique number is mentioned in the description. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about stamps, covers , coins etc....Ever since the ebay system was alterd by sellers unable to leave neg feedback, bidders have now used it to their advantage and in general have abused it. Not onky that but what about if a package is sent and the buyer does not leave feedback???? We dont know if it got there or not so we are forced to keep all information in our email accounts for 90 days after the auctions closeure......One thing i like to place in the customers feedback is the unique paypal reference number of the sale. That way it is easy for ebay to call it up. Many people that say they only want normal mail, are very much troublemakers and i would be very weary of them. I must say that you also maybe partly to blame as a server like yours weighing such a huge amount should not have been shipped the way it was....You never know how the people in the shipping companies handled your item. You may have had a person that was new to the job and did not bend their knees when lifting the package up.....I woud put pick up only ....DEFINATELY NO SHIPPING AS TOO FRAGILE & IF SHIPPED, BIDDER CLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE AS WE CANNOT CONTROL ON HOW THE ITEM IS TREATED BY ANY SHIPPING COMPANY.....You can go into ebay and ask them if you can place that in the auction and then you will know what track you are on.  Please note if you get messages about shipping and you consider people to be too cheap & stingy ( as you say ), i suggest you block them from bidding as it may be future trouble. That is just a thought and not necessarilly what you have to do. If you want to know how to block someone...here are the steps:


1. Open up your ebay page - 2. Scroll to very bottom and click on the words, site map - 3. Under the header of selling activities, click on the block bidder/ buyer list.....4. Then copy and paste their username to the spot and update it...That person can then see your items but if they try to bid, they will get a message saying unable to place a bid. I say you put it to practise on all people you have / had trouble with and the only way they can possibly bid on your goods again will be for them to buy a complete new computer system so the ISP is different ( or motherboard number )....Should you dont want to do all this, then i guess you will have to put up with these crazy people. I have a huge list close to 300 bidders and once they get in, they dont come off. I cant place the list in here as it is breeching the privacy act. I was told about the blocked list by another seller almost 8 years ago just the same way and i am now passing on the message to you. It is not against ebay rules to tell you about it as it is on their site to be used....Any other questions, dont be afraid to ask me...OIO.

Message 6 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

esell-resell
Thrill-Seeker

Are you even readibg what you wrote ?? You want sellers to pay for the insurance on items???? Ok pal you do that, obviously you have yet to be scammed for a good amount of money yet or maybe you are one of THEM.



There was no damage during shipping DUH! because the package was packed in such a way that it would have been VERY VERY difficult to do it. IT IS A 70Lbs SERVER IN A METAL CASE wrapped in 3 LAYERS OF CARDBOARD PLUS A CUSHION PACKING CARDBOARD ON THE INTERIOR. not to mention all of the cautionary stickers placed upon it!



Please think about what your saying. UPS is not a bunch of barbarians especially with a 70lbs package.

Message 7 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

The facts are that you can purchase insurance and that would not stop buyers from putting in a Paypal Claim and winning.  You then get to wait for insurance to decide if they are going to pay out. 


 


I have been selling on Ebay for 11 years and I have to say that things have changed alot!  They are not seller friendly anymore.  They used to stay out of transactions period!  If there was a dispute you would pay square trade to be a mediator and decide how to solve the problem. 


 


 I realize there are a few bad sellers out there that have caused Ebay and Paypal to think they have micro manage everything but I think most sellers are good and fair.  I have started listing my items on other sites like Ebid, Etsy and looking at Bonanza and opening a Highwire store.  I am not happy with Ebay charging me fee's on my shipping either.  I do not need them to tell me how to sell my stuff.  I would accept suggestions from experts but I feel like I am being manipulated and forced to do things their way. 


 


Best of Luck to you.

Message 8 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

wow,i'm new to ebay and sold my first item,and now i got a problem just like on here,im awaiting a decision to be made by ebay,so now i know my out come,ebay favors  buyers, i.m so sorry for your lost on here,i understsnd. the problem im having is this woman is giving me negative feed back just because i rated her negative over sending me 6 used items(,lotion) so i got a refund back on her request and i posted positive feedback,but in the process before all this happen she purchase 2 items from me,and never paid for one, and now the  one item she bought she paid and i mail it to her,wrap good,and padded envelope, just like the used items she sent me,so now she put a hold on my funds and says the item was smashed,and not the item that i had posted, which was in deed the item i posted,and went into detail  futher to give me advise on using boxes for all my sales,pot calling the kettle black, so i told her to practice what she preaches. i never though i would encounter this problem on my first sale,and it all because i rated her negative,which now i wish i never change my ratings of her and left it,alone,after all now that i had time to see her profile she has a lot of negative ratings,i have bought several items on here,and got good feedback,but she has created  my first encounter of selling on ebay,and now out of 2 items she bought,she refused to pay. i hope every one on here has good holidays, and im sorry for all your lost.

Message 9 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

all this info is right on here about ebay favors a buyer,because i got my ruling today and i  am very diisappointed,because this buyer was a pain in the neck,but i will be glad to get this over with and good riddens as one says,hopefully my next buyer will not be so rude.

Message 10 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

all this info is right on here about ebay favors a buyer,because i got my ruling today and i  am very diisappointed,because this buyer was a pain in the neck,but i will be glad to get this over with and good riddens as one says,hopefully my next buyer will not be so rude.

Message 11 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

esell-resell
Thrill-Seeker

Well this has completely ruined my christmas, because of this hold on my funds and Ebay deciding in the buyers favor OF COURSE! I am now out over $500 because my bank nsf'ed 2 of the payments that would have gone through if EBAY did not have the power it does over my paypal funds.



I am so upset and I don't know how I am going to pull off the rest of the gifts for my kids. I just don't understand this, I jumped through every hoop , I shipped a 70lbs item from wpg,MB,Canada to NY in 8 days for $90 for the guy and it cost me $280.00 and now I am out everything. I don't know what to do now.. I am so mad .... I am sorry to whine to you all but I feel so taken that it has ruined my kids christmas and I feel like an idiot. Sorry all best of luck to you all in the future and be careful because obviously you can't trust anyone.



happy holidays

Message 12 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

esell-resell
Thrill-Seeker

Oh and one last thing HE GETS TO LEAVE ME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK! HOW IS THAT RIGHT???



and even though I proved to ebay that he is a scammer they don't care and paypal says it is out of their hands , we trust our hard earned money to them and they let every tom dick and harry take whatever they want whenever they want.



How is what Ebay and Paypal doing legal?? Please explain this to me??



If I did anything like this I would be locked up for 5 years but these guys are ripping off millions a day...




so much for my christmas THANKS EBAY PROTECTION!

Message 13 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

I just had what I believe was a "shill" buyer. They bid buy it now price then refused to pay and wont answer my e-mail... all the while the exact same item came online after the purchase and was offered for bid.. I believe he set the price by paying buy it now at $309.00 then auctioned the same item.. he took a bath and only got $74.00. Seemed coincedental to me .

Message 14 of 613
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Re: Ripped off by yet another buyer! Ebay's Buyer Wins no matter what policy.

deux-moi
Enthusiast

We all need to band together and forget ebay...ebay always forgets the sellers and we are always at fault.  Never the buyer...we do it wrong from the 1st...yet they can change the rules, listings, cancel and we are always at fault.  Honest..I am sick of ebay...and will start listing at amazon.com 
Amazon makes it easy..1 click you purchase and item is shipped.  I stopped selling internationa just because of the liars out there stating they never receive the item and I have lost via Ebay over 1k with buyers who swear they never received the item.  I feel for you...

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