Another ebay rant--UPDATE post 21 (pg. 2)

[dis ms.]

On Aug. 24th, I won and paid for an item on ebay. I e-mailed the seller asking if I would receive the item by Sept. 3rd (I was prepared to pay for express shipping if necessary). The seller assured me that the item would arrive by that date.

Sooooo, of course, I still haven't received it. I contacted the seller today and she replied that she has been dealing with a flooded basement for a week and a half. She stated that all her ebay items were in her basement (off of the floor) and that she hadn't been able to get to them. She also said she had a terrible time finding a box for the large item I purchased. Therefore, she hasn't even shipped the item.

Here's the part that kills me: I did an ebay search on her and I see that she has been able to list (and bid on) items almost daily. Don't you think she could've e-mailed me about the delay during one of her many sessions on the computer since then? And, how was she able to take pics for her new listings when she claimed to be unable to get to her ebay stuff?

Also, if I'm going to list a large item on ebay, I first make sure I have an appropriate box. Searching for a box after the purchase just slows things down, IMHO.

Anyway, I replied that while I sympathize with her basement situation, I am very disappointed that she didn't at least notify me of the delay (especially since she knew I needed the item by a certain date). I let her know that I noticed she has been able to list items for sale, so it seems that she had the opportunity to contact me. I suggested that she should upgrade the shipping to expedite delivery since she failed to let me know about the delay. I'm waiting to hear back from her.

Just had to vent...There, I feel better now.

 

[disneysnowflake]

I feel for you.

You know, when I get ready to list something I always make sure I have a box first. If she had no box then she shouldn't have listed it. That's unfair to do that, especially since she probably had a due date for payment to be received.

I'm wondering if your seller is the same seller I used. I purchased my son's bday gift for Oct. early from a seller on Aug 25.
I received my item though.
The toy was not put in a shipping box.. The seller just put mounds and mounds of packing tape around the original box, slapped on a label and sent it out.
The mailman rang the doorbell. My son answered the door and was handed his bday gift. You could clearly see it through the mounds of clear tape.

I emailed the seller. She apologized mentioning her lack of finding a box.

 

[ceecee]

I would never list something I didn't have a box for. I have made boxes for large items before so there really isn't any excuse. I would not be happy to receive an item without a box.
I would have sympathy for the flooded basement too, but if she had the time to list more (and if that sells not be able to ship??) and buy things I would be very less sympathetic!!! In any case knowing you needed it by a certain date she should have had it ready to send before she said yes and you bought it OR at least emailed you and told you about the situation. How was her feedback?

 

[disneymom3]

I'm wondering if your seller is the same seller I used. I purchased my son's bday gift for Oct. early from a seller on Aug 25.
I received my item though.
The toy was not put in a shipping box.. The seller just put mounds and mounds of packing tape around the original box, slapped on a label and sent it out.
The mailman rang the doorbell. My son answered the door and was handed his bday gift. You could clearly see it through the mounds of clear tape.

I emailed the seller. She apologized mentioning her lack of finding a box.

You know, I have sold a lot of toys on ebay in the last few years around the holidays and I always think about this issue!! Hello? Do we have a single clue here? Let's see, a new toy in a box.....maybe, just maybe, it might be a gift. And box, schmox! I sold some tricycles a couple of years ago--no way could I find a box and they had been originally shipped in the boxes they were in--I cut up grocery bags and covered the box with them. One mom mentioned that it was her little boy's Santa gift. Can you imagine if the mail carier had brought that? I think there is a lack of consideration on ebay oftentimes. There are some really good people obviously, but it seems like more and more of the bad ones are coming out.

 

[Chris]

UGh, that would annoy me! If I sell something and get paid on Tuesday, I 99.99% of the time, mail it on Wednesday. The only time I haven't was when I could NOT get to the PO until Thursday and even then I emailed the buyer and told him it would be mailed Thursday.

She is offering terrible service. What is her feedback like?

 

[dis ms.]

She has 100% positive feedback and has been a member for 2 years. She just might get her first negative from me!

What's frustrating is that you can give someone much deserved negative feedback and they can get revenge by leaving you a negative, even though you have held up your end of the bargain. I think ebay's feedback system could stand to be improved.

BTW, she still hasn't responded to my request for upgraded shipping. I will not be too happy if the item doesn't arrive by this weekend.

Thanks everyone for listening to my sad, sad tale!

I'll be sure to update this (if I ever get the darn thing!)

 

[lbgraves]

When I sold a few large items I did note in the item description that the item would be shipped in the original box due to the size of the box.

 

[staceyfe]

I'm having ebay problems too, lately. I purchased one item on Aug 14 and STILL haven't received it. The seller claims the company he uses sent it to the wrong addy and I should receive it today. Guess What? It didn't come. Another item I purchased Aug 23 and haven't received. The seller won't respond to emails or phone calls, so I put in a complaint w/ paypal. Unfortuntely, if I would have checked her feedback from 1-6 months ago, I would have seen this is a problem with this seller. I only looked at first page feedback. And yes, she too retaliates a negative with a negative. I feel like my hands are tied. I'm out for 2 items, neither of which I have and don't know if i will ever get.

I'm may have to rethink using ebay again.

 

[kilee]

Since it's been about 2 weeks I'd start to get mad. Thats about what I'll give someone to send an item. I know it's easy to get backed up- so I think 2 weeks to have it in my hands is fair. I admire people that can do day after the auction ends shipping. I'm usually about 4-5 days out after the auctions. I put clearly in my auctions though to allow 5-10 days for delivery. I would consider filing a complaint w/ paypal since it's been this long already.

 

[OnTheDanforth]

I'm with you all on this one as well ..

I ordered something way back in July, it was shipped out beginning of August, but never received. Now the seller wont respond to my inquiries as to how we can come to some sort of agreement on compensation.

I am about ready to go through PayPal as well for their "guarantee" .. I just hope it works to my advantage. I dont' want to risk my good rating for something that isn't my fault.

 

[staceyfe]

I'm with you all on this one as well ..

I ordered something way back in July, it was shipped out beginning of August, but never received. Now the seller wont respond to my inquiries as to how we can come to some sort of agreement on compensation.

I am about ready to go through PayPal as well for their "guarantee" .. I just hope it works to my advantage. I dont' want to risk my good rating for something that isn't my fault.

I think you only have 45 days from the transaction date to file a paypal complaint.

Does anyone know if I can get a "chargeback" if I used a debit card (it has the mastercard logo on it)? I've learned the hard way that never again will I pay and not use my visa. I had to do a chargeback last year and all it took was one phone call to the cc company and my money was instantly credited (Chase Visa).

 

[jgates]

you should be able to file a dispute on your checkcard as long as it is displaying a MC or Visa logo, just as you would a credit card.

My problem is from the other perspective. I sent out 8 make-up items last week. One emailed middle of the nite last nite & said lipstick arrived smashed & she was disappointed that since I had charged $3 shipping it was packed so poorly & only cost .73 to ship. It was wrapped completely in bubble wrap and then put in a padded bubble mailer. Each end had packing (usually use crumpled walmart type bags in each end which I have actually received compliments on because they cushion so well when crumpled). So in order for this thing to shatter, her postman must have smashed it with his size 14 boot!!! It was packed very carefully. I sent a reply & decided to be nice about it (even tho no optional insurance was purchased) and offered 1. replacement (but it would be about 2 weeks for that since i have more kits on order) 2. refund or 3. i have one that has been used twice and if she was desperate I would send her that one & she could slice the end off from it (i know - it sounds horribly gross but who knows?!!!) She did offer to return it so I could see that it was smashed, but I am being totally trusting since she has very good feedback as a buyer. I haven't heard back from her yet. I did also explain that the $3 shipping included postage, printing of labels, bubble mailers (which I can't afford to buy 1000 at at time of so they aren't cheap), time and gas (UGH!). So hopefully she will understand where the shipping cost comes from. She was very nice in her manner of asking so I did try to be very nice in my reply and my options for her to choose from. I guess the thing that just burns me totally is that it is obvious this was a carefully packaged item - so did the PO throw it on the floor and jump on it just for kicks? (My apologies to any PO employees!!!). Sorry guys - I just needed to vent for a while since I am now out an additional lipstick that I will get no income from or the money being refunded on this one even though she didn't purchase insurance. Course I wouldn't have bought insurance on something that cheap either!!!

t.y. for letting me rant.........

 

[ericamanda01]

I know just how you feel. I won an auction and after two weeks of no communication I left a negitive feedback. They seller came back and said that he was too sick to type let alone ship out the pin. Well the dates he listed for his illness were about a week after I won. And he too was listing items when he was "too sick to type". I got the pin a month after paying for it, and they guy is no longer a seller because of his poor habits. I guess it was a pattern of his with other sellers as well.

 

[dis ms.]

I know just how you feel. I won an auction and after two weeks of no communication I left a negitive feedback. They seller came back and said that he was too sick to type let alone ship out the pin. Well the dates he listed for his illness were about a week after I won. And he too was listing items when he was "too sick to type". I got the pin a month after paying for it, and they guy is no longer a seller because of his poor habits. I guess it was a pattern of his with other sellers as well.

It just amazes me that some sellers give you these sob stories about being ill, or out of town or (in my case) a flooded basement, but they're able to create new listings at the same time. Don't they think we'll notice?

UPDATE: The seller left me positive feedback yesterday. She never did respond to my request for upgraded shipping, so I don't know how the item was shipped. I paid a lot for shipping, so I may ask her for a partial refund. At this point, that's about the only thing she can do to keep from getting negative feedback from me.

 

[LakeAriel]

When I sell items on Ebay the photo is downloaded to my computer. If I have more then one item I can go to any computer to list and add that picture. I don't know if this happened but if she has 100% positive feedback she is probably authentic. (assuming her positive feedback is more then a few itmes)

 

[Disneyrsh]

I'd at least give her a neutral feedback and list specifically what went wrong. I always read the feedbacks before I buy on ebay. Also, look at what percentage of people overall gave her feedback.

And my thing on selling on ebay is if there's any chance of something breaking, like makeup, I REQUIRE insurance. Because Murphy's law says it will break otherwise.

Definitely don't let her get away with such poor business practices.

 

[dis ms.]

When I sell items on Ebay the photo is downloaded to my computer. If I have more then one item I can go to any computer to list and add that picture. I don't know if this happened but if she has 100% positive feedback she is probably authentic. (assuming her positive feedback is more then a few itmes)

I thought about that, too. She could have had her pics preloaded on her computer. HOWEVER, that does not explain how she was able to list new items, but couldn't contact me to let me know she hadn't even mailed the item yet. I mean, she knew I needed it by a certain date, but didn't have the courtesy to tell me it would be delayed. I'm sorry, but I can't think of a valid excuse for that. She obviously had access to ebay during this time, so she could've contacted me.

As far as 100% feedback, I have that as well. I also work very hard to keep it that way. In this case, she dropped the ball big time, IMHO.

 

[LakeAriel]

You're right, she could have send you a message!

 

[jeepgirl30]

I'm not sure what is going on with ebay but lately i've been running into a lot of negatives.

I purchased an item from a seller that had two negative feedbacks but a ton of positive. The negatives both had responses with what seemed like decent reasons. I won and waited and waited for my package. I got several messages from the seller saying he was out of town for a sick friend (excuse he used for the previous negatives) and on and on. Another email saying the package was shipped with a fake tracking code! Finally after 1 1/2 mths the package came. In the meantime i attempted to leave neutral feedback but was not able as he was now no longer registered and between my auction and me realizing i could get screwed he received a bunch of negatives.

Last month same thing. Won an auction, got a nasty email from the seller saying she only shipped two days a week as she worked full time. Never got the item and she is now no longer registered. No response to any emails and since it was only $20 no refund from ebay. I used bid pay so they refuse to allow me to file a complaint with the credit card company.

i've seen several bad reports here too.

Its a shame something so good is abused. I'm almost afraid to buy anymore.

 

[reesecup]

Please don't give up on ebay b/k there are a lot of good guys like myself out there who trully work hard to make people happy. I've been burned by a seller before as well. Got taken for $100, but I have bought many items since then. And, being a seller, I have been burned more by buyers not paying, etc. Or by buyers jumping the gun posting feedback on something that was not my fault at all. I had a buyer who purchased an item and she said it arrived very late. Just so happened I had the delivery confirmation to prove the date I sent it.(within 3 days of auction ending) So, maybe it did arrive late, but sellers can't be responsible for items taking longer through the PO. She also said it was packaged poorly. (I used a priority box and knew this was not true either). Come to find out she said it was banged up... another postal issue that I took the heat for.

Anyway, I do feel you have just cause to be satisfied if it took so long to get it and the seller has not taken an effort in sending the item. I get sick too which we all do, but if I have a package that needs to go out (within three days time is what I usually do), I send it out with my husband for him to mail. I think two weeks is the max. a person should expect to get their item. Afterall, that's about how long it would take to get an item ordered through a catalog on average.

Anyway.... Good Luck and I hope she makes everything right for you!