Ebay Gripe...I think I got slightly burned...

[twob4him]

I'm struggling to see what the problem is. You saw something you liked and bought it, probably on impulse (hey, it's eBay ). The upon receiving it, you looked it up and found that you paid a higher price than what you could have found if you had researched and looked at a lot of different sites online.

I bought a gorgeous new Kenmore grill on sales at Sears for $300. I put it together, "baptized" it by fire and saw then the exact same grill at The Great Indoors for $100 less. They got the grill from Sears (cause it's a Kenmore) -- should Sears have told me that I could go somewhere else and get it for less?

You paid, as I did, what you thought was a fair price at the time of purchase. You didn't have to search tons of sites to find it and had the convenience of buying it on eBay.

Just my opinion.

Touche'

 

[jennz]

I guess it's just a matter of opinion...I would be upset too, and I feel that it is unethical. Personally I couldn't list something from, say, the American Girl catalog, and then once Jane buys it from me turn around and order it from AG and send it to Jane unless I told Jane in advance I was acting as a broker. Yes, I have seen items sell for more than what someone can buy them for and it amazes me, but they're paying it. I still think it's wrong to do it without owning the item. We all have our different thresholds for right and wrong, this one just crosses mine.

 

[bumbershoot]

I empathize and sympathize with the OP. I would be very annoyed, too.

But I would be most annoyed at myself if this happened to me. (though if you thought you were getting a homemade quilt, then find out it's storebought, the anger would be more on the seller than on me b/c how could you research if you thought it didn't come from a store?)

The seller is running some risks. I worked at amazon and know very well that goof-ups happen in shipping. If something went floopy during packaging, and the quilt was put in the wrong box, then something else were put in the "gift" box for the buyer, the buyer will not only receive something drop-shipped, but the WRONG item. I don't know how gifts work at Domestications, but it would get complicated if the seller were using amazon for this sort of thing.

OP, if you don't want this quilt anymore but want something else from the same store, I wonder what their gift return policy is? I wonder if they could take a return then give you credit (that's how amazon would do it...they wouldn't give the cash back to the recipient, but would give a credit), then you could buy something that doesn't directly remind you of this. You'd be losing out on shipping costs, but it might be worth it.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

almost anything you find on EBAY that is being sold as "new"
is available somewhere else for less money. I really didn't think that was news, but I guess some people just haven't thought about it.

That is how EBAY sellers MAKE MONEY. They buy something for one price and then they sell it at a higher price. Making Money is kind of the reason they are there.

I'm sorry you are disappointed, but I guess just consider it a lesson learned.

If you see something you like --- use google and try to find the best price.

 

[cheriemek]

I have a question. Was the starting bid the cost of the quilt? She wasn't going to try selling it at a lower price, was she?

And I would have been annoyed as well.

 

[disneysteve]

almost anything you find on EBAY that is being sold as "new"
is available somewhere else for less money.

I disagree. I've bought numerous new items on ebay. The reason I chose to buy them on ebay is because that's where I found the very best price, even when shipping costs were figured in. Many retailers sell on ebay at lower prices than they sell the same items elsewhere because their overhead is lower on ebay. Obviously, they are still making a profit, but a retailer can buy from sources that aren't available to the general public. So among the places available to me to purchase a given item, ebay is often the cheapest.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

That's a big problem with relying on drop shipping. If for some reason Domestications could not deliver, then the seller would need to be held responsible. In that circumstance, I would be entirely sympathetic to the buyer. But in this case, the seller was able to get the merchandise to the consumer. I consider any price she paid beyond what was listed on Domestications website to be a convenience charge for the seller (who puts forth the time and money to list on eBay and is ultimately held responsible if her source does not deliver).

If, as has been stated, such a practice is againist eBay's policies, then the OP should most definetely report the seller. I just don't see how the seller was being dishonest if the buyer delivered on her end of the deal.

That's true that it did work out in this case and if it's not against ebay policies then I definitely wouldn't reflect disappointment in their feedback or anything, but I would feel slighted as the OP did. This is something as a seller I just don't think I could bring myself to do. It just doesn't feel right to me unless I state "item will be ordered for you" or something. But like I said, if it's not against policy then I guess the seller was within their rights to do business this way.

 

[disneysteve]

OP - I'm curious. Take a look at her other auctions. Is this something she seems to do regularly or does it appear to have been a one-time deal? I'm wondering if she didn't have some kind of "store credit" or discount that she didn't need and came up with a creative (though kind of shady) way to use it.

 

[Imzadi]

I went though something similar, only the seller DID represent the item as his own product.

It wasn't on eBay. I had gone to a convention where an exhibitor who was a world famous, long distance runner was selling his specialized sports orthopedic inserts to go in running shoes. He said these were specialized, & the ones he wears when he broke major world records.

He kind of made it come across like he had developed these orthopedic inserts the way Michael Jordan loosely designs & develops & endorses his brand sneakers with Nike & then actually wears them.

Many of us bought a pair. We were specially fitted at the booth for the right size & type of arch & heel support to fit us. We get them right there with out any wrapping or box to be put in out sneaker right there. No problem, they came from him.

A couple of years later, as the orthotics wore out, I call the guy's company to order a new pair. I was asked asked, "How many pairs?"

I say "One." (Then thought maybe I should have gotten two, but stick to the one pair.)

I get sent a box, NOT from his company. From somewhere else. In fact, the box of orthotics was some name brand & didn't even have his name anywhere on the box. Not like "Air Jordan" or anything. There was no association to him.

So I go on-line & check out the brand I got. It turns out, yes, they are "special sports orthotics." But I could have bought them MANY places. I doubt this guy ever had any real association with the company, only that he (and thousands of others) wear them. In fact eBay had them for half price!

Boy, was I pissed. The good thing that came out of it was that I'm glad I didn't buy two pairs, because I would have felt ripped off twice. Also, because that other company did send me the wrappings and I know the real brand name, I have since bought several pairs directly off eBay for half price.

To add more fuel to the fire ...

Didn't Domestications recently have a coupon code where you got a free quilt with any purchase?

If that was true, this Seller was indeed a savvy purchaser. If she sells mainly quilts, advertises & sells only when these coupon codes come out, & is able to use the coupon on TWO auctions, to not only sell one quilt for more than Domestication's retail price AND make a 100% plus profit off a second, totally free quilt, that's actually ingenious. (Sorry OP - not personal. )

BTW, the OP never did say what the starting price of the auction was. If she did start the auction lower, then it was totally the responsibility of the Buyer, to have done her research & keep her final bidding price in check.

 

[Imzadi]

OP - I'm curious. Take a look at her other auctions. Is this something she seems to do regularly or does it appear to have been a one-time deal? I'm wondering if she didn't have some kind of "store credit" or discount that she didn't need and came up with a creative (though kind of shady) way to use it.

I wondered too, if she had store credit. Or maybe she did use the coupon code & found a way to make a profit off the second quilt. OR, that that was the original scenario & she found she can make a tidy profit by continuing to do it.

 

[LadyyRedd]

Isn't it against Ebay policy to sell merchandise that you don't physically have in your possession unless you specifically disclose it in your listing? (sorry if someone else has mentioned this, I haven't yet read all 4 pages).

Kimya

 

[dizkids]

I personally wouldnt trust anyone to ship something i sold on ebay. I think OP stated it many times. She learned her lesson.

During Christmas i ordered Electronic Banking Monopoly from a seller who's location was listed as "christmas in America" she wanted $14.95 to ship the game. I ? where it was being shipped from. Not questioning her price because i needed it and was willing to pay. I live in NJ and wanted to order from a state closest to me to get it asap...well she told me they ship from all different warehouses in the US. So I bailed and got it from someone else. I figured she was ordering off websites...low and behold she had some negative feedback from people who never got their game.

 

[Merriwind]

I'd be annoyed at myself for not doing my homework, but I get a kind of shady vibe about the seller here.

 

[OKW Mom]

If this quilt thing had happened to me I would have kicked myself.

Then I would do some research and find out what the seller was doing.

Yes there are a few reasons why she did what she did.

I don't like any of them and I would never do that kind of business.

Today I found people selling expired Fast Passes on Ebay. I was appalled by the greed. You should see what the auctions are up to in $$ amount.

The seller even tells the bidders that the CM don't look at the date-just the time.

In the same list was a seller with Complimentary Park Hopper passes. He was selling them for a pretty penny. I realize he may have them legally, I just think making a big killing is just greedy.

It all comes down to the fact that a hundred years ago a man rolled into town and sold snake oil, today that man and the snake oil is on the internet.

Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on ME

 

[Gusteau]

I don't think the seller did anything wrong.

I can feel for the OP kicking herself for overpaying, but she wasn't misled by the seller. She received exactly what she bid on for the price she was willing to pay.

Ebay is no different from any other merchant or store when you are buying something... you need to shop around to make sure you are getting the lowest price.

 

[Mel6197]

Sorry your upset

Im kicking myself too. I just bought a Elizabeth Swan costume off Ebay for 40 bucks. Less than retail yes, So I was happy with this for my daughter.

Disney then has the 60% off sale with my 15% off code

I walk in to see what...

Elizabeth Swan Costume for you ready..

You sure!

5 DOLLARS! No joking..

So now i have 2 costumes.

Its Ebay..

I buy under retail all the time and sell for just a little under retail or if the demand is there Higher

2 years ago I found some board game for 5 dollars, well I had a hunch and bought all 30 of them, They were on Clearence,
Sold them all for 60-90 dollars a game..

Oh boy to find more things like that..

Sorry I got off track

Live and Learn..
heck even with Retail Shopping I check at least 5 stores and compare prices..

 

[disneysteve]

So now i have 2 costumes.

Put one one ebay.

 

[Imzadi]

I just bought a Elizabeth Swan costume off Ebay for 40 bucks. Less than retail yes, So I was happy with this for my daughter.
5 DOLLARS! No joking..

So now i have 2 costumes.

Actually, if YOU bought at $40, (so you know how much people will pay,) go back & buy several for $5 & eBay all of them.

 

[ceecee]

To add more fuel to the fire ...

Didn't Domestications recently have a coupon code where you got a free quilt with any purchase? Maybe it was somewhere else, but I'm thinking it was Domestications. I know because I was going to buy my DD a new comforter and I almost bought it from D because I was interested in the free quilt??

Could you order something and then have the free quilt shipped elsewhere?

Maggie

Actually it was a free throw. I almost ordered a quilt but forgot to. They looked really nice.

 

[spoilmygurl]

I have to side with the seller on this one. It seems that the OP's gripe was the difference in price. Had the price been cheaper than from the website, I get the feeling it would have been a non-issue. I am a price checker so I compare prices alot. I mostly use Ebay to buy things that aren't readily available or seem more rare. I purchased my DD a Belle dress from the UK for crying out loud because I've never seen the likes of it here and I want her to be different. Blend out not in, ya know?