Ebay, Buyer Beware

[rflorek]

I have been considering selling again on Ebay but will only use FedEx or UPS as I think their confirmation system is better and seems to be better with customer service than the USPS.

You might want to rethink that one. We use both FedEx and UPS in my office, and we have more trouble with their tracking systems that I have ever had with USPS.

BY the way: FedEx and UPS offer ACTUAL tracking of packages. The only actual tracking available through the USPS is with Express Mail. The rest is just delivery confirmation which is sold as exactly that: confirmation of delivery (not tracking).

Good luck if you venture onto eBay again.

 

[nunzia]

You're welcome. It's a new one on me. I've been with ebay for 10 years. Never had anything like this happen. That's a long time. I'll probably continue to buy some here and there. Maybe after some time has passed. I'm T.O.ed. And I want this resolved.

Have you contacted the seller? Act like you thought the post office did it and ask for a refund. Then if nothing happens file a claim.
Overall, things with ebay go fine. But people on both sides can certainly run into a baddie. I just had my 100% positive ruined by someone who said that I didn't explain the item right and acted like I didn't care at a complaint. What really happened was I described the item was in poor shape, when I got the email saying the buyer didn't like it and what was I going to do about it (a t t i t u d e) I wrote back that I had tried to explain all the flaws and that if he sent the item back I'd issue a prompt refund. Guess what? no reply, no returned item, negative on my feedback. I did what I could to my feedback and his and blocked the buyer. Stuff happens and all you can do is take it as far as Ebay lets you.

 

[sammielynn]

I bought a Shell Gas Card on E-bay last month. Two days after I made the payment the seller or E-bay closed their account. I e-mailed the seller twice and called them once with no answer. I filled a dispute with PayPal and did get my money back. I have since sworn off of E-bay.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Some crooked sellers will deliberately not seal a box or a package, and the post office will then seal it and stamp it as "contents lost" etc.

The crooked seller will then say "oh, it must have fallen out in transit" when in fact they simply put an open EMPTY package into the mailbox.

This is one reason why I stopped selling/buying a few years ago.

The incentive for crooks is just too high-little or no consequences for illicit activity, protected by both Paypal and Ebay.

You WILL get screwed by them, sooner or later.

 

[etoiles]

I got ripped off on Ebay recently as well. I bought an item that was supposedly new in mint condition. When I got it it had dust all over it (no big deal I figured I could easily clean it) but part of it was broken off. The broken piece was not in the box so it was clear it was broken BEFORE shipping!!! I was planning to give it as a gift and I'm not going to give something that has a broken part.

When I tried to contact the seller they started saying 'oh I said it wasn't in perfect condition' while the listing was still up and 'new in mint condition' could clearly be read.

I sent back the item but was only reimbursed my initial costs, not the $12 it cost to ship the box back. Paypal even agreed that I had to pay the return shipping costs even though they obviously lied about the state of the item!!

I still never understood why I should be responsible for the return shipping when if they had just been honest about the condition of the item I would never have bought it in the first place!

 

[mom_2_K'Lynn]

Just wanted give my opinion. I do think that more and more people are being dishonest. A while back we ordered a large item off ebay for a total of $400. The people took the money out right away and said they would send the item in 3 days. They said they sent it and yet we haden't recieved the item. Then I asked for a confirmation number and all they could give us was the company. After calling the company they said they had never picked up anything and after a week of trying to reach the seller they changed everything. We did end up filing a complaint with ebay and easily won the case, but there is a catch to this. We thought we were guaranteed our money back, but you can only get the money back if the seller has it in their paypal account. Our seller did not so we were out the money for a couple months. Ebay does do a great job of continuing to fight for it, so after 2 1/2 months miraculously the money was in our account as they had gotten it back, but it could take a long time.

I do hope you get your money back and that filing the complaint goes easy enough for you, but just an FYI, just because you win doesn't necessarily mean you get the money back right away. Sorry to hear people are stooping to such a low level these days.

 

[mtblujeans]

We are a small, rural community and our post office always tells us (when we mail a package) that they have a right to open and inspect the contents. I think it sounds as though someone working at the post office thought the package felt empty so they opened it to inspect and, indeed, found the package to be empty so they marked it as such.

Just wanted give my opinion. I do think that more and more people are being dishonest. A while back we ordered a large item off ebay for a total of $400. The people took the money out right away and said they would send the item in 3 days. They said they sent it and yet we haden't recieved the item. Then I asked for a confirmation number and all they could give us was the company. After calling the company they said they had never picked up anything and after a week of trying to reach the seller they changed everything. We did end up filing a complaint with ebay and easily won the case, but there is a catch to this. We thought we were guaranteed our money back, but you can only get the money back if the seller has it in their paypal account. Our seller did not so we were out the money for a couple months. Ebay does do a great job of continuing to fight for it, so after 2 1/2 months miraculously the money was in our account as they had gotten it back, but it could take a long time.

I do hope you get your money back and that filing the complaint goes easy enough for you, but just an FYI, just because you win doesn't necessarily mean you get the money back right away. Sorry to hear people are stooping to such a low level these days.

In the past, I have not found this to be true....unless this is a recent change. I have had to file a claim before and they withdrew the funds out of the person's Paypal account and it apparently was not there so it came out of the checking account that was attached to their Paypal account.

 

[Ava]

^ It stinks that this seller obviously scammed you, but taking the money out of PayPal right away is not uncommon among sellers. When I sell on eBay I transfer the money from my PayPal account into my bank account right away; I don't trust PayPal enough to leave my money in there for any length of time. I've never had any money stolen from my PayPal account, but I did once have someone attempt to change my password. I had to call PayPal to get it straightened out and get my account reactivated. The only reason I use PayPal at all is that you almost have to to sell on eBay.

 

[pandora174]

No Paypal does NOT always side with the buyer, I lost about $50 buying fake pins from eBay, in my cases Paypal definitely sided with the seller and not me. Even tho I could prove that the ones I received were fakes they still sided with the seller, also see my post above, on that one I had to contact my cc company to get a refund.

Me too ! I bought a Dooney Makeup bag, paid $41 for it. Received it & within 1 week the zipper broke, I compared to others online & I realized that nowhere in the bag did it have a serial # or say Dooney & the zipper was very poor quality. I filed a dispute, sent tons of pics to Paypal what I received & what the actual bag looked like from Dooney & I LOST. Soemthing about intangible...

 

[jimaok]

This thread shows that we all must be careful when selling/buying on Ebay. I can sympathize with the person receiving the empty envelope- but what about the person that receives the item and says they never received it or "received" an empty envelope when in fact they actually received the item? As sellers- we have to have delivery confirmation.I also use insurance for higher value items. As buyer/and sellers feedback is very important-I'd be leery of someone with alot of neutral/negative feedback.

As far as shipping charges-these are generally posted in the ad. If you don't like them-don't bid. I've seen some pretty outragious shipping charges. You must aslo realize there are many variables to shipping not just postage- the cost of boxes/bubble wrap/tape/packing peanuts/ gas to the post office and time.

Bottom line be careful- know what your bidding on and who your bidding from.

 

[scrapgal123]

That's interesting. Did you get delivery confirmation?

Yes, but the system used by the USPS is not very reliable. The buyer contacted me that she had received it empty and had the box returned to me so I can see the how the Post Office stamped it.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yes, but the system used by the USPS is not very reliable. The buyer contacted me that she had received it empty and had the box returned to me so I can see the how the Post Office stamped it.

The reason I asked is when I have bought DC, the weight of the item is on the receipt, along with all of the other pertinent information. That would've been a tool for you to prove it was sent with the items in the package.

Anyway, I'm sorry that happened to you. I do know dishonesty can run both ways. I've been very fortunate to have only had a few bumps in the road as a buyer and a seller in the (10) years I've been with ebay. Isn't it funny, I remember the ones that tried to pull a fast one (2 or 3, sellers and buyers) not the many that were above board.

By and large the majority of people I've run across on ebay are honest and want to do the right thing. Unfortunately it's the few that don't play by the rules that ruin it.

 

[pixiewings71]

When was this?

I've quit selling because as a seller you have no protection. I've only lost one, but it was a lot of money, I had proof of delivery and she was "supposed" to return it, but they gave her the money back first and I never got anything...

I don't remember when exactly but it's been months. For a while I didn't buy anything on eBay because I was so upset with them and Paypal over this mess.

I'm sorry, but I don't agree with you that MOST sellers pad. I have been selling for more than 10 years and NEVER pad my shipping costs (I don't add any handling, just charge actual shipping costs). I also don't buy anything on eBay where it appears to have been padded (reasonable packaging supply costs aside).

You can't only single out eBay sellers for "padding" shipping. I have purchased items from retailers online & through catalogs withe their flat scaled shipping costs & KNOW that they are padded over actual costs. As long as I am aware that I am overpaying, that's fine with me (if it's something I absolutely need)

EVERY seller that I have purchased from has added a bit more to the actual shipping, it's not a big deal and it's something I expect. After all most sellers do have to buy their own materials, bubble wrap, padded envelopes, etc etc. It really should be called shipping & handling because the extra goes towards handling. I've purchased hundreds of items on eBay and this has been the case with every purchase I've made. Who says I'm only singling out eBay for padding? I'm not, this thread is about eBay not about other retailers.

Me too ! I bought a Dooney Makeup bag, paid $41 for it. Received it & within 1 week the zipper broke, I compared to others online & I realized that nowhere in the bag did it have a serial # or say Dooney & the zipper was very poor quality. I filed a dispute, sent tons of pics to Paypal what I received & what the actual bag looked like from Dooney & I LOST. Soemthing about intangible...

Yup, that's exactly what it was for me too, something about intangible....IMO it was crap. LOL I'm sorry to hear that you got hit too. eBay/Paypal need to do a better job of protecting those of us who purchase fakes thinking we are getting the real thing.