eBay Seller misrepresented an item.... should I leave negative feedback?- UPDATE

[Kimmielee]

The item in question was a Dora's "Ultimate" Talking House. It was listed to include 3 bonus sets (back yard playset, pool and deck set and the Nursery). In addition he stated that it included 6 sets of furniture and 11 figures.

It was listed at $99 or "buy now" for $139.99. I read the description carefully, knew that the shipping charges was $20 and also read messages between another bidder and the seller asking specifically if the set included all that was described since some of the items in the description were not pictured. He answered "Yes, you get everything in the description and the photos". So, I bid... and I won.

Well, wouldn't you know... it does not have the 6 sets of furniture, nor does it have the 11 figures. So, is my ONLY option to return it and leave negative feedback? His response to my email was that it was a listing error - sorry. Return it. Well, for $20 I return it and have to start from scratch to find it now? What I did receive WAS available at the time at WalMart, but not now. $89.99 at WalMart... I paid $112.50 plus the shipping. So.... I asked if he would refund $20 to put toward the missing items that I now must attempt to find.

His email response was very unfriendly... with a "I gave you your option... Keep it as is or return it for a full refund." How is it a full refund when I have to pay $20 to return it?????

Sorry, I'm venting... a somewhat newer eBay buyer but first time I've been burned. What would you do?

 

[DianeV]

When its the sellers error they should be paying for you to return it. I would email them back and ask them if they plan on also refunding the shipping to send it back since it was a "listing error" on their part.

 

[DMRick]

I would first do as suggested above. Then I would let Paypal know you did not receive what you paid for, and see if you can file for fees. Others have had success with this, and they have not had to return the item.

 

[ceecee]

Yes, he should pay you to ship it back.

 

[paslea_pooh]

I've never really had a bad experience with an ebayer, well , yeah I did, once.... But most Ebayers are honest people... Try and resolve it with him, if you cant' then contact ebay... If he doesn't ship you exactly what he stated in the auction, you absolutely have recourse... What is his ebay id? You can always leave negative feedback.... email him and let him know, he will recieve negative feedback as a result of this. Maybe that will be enough to make him correct this.

Good Luck to you.

 

[etwinchester]

I would contact paypal for a refund due to misrepresentation. This seller doesn't seem like he is going to be civil or friendly about it.

 

[Kimmielee]

His feedback was MOSTLY positive... the only negative in the recent months was someone claiming they returned and never got a refund, but he disputed that. He had over 4,000 transactions.

The thing is, he sold about a dozen of these "mislabled" items... so I'm not the only one. I lost two earlier bids before I won it on my third try.

Hopefully, I'm not the only one smart enough to open it and investigate! Other's may wait until Christmas morning and have a very disappointed child with a doll house with NO FURNITURE!!!

 

[Scotch]

If you plan to give negative feedback, and I think you ought to, do so at the 90th day mark when it is the last point possible to provide feedback. (I've never done this but I have read this advice on my other message boards, so hopefully someone here can verify whether it is the 90th day and whether it is on a 24 hour clock so it is exactly 90 days from the time of the auction?) Why? Then he/she won't have the chance to screw with your ratings by giving you negative feedback even though there is no reason to give you negative feedback.

 

[robinb]

So, it has no furniture and no figurines? Hmmm ... you say that he sold many of these houses. Is he still selling them with the same description? If yes, no holds barred he would get a negative from me. Now. So that other buyers can be warned.

 

[DMRick]

Nope, not true. If you have the auction number, you can often leave feedback longer than the 90 days. But I wouldn't give a neg yet..first, try to resolve it.

If you plan to give negative feedback, and I think you ought to, do so at the 90th day mark when it is the last point possible to provide feedback. (I've never done this but I have read this advice on my other message boards, so hopefully someone here can verify whether it is the 90th day and whether it is on a 24 hour clock so it is exactly 90 days from the time of the auction?) Why? Then he/she won't have the chance to screw with your ratings by giving you negative feedback even though there is no reason to give you negative feedback.

 

[kilee]

In this case, because he misrepresented I think I'd demand a full refund plus your shipping costs to return. He was wrong here. I'd file a complaint w/ both ebay and paypal. You didn't get what the auction stated.
As for leaving a negative- if he doesn't work with you then it would be warranted. As for one in retaliation- just respond to it and don't worry about it.

 

[mitushib]

My 2 cents is this. You senidng it back and getting a refund will not solve your problem!!! You still will be stuck with no gift for whoever you bought this for. Your talk with seller should not be about returning the stuff but rather the seller IF he wants to avoid a paypal dispute/-ve feedback should send you the rest of the promised stuff!! If he does not agree ask paypal to intervene. 4000+ feedbacks will not be screwed by 1 -ve [As much as i hope it does]. Tell him to send you the rest of the stuff as promised or you go into a dispute.

 

[poohfriend]

he misrepresented the item. This is not a simple matter of you not being pleased.

he made the mistake, he should pay for shipping.

Ebay and paypal require you to make an effort to resolve. You've done that. You can try again if you want..and tell him, you'll be filing a complaint (not just negative feedback) if he cannot figure out a way to work with you.

If you and the others that bought the item all filed complaints, he'd likely lose his selling priveledges on ebay. You may be able to do a search under sold items to obtain some ids. Too many complaints complicates raises red flags no matter how many previous items they have sold. Selling on ebay is under their terms and not part of the bill of rights.

About negative feedback. He'll most likely leave you negative feedback. Make sure your score can handle it. His can with 4000 feedback.

good luck!

 

[C.Ann]

If you were to file a complaint with Paypal, wouldn't that put a "freeze" on his account? If so, maybe the thought of that happening would make him change his mind..

 

[ntburns22]

Why? Then he/she won't have the chance to screw with your ratings by giving you negative feedback even though there is no reason to give you negative feedback.

My DH had this happen to him. He bought tickets to an NFL game. The auction ended 2 weeks before the game. Game day came no tickets were ever recieved. My DH also sent about 30 emails that went unanswered. He also told him he was going to leave negative feedback. We still never heard anything. So he filed a claim with paypal and ebay and then left negative feedback. Shortly after his money was returned by the seller and the seller left him negative feedback too. Now my husband's rating is 95. He only had like 11 purchases and now he is trying to sell and lets just say it is not going well. Would you buy from someone with 95%?

 

[C.Ann]

My DH had this happen to him. He bought tickets to an NFL game. The auction ended 2 weeks before the game. Game day came no tickets were ever recieved. My DH also sent about 30 emails that went unanswered. He also told him he was going to leave negative feedback. We still never heard anything. So he filed a claim with paypal and ebay and then left negative feedback. Shortly after his money was returned by the seller and the seller left him negative feedback too. Now my husband's rating is 95. He only had like 11 purchases and now he is trying to sell and lets just say it is not going well. Would you buy from someone with 95%?

----------------------------

Why did it drop all the way down to 95% from just one negative? I've never had a neg, so I'm not sure how they work the percentages..

 

[ohiominnie]

We bought tickets to a college football game. The guy sent us ours (finally) but ended up NOT sending them to tons of other ppl. Ebay closed him down about a week before game day when lots of ppl complained they hadn't gotten their tickets. He's now missing and the state auditor of Ohio is investigating. Google news "Mark West ebay" and you can get the whole story if you want. We were one of the last ppl to actually GET our tickets.

 

[robinb]

My DH had this happen to him. He bought tickets to an NFL game. The auction ended 2 weeks before the game. Game day came no tickets were ever recieved. My DH also sent about 30 emails that went unanswered. He also told him he was going to leave negative feedback. We still never heard anything. So he filed a claim with paypal and ebay and then left negative feedback. Shortly after his money was returned by the seller and the seller left him negative feedback too. Now my husband's rating is 95. He only had like 11 purchases and now he is trying to sell and lets just say it is not going well. Would you buy from someone with 95%?

This is one of the reasons why I have one account for buying and one account for selling. I want to be able to leave a negative without fearing that some moron will ruin my seller's rating with a retalitory negative. It was a PITA to begin with because I had to "pre-approve" myself more than once with a seller while my buyer account was less than 10. Perhaps it would be better for your DH to start a new account, buy a couple of things to get some feedback and then use the new account for selling only.

 

[DMRick]

Because if you have only 11 original feedbacks and you get 1 neg, you should have 90.0% of good feedback, if I'm doing the math right. I would start over and rebuild.

----------------------------

Why did it drop all the way down to 95% from just one negative? I've never had a neg, so I'm not sure how they work the percentages..

 

[HaleyB]

I agree I would just start a new ebay account. I currently use my seller account to buy from, maybe I should open a second one. However I never look at the % with feedback unless it is really low. I read the feedback and try to see what is going on. I have bought from people with one or two neg.s that were well explained. If a neg comes from someone with almost no feedback I discount it. Newbies are way to free with negs.