PLEASE HELP - Ebay item NOT received! Update #12

[Princess4Eeyore]

Hi!

All of you are very helpful and I am about to cry as I have had it with sellers on Ebay. I know there are many good sellers on Ebay but I have had my fair share of bad ones these past 7 weeks. Anyway, it has been about 6 weeks since I purchased this particular item - even paid $15.50 for the optional insurance. Three weeks ago the seller wrote to me, saying the package was damaged and he was resending it with a free gift. Ok, fine. Last week, I sent the seller an email and he said please send your address and I will let you know when your package was sent. Last night in my very frustrated mood, I sent the seller an email saying that I was disappointed with his service. I also said to the seller, "just like you demanded payment within 3 days, dont you think that I should have received my package by now?" I paid by money order as that was all this seller accpeted.

Okay, now for the worst news!!!!!!! I wake up this morning to an email from the seller telling me - "Your order was prepared to go out tomorrow but i will keep it and only give it to you in a court of law if you try to start any trouble with ebay considering I am not obligated to resend it although i will do so out of the kindness of my heart. I hope this will not turn into a feedback war. " OMG, please help me, I dont know want to do and I have spent about $130 - is this fair? Why has the seller waited 3 weeks to resend my package - it was not breakable items? I have all the emails saved - I have asked him for the tracking information from the last package also.

This is it, I am now done with Ebay!

Three times bitten!

Thank you for reading, help and advice is appreciated.

 

[plummer925]

Hi!

All of you are very helpful and I am about to cry as I have had it with sellers on Ebay. I know there are many good sellers on Ebay but I have had my fair share of bad ones these past 7 weeks. Anyway, it has been about 6 weeks since I purchased this particular item - even paid $15.50 for the optional insurance. Three weeks ago the seller wrote to me, saying the package was damaged and he was resending it with a free gift. Ok, fine. Last week, I sent the seller an email and he said please send your address and I will let you know when your package was sent. Last night in my very frustrated mood, I sent the seller an email saying that I was disappointed with his service. I also said to the seller, "just like you demanded payment within 3 days, dont you think that I should have received my package by now?" I paid by money order as that was all this seller accpeted.

Okay, now for the worst news!!!!!!! I wake up this morning to an email from the seller telling me - "Your order was prepared to go out tomorrow but i will keep it and only give it to you in a court of law if you try to start any trouble with ebay considering I am not obligated to resend it although i will do so out of the kindness of my heart. I hope this will not turn into a feedback war. " OMG, please help me, I dont know want to do and I have spent about $130 - is this fair? Why has the seller waited 3 weeks to resend my package - it was not breakable items? I have all the emails saved - I have asked him for the tracking information from the last package also.

This is it, I am now done with Ebay!

Three times bitten!

Thank you for reading, help and advice is appreciated.

First, email them back and say that threats to feedback do not bother you as you are a buyer, not a seller. Tell them they have 24 hours to ship your item (and they must give you tracking info in that time) or they will be reported to ebay. Meanwhile, don't give them 24 hours, just report them to ebay as a non performing seller. Then use eBay's buyer protection and file a claim - there is a $25 deductible, but you'll get the majority of your money back.

How is the sellers feedback?

Don't leave fb for them yet - wait until it's all over, as there is still a CHANCE you'll get your item and you don't want to leave fb now or they seller won't send your item.

When emailing the seller, do it ONLY through ebay's website - check the box to hide your email from them (yea, I know they already have it, but this MIGHT make them use the "respond" button).

Good luck!

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

Update: I sent an email early this morning replying that it is only fair the seller send me my item asap. I also asked for tracking info/receipt for the shipment he said was returned to him. I got the following reply.

From seller:
"I am sorry, but I beleive there is a mix up. You must send your name and address along with your question or request, so we can check our files for your order. I beleive I had mixed you up with another Canada order in the last e-mail sent to you. Please note that the $15.50 fee is for insurance and does not include tracking. Orders sent out of USA do not include tracking. Please be sure to read the terms you agreed to when bidding."

Just to let you know I did send my address and name with the email yesterday as well as the item number, so I dont know how there could have been yet another mistake.

What do I do? It seems like I am getting the run around.

Help ... Thank you.

 

[ameraumi]

Did you pay thru Paypal? You can file a dispute thru then as well as ebay. I would file ASAP because you have 45 days to file the paypal claim. Unless you paid for the most expensive shipping (the name escapes me at the moment), there will not be tracking on the package.

You can also report the seller for feedback extortion.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

It has been 6 weeks. File your claim with EBAY and get your money back. Leave a negative feedback that says "6 weeks after receiving money order for payment in full, Seller still has not delivered the item."

When he retaliates with negative feedback on your end - post the same thing on your feedback page as a response. Nobody will hold that against you.

 

[bethann1970]

It certainly does sound like you're getting the run around. I am a seller on ebay (and a buyer). Unless your item is very heavy, insurance should not be that high. And they can include tracking. I've mailed many things to Canada with tracking. I would tell him that it's up to him...either you receive your item within a certain amount of time or you will report him to ebay. There's really nothing else you can do. ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS read the entire listing. Some people will put in some things that once read, you'll know they are trouble. And unless their feedback is 100%, make sure to read it. My son didn't and we are still waiting on a video game that was paid for almost 3 weeks ago. I'm still waiting on payment for something bought from me 2 weeks ago...and I HAVE filed with ebay. I gave him 2 warnings (1 friendly and 1 not so friendly) and still nothing. Also, I NEVER pay with money orders...they can't be tracked. I don't take money orders either. Ebay is great about 90% of the time...you just need to be careful of the other 10%.

 

[M 'n C]

I would file a claim with Ebay. This is absolutely riduculous. Not sure what his feedback is but the rule of thumb I've always heard is to stay away from those with less than a room temperature feedback score. Also I won't bid on anyone that won't accept paypal because I pay with a CC through paypal so that way I have ebay, paypal, and my cc company to go through and someone will help if something like this happens.

 

[plummer925]

Update: I sent an email early this morning replying that it is only fair the seller send me my item asap. I also asked for tracking info/receipt for the shipment he said was returned to him. I got the following reply.

From seller:
"I am sorry, but I beleive there is a mix up. You must send your name and address along with your question or request, so we can check our files for your order. I beleive I had mixed you up with another Canada order in the last e-mail sent to you. Please note that the $15.50 fee is for insurance and does not include tracking. Orders sent out of USA do not include tracking. Please be sure to read the terms you agreed to when bidding."

Just to let you know I did send my address and name with the email yesterday as well as the item number, so I dont know how there could have been yet another mistake.

What do I do? It seems like I am getting the run around.

Help ... Thank you.

If it was me, I'd say "I understand the $15.50 is for insurance, and since it's been ____ days since this has shipped {use the first date they gave you for ship date} then I have to assume it's lost. Please refund my full amount via the insurance claim, less the $15.50 insurance since i purhcased insurance, and it's apparently lost" - make sure to give them the auction number, your name and address as well as any info that they might claim not to have...

Good luck!

PS STILL report them to ebay and file your claim with them - you only have so much time to do so!!!!

 

[mking624]

His apology sounds bogus. I don't think he was mixing you up with someone else, I think he bit off more than he could chew and realzed what his nasty email to you could have done to him.

I've sent things to Canada and I've purchased things from Canada...I've never had insurance be that high before. But in any case, it seems like if you started something over that, he'll be prone to act up even more than he is now.

I, too, would send another email with all information and let him know how long it's been since he sent it and "resent" it, etc. Keep ALL communication...even the ones where he claims were not meant for you. And definitely file a claim with ebay.

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

Short Update

I am still frustrated ... more so as I have not heard from the seller for the last 15 hours. So basically, I am still not sure what to do? If i take action he has threatened not to send my package - so I will wait till tomorrow and see if he replies.

Thank you all for the advice ... just be aware out there!

Kind regards

 

[DMRick]

I think everyone has pretty much told you what to do. Report him to eBay. Soon, it will be too late, and you will have let too much time elapse.

Short Update

I am still frustrated ... more so as I have not heard from the seller for the last 15 hours. So basically, I am still not sure what to do? If i take action he has threatened not to send my package - so I will wait till tomorrow and see if he replies.

Thank you all for the advice ... just be aware out there!

Kind regards

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

Hi

I received my package yesterday. Yay, finally I thought! Well, firstly there was just a dollar stamp on the package, no insurance added on ( I paid $15.50 for additional insurance). Secondly, I clearly asked the seller if his gift cards had a shipping and handling fee. The seller stated that there are no additional shipping or handling unless I go over the gift cards credit limit. Yeah right, The shipping and handling fee or P&D is $300! I have contacted the seller, who is now listed as no longer a registered user. He has got two other negatives this month plus his feedback is now listed as private. I dont understand, this seller seemed to be selling since the end of 2005 and has 98% feedback until now. His emails to me say that there is no refund and I should have read his auction clearly. I promise I did, I even asked questions and he answered them but now his statements conflict his original emails. Plus, I waited almost two months to receive this package after getting the run around. Seems like he just made these up on his pc!!!

I am really disappointed and dont know what to do. I cant even leave negative feedback as he is no longer registered.

Thank you for reading and for any advice

 

[mitushib]

IS there some reason ur not reporting him to ebay even when all the answers to ur post tell u to? Report him as item significantly not described. Escalate to dispute immediately.

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

HI ... Sorry , forgot to add that I already submitted a dispute through Ebay - more than a week ago. He wants me to end the dispute then he will try to rectify things. I am going to escalate the dispute to a claim because this is enough of running around with a scam seller.

Thank you again for the advice.

 

[mking624]

Even though the auction ended a couple of months ago, you should still be able to access the auction page. He will not have been able to make any changes to the description, etc. I would print that page out so if he says "you should have read it clearly"...you have proof of what it said.

I'm glad you're escalating it to a claim. The fact that he's no longer a registered user sounds like you're not the only one who has had that trouble with him.

 

[FigmentsBiggestFan]

Since he ripped you off using the Postal Mail system in the US, you can also file mail fraud charges against him. Just the threat of filing the form usually gets them moving.

Here's the link:
https://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/welcome.htm

 

[plummer925]

HI ... Sorry , forgot to add that I already submitted a dispute through Ebay - more than a week ago. He wants me to end the dispute then he will try to rectify things. I am going to escalate the dispute to a claim because this is enough of running around with a scam seller.

Thank you again for the advice.

DO NOT continue to contact this seller - they are NARU now - IF you stop the process, you will NOT be able to restart it and with them being NARU (NARU=Not A Registered User) they will NOT help you out!

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

Thank you for the advice everyone. No response today from seller again. It is so sad that there are people who scam others and think nothing of it. He also had a big thing about his auctions helping a disabled couple, etc. I have learned my lesson though, always go with your first instincts and if its too good to be true, its probably some sort of scam.

To all the sellers who are fair and honest, my hat goes off to you. Respect is given to those who return it.

Have a great weekend.

 

[wasabi girl]

I've gotten very leary about ebay. DD 21 bought, well she paid for a complete set of the collector "Corpse bride" Dolls for just under $200 bucks. it was a pre-sale auction. So, she paid for the item immediately, when the time came to receive them, the seller, wouldn't send. She filed a dispute with e-bay but since it was more than 60 days since tha auction ended ebay did nothing. She explained that it was a pre-sale auction, that if ebay chose to accept pre-sale auctions perhaps they ought to police them as well. They did nothing. She filed a complaint with BBB against ebay for listing auctions that by their own policies offer no protection whatsoever to the buyer. DD never got any money back or the dolls. We don't buy big things from ebay anymore. The seller was listed as having been a member for about 6 years with great feedback. So checking out the seller doesn't guarantee anything either.
There is a site to file a report of internet crime, which she also did. I hope you don't need to use it but if you do, PM me and I'll give the the web address.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

She explained that it was a pre-sale auction, that if ebay chose to accept pre-sale auctions perhaps they ought to police them as well.

This is a good illustration as to why BUYERS need to understand listing policies as well as sellers.

eBay has clear rules for pre-sale auctions. The listing must state the item is a pre-sale and it must be shipped within 30 days of the auction end:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/pre-sale.html

I would recommend never bidding on pre-sale auctions, but if you do, keep careful track of time and file a claim with PayPal (if this is how you paid) or ebay (if you paid via another method) at the 30 day mark.

I would be filing as many fraud charges against this seller as possible, and would consider small claims court action.

And FYI - eBay is a venue, which means they do very little "policing" of their auctions. You must look out for yourself.