F***ing eBay again

[The Moose]

The reason eBay is so popular is because it has all the buyers. The sellers go where all the buyers congregate.

I don't think an eBay rival would be successful...unless it put the buyers first.

[Funk]

People will stop selling. In fact, they already are.

[The Moose]

They seem to be making pretty much more money than ever...

[MissChief]

The Moose said:

They seem to be making pretty much more money than ever...

because their fees are just increasing?

[gpo746]

MissChief said:

The Moose said:

They seem to be making pretty much more money than ever...

because their fees are just increasing?

Suspect its a mix of that plus the fact they are effectively a Chinese companies platform to sell from.
Its clear that the way they are shifting towards buyers is causing concerns. An inconsistency is their staff. After yesterdays call re the case issue I called them today on another totally unrelated issue to do with account information. Very helpful girl who at the end said the usual "is there anything else I can do" I mentioned the case thing I had re the buyer cancelling but refusing to accept the cancellation request, she looked at it read his reply and said "there is no reason based on that why I can't sort something now" or words to that effect and within 5 minutes of the call the case was closed and my fees refunded.

As regards the guy above who thinks its easy enough just to help new buyers. I personally wouldn't take the risk. Its abit like when you had a mail order catalogue back in the 80's to me. If you started out with marshall ward applying for electrical gear at £60 a pop you found your order vetoed until you had built up some transactions. AS did my sister bless her when she tried to buy some wharfedale delta 30's I think
A dodgy buyer can cause havoc and whilst the guy above thinks getting a proof of delivery is just enough, I don't.
The buyer can quite easily open up a case and voila your moneys on hold for 7 or so working days at least. There is nothing to stop the newbie buyer from claiming this or that about the item not being as described. The guys experience above about the PlayStation and the guys returning it when plainly he has not shows how much real risk you are exposing yourself too.

[The Moose]

gpo746 said:

MissChief said:

The Moose said:

They seem to be making pretty much more money than ever...

because their fees are just increasing?

Suspect its a mix of that plus the fact they are effectively a Chinese companies platform to sell from.
Its clear that the way they are shifting towards buyers is causing concerns. An inconsistency is their staff. After yesterdays call re the case issue I called them today on another totally unrelated issue to do with account information. Very helpful girl who at the end said the usual "is there anything else I can do" I mentioned the case thing I had re the buyer cancelling but refusing to accept the cancellation request, she looked at it read his reply and said "there is no reason based on that why I can't sort something now" or words to that effect and within 5 minutes of the call the case was closed and my fees refunded.

The honest answer is that I can't comment about the customer service as (thank goodness) I've not had to call them. However, I'm sure you're aware that in any organisation there will be some inconsistencies across the customer service staff. Anyway, I'm glad you got your case sorted.

[SistersofPercy]

I joined eBay in 1999. In those days as a seller you could happily accept cash and send without proof of delivery all over the world. People were predominantly honest. I recall a transaction back in the late 90's where a guy from the USA had paid me with a cheque, he'd closed the account a month after which had clawed the money back from my account. It was about $80, I contacted him and about 2 weeks later a Christmas card with $80 arrived.

As eBay changed it's policies it's welcomed the scammers. You can't spot a dodgy bidder now because they wont have neg feedback and sellers can't be arsed to open unpaid strikes etc which would flag their accounts. Now we have to pay for damaged returns? No incentive there at all to damage an item you've changed your mind about.

My selling has been waning for a while. It will probably stop altogether now. My buying has almost halted and I buy mostly from Aliexpress. The Chinese sellers are falling over themselves to please and the odd problem I have had has been sorted almost instantly.

[xuy]

The new managed returns is going to be interesting:-

Buy something try it for the weekend:-

"Lets have a party and use our own DJ equipment, oh we don't have any..

I know we will buy some kit off eBay and on Monday claim it is faulty and get it returned for free and our money back."

Great a new free rental service.

Also, a seller can opt out of managed returns for low value items, by automatically refunding without return.

So buy something cheap, claim it is faulty and get it for free.

[GCH]

They know that many private sellers would prefer to use it effectively as a classifieds (I am not ashamed to admit that is what I do) by their ever changing methods in attempting to block the sending of contact details via messages. I have a current way that works, but for how long, who knows- it is ever changing.

Anything over something like 30 bucks I now list as collection only, but worded in such a way that people usually get in contact and the deal is done completely outside of ebay, and if paypal is used it is strictly via paypal gift (not goods/services) and never, ever paypal with collection.
Touch wood, no issues so far.


Managed returns is a joke, as is 180 day case policy. They really just do not want private sellers on there anymore.

[theboss]

SistersofPercy said:

I joined eBay in 1999. In those days as a seller you could happily accept cash and send without proof of delivery all over the world. People were predominantly honest. I recall a transaction back in the late 90's where a guy from the USA had paid me with a cheque, he'd closed the account a month after which had clawed the money back from my account. It was about $80, I contacted him and about 2 weeks later a Christmas card with $80 arrived.

As eBay changed it's policies it's welcomed the scammers. You can't spot a dodgy bidder now because they wont have neg feedback and sellers can't be arsed to open unpaid strikes etc which would flag their accounts. Now we have to pay for damaged returns? No incentive there at all to damage an item you've changed your mind about.

My selling has been waning for a while. It will probably stop altogether now. My buying has almost halted and I buy mostly from Aliexpress. The Chinese sellers are falling over themselves to please and the odd problem I have had has been sorted almost instantly.

I joined eBay in 1999 also, to buy a laptop as I was off to university. The cost was about £700 and the seller was a private individual. I remember winning the auction and explaining to the seller I'd pop a cheque in the post fully expecting to wait about a week before I received anything - the laptop turned up before I even sent the cheque.

[SistersofPercy]

theboss said:

I joined eBay in 1999 also, to buy a laptop as I was off to university. The cost was about £700 and the seller was a private individual. I remember winning the auction and explaining to the seller I'd pop a cheque in the post fully expecting to wait about a week before I received anything - the laptop turned up before I even sent the cheque.

It was a smaller community with a mutual trust. Sadly it grew into a scammers playground.

[xuy]

GCH said:

They know that many private sellers would prefer to use it effectively as a classifieds (I am not ashamed to admit that is what I do) by their ever changing methods in attempting to block the sending of contact details via messages. I have a current way that works, but for how long, who knows- it is ever changing.

Anything over something like 30 bucks I now list as collection only, but worded in such a way that people usually get in contact and the deal is done completely outside of ebay, and if paypal is used it is strictly via paypal gift (not goods/services) and never, ever paypal with collection.
Touch wood, no issues so far.


Managed returns is a joke, as is 180 day case policy. They really just do not want private sellers on there anymore.

Or sellers in general. Ebay would be satisfied with just buyers!

[BrabusMog]

SistersofPercy said:

It was a smaller community with a mutual trust. Sadly it grew into a scammers playground.

I've bought from eBay since about 2001 and, in the past month, have started to sell off some clothes that I own that are all items worth a fair bit of cash. So far out of 10 items sold, I've had issues with 6 where buyers are claiming items weren't as described which is absolute bks. The latest dispute I've had opened against me is asking me to refund him more than he paid due to wasting his time to which I've told responded "leave all the bad feedback you want as I am sick to my back teeth of dealing with lieing twunts such as yourself and will therefore not be adversely affected by whatever lies you decide to write". Cool story etc but it really has pissed me off!

[fido]

^He's only entitled to postage for returns. Tell him to do one! Only had one dishonest person so far and chased them all the way to the credit card company. Surprisingly PayPal took my side and the Buyer rang up to apologize in person with some spurious excuse. I will only sell to a UK address or by personal collection.

[SistersofPercy]

BrabusMog said:

I've bought from eBay since about 2001 and, in the past month, have started to sell off some clothes that I own that are all items worth a fair bit of cash. So far out of 10 items sold, I've had issues with 6 where buyers are claiming items weren't as described which is absolute bks. The latest dispute I've had opened against me is asking me to refund him more than he paid due to wasting his time to which I've told responded "leave all the bad feedback you want as I am sick to my back teeth of dealing with lieing twunts such as yourself and will therefore not be adversely affected by whatever lies you decide to write". Cool story etc but it really has pissed me off!

Thats the common 'partial refund' con.
"This jumper has a hole in it!"
"No it hasn't"
"it has, but if you refund me half I'll repair it myself"

At this point you have the quandary. Refund the half and he goes away, but you've been had, or insist he returns it whereby the hole that wasn't there when you sent it is now there.

In the past I have always insisted on a return because they are paying to return it, at that point they usually realise it's going to cost them and they slink back into the woodwork never to be heard from again. Now eBay will pay for it.

One thing I will say is don't refund anything without making your buyer open a case. Too many cases will trigger eBay into noticing and finally they get booted off.

[BrabusMog]

Nah, he's paying to return or he isn't getting a refund. It's annoying, he's got a pair of £160 jeans worn once for £45 quid and he's still trying to get more back. Tosser.

[gpo746]

Do you know we should set up a mutual bad buyer list
I'd love to get my hands on that tw*t who ripped off the PS3 guy

And another thing customer expectations.
The way that they are effectively getting full warranties on S/H stuff is beyond a joke now
I am pragmatic Ive bought stuff that's listed as USED but then goes onto explain it has faults etc. Because I know how to fix the things I buy I'm happy enough to buy BUT the seller describing them as such leaves themselves open to claims.

personally I don't think E bays track record in stopping fake goods is very good actually. The Fake Nokia Arte's of a few years ago was beyond a joke. I was looking at a case for an I phone I'm getting and looked up the genuine Apple ones but wouldn't risk buying one from e bay

[xuy]

And now I have another on to deal with:-

Sold a HTC one 9 weeks ago.

Just had an item not as described case opened.

No explanation about what is not as described and why it has taken 9 weeks for the buyer to notice this problem.

He wants to return it and have a full refund, inc return postage. FFS.

So what is the guess that he has dropped it or similar! I think this new 180 day protection is going to be a nightmare.

[SistersofPercy]

xuy said:

And now I have another on to deal with:-

Sold a HTC one 9 weeks ago.

Just had an item not as described case opened.

No explanation about what is not as described and why it has taken 9 weeks for the buyer to notice this problem.

He wants to return it and have a full refund, inc return postage. FFS.

So what is the guess that he has dropped it or similar! I think this new 180 day protection is going to be a nightmare.

Little you can do sadly, but insist he opens a case. If he's a serial returner it will eventually flag and your case might be the one that ends his eBay career. I assume you have the IMEI, serial numbers etc to compare?

Return postage he can whistle for, thats not a requirement yet.

It might be worth you physically calling eBay. 9 weeks is ridiculous and if you get the person at ebay with the brain cell for the day you might get some resolution. Don't bother with live chat etc, they don't know arses from elbows.

[Funk]

xuy said:

And now I have another on to deal with:-

Sold a HTC one 9 weeks ago.

Just had an item not as described case opened.

No explanation about what is not as described and why it has taken 9 weeks for the buyer to notice this problem.

He wants to return it and have a full refund, inc return postage. FFS.

So what is the guess that he has dropped it or similar! I think this new 180 day protection is going to be a nightmare.

I've got two phones for sale at the moment, a One X and a One S and I have them on Preloved, Gumtree & Friday-Ad. I've already sold two (another One X and One S as it goes!) to buyers who came to see the phones and put cash in my hand.

The eBay rules are not just open to abuse, they practically invite it. it's absurd that as a seller you can find yourself without the money you thought you'd safely been paid and an item back (if you're lucky) that's been abused to fk by some mouth-breathing dhead. People know they can buy something, use it, break it and then return it at the seller's expense.

I think there should be two tiers of seller; commercial and private. Private sellers who're selling a used item they no longer need are a little different to a business seller selling new items. Buyers seem to expect mint items in perfect condition when buying used and this is simply unreasonable - especially when the item is accurately described.

I will never use eBay again as a seller - you might as well just throw stuff away, at least you know you're not going to get shafted 6 months later on it, losing not only the money actually being out of pocket for having to pay the return cost on the item.

fk that for a game of soldiers.

SistersofPercy said:

My selling has been waning for a while. It will probably stop altogether now. My buying has almost halted and I buy mostly from Aliexpress. The Chinese sellers are falling over themselves to please and the odd problem I have had has been sorted almost instantly.

Bookmarked - thanks!

Edited by Funk on Sunday 17th August 12:37