email from ebay about my " conduct "!
Discussion
I just received an email from ebay chastising me for my behaviour regarding the purchase of an alarm for one of the cars. The seller lives near me, so I messaged him saying that rather than send it, to hang on to it and I'd pick it up, which I duly did. Ebay have seen the message and pulled me up for it. I'm not especially familiar with the protocols and have never sold on there, only bought.
What, if anything, have I actually done wrong here? The email says it doesn't receive replies, otherwise I'd be on there asking.
What, if anything, have I actually done wrong here? The email says it doesn't receive replies, otherwise I'd be on there asking.
It's probably something automatically generated because the system reckoned you are buying things "outside" of ebay.
There's nothing wrong with collection per se, as they do allow you to set it as a delivery option. It probably thought you awee trying to buy something directly rather than via ebay, which means they would miss out on their 10% fees...
Edit: also, although it's not relevant to this, some sellers are very wary of collection as some buyers say they will collect, and do, then claim that they never received their item, and the seller is stumped as they have no proof of posting.
There's nothing wrong with collection per se, as they do allow you to set it as a delivery option. It probably thought you awee trying to buy something directly rather than via ebay, which means they would miss out on their 10% fees...
Edit: also, although it's not relevant to this, some sellers are very wary of collection as some buyers say they will collect, and do, then claim that they never received their item, and the seller is stumped as they have no proof of posting.
Plymo said:
It's probably something automatically generated because the system reckoned you are buying things "outside" of ebay.
There's nothing wrong with collection per se, as they do allow you to set it as a delivery option. It probably thought you awee trying to buy something directly rather than via ebay, which means they would miss out on their 10% fees...
As said they think you are trying to purchase outside of ebay, just ignore it is a automatic email.There's nothing wrong with collection per se, as they do allow you to set it as a delivery option. It probably thought you awee trying to buy something directly rather than via ebay, which means they would miss out on their 10% fees...
Had something similar recently trying to sell a push bike, someone wanted to view but ebay wouldn't let me give them my address until they'd paid !
They didn't buy it, someone else did through ebay and when they collected they had a code that they gave to us or something to prove they'd picked it up
They didn't buy it, someone else did through ebay and when they collected they had a code that they gave to us or something to prove they'd picked it up
SistersofPercy said:
Yep, it's a generic 'behave yourselves we want our cut' email. The seller will have had a harsher one. I've seen cases where people have pulled listings and they have been billed for fees anyway as eBay concluded they had sold off platform.
Just another nail in it's coffin.
They've been doing it for years without much kickback, so I think that coffin will be a while yet.Just another nail in it's coffin.
S2r said:
Had something similar recently trying to sell a push bike, someone wanted to view but ebay wouldn't let me give them my address until they'd paid !
They didn't buy it, someone else did through ebay and when they collected they had a code that they gave to us or something to prove they'd picked it up
Yeah this is how eBay want all collections to be done going forward. It was being trialled this year and is meant to be pretty much full scale by middle of next year. A QR code gets generated and is meant to be scanned at the time of collection to prove the item is picked up.They didn't buy it, someone else did through ebay and when they collected they had a code that they gave to us or something to prove they'd picked it up
This is also because eBay want to stop things like cash on collection payments. Going forward all payments are intended to be processed electronically via eBay's new payment provider, which is replacing PayPal, and the funds are then held by eBay. Those funds are then released / forwarded on to the seller, minus all relevant fees rather than being billed monthly for them, which is meant to be released pretty quickly, but some people have reported it taking up to 2 to 3 days when it was being trialled earlier in the year.
eBay apply different rules on messages between buyers and sellers pre and post winning an auction.
If you’ve won an auction you can exchange contact information freely and it’s not prohibited. Pre winning an auction if you start trying to share contact information their systems - rightly in most cases I’d assume - think you’re trying to do a deal offline, and it’ll either block the message from being sent at all - with a suitably chastising warning - or you get the message the OP received after the fact.
In OP’s case either this alarm purchase was some cash in hand via some “what deal can you do for me if I come and collect right now” kinda thing, or the seller “forgot” to mark it as paid in order to save paying the final value fee. Either way something illegitimate likely occurred, and eBay lost out even though they facilitated the sale.
If you’ve won an auction you can exchange contact information freely and it’s not prohibited. Pre winning an auction if you start trying to share contact information their systems - rightly in most cases I’d assume - think you’re trying to do a deal offline, and it’ll either block the message from being sent at all - with a suitably chastising warning - or you get the message the OP received after the fact.
In OP’s case either this alarm purchase was some cash in hand via some “what deal can you do for me if I come and collect right now” kinda thing, or the seller “forgot” to mark it as paid in order to save paying the final value fee. Either way something illegitimate likely occurred, and eBay lost out even though they facilitated the sale.
Edited by Durzel on Wednesday 23 December 07:24
SistersofPercy said:
Yep, it's a generic 'behave yourselves we want our cut' email. The seller will have had a harsher one. I've seen cases where people have pulled listings and they have been billed for fees anyway as eBay concluded they had sold off platform.
Just another nail in it's coffin.
To be fair, people do try to sell on Ebay and then conduct the transaction off platform to avoid fees. I only sell when its £1 fee is active - works really well.Just another nail in it's coffin.
I used be a heavy personal user of ebay but I haven't sold anything over ebay for years now, the risks to a personal seller are just too great and I've been burnt by one sale that cost me hundreds of pounds.
Sold an ECU for an old jag I had which was working when I removed it. Guy buys it from me because his ecu had snuffed it (we had an email exchange before he purchased). As a precaution I made a mark on the corner of the unit and took a photograph.
A week or so later I get an email saying it didn't work and he wanted a full refund. I knew what was coming but ebay had already frozen the sale amount from my paypal account. I received 'an' ECU from him a few days later. Lo and behold no mark as he'd sent me back his faulty ECU which was exactly my concern.
Lodged a complaint with ebay and presented evidence (photo of unit I sent with notch and unit I received without). They simply closed the case in the buyers favour and I ended up having to bin the faulty ecu. Paypal transferred full selling price including postage back to the buyer.
Not sold on their site since. Ironically I now sell on gumtree which is an ebay company but because it's face to face and there's little if any interaction from ebay/gumtree it's been hassle free.
I've also received those automated "you've been naughty" emails from ebay for trying to arrange a viewing of an item that's been for sale before bidding.
It's simply not designed for end user to end user buying/selling anymore. It's primarily set up as a business to end user site.
Sold an ECU for an old jag I had which was working when I removed it. Guy buys it from me because his ecu had snuffed it (we had an email exchange before he purchased). As a precaution I made a mark on the corner of the unit and took a photograph.
A week or so later I get an email saying it didn't work and he wanted a full refund. I knew what was coming but ebay had already frozen the sale amount from my paypal account. I received 'an' ECU from him a few days later. Lo and behold no mark as he'd sent me back his faulty ECU which was exactly my concern.
Lodged a complaint with ebay and presented evidence (photo of unit I sent with notch and unit I received without). They simply closed the case in the buyers favour and I ended up having to bin the faulty ecu. Paypal transferred full selling price including postage back to the buyer.
Not sold on their site since. Ironically I now sell on gumtree which is an ebay company but because it's face to face and there's little if any interaction from ebay/gumtree it's been hassle free.
I've also received those automated "you've been naughty" emails from ebay for trying to arrange a viewing of an item that's been for sale before bidding.
It's simply not designed for end user to end user buying/selling anymore. It's primarily set up as a business to end user site.
QuattroDave said:
I used be a heavy personal user of ebay but I haven't sold anything over ebay for years now, the risks to a personal seller are just too great and I've been burnt by one sale that cost me hundreds of pounds.
Sold an ECU for an old jag I had which was working when I removed it. Guy buys it from me because his ecu had snuffed it (we had an email exchange before he purchased). As a precaution I made a mark on the corner of the unit and took a photograph.
A week or so later I get an email saying it didn't work and he wanted a full refund. I knew what was coming but ebay had already frozen the sale amount from my paypal account. I received 'an' ECU from him a few days later. Lo and behold no mark as he'd sent me back his faulty ECU which was exactly my concern.
Lodged a complaint with ebay and presented evidence (photo of unit I sent with notch and unit I received without). They simply closed the case in the buyers favour and I ended up having to bin the faulty ecu. Paypal transferred full selling price including postage back to the buyer.
Not sold on their site since. Ironically I now sell on gumtree which is an ebay company but because it's face to face and there's little if any interaction from ebay/gumtree it's been hassle free.
I've also received those automated "you've been naughty" emails from ebay for trying to arrange a viewing of an item that's been for sale before bidding.
It's simply not designed for end user to end user buying/selling anymore. It's primarily set up as a business to end user site.
If it was for a decent chunk of change, you could have just done a MCOL and dragged the scammer through the courts.Sold an ECU for an old jag I had which was working when I removed it. Guy buys it from me because his ecu had snuffed it (we had an email exchange before he purchased). As a precaution I made a mark on the corner of the unit and took a photograph.
A week or so later I get an email saying it didn't work and he wanted a full refund. I knew what was coming but ebay had already frozen the sale amount from my paypal account. I received 'an' ECU from him a few days later. Lo and behold no mark as he'd sent me back his faulty ECU which was exactly my concern.
Lodged a complaint with ebay and presented evidence (photo of unit I sent with notch and unit I received without). They simply closed the case in the buyers favour and I ended up having to bin the faulty ecu. Paypal transferred full selling price including postage back to the buyer.
Not sold on their site since. Ironically I now sell on gumtree which is an ebay company but because it's face to face and there's little if any interaction from ebay/gumtree it's been hassle free.
I've also received those automated "you've been naughty" emails from ebay for trying to arrange a viewing of an item that's been for sale before bidding.
It's simply not designed for end user to end user buying/selling anymore. It's primarily set up as a business to end user site.
I get this all the time.
Simply list only on £1 listing events and offer collection. Whilst you have to offer PayPal as a payment method, it is not mandatory to accept it. Get them to buy the item so eBay get their £1. Cash on collection, mark as item collected & move on!
Exchange your details via photo in the messages section to get round the wan*y eBay filter.
Simply list only on £1 listing events and offer collection. Whilst you have to offer PayPal as a payment method, it is not mandatory to accept it. Get them to buy the item so eBay get their £1. Cash on collection, mark as item collected & move on!
Exchange your details via photo in the messages section to get round the wan*y eBay filter.
They stung me for this and I ended up paying them £30 in fees for a canoe I sold 'outside' of eBay. Fair do's I did try and get around their fees but it still pissed me off. I did manage to get one over on them quite a few times before I got caught though. As others said use the £1 listings, luckily I havent been had over by a dodgy buyer but it is ripe for this type of thing.
shep1001 said:
I get this all the time.
Simply list only on £1 listing events and offer collection. Whilst you have to offer PayPal as a payment method, it is not mandatory to accept it. Get them to buy the item so eBay get their £1. Cash on collection, mark as item collected & move on!
Exchange your details via photo in the messages section to get round the wan*y eBay filter.
Pictures are monitored too . Simply list only on £1 listing events and offer collection. Whilst you have to offer PayPal as a payment method, it is not mandatory to accept it. Get them to buy the item so eBay get their £1. Cash on collection, mark as item collected & move on!
Exchange your details via photo in the messages section to get round the wan*y eBay filter.
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