GSF on Ebay :-(

[CIS121]

I've used the shops a lot over the years and had good service. My experience on Ebay is quite different though. One item purchased, their compatibility chart stated it would fit my exact car and on receiving it it didn't. They admitted a mistake in the chart but aren't prepared to pay for or arrange courier collection for what is their mistake and they don't even dispute it's not for my car.

Am I unlucky or have others had similar experiences on parts that differ between models/variants?

[Dr G]

Lodge a dispute with ebay, if them item isn't as described you shouldn't be paying a penny.

[CIS121]

I've done so - currently stuck in a part of the process where we can just message each other. I only have the option to close the case and not to have it reviewed, so presume this comes in time. TO be honest it's only £13 and I've little interest in chasing much, just very disappointed with a company like GSF and the pretty poors comms I've received. I'm put off using their Ebay service again unless I hear glowing reports that I've been very unlucky here.

[AlexRS2782]

The compatability charts on eBay are pretty wrong in a lot of cases. Half the time people (even businesses) seem to just select the generic car/model but don't remove the ones it doesn't fit.

I sold a part for my 205 GTI a few weeks back and it took ages having to go through the compatability chart and add/remove all the cars it would/would not fit, before i could list the item.

[steveo3002]

i know its not right..but in these cases its best to say it hasnt come and get a refund

[CIS121]

steveo3002 said:

i know its not right..but in these cases its best to say it hasnt come and get a refund

With hindsight...

They offered me a £10 refund to remove my negative feedback. The brake pads only cost £13. Ridiculous, but on principle I'd rather leave it there than take their bribe.

[edc]

Tell them you will keep buying the same part and leaving more negative feedback. Then just return the stuff at a retail shop of theirs?

[Jonny1984]

I bought some rear shoes and pads from an eBay seller. Four days later, they messaged me asking if I was sure they were the right parts for my car; I replied by saying I was sure. Then another three days later I asked for an update on the Friday, to be told they would be dispatching on the following Monday. Got fed up of waiting and just asked for my money back.

This is where they started getting difficult. I then got told that they had already been sent out via Royal Mail and as soon as I gave positive feedback, they would "call the parcel back" (I knew that this wasn't possible). After a bit of arguing, they just said send the goods back and don't contact them again. I left the appropriate feedback after the experience.

A few weeks later I got a revise your feedback request stating that they would offer a full refund for positive feedback. Basically told them it was too little too late. All this could have been avoided if they had just not dispatched the parcel and gave me my money back.

If anyone wants some brand new Mintex discs, pads and shoes for a Yaris T Sport, let me know They have become a permanent fixture in my office.

[marshalla]

Trading on ebay doesn't exempt them from their obligations under the Distance Selling Regulations and Sale of Goods Act.
They are still a business selling to consumers and have to comply with the law. If they don't - Trading Standards will act on complaints.

[Vince70]

I wouldn't buy anything model specific such as sensors or brake components on eBay myself, having learned from my mistakes,
I was sent the wrong multi function temperate sensor twice and the company refused to believe my Audi a4 sensor existed even though it had a number and Audi stamp on it.
In the end I went down the local euro car parts with the old part and got the part off the shelve for a fiver, and there was nothing special just a normal Audi sensor.

As for brakes I bought a set of disks and pads all round for my old car off eBay, and after fitting them and bedding them in properly the car never was as sharp stopping as previous, the problem I believe is they were substandard Chinese copy's.
It looks like I need a new mft sensor on my 80 cab, I won't be looking on eBay.

But saying that I would still buy second hand body panels seats and wheels etc off eBay, does anyone know where I can get a cream cloth seat base cover for an Audi cabriolet lol.

[balls-out]

This sounds like it doesn't even need distance selling. They have failed to deliver on a contract.... THEY therefore need to sort it out

[russy01]

marshalla said:

Trading on ebay doesn't exempt them from their obligations under the Distance Selling Regulations and Sale of Goods Act.
They are still a business selling to consumers and have to comply with the law. If they don't - Trading Standards will act on complaints.

Although you are correct, there is no need to go down this route. Trading standard won't call them up and sort it out with a single complaint.

Just open a case against them in ebay, you can choose "item not as described" and ebay will sort it out one way or another, it's very unlikely you'll lose out. Plus the seller will know this and more than likely sort the issue out as soon as the case has been opened (they will benefit from settling the dispute early).

As a seller myself I must admit the rules are heavily weighted in the buyers favour, which penalises us all the time when we come across un-truthful buyers, but at the same time it works perfectly when you have sellers like this who think they can brush errors (which have caused you significant inconvenience) under the carpet.

Edited by russy01 on Sunday 19th August 11:17