Ebay Scams!

[Halfcan]

A Buyer bids on your item in an auction- gets the winning bid. Then they never pay and you have no recourse.

Ebay does nothing.

Buyer buys a vase, we send it with insurance. Buyer decides they do not want it and smashes it- lies and says it was not wrapped up. Instead of taking it to the post office and getting a refund since it was insured- they put a claim against us. We are out the vase, time to mail package, postage, time on the phone with an unhelpful foreigner at Ebay who we can't understand. Ebay gives buyer full refund even though it is obvious they are lying.

Ebay does nothing. Then adds another fee on our account for giving this pos lying buyer a refund.

We are closing our account. Ebay is a poorly run company, terrible customer service and gives the Seller- Zero protection from scam buyers.

Anyone else scammed by Ebay?

[DaFace]

It's almost as if buying and selling things with strangers on the internet is a risky business. Next thing you'll be telling me that Craigslist is scammy.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Sorry that happened.


Typically the shipper must file the claim for damaged shipments. Technically the recipient can with USPS, however they must get a copy of the receipt from the shipper. So that part should not be unexpected. You will file the claim and get reimbursed.

[htismaqe]

Haven't used eBay in years because of stuff like this.

[Naptown Chief]

I stopped using eBay several years ago. While I've never sold anything, thus have no first hand experience with this, I've had enough problems as a buyer to throw in the towel. I honestly don't know what the alternative is but I've had (pretty) good luck buying from Amazon, minus a couple deliveries not arriving. I was sent replacements with no questions asked.

I'm sorry you got screwed. I wish various forms of AIDS on that POS buyer and everyone else who does this shit.

Edit- I'll throw in their family, friends, and everyone they went to school with.

[OnTheWarpath15]

My favorite is when you win an auction for a really good price, and then the seller tells you the item is no longer available.

Then you see the exact same item re-listed a few hours later.

Ebay does nothing about it.

[Simply Red]

Buyers are Liars

[Naptown Chief]

My favorite is when you win an auction for a really good price, and then the seller tells you the item is no longer available.

Then you see the exact same item re-listed a few hours later.

Ebay does nothing about it.

I've had that happen a couple of times. It's absurd. You win an auction and don't pay, there's consequences. You win an item and the buyer pulls that stunt, nothing. Tough shit.

[Halfcan]

It's almost as if buying and selling things with strangers on the internet is a risky business. Next thing you'll be telling me that Craigslist is scammy.

ROFL Exactly, there is inherent risk involved in every transaction. We have bought and sold things on Ebay for years, but now they are totally geared toward the buyer.

Seller Beware!

[Simply Red]

ROFL Exactly, there is inherent risk involved in every transaction. We have bought and sold things on Ebay for years, but now they are totally geared toward the buyer.

Seller Beware!

Unfortunately it's always been that way.

[Halfcan]

Sorry that happened.


Typically the shipper must file the claim for damaged shipments. Technically the recipient can with USPS, however they must get a copy of the receipt from the shipper. So that part should not be unexpected. You will file the claim and get reimbursed.

Yep, you are exactly right. So Ebay immediately sided with the Buyer and closed the case. We sent the Buyer a message and she refused to even answer. Her description and photos were a complete fabrication. Most likely she didn't like the vase and broke it herself. Ebay pulled all the photos so we could not even prove damages and get a refund from USPS.

Just got off the phone with Ebay again- they emailed all the photos so we now have to file a claim with USPS. Buyers can say Anything and they get a full refund.

We are still out $16.95 for the shipping though. :cuss:

[Halfcan]

My favorite is when you win an auction for a really good price, and then the seller tells you the item is no longer available.

Then you see the exact same item re-listed a few hours later.

Ebay does nothing about it.

Yep, this has happened to me several times as well. I don't understand why Ebay does not weed out the scammers??

[Halfcan]

I've had that happen a couple of times. It's absurd. You win an auction and don't pay, there's consequences. You win an item and the buyer pulls that stunt, nothing. Tough shit.

This!

We had an auction on Ebay for some Vintage Hallmark cards. Winning bid was around $50.00. Buyer would not pay. We contacted the other bidders, but they realized what happened and immediately low-balled us on the cards. We relisted and this dumbass buyer starts bidding again. Ebay would not let us block her until I spent an hour on the phone with them.

They checked her history and she had done it dozens of times. Must get a thrill out of winning- but has no money to actually buy the stuff. :rolleyes:

[Abba-Dabba]

Nonpaying bidders don't bother me.

Wondering though how it is a scam. Did the buyer receive more money in the refund than what they paid? What would be the benefit towards the buyer in this scam if the item is clearly broke?

[Halfcan]

Nonpaying bidders don't bother me.

Wondering though how it is a scam. Did the buyer receive more money in the refund than what they paid? What would be the benefit towards the buyer in this scam if the item is clearly broke?

It looks pretty obvious they broke it themselves to get a refund. Then they put a fake description of how it was packed and sent three pictures making it look like we just tossed it in a box and shipped without due care.

Her description was ridiculous:

"I carefully unwrapped this precious vase ( how else would you unwrap it bitch) and was shocked beyond belief that it was shipped broken. (How do you assume the seller shipped a broken vase) It was barely wrapped and loose in the box (both lies) and was appalled at such shoddy packaging. (which now indicates it was broken in transit because of packing) I was so disappointed I was almost in tears!!! (really, over a vase) I have never seen a vase so poorly packed, plus I nearly suffered a severe cut from the broken glass. (wow, such a traumatic experience) This has been one of the most dangerous packages I have ever handled as glass could have gone all over my house. ROFL

[bdj23]

Fuck Ebay.

I signed up for an account, bought 1 item, paid in full, and then immediately got banned for being a "scammer". My package came and they money was taken from my bank account.

Wtf

[SupDock]

It looks pretty obvious they broke it themselves to get a refund. Then they put a fake description of how it was packed and sent three pictures making it look like we just tossed it in a box and shipped without due care.

Her description was ridiculous:

"I carefully unwrapped this precious vase ( how else would you unwrap it bitch) and was shocked beyond belief that it was shipped broken. (How do you assume the seller shipped a broken vase) It was barely wrapped and loose in the box (both lies) and was appalled at such shoddy packaging. (which now indicates it was broken in transit because of packing) I was so disappointed I was almost in tears!!! (really, over a vase) I have never seen a vase so poorly packed, plus I nearly suffered a severe cut from the broken glass. (wow, such a traumatic experience) This has been one of the most dangerous packages I have ever handled as glass could have gone all over my house. ROFL

I would start taking a picture of the packaged item before shipping. People are shitty sometimes

[mikeyis4dcats.]

I would start taking a picture of the packaged item before shipping. People are shitty sometimes


This. Anything with a serial number should also be documented as well.




I've bought and sold hundreds of things, only had 1 bad selling experience (seller claimed not received, and my dumbass decided to change no tracking since it was a document) but at least it was something I got free so I was out nothing. A couple of issues buying, but as expected they were made right.

[Abba-Dabba]

It looks pretty obvious they broke it themselves to get a refund. Then they put a fake description of how it was packed and sent three pictures making it look like we just tossed it in a box and shipped without due care.

Her description was ridiculous:

"I carefully unwrapped this precious vase ( how else would you unwrap it bitch) and was shocked beyond belief that it was shipped broken. (How do you assume the seller shipped a broken vase) It was barely wrapped and loose in the box (both lies) and was appalled at such shoddy packaging. (which now indicates it was broken in transit because of packing) I was so disappointed I was almost in tears!!! (really, over a vase) I have never seen a vase so poorly packed, plus I nearly suffered a severe cut from the broken glass. (wow, such a traumatic experience) This has been one of the most dangerous packages I have ever handled as glass could have gone all over my house. ROFL

Still not seeing the scam. Your assumption is that she broke the item due to her buyers remorse. While discounting the fact it absolutely could have been damaged in transit to the destination. Happens all the time even with proper packaging.

If transactions like this upsets you maybe family, or donation is a better option for you.

[Bwana]

At one point years ago, I would buy and sell on EBay all the time and had a bunch of crap like that happen.

My favorite was when I bought one of those old Hamms scene o rama signs from the 60s, the big one with the waterfall, for the man cave.

The thing shows up with the roof busted and some loose interior parts. The idiot packed it like shit. He threw it in a big box with a couple of pieces of newspaper on top and shipped it, I mean ZERO protection. A total I don't give a rats ass fly by night packing job.

I had to walk through the fires of hell to get my money back, the guy was fighting it every step of the way.

After 6 weeks and numerous pictures of the damage, I finally got my money. After it was done, the guy had the balls to ask me to ship him back the sign on my dime. Needless to say, I told him to go have sex with himself. The guy sends me a reply, claiming he was going to come to town to kick my ass. ROFL

I sent him a reply back and told him, "You know my address, let me know when you can make it over, I'll be happy to host that party." I didn't hear from him again.

At this point, I rarely have anything to do with EBAY, I might buy something twice a year at most.

[Angry fan]

If ebay is so bad, what alternatives does everyone use for selling?

[htismaqe]

If ebay is so bad, what alternatives does everyone use for selling?

I only buy and sell local now. Facebook mostly.

[DaFace]

If ebay is so bad, what alternatives does everyone use for selling?

It's not inherently bad any more than any other option. Selling stuff online is just a risky thing, and it doesn't matter if you're an individual or a business. If you think that the Amazons of the world get screwed over all the time on people saying stuff showed up broken, you're fooling yourself. They just price it into their business model, which is harder for an individual to do at small scale.

[htismaqe]

It's not inherently bad any more than any other option. Selling stuff online is just a risky thing, and it doesn't matter if you're an individual or a business. If you think that the Amazons of the world get screwed over all the time on people saying stuff showed up broken, you're fooling yourself. They just price it into their business model, which is harder for an individual to do at small scale.

Amazon's customer service often goes above and beyond to make their customers happy, even Marketplace customers (Marketplace is essentially eBay).

eBay's customer service is virtually non-existent anymore. That's the big difference.

Discogs has better support than eBay.

[Bwana]

If ebay is so bad, what alternatives does everyone use for selling?

I buy either local, or on Amazon. As far as selling, I either donate whatever it is, or use Craigslist.

[MMXcalibur]

In a heavy, Indian accent: “Hello, this is Steve from customer serv...
Me: “Oh for Christ sakes...” *click*

Everytime.
Every goddamn time.

[RedRaider56]

My favorite is when you win an auction for a really good price, and then the seller tells you the item is no longer available.

Then you see the exact same item re-listed a few hours later.

Ebay does nothing about it.

or message you saying they have another item just like it, but send the cash via western union instead

[SuperBowl4]

eBay is great! You can find just about anything. I needed some bushings for a sway bar on a older car and ebay was the ONLY place that had them. I have been using eBay for over a decade. I only buy from sellers who have been on eBay for years. I have only had a couple of minor issues with my over 700 buy/sell transactions. I only do PayPal

[Halfcan]

Still not seeing the scam. Your assumption is that she broke the item due to her buyers remorse. While discounting the fact it absolutely could have been damaged in transit to the destination. Happens all the time even with proper packaging.

If transactions like this upsets you maybe family, or donation is a better option for you.

So lying about the condition it was shipped - taking phony pics, not returning any messages and then lying to Ebay about the condition it was shipped in is not a scam?

I mean someone at the post office could have purposely throw it down the stairs. I can't prove she broke it, but it looks bad on her when she immediately makes up some dramatic story and outright lies about how we shipped it. According to Ebay she would get 100% refund no matter what- so making up this stupid cover story to make us look bad is just being a fucking scammy bitch.

[Abba-Dabba]

So lying about the condition it was shipped - taking phony pics, not returning any messages and then lying to Ebay about the condition it was shipped in is not a scam?

I mean someone at the post office could have purposely throw it down the stairs. I can't prove she broke it, but it looks bad on her when she immediately makes up some dramatic story and outright lies about how we shipped it. According to Ebay she would get 100% refund no matter what- so making up this stupid cover story to make us look bad is just being a ****ing scammy bitch.

Can we see the pictures she took?

[Halfcan]

Can we see the pictures she took?

Ebay deleted them along with our replies and all her info when they closed the case.

[laser1972]

Been doing ebay for years, over 7000+ rating, you are right, ebay sides with the buyers most of the time.

Someone bought a macbook from me a few months ago, one of the newer ones, said when he was cleaning it, the space bar "popped" off, and he wanted to return it, now this isnt one where you can just pop the key back on, but anyway, i called ebay and said he is not shipping it back in the same condition as i sent it, i had pics of my auction clearly stating the spacebar was intact..

They said:, that unless he admits that he forced the spacebar off with a knife, etc, they cant do anything...priceless!

Other one was someone bought a iphone from me, claimed it didnt work and when they sent it back, it was a sim card only, not the phone, i had to send pics of his package to ebay and have a notarized document stating this was returned to me... He had a two rating, but I was the one that had to proof he was lying..

Yes, no other alternatives besides OfferUp or marketplace, but its just as bad, post a laptop and 100 people want it, but then its no shows, flakes, 1/2 price low ball offers...

But yes I still do it, most of the time its fine, its just you get some crazies that are newbies that try and scam/cheat the system.

It doesn't matter how big your rating is, or how many years you have been and of course you can't leave negative feedback to buyers for years now, nice right?..

[ModSocks]

I've never bought or sold off ebay.

The monetary transaction is completed through Ebay? I always thought Paypal was who collected the money. Is that not a thing anymore?

[Halfcan]

Been doing ebay for years, over 7000+ rating, you are right, ebay sides with the buyers most of the time.

Someone bought a macbook from me a few months ago, one of the newer ones, said when he was cleaning it, the space bar "popped" off, and he wanted to return it, now this isnt one where you can just pop the key back on, but anyway, i called ebay and said he is not shipping it back in the same condition as i sent it, i had pics of my auction clearly stating the spacebar was intact..

They said:, that unless he admits that he forced the spacebar off with a knife, etc, they cant do anything...priceless!

Other one was someone bought a iphone from me, claimed it didnt work and when they sent it back, it was a sim card only, not the phone, i had to send pics of his package to ebay and have a notarized document stating this was returned to me... He had a two rating, but I was the one that had to proof he was lying..

Yes, no other alternatives besides OfferUp or marketplace, but its just as bad, post a laptop and 100 people want it, but then its no shows, flakes, 1/2 price low ball offers...

But yes I still do it, most of the time its fine, its just you get some crazies that are newbies that try and scam/cheat the system.

It doesn't matter how big your rating is, or how many years you have been and of course you can't leave negative feedback to buyers for years now, nice right?..

This! We have been selling stuff for years and have 100% perfect rating.

Just in the last 6 months- we have had multiple people win bids and then not pay. Then try to bid on more of our stuff. :rolleyes:

We had an incident about a year ago- it was a Ginger Jar. The person literally took a hammer to it and smashed it into 100's of pieces and tried to claim the USPS did it. Ebay checked into them and the had dozens of claims like that, computer games, glassware, ect. They must have some fetish about wanting to smash things? :shake:

[Bugeater]

I only buy and sell local now. Facebook mostly.Facebook Marketplace was ok for the first 6 months or so that it existed, then all of a sudden it went to hell for some reason. Seems like everything I listed was getting a ton of views, but not responses. And when I did finally get an inquiry it was either people wanting shit for free, or they'd send a message asking if the item was still available, and I'd respond yes it is, and never hear another fucking thing from them. Wtf?

Or even worse, the motherfuckers that ask a bunch of questions and also want additional pictures, and then ghost out on you.

[Bwana]

This! We have been selling stuff for years and have 100% perfect rating.

Just in the last 6 months- we have had multiple people win bids and then not pay. Then try to bid on more of our stuff. :rolleyes:

We had an incident about a year ago- it was a Ginger Jar. The person literally took a hammer to it and smashed it into 100's of pieces and tried to claim the USPS did it. Ebay checked into them and the had dozens of claims like that, computer games, glassware, ect. They must have some fetish about wanting to smash things? :shake:

In '99 , 00, 01 I sold a ton of car parts on there. That's when a seller could actually leave some feedback. I had a bunch of people who won and didn't pay up and I left some pretty funny cut to the bone feedback. I know EBay removed some of it because they said it was a bit over the top. ROFL

[ModSocks]

Buyer buys a vase, we send it with insurance. Buyer decides they do not want it and smashes it- lies and says it was not wrapped up. Instead of taking it to the post office and getting a refund since it was insured- they put a claim against us. We are out the vase, time to mail package, postage, time on the phone with an unhelpful foreigner at Ebay who we can't understand. Ebay gives buyer full refund even though it is obvious they are lying.

Ebay does nothing. Then adds another fee on our account for giving this pos lying buyer a refund.

We are closing our account. Ebay is a poorly run company, terrible customer service and gives the Seller- Zero protection from scam buyers.

Anyone else scammed by Ebay?

That does suck. Odd behavior on the customer's part since they go through a lot of trouble to gain nothing. I wouldn't call that a scam though, just the customer being an asshole.
Aside from insuring everything you ship, maybe take pictures of the packaging before you ship it?

I've done that at times when i know i'm shipping something that might get fucked.

I don't know how Ebay works, but i know with PayPal there are seller protections in place.

Trying to collect on shipping insurance can be a hassle, which is why at times i take pictures before i ship.

[DeepPurple]

I've been on eBay since 2004, my feedback is 315. I've bought about 200 items and sold about 200 items. I started when I inherited about 200 knives that my dad had collected. I would take good photos and write as good a description as I could. If a knife was worth about $300, I generally would get about half on an auction, which was fine with me, took in about $5,000 on all the knives. Never had any problems.

I also bought and sold a lot of golf clubs. A new driver is about $400, on sale maybe $300, on ebay if you wait a year it's about $125, and slightly used about $75. If you're a golfer then you understand, golfers love to go through clubs and buy and sell the latest, it's always the clubs fault. I guess the same can be said for archers, fisherman, hunters etc. I haven't done any clubs in the last year, I'm happy with my set up now.

There were some sellers of fake clubs, they're actually make in China at sometimes the same factory as the real club. It's a funny industry, I think Ping is about the only American club maker. I use to read the message board golfwrx.com, most of the people on that board take themselves seriously, they're not hackers. The good thing, they generally spot fake clubs on eBay and warn you about them and they would turn them in and eBay would take them down. If you saw something you really liked and the seller had a low feedback number, put the listing up on the golfwrx board and they usually would know the seller or is something was going on, would tell you not to buy it.

Now I only buy on eBay, no more selling, and if it's something that I'm looking for at a good bargain price, I generally only use 'Buy Now'. Otherwise I go to Amazon, they've got just about everything. I've got about 3 pairs of Oakley Sunglasses in the past 3 years and generally they're about $180 at the pro shop or in the mall. On eBay they are about $100 or a little more. Once again, get to know the sellers, read the feedback, buy from the same guy if you can. I just bought a pair of Oakley's last week for $114 with free shipping, got them in two days from LA. I saw these in the pro shop and I liked them and they wanted $179, with tax that's about $190, so I saved about $75.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iGsAAOSw2yNbQN0M/s-l1600.jpg

[Shaid]

huh, I've bought things out there, maybe get one or two things a year. Only had a problem once recently where I bought a "white" camera but got it and it was that fake metalic. I was going to have it returned, but my daughter was ok with it. The seller offered me 10% back for it being mislabled and I accepted rather than go through the mailing hassle. That's probably the worst experience I've had. I do tend to look at ratings of sellers before bidding on their stuff though.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Facebook Marketplace was ok for the first 6 months or so that it existed, then all of a sudden it went to hell for some reason. Seems like everything I listed was getting a ton of views, but not responses. And when I did finally get an inquiry it was either people wanting shit for free, or they'd send a message asking if the item was still available, and I'd respond yes it is, and never hear another fucking thing from them. Wtf?

Or even worse, the motherfuckers that ask a bunch of questions and also want additional pictures, and then ghost out on you.


a lot of the phantom replies are due to FB's poor UI whereby a person accidentally clicks an autorespond message simply scrolling down the page.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Ebay deleted them along with our replies and all her info when they closed the case.


ypu said ebay emailed them to you?

[Dartgod]

ypu said ebay emailed them to you?

Yes, he did.


Just got off the phone with Ebay again- they emailed all the photos so we now have to file a claim with USPS.

[Halfcan]

ypu said ebay emailed them to you?

Yes, that is what the customer service said- "we will email them to you so you can file the claim".

When I typed that I assumed they did. It is my wife's business account. We never heard anything else. My wife just filed without them, so we will see if they will accept it or not.

I guess if we don't get the insurance back we will take it at a loss. I have already spent enough time on this shit and on the phone getting transferred around. :shake:

[Halfcan]

In '99 , 00, 01 I sold a ton of car parts on there. That's when a seller could actually leave some feedback. I had a bunch of people who won and didn't pay up and I left some pretty funny cut to the bone feedback. I know EBay removed some of it because they said it was a bit over the top. ROFL

You should be able to rate the Buyers- it would help weed out all the crooks. We have had a string of some real assholes lately after never having a problem for years.

[Halfcan]

Ebay just sent us 1 pic- hours later. Great service!

Notice all the bubble wrap around just this part. The lid was also wrapped up separately. We had even more wrap tucked around inside the box so it could not move. Either the postman punted down some stairs or she is a lying bitch. The pieces are not even close to the same shape- plus she lied about the packing- so I believe she broke it after it was unwrapped and then fucked us on the shipping.

:cuss:

[Tribesman]

My son attempted to sell his old cell phone on Ebay a few years ago. Once the winning bidder received it, they claimed empty box.

[Stewie]

Sell and ship an anvil and see what happens.

[ModSocks]

I'll share some stuff with ya, halfcan. Maybe you can utilize some of what we do, maybe not. Some of this you probably already know.

But as a small business you have to do the absolute best you can to protect yourself because NO ONE is looking out for you. Not the consumer, not the credit processor, not the shipping company. No one.

They all look out for the consumer. Only you can protect yourself. Here's what we do:

1. All shipments require a signature. If you don't ship with signature required, it lets the shipping service off the hook in the event the package goes missing. If the customer requests no signature required, then the customer must sign a consent form understanding that we are not liable if the carrier leaves your stuff outside your fence or delivers to the wrong house etc.

2. We only ship to the billing address on the credit card. Want it shipped somewhere else? Tough shit. If you do not ship to the billing address, the customer can claim fraud and the CC processor will honor it every time. I do make exceptions to that rule if i feel that it's not high risk, i.e small orders, or if we're shipping to a shop in the same city as the customer etc. Or i may ask the customer to order through the shop that's working on his car. He pays the shop, the shop pays me and items can then be sent to the shop. But that's a calculated risk i take, not policy.

3. All large international orders must be paid via Bank wire transfer. Again i make an exception if it's a small risk. I make that exception for anything under $500. Over that requires a bank transfer. Sellers dont have much protection in the U.S, and even less internationally. It's waaaay too easy for international consumers to purchase, receive their item and then claim fraud and get their money refunded while keeping the merchandise.

4. Read what your carrier defines as "Sufficient packaging". What you and I may think is Sufficient, the carrier probably doesn't. If you didn't use their definition of "Sufficient Packaging", they're refute your claim every time. Collecting insurance from a carrier can be long and difficult. The last damage claim i did with FedEx took 3 months to resolve. They rejected my damage claim 3 separate times citing lack of packaging, which was a load of horsehit. I took me countless emails, phone calls, complaints...i even made an I.G post ripping Fed Ex and emailed that too them. Eventually they caved and awarded my claim for their very, very clear negligence. Again, they aren't your friend.

5. Take pictures of your box/packaging before you ship it out if you think it's something that could get broken. Trying to collect damage claim insurance is a FIGHT.

6. For custom or non-refundable items, our customers have to sign and send back an authorization that states our policy on the matter, that they understand and accept our terms and that they're non-negotiable.

[ptlyon]

Ebay just sent us 1 pic- hours later. Great service!

Notice all the bubble wrap around just this part. The lid was also wrapped up separately. We had even more wrap tucked around inside the box so it could not move. Either the postman punted down some stairs or she is a lying bitch. The pieces are not even close to the same shape- plus she lied about the packing- so I believe she broke it after it was unwrapped and then ****ed us on the shipping.

:cuss:

This baby is going... Downtown!

[ModSocks]

Ebay just sent us 1 pic- hours later. Great service!

Notice all the bubble wrap around just this part. The lid was also wrapped up separately. We had even more wrap tucked around inside the box so it could not move. Either the postman punted down some stairs or she is a lying bitch. The pieces are not even close to the same shape- plus she lied about the packing- so I believe she broke it after it was unwrapped and then fucked us on the shipping.

:cuss:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but, i don't think you're going to win your damage claim. I'm not sure about USPS, but that wouldn't fly with Fed Ex or UPS. They'd cite insufficient packaging.

And yes, it's quite possible that the postman punted the thing. Carriers are notoriously reckless and negligent.

My last damage claim was a radiator kit that shipped just a few hours north of us.

My packaging:

*Specially made double corrugated box to fit the radiator snug.
*Special made foam caps to protect the inlet/outlet tubes
*Cardboard sheets to protect the core
*Completely wrapped in large bubble wrap multiple times, with bubble wrap on the bottom and top of the box.
* "Fragile" Stickers and "This side up" stickers on the box.

Despite only being in transit for one day, they managed to lay the box on the side and crush it so bad that it bent both the inlet/outlet tubes, caved in the radiator tank, and push the outlet tube THROUGH the bubble wrap, foam cup AND double corrugated box.

There's only ONE way that can happen. The box was laid down and crushed. It's the only way that damage can happen. I had 10+ high res pictures of the damage, packaging and everything.

And despite all that, Fedex rejected my claim 3 times and it took me 3 months, many phone calls, nasty emails and even blasting them on social media for them to FINALLY award my $1200 damage claim.

[Halfcan]

I'll share some stuff with ya, halfcan. Maybe you can utilize some of what we do, maybe not. Some of this you probably already know.

But as a small business you have to do the absolute best you can to protect yourself because NO ONE is looking out for you. Not the consumer, not the credit processor, not the shipping company. No one.

They all look out for the consumer. Only you can protect yourself. Here's what we do:

1. All shipments require a signature. If you don't ship with signature required, it lets the shipping service off the hook in the event the package goes missing. If the customer requests no signature required, then the customer must sign a consent form understanding that we are not liable if the carrier leaves your stuff outside your fence or delivers to the wrong house etc.

2. We only ship to the billing address on the credit card. Want it shipped somewhere else? Tough shit. If you do not ship to the billing address, the customer can claim fraud and the CC processor will honor it every time. I do make exceptions to that rule if i feel that it's not high risk, i.e small orders, or if we're shipping to a shop in the same city as the customer etc. Or i may ask the customer to order through the shop that's working on his car. He pays the shop, the shop pays me and items can then be sent to the shop. But that's a calculated risk i take, not policy.

3. All large international orders must be paid via Bank wire transfer. Again i make an exception if it's a small risk. I make that exception for anything under $500. Over that requires a bank transfer. Sellers dont have much protection in the U.S, and even less internationally. It's waaaay too easy for international consumers to purchase, receive their item and then claim fraud and get their money refunded while keeping the merchandise.

4. Read what your carrier defines as "Sufficient packaging". What you and I may think is Sufficient, the carrier probably doesn't. If you didn't use their definition of "Sufficient Packaging", they're refute your claim every time. Collecting insurance from a carrier can be long and difficult. The last damage claim i did with FedEx took 3 months to resolve. They rejected my damage claim 3 separate times citing lack of packaging, which was a load of horsehit. I took me countless emails, phone calls, complaints...i even made an I.G post ripping Fed Ex and emailed that too them. Eventually they caved and awarded my claim for their very, very clear negligence. Again, they aren't your friend.

5. Take pictures of your box/packaging before you ship it out if you think it's something that could get broken. Trying to collect damage claim insurance is a FIGHT.

6. For custom or non-refundable items, our customers have to sign and send back an authorization that states our policy on the matter, that they understand and accept our terms and that they're non-negotiable.

:clap: Excellent tips!

[SAUTO]

My favorite is when you win an auction for a really good price, and then the seller tells you the item is no longer available.

Then you see the exact same item re-listed a few hours later.

Ebay does nothing about it.

I just had this happen witha powered sub for my Camaro. Fucking assholes

[God of Thunder]

Sorry that happened.


Typically the shipper must file the claim for damaged shipments. Technically the recipient can with USPS, however they must get a copy of the receipt from the shipper. So that part should not be unexpected. You will file the claim and get reimbursed.

Thank you! Blows my mind that most people don't understand how USPS insurance works. Either party can claim it, but they have to have the original receipt. The person who purchased the insurance via USPS is the one who has to file a claim. Anytime a seller offers insurance, I say "sure, if you're paying for it"

Buying anything on eBay is great. Selling anything on eBay is an absolute nightmare any more. You can state 'no returns' in your auction, but in the eBay ToS, it clearly states a buyer can return anything for any reason. eBay always sides with a buyer.

[1claire]

I think all online shops have experienced an accusation of being a spammer.

[ghak99]

Fuck Fleabay, and the useless morons who ruined it, with a thousand rusty forks.

I finally quit that shit show years ago after getting screwed out of countless hours of my life over piddly shit purchased by dishonest buyers and refuse to even give them any action as a buyer.

[GloryDayz]

I'm seriously thinking about not using eBay anymore if eBay doesn't find a way to make your search preferences sticky. Basically if you buy on eBay and you get it from China, you might as well be ready for a month+ wait, and that's bullshit.

I know how to play with the search settings to either limit it to the US (but the Chinese have figured ways around that too), or "number of miles from a zipcode" (works better than saying US-only or North America), but eBay had better be aware that "SpeedPAK" means "Slow boat from China".

So eBay either needs to make this simple code change/option, or Amazon will benefit. At least Amazon has the moral fortitude to offer the "Prime-only" option.

Fuck eBay's relationship with Chinese sellers!

[DJ's left nut]

I've bought some pretty big ticket stuff off ebay.

Some electronics, a diamond and my Camaro all came off Ebay and with no real issues. Had the diamond independently appraised and it came in over what the Seller appraised it at by a couple hundred bucks - seller was even up front about the placement of an inclusion and whether a prong could hid it (it could and did). The Camaro purchase was seamless; I communicated with the guy and offered him a few hundred bucks to trailer it up to Columbia from Tulsa. Had it in the driveway within a few days.

Then again, all of that stuff was a decade or so ago. By most accounts its fallen to hell since then. I've grabbed some LED aquarium lights on there (the chinese sellers) and while customer service takes awhile, it's not really their fault. Time zones are a bitch - usually limits you to a couple interactions/day while trying to figure stuff out.

I've never done anything as a seller though - and I can't imagine I ever would. Too many assholes that have become entirely too savvy about screwing people.

If I can't sell it locally, I'll just find a way to write it off or if its something with a niche market, I'll utilize a more specific auction service.

[BlackHelicopters]

The shipping rates on eBay lately turned me off. Just added profit for seller disguised as shipping. eBay can get screwed.

[Rain Man]

I've become convinced over the years that everyone on the internet outside of Chiefsplanet is evil. There's no policing, so you rely on people being good when they don't have to be, and that's a recipe for disappointment.

[laser1972]

Needless to say, i have around 7800 rating, been doing ebay for years of course...

I recently became a valued seller and got concierge service.. Which was good..

Just got some dummy that i shipped computer memory to, said one of the two sticks was bad (was new and sealed).. I told him he could return the bad stick or contact the manufacturer to see if they would honor the warranty..

After a day or two, he was hassling me about the refund, but I told him to send the memory back after he told me the manufacturer wanted a receipt..

Upon a few days, he then tells me they all of a sudden were sending him new memory w/o the receipt and he couldnt send the bad stick back, but WANTED a refund anyway for his time.. lol

I told him, i cant do a refund w/o the stick coming back, so he was trying to double dip, i was going to give him something for his time, but then he leaves me negative and abusive feedback..

needless to say, i called my new concierge at Ebay, not only did she remove the bad feedback, but closed the case in my favor..

She even removed a old negative that I got unfairly on a $30 cell phone that was new, but seller said didnnt work with his carrier (i had specific carrier it would work on).. Never contacted me, --

I am still on ebay even though the fees are crazy now, and usually buyers have all the power, but I think with this new status, I can deal with it..

[GloryDayz]

Needless to say, i have around 7800 rating, been doing ebay for years of course...

I recently became a valued seller and got concierge service.. Which was good..

Just got some dummy that i shipped computer memory to, said one of the two sticks was bad (was new and sealed).. I told him he could return the bad stick or contact the manufacturer to see if they would honor the warranty..

After a day or two, he was hassling me about the refund, but I told him to send the memory back after he told me the manufacturer wanted a receipt..

Upon a few days, he then tells me they all of a sudden were sending him new memory w/o the receipt and he couldnt send the bad stick back, but WANTED a refund anyway for his time.. lol

I told him, i cant do a refund w/o the stick coming back, so he was trying to double dip, i was going to give him something for his time, but then he leaves me negative and abusive feedback..

needless to say, i called my new concierge at Ebay, not only did she remove the bad feedback, but closed the case in my favor..

She even removed a old negative that I got unfairly on a $30 cell phone that was new, but seller said didnnt work with his carrier (i had specific carrier it would work on).. Never contacted me, --

I am still on ebay even though the fees are crazy now, and usually buyers have all the power, but I think with this new status, I can deal with it..

At least you're not shipping from fucking China..

[BryanBusby]

No issues buying and selling, but fuck their fees.

[Setsuna]

Don't bid and don't offer bids when selling. Buy at the price they offer and there will be no issues. I've bought 2 $500 unlocked cell phones from ebay and have had zero issues.

[GloryDayz]

All I'm asking eBay to do is proactively help address the frustrations North Americans seem to have, perhaps the entire world, with Chinese sellers.

[jd1020]

All I'm asking eBay to do is proactively help address the frustrations North Americans seem to have, perhaps the entire world, with Chinese sellers.

Maybe I'm lucky but I havent had any problems with the few transactions I've made from Chinese sellers, but then again the stuff I'm willing to buy from Chinese sellers aren't massive items and even then I'll pay another dollar for the one that has 10k more feedback for the same item, otherwise I'm spending a little more to buy from a US buyer which is probably just a middle man and got the item from China just to save on shipping time.

[Otter]

I've had pretty good luck dealing with eBay. The only time when I've had a problem was with a kayak I wanted and the person selling it was asking the same price as retail.

It was used but in really good condition and the guy wouldn't budge on the price and my question was "why wouldn't I buy this from a retail store if I wasn't looking to save a couple dollars?" and the guy had no answer.

Stick to things like books and Chiefs tickets where depreciation isn't a factor and you should be OK.

[GloryDayz]

Maybe I'm lucky but I havent had any problems with the few transactions I've made from Chinese sellers, but then again the stuff I'm willing to buy from Chinese sellers aren't massive items and even then I'll pay another dollar for the one that has 10k more feedback for the same item, otherwise I'm spending a little more to buy from a US buyer which is probably just a middle man and got the item from China just to save on shipping time.6+ weeks for shoes and lens filters seems excessive in 2019. Perhaps that's just me.

[ping2000]

Ordered a custom engraved pickguard and truss rod cover off Ebay from China. Took awhile, but everything was great.

[Simply Red]

If ebay is so bad, what alternatives does everyone use for selling?

Mercari

[jd1020]

6+ weeks for shoes and lens filters seems excessive in 2019. Perhaps that's just me.

Don't know. Most of the stuff I've ordered from China arrives in 2-3 weeks but we are talking really small miscellaneous shit like my most recent purchase from China was a replacement high center taillight cover for my S10. I've never ordered anything from China that cant be shipped in a simple envelope.

[mr. tegu]

Lately I have been buying some things on eBay and have really enjoyed it. We are renovating my in-law’s new house. So for most of the items I’ve been buying there are enough out there that someone will be selling it cheap due to quantity or just wanting to get rid of something quickly. This is certainly different than one off or hard to find items which might be more prone to issues.

Here is the biggest tip though. Buy eBay gift cards on target.com with your Target red card. It saves you 5% right off the bat.

In the last month we have saved literally hundreds of dollars buying the same things off eBay that we would have gotten at Home Depot. That’s my preferred hardware store but I have found so many good deals on the same products on eBay. These products have all been new open box items that are purchased immediately but the savings are huge. And I only buy ones with free shipping, which is actually quite a few.

Two counter stools were already half the price of the furniture store but they had a make offer option so I got them $5 cheaper even so saved $55 there.

Kitchen faucet $100 cheaper than Home Depot. Bathroom accessories such as faucet, towel bar, toilet paper holder, and faucet were $70 cheaper. Brad nailer $60 cheaper. Going to buy a few light fixtures and a ceiling fan which will be about $50 cheaper.

Like with anything, it just seems you need to be careful who you buy from. I look for good ratings and also products they sell. I know people have random things but I feel like if you have more than just a few random items then you probably sell enough that positive ratings are an accurate reflection. I don’t understand the people who put things out for more than what they sell for in the store though.

[007]

Now that Amazon has free returns, I won't even look at ebay.

[crazycoffey]

I love eBay, I’ve already bought seats in the next Chiefs Super Bowl...

[MahiMike]

Sucks to hear how people are scamming each other. I would much rather see Ebay work than folks using Amazon. Between Amazon and Walmart, it's only a matter of time till the greeter at Walmart is the Chinese Red Army.

[GloryDayz]

Sucks to hear how people are scamming each other. I would much rather see Ebay work than folks using Amazon. Between Amazon and Walmart, it's only a matter of time till the greeter at Walmart is the Chinese Red Army.

I hear ya, but it's eBay that's not making these code and policy changes.

[GloryDayz]

And more on the whole Chinese sellers on eBay rant. So, I bought some tennis shoes for the kid, knew they were coming from the chickie-de-China, and man am I paying the price! After a couple of email with the asshole who some them to me, I went to "SpeedPAK" and got this GEM of an answer:

Dear Customer,

Thanks for your inquiry to Orange Connex Customer Service.



I am sorry to inform you that the package was hold for the further investigation by exporter customs. Logistics will be updated after customs release. We have to wait at the current stage. Thank you for your understanding.Please feel free to contact with us for any enquiries related to SpeedPAK.Thank you.



Best Regards,

Alisa

OCL Customer Service 橙联客服中心

Hotline (客服热线)：400-126-0008 （大陆地区）/ 852-3018-3458（香港地区）

E-mail (客服邮箱)：CS@orangeconnex.com

Online Customer Service (在线客服): http://orangeconnex.udesk.cn/im_client/?web_plugin_id=42558

*Monday – Saturday (周一至周六): 09:00-18:00 (Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays节假日除外）

OrangeConnex ( China ) Limited

www.orangeconnex.com

Live and learn...

[Mizzou_8541]

It looks pretty obvious they broke it themselves to get a refund. Then they put a fake description of how it was packed and sent three pictures making it look like we just tossed it in a box and shipped without due care.

Her description was ridiculous:

"I carefully unwrapped this precious vase ( how else would you unwrap it bitch) and was shocked beyond belief that it was shipped broken. (How do you assume the seller shipped a broken vase) It was barely wrapped and loose in the box (both lies) and was appalled at such shoddy packaging. (which now indicates it was broken in transit because of packing) I was so disappointed I was almost in tears!!! (really, over a vase) I have never seen a vase so poorly packed, plus I nearly suffered a severe cut from the broken glass. (wow, such a traumatic experience) This has been one of the most dangerous packages I have ever handled as glass could have gone all over my house. ROFL

😂at saying she “almost” suffered a severe cut. She didn’t get cut at all, but it was almost severe. It’s like if it broke apart mid-air.

[GloryDayz]

And more on the whole Chinese sellers on eBay rant. So, I bought some tennis shoes for the kid, knew they were coming from the chickie-de-China, and man am I paying the price! After a couple of email with the asshole who some them to me, I went to "SpeedPAK" and got this GEM of an answer:



Live and learn...

Update...

Almost two months and still no shoes... I'm all but certain this is fallout from the trade war.

Don't buy from Chinese sellers on Ebay, you might regret it, I know I do... Pay more and buy it from somebody not-China.

[Buehler445]

Update...

Almost two months and still no shoes... I'm all but certain this is fallout from the trade war.

Don't buy from Chinese sellers on Ebay, you might regret it, I know I do... Pay more and buy it from somebody not-China.

Done. I wouldn’t consider anything with a shipping location outside the is to start with.