WHY ARE EBAY DOING NOTHING ABOUT BUSINESS ETHICS

[cmcoins2000]

I purchased item <removed> on 7/5/14 for $34.99 from seller <removed>

The listing stated more than 10 available - in fact still does. Go to item - click on 5 sold - there I am.

On 8/5/14 I received an email from the seller <removed> stating there were none of this size - would I settle for another size.

HELLO.

I then went back to the listing - same item - same item number - NOT THE SAME PRICE.

This item although exactly what I purchased on 7/5/14 is now $99.99.

I am still being asked if I would - PLEASE - accept a refund or settle for another size. 

This seller <removed> has 'premium service' on this item - ie - 24 hour posting.

This was reported to eBay 2 days ago - so far absolutely nothing.

THOUGHT THEY MIGHT PUT A FEW OF THE $$$$$$$ EARNED FROM FEES ON POSTAGE - TO GOOD USE.

In 9 years - interestingly - no-one in Manilla - chat centre' - has been able to answer 1 question put to it - nor for that matter has a telephone call resolved an issue.

YEP EBAY ARE CERTAINLY DOING THEIR BEST FOR 'A SAFE ENVIRONMENT' TO SHOP ONLINE.

[curraone]

(a) you are not allowed to name sellers in these posts

(b) too much yelling

(c)  he has run out of the size, has offered you a full refund

[horizon1907]

I can see your point, but take the refund that was offered. 

[mini*lindy]

a.  take the offered refund

b. many sellers up the price to $99.99 just to stop more people buying them before the new stock arrives  eBay penalizes them withBest Match searches,   if they end the listing and make a new one.

seller is obviously trying to help you with refund/other size.....

[cmcoins2000]

Not awaiting new stock - same item number - same size - more than 10 available - just a price hike.

Why should my purchase not be honoured.

The stock is there.

[davewil1964]

As explained, they up the price to discourage sales until new stock arrives.

The only way you would know if they have stock (rather than just saying they do) is to go to their warehouse and look. Otherwise you are assuming, and probably incorrectly.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@cmcoins2000 wrote:

Not awaiting new stock - same item number - same size - more than 10 available - just a price hike.

Why should my purchase not be honoured.

The stock is there.

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Why should my purchase not be honoured - because they do not have any of your size in stock!

Do this . . . . try searching for this item you want using just one or two keywords.  Find out how many items come up in your search results when viewing the results in "Best Match" format.  Find the item you want in the results and note how far down the list it currently is.

This is important to sellers as amny searches default to "Best Match".  The further down the list on Best Match results the less chance that potential buyers will find their item as they are not prepared to trawl through page after page of items.  So, imagine this, this seller who has run out of your size has all the other sizes available.  YOU expect them to cancel their listing because they do not have that size.  If they did this, and then re-list the listing when they get more of your size, they could end up way down the search results on Best Match and possibly right near the end as their re-list has no sales history for that item in any size!

Now, eBay let this seller up the price to $99 for the size they have run out of while leaving all the other prices unchanged.  This makes it highly unlikely that anyone will buy the item.  There is not much else about the listing that the seller is allowed to change which is why it still shows as '10 available' in your size.  This lets them keep their current listing active and maintain their position in Best Match search results.  When they get more of your size they can drop the price to the proper/lower price and continue with the listing with ALL their sales history which enables them to maintain their Best Match ranking.

Ask yourself this question, should this seller be penalised in search rankings for all the other sizes just because they have run out of stock in your size?  Additionally, while waiting for more stock in your size to arrive, should the seller be precluded from selling any of that item in any other size because they do not have your size?

Please let me know your answers to my two questions, I am really keen to find out your thoughts.

[putney32]

well said K1

[lane-ends]

It is misleading but that is Ebays silly best match search system thats to blame, not the seller. If seller was to say this item is awaituing new stock and cant be posted tommorrow the would contravene premium service requirements. 

Seller has done the best possible they can by you, regardless of the perception this work around gives.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

thank you putney . . . . I got the feeling that the OP wasn't getting the fact that the size he/she wanted was not available.  They appeared (to me) to think that there were still more than 10 available despite being told otherwise by both the seller and a responder to the Opening Post.

I hate using more words than necessary and appreciate the brief replies of posters in posts numbered 4 and 6 (good work mini and dave).

Spoiler

I subscribe to the notion that feedback is a reflection of the number of transactions one has on eBay.  The OP has more feedback than I will ever get, with nearly 9,000 total feedbacks and over 7,800 feedbacks as a seller.  I would think that someone with that much selling experience would be able to grasp the concept of being out of stock and not wanting that to impact negatively on their selling.  Hopefully they take the refund, agree to a cancellation, and leave no feedback.