topic Re: Reporting a Seller in Buying

Reporting a Seller

davidxlms — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 03:26:39 GMT

Want to report a seller. The detail of the problem cannot be contained in the 1000 character limit. There is no chat contact or support phone number. So, I will attempt a limited report and see what happens.

Re: Reporting a Seller

countessalmirena — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 04:21:35 GMT

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/call_us?type=ContactUs (Live Chat)

… but if what you want to report doesn’t fit into 1000 words in the Report a Seller (other) field, you’re unlikely to get any satisfaction. eBay are only interested in reports about policy violations; if you have a long essay and grievance, eBay will not care.

Live Chat is staffed by CS reps who are low on the totem pole and read from scripts. They can help with straightforward issues. More complicated situations - ask for supervisor. For long tale that doesn’t really fit into complaint about eBay policy… paint a Michelangelo on the wind.

Re: Reporting a Seller

papermoon.lady — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 04:25:24 GMT

If it is about an item, you can share the item number here (not the seller's ID), and we can possibly advise you what to do.

Re: Reporting a Seller

yes_i_want_it_please — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:30:56 GMT

what about a seller who changes their price when you put it in the cart? I have queried the seller and they blame ebay fees. (we're talking a 100% price difference!). How do I report that to ebay?

Re: Reporting a Seller

countessalmirena — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:47:58 GMT

Perhaps you are looking at a listing with variations. Post the item number and we can look at it.

Re: Reporting a Seller

sugar249 — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:10:33 GMT

@yes_i_want_it_please wrote:
what about a seller who changes their price when you put it in the cart? I have queried the seller and they blame ebay fees. (we're talking a 100% price difference!). How do I report that to ebay?

A seller doesnt know you have added anything to the cart.

Until you commit to buy, a seller is entitled to increase or decrease a price.

Re: Reporting a Seller

springyzone — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:45:08 GMT

@yes_i_want_it_please wrote:
what about a seller who changes their price when you put it in the cart? I have queried the seller and they blame ebay fees. (we're talking a 100% price difference!). How do I report that to ebay?

That sounds very strange. I can't account for it. It would not be ebay fees showing separately.

It would not be the seller doing it either as when you place things in the cart, you have not bought them yet.

When you put something in the cart, that is the ebay system at work.

The question I would have for you is this: Did you notice the price difference immediately you placed it in the cart?

Or did you leave it in the cart a while then come back another time to look at it again and noticed the price had increased.

If the price changed immediately, that would be very strange. You could try buying it outright, without putting in the cart at all.

If the price difference showed some time later, maybe a few days later or whatever, then the item may have gone up in price in the meantime. As sugar said, sellers wouldn't know what is just in a cart & they are free to change prices as they wish. The Black Friday sales are pretty much over so you may have missed out on a markdown. Prices on lots of goods can change rapidly, not just on ebay.

It isn't worth reporting the seller for as whatever happened, it is not their fault.

Re: Reporting a Seller

sandypebbles — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:49:53 GMT

Without an item number we can only guess it was a listing variation/multi item listing

As said the seller has no idea you have put something in your cart

So the story the way you tell it is simply not possible

Re: Reporting a Seller

yes_i_want_it_please — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 01:15:25 GMT

It's actually as soon as you select the colour and/or size (it's a clothing item). I have been through every option of size and colour and NOTHING is the price that is on the front screen. it starts as $19.47 and when you select an option it comes up as $38.49 (and then discounts if you buy more than one). I get that if something comes in different lengths, sizes, fabrics or other options that you may pay more (that happens a lot), but to look at something for $19 and then make a selection and the price automatically doubles - it seems a bit off

Re: Reporting a Seller

yes_i_want_it_please — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 01:16:40 GMT

perhaps my terminology was not quite correct. I should have said when i choose options

Re: Reporting a Seller

sandypebbles — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 01:24:02 GMT

So the price screams seller registered in China for a start

And as said, if there are different colours/styles/ etc with options to choose from from a drop down style menu/box then the prices will certainly change according to what is choosen

eBay allow variation style listings, so you cannot report that

As for 'starting at' do you mean an items says something like $11.00 - $34.00 (for an example only)

Where is the seller registered and what is their feedback as a seller like?

That is why other members asked for the item number, so we have a much better idea of what is going on

Re: Reporting a Seller

yes_i_want_it_please — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 02:48:29 GMT

I have included photos. It doesn't matter which option you choose, the price changes. This is NOT the advertised price.

I don't know where you see "So the price screams seller registered in China for a start", especially when the seller details tell me "Located in Wellington, NZ"

Have you gone to the item and tried to see what I am saying?

Are you able to help me with my original question as to how I query this practice with eBay?

Re: Reporting a Seller

twyngwyn — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:20:55 GMT

eBay item number:196083166376 (see last photo of listing)

Re: Reporting a Seller

sandypebbles — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:38:44 GMT

'odd' prices are one of the red flags for sellers registered in China

It does not tell you what town a seller is registered in, only the country

The item location is not the same thing as where is the seller registered

The item number given by twyn clearly shows the seller registered in China with awful feedback and variation listings (as has already been said originally)

Obviously the 'photos' are no longer there as they must have gone against forum rules

But I would'nt have checked those in any case as I would not want to support such a dodgy seller in the first place

And the link to Live Chat is the first reply to the original poster of this topic

There is no phone number or email address

Re: Reporting a Seller

imastawka — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:50:11 GMT

@yes_i_want_it_please wrote:
I have included photos. It doesn't matter which option you choose, the price changes. This is NOT the advertised price.

I don't know where you see "So the price screams seller registered in China for a start", especially when the seller details tell me "Located in Wellington, NZ"

Have you gone to the item and tried to see what I am saying?

Are you able to help me with my original question as to how I query this practice with eBay?

The photos have been removed.

I went to the item that Twyngwyn posted, and the seller is registered in China.

Is that the same item?

I don't know how or where you saw New Zealand, but it says the item is located in Melbourne Australia.

As for your initial complaint, if the seller is registered in China, then ebay Australia cannot do anything about a seller listed in another country.

Except maybe advise the particular country, but nothing is ever done about Chinese sellers - which is why they have the label of 'teflon'.

Re: Reporting a Seller

countessalmirena — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:57:48 GMT

OP, the seller is registered in China. A simple click on the seller’s feedback shows that.

Furthermore, without even going into the listing, it’s clear that it is a listing with variations.

And… the price range is cheap - another indicator of rubbish quality churned out to lure Australian buyers.

Chinese eBay sellers are notorious for misusing the listing with variations format. This may be done by the seller setting one option that is the cheapest, then setting the stock quantity of that combination to 0.

But do you think that eBay will act on that? There are thousands of this type of listing on eBay. The very great majority are by Chinese eBay sellers. eBay Australia can’t sanction these sellers, and eBay.cn won’t. Only in the most egregious circumstances will action be taken against sellers registered in China.

You are wasting your time asking how to contact eBay about this, because eBay chat won’t do anything and they’ll just tell you to report the listing. Chances of any actions I g taken is zilch to nada. If you wish to continue nonetheless, at the bottom of the listing page (scroll riiiiiiight down), you’ll see a report button. Fill out along these lines and submit.

It might at any rate make you feel better.

Re: Reporting a Seller

daydreams_12 — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:59:01 GMT

What I looked at said seller in Melb as well. I wouldn't care if they were $1 with such a disgusting feedback. Am guessing we have the correct item.

Re: Reporting a Seller

countessalmirena — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 04:04:40 GMT

I wouldn’t buy anything with cotton from China, at any rate. I don’t believe the so-called “we check the source / ethical practices” spiel that quite a few Australian importers have on their websites, either. I researched two of them and was not satisfied by the scope of their checking, which basically amounted to “our suppliers told us so” and “we were given a [strictly guided] tour of the workshop”.

Anywsy, that’s my soapbox for the day, unless something inflames my soul.

Re: Reporting a Seller

twyngwyn — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 04:08:28 GMT

sorry, countess....there is 1 listing: scroll to the last photo in listing.....

....but it DOES NOT match the item description, so should not be there.....just clickbait

Re: Reporting a Seller

yes_i_want_it_please — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:31:45 GMT

Thank you, but that is not the item I was looking at and the one I was looking at does not have a price range in the listing - just one price.

I have followed your directions and mine is located in the Philippines, so I have learnt something new.

I would still like to know how we let eBay know what these sellers are doing. Surely they have some way of blocking them?

A couple of people have mentioned the cheap price. $19 is actually more than the same item was retailing for in Australian shops - they were sold out which is why I went online to look, so the price seemed reasonable to me.

Thank you for your input 🙂