topic Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation. in Buying

Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:18:50 GMT

Scams and dishonesty are becoming wide spread on Ebay. It's making the service unusable tbh.

Over the last few weeks I have found that sellers lying about item location is widespread. Items usually only arrive at the very end of expected delivery time frames making for a frustrating customer experience. Generally they are using a freight forwarder or drop shipping program of some kind. Seller ratings around 95% are commonplace these days, as some sellers lie and offer terrible customer service, just to get that sale caring nothing for the customer nor ebay's reputation.

The call is buyer beware didn't you check their rating? My question is should I have to? Is it just taken for granted that a good portion of EBay sellers will lie cheat and steal to get your dollar? Drag their heels on delivery, contact replies and refunds? Is this really just click, pay, hope it works out okay this time?

I just lodged a complaint with Ebay about a listing of $7.22 dental floss, shipping is stated as a free "Couriers Please" delivery. Same state couriers cost around $20 to $30 from the mentioned company. I never noticed the odd postage indication until the seller contacted me stating "my provider doesn't deliver to your address" can you provide an alternate address or would you like a refund? I'm still waiting for the refund... or a response to my message. Make this make sense to me? Seller has my money was there ever an intention to send the item?

I reported the item to Ebay as suspicious and was promptly told "We... didn’t find the listing to be in violation of our policy" by "This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence." No right of reply no nothing, so it seems reporting items that appear to be involved in fraudulent activity is just pointless. As long as that sale is pushed through right.

Honestly other services are delivering to my location quicker from around the other side of the world than some Ebay sellers can from what they state is an hour or two up the road.

These experiences reflects on all Ebay sellers and to myself Ebay is just becoming not worth the frustration. I shouldn't need to spend so much time chasing up sellers waiting for responses, waiting for refunds, waiting for deliveries... One of Ebay's most trusted sellers is becoming a hollow call these day.

Please, please clean this up...

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

sandypebbles — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:37:40 GMT

How would you like other members to clean it up?

95% is terrible, I hope you are not buying from sellers with such horrid feedback

Yes, you should have to check feedback before you buy, without question

100% the buyer's responsibility to do so

If you really do care about who you are buying from

You do not need to 'chase up sellers'

You check the feedback before you buy, not the 'one of eBay's blah blah blah' blurb

Look at the number of negs, look at the neg comments

Stop buying from dodgy sellers

Use the tools you are given (disputes)

That takes far less time than it did to post here, a member to member forum eBay seldom read

No use telling members here to take responsibility for other buyer's buying choices

And sorry but 'arriving at the very end of the estimated time frame' is still on time

Th estimated delivery date is a guess inserted by ebay , again, if the time frame is not suitable, don't buy

No, you don't have to 'hope it works out'

Make better buying choices, open and follow through with disputes when things to go wrong

The seller starting with 'x' you left the neg for has feedback in the gutter , clearly states registered in China, you bought anyway

The one starting with 't' terrible feedback, registered in Hong Kong

So many sellers that you freely choose to by from . terrible terrible feedback

Kindly don't tell people here to clean things up while you are helping these sellers stay in business

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

*casey* — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:42:33 GMT

"seller contacted me stating "my provider doesn't deliver to your address" can you provide an alternate address or would you like a refund? "

This excuse is often used when really bad sellers are out of stock.

They pretend that their courier wont deliver to the address.

It's all lies.

If you check their feedback, you'll see buyers mentioning it.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:43:55 GMT

You're blaming the buyer, good luck with that.

Frankly many sellers I have given the benefit of the doubt to over time and left no feedback as the outcome, though not optimal, was dealt with well or was in the terms of service of EBay. I also have no issue purchasing an item that may have a longer delivery period if I am in no rush for the item and I do understand delays can happen.

I'm telling you these issues are becoming worse, it's harder to find the truly good sellers amongst the bad sellers here and am tired of being a detective just to purchase small item. I am currently in two disputes with sellers after they lied about what their offering was. Is this the Ebay marketplace. Ebay BUYER BEWARE is the slogan...

Frankly don't do anything and your scolding tone doesn't help matters. I will just shop elsewhere and let others know why. And I am sure I won't be alone in the long term.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:47:17 GMT

"This excuse is often used when really bad sellers are out of stock.

They pretend that their courier wont deliver to the address."

Which leaves me writing messages and waiting for a refund...

Again it seems ebay slogan is Buyer beware, didn't you check the feedback, you just need to wait for a resolution, silly you you bought from the wrong seller.Just makes a terrible customer experience and is compacted when the item is reported and Ebay says "No issue here"

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

domino-710 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:56:04 GMT

Oh for heaven's sake - floss is available at your local supermarket - stick it on the list.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 05:59:39 GMT

"Oh for heaven's sake - floss is available at your local supermarket - stick it on the list."

So now I am just buying the wrong items? ... Frankly I don't care about the floss nor the money. I care that Ebay is becoming a pitfall jumping exercise and it is wasting a lot of my time chasing up basic issues.

And you are wrong that is a specialist Floss, I live rurally and would need a 2 hr drive to source some from the nearest available location.

Do you hear yourselves?

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

sandypebbles — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:00:47 GMT

Why are you waiting for a refund?

Open and follow through with an item not received dispute

Again, yes, you do need to check feedback before you buy

Stop making excuses for your own poor buying choices, stop buying from 'really bad sellers'

You have a habit of doing so and want to blame everyone else for your choices

Why would you expect us to say, 'you couldn't have known' you would know if you really did care

Of course the eBay bots (AI will say no issue)

You can avoid having a terrible customer experience very easily

Nothing is going to change when buyers keep supporting bad sellers

Simple a s that

And no, responders here do not work for eBay, are no paid by eBay to comment (which is the go to retort when people do not like factual replies)

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:07:59 GMT

@Sandpebbles

Frankly if you have nothing constructive to offer... what is it you feel you are contributing here by scolding people who are giving feedback?

"Open and follow through with an item not received dispute"

How do I do that when the item isn't due till the 24th?

"You can avoid having a terrible customer experience very easily "

You got that right it is very easy...

Stop scolding me like a child, I have close to 900 purchases here. To be honest this just feels like a bullying forum designed to chase away anyone complaining. May I ask what is the point of this forum if not to give feedback based on customer experience?

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

*casey* — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:26:37 GMT

Okay, I won't be popular but I agree with you on many of the problems you've mentioned.

eBay should remove a lot of the bad sellers, let alone promote them as

"One of Ebay's most trusted sellers"

I talk to others and with so many other places to shop online these days, buyers very often do have a better experience shopping elsewhere.

Especially new inexperienced buyers who may have a couple of bad transactions here and leave. which affects all sellers.

"when the item is reported and Ebay says "No issue here"

"This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence"

It's annoying and frustrating so find a different way to report anything, not through the link on the listing page.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

davewil1964 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:35:51 GMT

"Open and follow through with an item not received dispute"

How do I do that when the item isn't due till the 24th?

THERE is the significant indicator. Very few Australian based sellers will have such a long handling time that the 24th would be legitimate.

I'll bet everything I own (not much) that you didn't check the seller's country of registration prior to purchase. Given it is on the feedback page, which you have admitted you don't think relevant.

As a buyer with nearly 900 feedback it is not unreasonable to expect you to know how eBay works.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

domino-710 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:39:32 GMT

@bfos6606 wrote:
"Oh for heaven's sake - floss is available at your local supermarket - stick it on the list."

So now I am just buying the wrong items? ... Frankly I don't care about the floss nor the money. I care that Ebay is becoming a pitfall jumping exercise and it is wasting a lot of my time chasing up basic issues.

And you are wrong that is a specialist Floss, I live rurally and would need a 2 hr drive to source some from the nearest available location.

Do you hear yourselves?

I actually ' Googled ' specialised Floss. LOL

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:43:16 GMT

I never said it was irrelevant... I said I was tired of being a detective to constantly Authenticate sellers. I see a trend of dishonest practices rising and apparently the community here couldn't care less about the buyer experience...

As a buyer with nearly 900 feedback you think maybe the community might understand that I do have some idea of how this works and scolding and telling buyers to "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." when they raise a concern for the first time in a "Community feedback" forum may just actually be part of the problem...

I'm starting to think this might be the wrong place to raise an issue...

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:47:37 GMT

Lol, it's a floss with a small thread for inserting in between teeth on a bridge that is sealed at the bite level. It's called superfloss.

Ebay has been awesome for someone living remotely and without access to large supermarket chains etc. It's just a disappointing trend... Sorry if feedback like this isn't welcome here in the EBay forums.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

*casey* — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:57:08 GMT

@bfos6606 wrote:

"I'm starting to think this might be the wrong place to raise an issue."
"Community feedback" forum"

You've been around long enough to remember when some of the boards were actual discussion boards.

The boards are very quiet these days so sadly, they've become more like a Q and A

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

domino-710 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 06:57:00 GMT

' Superfloss ' - is available at Chemist Warehouse - not coming from China - Google is your friend.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 07:00:13 GMT

Chemist warehouse is an hour drive each way from my location, further than other shops and in the opposite direction...

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

countessalmirena — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 07:10:55 GMT

OP, could you not simply order from CW or Amc or PhOnline or any of the many Australian pharmacies who’ll deliver to you? At least then you’ll not need to make the 2-hr floss drive.

Remember that eBay is not a seller; they are the marketplace renting space to sellers from all over the world. Unfortunately Australian results are clogged up with listings from Chinese eBay sellers, and I do not commend eBay for allowing it. However, I also understand why they allow it.

Don’t just look at “item location”; this is a completely editable field and sellers can put down Bondi Beach to Timbuktu. If they’re Chinese sellers (registered on eBay.cn), they won’t be sanctioned or corrected - for two main reasons:

1) eBay follow the just-in-time principle, and

2) eBay need China.

In this thread - https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/Sellers-lying-as-to-their-location-Why-hasn-t-ebay-done/m-p/2467647#M127021 - I describe this in detail, including a link to a separate post on eBay’s fraught history in China.

eBay aren’t likely to change the Chinese listing factor, and their decision, lamentably, is justified by the many buyers who continue to buy those cheap, cheaply-made, toxic, IP-infringing quickly-churned-out items - on eBay and elsewhere.

Can I point out that if you’re buying floss from Chinese sellers, you could be subjecting yourself to real risk? No quality control, toxic chemicals and wrong type of plastics used… I wouldn’t be putting such stuff anywhere near my mouth.

Re EDD

Estimated delivery dates are eBay’s own estimates… and you should always look at the latest EDD in that date range to judge whether the timeframe works for you.

Where there’s a very wide EDD, chances are much higher that the item’s coming from overseas, because of the logistics of various connections.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

bfos6606 — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 07:25:59 GMT

Just so it's clear this post is not "Where can I find floss?".

I know I can buy floss from many locations and I did already by some on Ebay from an Australian seller, a chemist.

The post is complaining about items like this for example:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/315587353104

Item is in Brisbane, actually the seller is Chinese but at first inspection you would think this is an Australian seller. Which you can find out if go to the sellers page and click about. So that means the item will come from Brisbane? Nope the item came from Sydney Villawood courtesy of a group called " https://ninjalogistics.com.au/services/ ". It was traceable via Australia Post and never went anywhere near Brisbane.

So after a vigilant compliance process it may be okay to purchase your small value item. But you never truly know.

That is the issue. I don't care if sellers are in China or Lithuanian, I care that listing are honest and accountable. I care that when I point out a dishonest practice it's ignored. I care that when I raise the issue in a forum. People feel the correct response is to bully the person raising the issue into silence...

As I said there needs to be more transparency about the seller, it's location and origin. And less ownice on the buyer just not to buy from fraudulent sellers with the sound of "What are you an idiot!" ringing in their ears.

Re: Ebay is becoming a haven for scammers and misreprentation.

shoppingbag* — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 07:25:10 GMT

By the feedback you have left, most of your purchases were positive. While I do agree with most everything you are saying, the odd bad experience does not negate all the good ones. You are able to check where the Seller was registered. Price and location of the Seller as well as feedback should be a good indication of who not to deal with. You don't think you should have to check feedback? No you shouldn't "have to" but to not do it, is to your own detriment. We don't live in a perfect world, but there are rules to protect buyers. If you want to buy a cheap item, sometimes the only place is from some of these less than desirable sellers. I just had one, sent me the wrong item, I just sent them a picture and got a full refund, did not have to involve eBay at all. It is annoying, yes, but at the end of the day, I did not lose anything. Basically, if it upsets you to this extent then you have other places you can go and buy, however, eBay is still the biggest garage sale around.