Ebay allowing sellers to misrepresent item location

[mechatronics_wa]

Let's have a chat about the elephant in the room which is sellers that are based in CHINA and have every single item for sale described as Located in Australia, usually with something like "Free Express Post from Sydney, Australia"

Ebay has a very clear policy on MISREPRESENTING ITEM LOCATION

https://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/item-location.html

NOT ALLOWED "Giving an incorrect item location. For example, indicating that the item is in the U.S. when it is actually being shipped from China."

Shipping. 3 WEEKS. Item not correct? Go to return it and you get A CHINESE ADDRESS. No english any way shape or form. You go to message the seller for an Australian return address and it says in a big red messsage "THIS SELLER IS REGISTERED ON ANOTHER EBAY AND MAY NOT SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE".

Ebay's official responce? I have it right here. This is a snippet from an email exchange.

Ebay:

"I understand your concern regarding this transaction especially that the seller is registered in a different country. Please know that there are seller's who's registration address in another country but has a warehouse of supplier in Australia. Based on the listing description, the item is located in Sydney. Further as per tracking number, the delivery was processed by Australia Post and they've received it on the 18th of October."

EBAY is allowing sellers based 100% in CHINA with NO BUSINESS in Australia, including being REGISTERED in another country - other than SHIPPING THERE FROM CHINA. 

And ebay defend it by saying "oh but theres a warehouse supplier in Australia". Certainly not of anything I've ever ordered. Then they try and make it out like it DID come from within Australia - because it used Australia Post! WELL THE CHINESE POSTMAN ISNT GOING TO CATCH A PLANE HERE AND DELIVER IT, IS HE?

By the way, my response to that reply was: "Ordered and paid for on the 7th of October. SORTED through Australia post on the 18th (tho my tracking shows sorted on the 21st)  - but let's use the 18th. That is still a bit more than 2 days handling time as stated in the ad."

ANOTHER SELLER has thousands of positive feedback (96%) but into the THOUSANDS of neutral and negative. Every second item, if it wasnt about the poor quality, is that item location was LIED ABOUT. Mine said free express post from Sydney. Another user said his ad said free express post from Victoria. In every single negative/neutral feedback that mentions it - even a LOAD of the positive ones - the seller says "oh we do actually ship from australia, a lot." Clearly not.

When is ebay going to STOP ALLOWING chinese sellers to LIE about item location? Probably never.

Today some chinese seller said "sorry for inconvinience (lying to you about item lcoation) - ill give $1 for you to revise feedback" I got my dollar back and revised the feedback. I revised it with follow up to make it clear the seller lies about item location. lmfao I am glad Amazon is here and I hope they take a big chunk out of the HOLE ebay has become. I'm happy to buy cheap **bleep**. But I need a lot of stuff faster than 3 weeks. And when I get it and its wrong, get a chinese return address? Then point out to ebay thier own policy and they say that that its okay, only SOME stuff they send is from china.

Ebay has been riding this wave for too long and I cant wait for it to crash - soon

[07marol]

I am happy somebody talks about this

I got caught like this few times. I only order items located in Au, and been receiving them from China!

What a scam

From now on will always first check where the seller is based

[fatlind1993]

Hi

I AGREE Completey

I complained to Ebay they dont care, they have done it intentionally to increase their sales

We cant compete with China even if location is stated CHINA as their items are cheap and their Government provide

FREE POST to their Bussiness

By allowing them to State Australia instead of China Ebay just create problems

Problem number 1: a lot of people would not buy from China due to timeframe of delivery,2: buyer knows they can buy cheaper in China but still they decide to  buy here if any problem arises with the item it does not take long to return

and 3: Australian sellers are now DOOMED

basically EBAY is scamming buyers as simple as that 

buyers become upset when they find out item location

sellers get dissapointed they cant sell anything 

Ebay is going on self destruction mode

I think they are desparate that is why they introduced $1.10 flat final value fee on weekends and Code Vauchers

who knows what is Next?

[davewil1964]

---

@fatlind1993 wrote:

Hi

I AGREE Completey

I complained to Ebay they dont care, they have done it intentionally to increase their sales

We cant compete with China even if location is stated CHINA as their items are cheap and their Government provide

FREE POST to their Bussiness

By allowing them to State Australia instead of China Ebay just create problems

Problem number 1: a lot of people would not buy from China due to timeframe of delivery,2: buyer knows they can buy cheaper in China but still they decide to  buy here if any problem arises with the item it does not take long to return

and 3: Australian sellers are now DOOMED

basically EBAY is scamming buyers as simple as that 

buyers become upset when they find out item location

sellers get dissapointed they cant sell anything 

Ebay is going on self destruction mode

I think they are desparate that is why they introduced $1.10 flat final value fee on weekends and Code Vauchers

who knows what is Next?

---

A lot of assumptions there.

Like Australian sellers of equivalent goods aren't buying their stock from China. Like they are DOOMED

I'm a seller and my things sell, but I'm not mug enough to try to compete with cheap Chinese junk, whether shipped direct from China or through an Australian seller.

[mountainsouloz]

However the ACCC does have jurisdiction on ebay.com.AU the AU being the important part, because to have a.com.au domain means they have a registered business office in Australia, and are conducting business under australian laws, - even if they include an item from overseas.

[lyndal1838]

You have been a member of this forum for 25 minutes and in that time you have seen fit to answer two of my posts that are years old.

What is your problem with me?

Whether the ACCC has jurisdiction over ebay or not is a moot point but they definitely do not have any jurisdiction over sellers based overseas.

In the case of Chinese sellers, ebay AU can only complain to ebay China who are notorious for doing absolutely nothing at all.

All sellers can list on whatever site they like.....you will find that the Chinese sellers list on all sites....Aussie, UK, Canada, USA etc and I have no doubt that they flout the rules on all sites.

In view of the revenue they bring to ebay I can't see ebay ever stopping them from listing on all sites.

As a new member to the boards you really need to read some of the current threads before jumping in and answering the old threads.

Many subjects have been discussed over and over and information has been updated as ebay policies change and are updated.

[subrew4u]

Wow just found this very honest & factual message.

You have summed up ebay so well.

Sad that it has come to this & all because of greed

I hope you are doing well

A big pat on the back for sharing the truth

[springyzone]

---

---

---

@fatlind1993 wrote:

By allowing them to State Australia instead of China Ebay just create problems

Problem number 1: a lot of people would not buy from China due to timeframe of delivery,2: buyer knows they can buy cheaper in China but still they decide to  buy here if any problem arises with the item it does not take long to return

and 3: Australian sellers are now DOOMED

basically EBAY is scamming buyers as simple as that 

buyers become upset when they find out item location

sellers get dissapointed they cant sell anything 

Ebay is going on self destruction mode

I think they are desparate that is why they introduced $1.10 flat final value fee on weekends and Code Vauchers

who knows what is Next?

---

That's what the estimated date of arrival is there for.

For buyers, it's the best thing since sliced bread.

I don't like any seller lying about item location either.

But they can't really afford to lie about ETA because as a buyer, you can make a claim if something doesn't arrive in time.

So the acceptable time frame for delivery is really in the hands of the buyer.

[chasneed]

Just found this thread because I am a victim as well.
I should have known better because it was a bit cheap compared to other "Australian" sellers

The tracking number seems to be a valid Auspost one which states the item hasn't been scanned in yet.
Timeline

Ordered 26/9/19

Order update email on 27/9/19 states my order is on it's way. will arrive by the 4/10/19

They have now cancelled the transaction and refunded my money, asking me to pay when Item is received.

our communication so far is:

Oct. 16

You sent a message

Comments

Thank you for the refund. I have lost $2.46 on this transacton. I will leave the case open until I see that I have an item that was posted from Australia. I wanted the scanner quickly so I specifically bought from you believing I would have it within a week. Now I am in a situation where I can't even buy from someone else.

Oct. 16

The seller sent a message

Comments

could you pls help us close the case?

Oct. 16

The seller sent a message

Comments

we sent money to your paypal account,pls have a check.Transaction ID: 67R93060SF0166925

Oct. 16

The seller sent a message

Comments

sorry for inconvenience,we try to refund,but failed,pls don't worry,we have contacted eBay to solve this problem,pls don't ask eBay to step in,we will solve for you asap.

Oct. 15

The seller sent a message

Comments

sorry for inconvenience,we refund first,pls repay to us if you receive it,thanks

Oct. 14

The seller sent a message

Comments

so sorry to keep you waiting,how about we refund you first,when you receive it,could you pls repay to us?thanks

Oct. 13

The seller sent a message

Comments

we promise it's from Australia,but something wrong with shipment,and we are checking,could you pls receive it first?then we will refund AUD$3 as compensation,is it okay?

Oct. 11

You sent a message

Comments

As there still is no tracking details lodged with Australia Post I request that you cancel this transaction and refund my money. Do not sell items that you do not have in stock. I bought from you thinking the item was in Australia and you have misled me.

Oct. 9

The seller sent a message

Comments

sorry for inconvenience,the package is delay on the way,but will arrive sooon,could you pls just wait in patience?sorry again

Oct. 9

The seller added tracking details

Carrier:

Australia Post

Tracking number:

SP8234694001000930305

Oct. 9

You didn't get the item

You requested

The item

Comments

It seems you haven't sent the scanner yet? Auspost tracking reports. Is there a reason for this?

[daydreams_12]

So sorry guys, I just realised how OLD this thread is and gave someone a kudo.

[lyndal1838]

Never mind.....it happens to us all at times.

I gave a kudo to a 16 month old post the other day by accident, but when I realised I decided not to remove it because it was well deserved and I don't know how I missed it at the time.