Ebay has lost the plot and their rules are being ignored. Disillusioned Aussie

[*bmw_rider*]

I recently purchased a quadcopter on Gumtree, "Fully working" I was told, It wasn't and far from working at all.  Next I made an offer, every peny I've saved over almost 2 years of not having a beer and not going to the club for raffles. The seller accused me of lying in the note I sent him.  I explained I had saved from my Veteran's pension to buy a DJI quadcopter and all I got as a reply, I was lying, I assume about being a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, he even used the fact I didn't include my full name "why would I"

The final straw was what I could have considered my dream purchase.  Just enough money in my savings account to buy the quadcopter, plus pay for posting. I asked for assurance it was actually fully working, and if it was I would buy it.  My reply, We've already sold it.  The darned thing was still being listed on Ebay for crying out loud, who sells something and leaves it listed 14 hours before the end.  I might add it wasn't an auction, I was going to Buy It Now.

I'm very disallusioned with Ebay, or probably more so with the sellers, but to be called a liar, plus have my dream purchase pre sold. I'm not happy.  I know it's a waste of time telling Ebay about it, they do little about complaints.  I've complained three times about Chinese sellers saying they're living in Australia. That's Illegal says Ebay, and yet almost every seller selling electronic gadgets in Australia are actually Chinese living in China. Nothing has been done to clean it up and meanwhile we've lost a massive number of Aussie sellers.  And who can blame them, they simply can't compete when they have to buy from the same people selling here illegally.

Ebay buying has lost that feeling it used to generate for me.  It used to be fun, you find something you want and check the feedback, and it's it's a Chinese seller.  The same goes for the USA and the UK. Chinese sellers supposedly living in the countries they list in.  I don';t want to buy from the Chinese if the item is being sold by an Aussie, you get it on time if it's an Aussie.  Oh yes, I did buy a couple of broken quadcopters ion the weekend, to fix a couple of friends quads. The seller hasn't even acknowledged the fact I purchased them yet.  Yes Ebay is losing whatever it was which made it fun. And which Aussies use Amazon? Hardly an alternative is it?.

[*tippy*toes*]

The seller probably switched off as soon as you played the disabled and pension card. Sellers hate that. It's the quickest way to get them offside. It's like you want us to feel sorry for you, when all we want is for you to pay for the item you bought so we can post it. We don't give a toss about your private life, or life in general. We list items to sell. If someone buys it, we send it. First in best dressed. We couldn't give two hoots about someone being a pensioner. I know it's the quickest way to get me offside. 

I'm sure if you look hard enough, there will be someone else selling cheap knock off drone voyeur thingies. Just don't play the pensioner card when you buy it. 

[springyzone]

I get you're a pensioner & you can't afford to lose money & that this is a big purchase for you.

But in which purchase did a seller not acknowledge you had made a purchase? Do you mean the ones you bought on ebay on the weekend? Have they marked the items as sent? It is only Wednesday morning so it will depend what they said in their ad but it may take a day or so more before they mark it. They may not give feedback till after you receive it and have given feedback to them.

With gumtree, normally you pick up items. I would suggest you only buy from someone where you can go see the item and see it in action, working. I take it that with your first purchase you didn't do this, you paid for it to be sent?  If you paid via paypal, you may have some recourse, you would need to check, as the item might be not as described. I would think when they accused you of lying they may not have been talking about you being a pensioner, they could have meant they thought you were lying that the quadcopter wasn't working.

On ebay, it seems you saw one you wanted to buy but the seller told you it was already sold. I wouldn't know if that seller was truthful or not, it could be so, but what i would say is it is unlikely you will get it so don't spend any more time fretting about that one.

But given this is a big purchase for you, consider waiting, looking closer to home and on other online forums as well till you get a good feel about an ad then go see it if you can.

[*bmw_rider*]

I mistakenly thought I might have received a little support. Clearly those here are incapable of such things.  I'm told sellers will refuse to sell to anyone claiming to be a veteran, and once again been told I could be lying.  If anyone has reason to be disillusioned with Ebay consider it a job well done, it seems assumptions are rife.  

I won't be returning to read any more, I've had more than enough.

[springyzone]

---

@*bmw_rider*wrote:

I mistakenly thought I might have received a little support. Clearly those here are incapable of such things.  I'm told sellers will refuse to sell to anyone claiming to be a veteran, and once again been told I could be lying.  If anyone has reason to be disillusioned with Ebay consider it a job well done, it seems assumptions are rife.  

I won't be returning to read any more, I've had more than enough.

---

I wasn't trying to be unsupportive at all, just trying to give some suggestions that might help.

With most items, whether on buy it now or auction, you are under no obligation to tell anyone your personal details. I don't know why anyone would refuse to sell to a veteran but if you are afraid it might afeect a sale, just don't tell them.  I'm not saying you are lying about anything.

You said the previous seller accused you of lying and all i said was I wondered if they could have been referring to the fact you said the quadcopter was broken & they may have been claiming it was fine when they sent it. But if they were accusing you of not being a vet then they were plainly rude.

Just in case you do return to this board, I would still advise to wait it out, whether on ebay or any other buying forum, till you get a good feel about an ad or see one that is not too far from home that you can go & inspect. If they say it is in excellent condition you can always message and say you are very interested but just want to confirm the quadcopter is in good working condition, not needing a lot of repairs.

[lm-entertainment]

just on a sidenote - looking at your feedback you've left for others it seems you're disappointed a lot of the time. you've left a hell of a lot of negative feedback - often saying a person is in china or hong kong - when they're profile clearly states that they are.

a small amount of investigation before you decide to purchase could save yourself the disappointment you seem to be frequently experiencing. 

[tangledstitches]

A terrible deprivation, not having a beer or going to the club for raffles. Some of us don't have those luxuries any time!

I don't know why people buy expensive items sight unseen. Surely life experience teaches us all pretty fast that you don't just take a person's word for it that something works properly. I used to laugh when auctioneers at farm clearing sales always said "it worked last time they used it". Of course it was working, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to use it! But how many times had they TRIED to use it since but couldn't get it to work?

[enigmabear]

I thought it was funny how the OP clearly has no problem calling others a liar (screaming it,in fact) in feedback left for others but has an issue with being called the same thing

Profiles say they are overseas and leaves neg feedback because it came from overseas 

And the comment about something taking 10 days to arrive so prolly was not sent from Australia (I just had a letter arrive that was posted 6 days ago,from a suburb an hour from me) so not sure what that proves

Maybe *this* seller is a pensioner too ? 

[jellybirddesigns]

Our family have a lot of respect for the military and for veterans. My son is an airforce cadet and is an extremely patriotic young man.

However, being a pensioner and a veteran is completely IRRELEVANT to buying an item online.

The reason it gets people's backs up is because we have no way to verify what you are telling us, we must just "trust" you?

What has being a veteran got to do with buying a quadcopter?

What does being a pensioner have to do with it either?

When people tell sellers these things, we have to wonder WHY they are telling us - is it for sympathy/discount/freebie?

It's like people who contact me saying that their child is sooooo sick and would love one of my Star Wars cushion covers and could I please give them a massive discount or send it for free. That ID goes straight onto my blocked list.

No seller cares if you have missed out on beer for the last 2 years.

And no seller is going to care or believe you when you tell them how much you have scrimped and saved.

Either you have the money, or you don't!

And exactly where do you think those quadcopters are manufactured.......?

You may not want to buy from a Chinese seller, but I can guarantee you, you are still supporting Chinese manufacturers either way.

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

Another of these who seems to encounter difficulties with their purchases on a surprisingly regular basis... I've left fewer negative and neutral comments across my two accounts in over a decade than this guy has in a year.

"Feedback left for others" speaks volumes - go and have a look - and note how often a negative comment is left with a green dot.