Seller cancelled order without my permission

[yokkiber25]

Netgear Wifi Range Extender

The seller cancelled my order without my permission and I can't seem to find way to leave feedback. I did NOT request to cancel the purchase. I won the auction for $33, and the options were an additional $15.35 for shipping, or free local pickup. I messaged him for local pickup as I was only a short drive away. He refused saying it was not available - that I would have to pay for shipping. I pointed out he was mistaken and offered the local pickup option in the listing. I was flexible and told him I was prepared to wait until a day it was convenient for him. But I said I would not have bid on the item in the first place with that additional postage cost.

I accepted it was possible he did not intend to offer local pickup. But I pointed out that he would still get $33 in the end whether I paid for postage or not, as postage is only supposed to reimburse the seller for shipping costs, not for a profit. The seller was rude and made a smart alec comment saying words to the effect of "if you still want this item, go to JB HI FI (a lot more expensive there)". For some reason I cannot find the option to leave feedback. I am disappointed we could not come to an agreement and he just canned it all, seemingly with no consequence.

Please help I'm fairly new to ebay, so not sure how to proceed. I really just want to leave a reasonable, factually based feedback comment. Something like, "rude seller, and cancelled my order without permission"

[yokkiber25]

@k1ooo-sir-sales

Tx for the reply.
Is it normal to feel the way I do? I am not usually a grouchy person but my first month of ebay has brought out the worst in me emotionally.

Maybe ebay is not for me, but will there be fewer mishaps later on in your opinion?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@yokkiber25 wrote:

@k1ooo-sir-sales

Tx for the reply.
Is it normal to feel the way I do? I am not usually a grouchy person but my first month of ebay has brought out the worst in me emotionally.

Maybe ebay is not for me, but will there be fewer mishaps later on in your opinion?

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you probably came to eBay believing the ads you have seen on tv about how easy it is to sell and make some money from no longer needed tech items.  We don’t get those ads here in the country but I have seen them when I have visited Sydney.

My advice, don’t sell anything until you have built up more experience buying.  Start communicating with sellers.  Things like checking with a seller that pick-up is available before bidding or buying.  Just get some experience under your belt.

[yokkiber25]

@k1ooo

Appreciate your time to reply here and give sound advice.
I just don't think I can do it, I will likely lose my cool completely if I experience another problem transaction anytime soon no matter how small.
I used to work in a customer care call centre and had my fair share of unhappy and rude people, and I had no trouble dealing with that. I think the difference with ebay is I can't help but take it personally on here given I have only had 3 legit buyers out of 6 sales, and so many scam attempts and lots of wasted time. Tonight's incident wasn't really a big deal, it's just another little problem in a series where I'm already feeling shi++y. The number of honest people on ebay seem too few and far between to me.

[tazzieterror]

Hey digi, this seller seems to be well aware of how to edit the postage and pickup options, as evidenced by their completed listings. I don't believe offering pickup was unintended here.

[tazzieterror]

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@gutterpunkz05 wrote:

Wow grouchy,  yep found the pickup under the postage tab, after my initial post.  still it was not on the main page, and in all probability, especially given the sellers refusal to offer, would appear to be included in error, possibly a carry over from a previous listing, or another one of ebays errors.

As the sellers locations inserted by ebay are not exact, and the reason for sale stated was that they have moved, how do you know that you are still only a short drive away.

Then of course throw in all the covid restrictions and it may not have been reasonable to pickup at all.

Anyway, your choice not to pay postage and the buyers right to cancel sale

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Wow, rude and factually incorrect.

The seller reneged on the sale, as simple as that - fair enough the OP is irritated by it. And then to come here and encounter condescending barnacles who can't read properly...I'd be annoyed too.

[tazzieterror · Accepted solution]

Hey there, your seller has reneged on the sale, as simple as that.  No, they don't need your permission to cancel a sale, but likewise they shouldn't be using false reasons as an excuse to back out of it, so please ignore other opinions seeming to defend the sellers actions here.

I checked out some of the seller's other completed listings and they seem to be familar with how to edit postage and pickup options, so doubt their claim that it was unintended for them to offer that option.

Even if it was offered in error, they've certainly handled the situation poorly if what you've recounted is any indication.

Use this link to leave feedback. As you mentioned, feedback needs to be factual -  something like 'Advertised as available for local pickup but seller refused and reneged on sale.' would be appropriate, and also happens to be exactly 80 characters. It's up to you if you wish to type it in capitals...I quite enjoy the emphasis it adds! 

You will encounter eBay sellers like this from time to time.  Not frequently, but it's not all that uncommon. Best to move on and not dwell on it.  You can report them if you want, but eBay won't do anything about it - it's not a serious breach in eBay's eyes, unfortunately.

[yokkiber25]

@tazzieterror

Thanks mate the feedback link worked. For some reason I just couldn't find it on the ebay pages and I thought maybe it wasn't possible for a cancelled item. I've made my peace so to speak, nothing further to be done.
I would have been OK if there was better communication from him without the smartarse comments, and not selecting the reason as buyer chose to cancel. From my research he gets his FVF back that way and avoids a defect.
Sounds like I've just been a bit unlucky so far. I'll give another month a go.
Feedback ratings are not overly meaningful to me atm, one of my best customers so far had 0 feedback which made me nervous, but paid me right away.

[yokkiber25]

Update:
Somehow the feedback has been removed. It was definitely there intially I checked, the feedback score went down.

I typed exactly as tazzieterror suggested word for word - I didn't go over the top or put personal opinions, just stuck to the facts

The link no longer works as the item in question no longer appears on the list.

I'm most upset the seller has essentially got away with lying about the reason for cancellation and threw me under the bus instead, presumably to save about $3 in FVF.

[high_energy_automotive_components]

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@yokkiber25 wrote:

I'm most upset the seller has essentially got away with lying about the reason for cancellation and threw me under the bus instead, presumably to save about $3 in FVF.

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Ebay only offer a seller three reasons for cancellling a sale:

1) Buyer wished to cancel 

2) I'm out of stock or the item is damaged

3) Something was wrong with the buyer's delivery address

And that's it - doesn't give an "Other (please state)" option, which would be enormously helpful.

Buyer wants a postage method that's not offered? Not covered.

Buyer wants a colour / size that's not offered? Not covered.
Seller is unable to post for some reason (sickness, etc)? Not covered.

If your seller has stock, and your delivery address is OK, the only other option available for him to select is "Buyer wished to cancel" - it's not a matter of lying, it's a far more simple matter of Ebay just not giving options which cover the actual issue, and forcing a seller to pick one that isn't accurate.

As a seller, I've had to do that myself, and it never pleases me...

[yokkiber25]

Ok that's very helpful actually

I still don't like the way the seller conducted himself and could have been more polite, or asked permission to cancel first instead of being blindsided. But to be totally fair, the ultimate outcome was probably the same.

The bigger problem is ebay

I won't be posting any further replies on this thread, I'm moving on and consider this matter to be closed