Worst ebay buying experince ever

[kaninsexy]

Hi, I want to share the worst and the last experince with Ebay with everyone here, it's a little long but I hope you get a chance to read it.

On 22/09/13, I bid on a camera+ lens from Ebay(UK seller) and won the cost of the item is around 15000$US(Include everything that what's the seller mention in his reply email). This seller has 100%feedback and I've check that people get the item(he even provide me with his national License copy). However, this getting worse when the seller ask me to wired transfer the money so I did(because he said the max limit of paypal is 10000, eventhough I told him that seller can make a special case by asking paypal to increase the max amount). Then I did send him the money and give him receipt in the next day. However, as week past by, he said he did receive the item and said that he will begin the delivery process right away(This is the first lie I got) and he said he'll be on holiday for until next Wednesday so I waited.

After another week pass by the seller can't be contact in anyway and his account somehow was closed or something(ebay didn't state the reason but all his feedback dissapear)  so I've decided to open the case against the seller, the next day I got a call from seller and said that he was sorry for the dissapearance and said that the money was reject by his bank account and due to currencies converting 700$US was missing from the original amount and he refuse to paid me this amount back. So next day, I called the main department of currencies exchange of my bank, and she abosolutely garuntee that this is not my bank fault. So then I contact with the seller again and he said if I still want the item he will absorb some of this amount and give me some discount. So I did the transaction again and this time he wants me to convert money into GBP and split the payment into two part 7250$ or (4550$GBP) since his account can only takes 10000$ each day however this time the money was sucesfully sent to his account. At first, I thought I will finally get the item. Then the worst thing happend, the seller said that I will have to order some more item or I will have to paid the tax of the item which is 20% in UK(He mention earlier that 15000$US is included everything even the insurance which I have it on email). The tax should cost me 3000$GBP so I've decide to buy another lens instead since he said that if I order over 22500$ he will responsible for tax . I paid for the lens right away which cost 5000$GBP couples day later I got a tracking number from seller. Then the nightmare begins,  after the package arrive all I got from the package is one camera body with no lens so I contact the seller right away and he said that he already order the exact same set of camera and lens and I have to buy it too(I mention to him in the past that if I'm happy with the item, I will order another set for my sister after I got my item). This time, I became really angry with the way seller keep changing the contract and said like it was my fault somehow eventhough I state it clearly and show him the email he sent me and I sent him.

So I have to do what I have to do I've decide that this is enough. Not to mention, the terrible condition of the item I got, the camera is new and looks fine but the box of the package is in a terrible shape, I got a used camera in the past and the box even look better than this camera box he sent(not the postage box but the package box). So right now I ask him to do the refund or else I will contact the law enforcer so he decide to give me a refund before Christmas (2 whole months). He even threaten me that I could contact the law enforcer but it will cost me and him both time and money. So I contact ebay since Sunday but I haven't got a single respond from Ebay yet and tomorrow I have to send the camera back to UK (I have to paid for the return! and insured the item myself eventhough it is not my fault). So if you guys have any suggestion that would help me get through with this situation that would mean a lot to me.  

[tstore]

You are not covered for refunds as you did not use a safe paymentt method being either PayPal or a credit cadd (with CC you could do a chargeback but wire transfer you cannot). Why did you not ask the seller to send you two invoices each day and transfer half each time? I don't know what you mean by law enforcer? It is an international sale and you are limited to what you could do now. Even if you send the item back to the seller eBay or PayPal or your bank will have no way to give you a refund. Maybe someone else can provide you some more recommedations. I feel sorry for you.

I would never purchase something so expensive from overseas without inspecting it first.

[tstore]

I might add also with the customs duty fee you paid to receive the item in Australia, you could have bought a return ticket to the UK and brought the item into Australia yourself. At least you could have inspected the item before proceeding with the sale.

Hope someone else can come along and provide you some more advice. Hope it works out for you.

[kaninsexy]

For this item, the seller responsible for the duty fee when I get this item but the point is if he's not gonna send the whole item he should have mention it before sending it. He only provide me with the tracking number and that's it and for returning the item I'm not quite sure but I think I might have to paid the duty free for export am I right?

[kaninsexy]

I also told him already to send me two invoice but he keep on saying that it also over his monthly limit or something

[tstore]

I would be weary for sending it back to him as you have no buyer protection as it stands and if you send anything back to him there is a high chance you will lose both item and $$. I am thinking that the reason item is not as described as you have no buyer protection and for him even if you give him a negative feedback for him a sale worth over $15,000 is worth it - I am surprised he sent you anything. Perhaps this might be an indication that he has some morals. Best to wait to hear what other forum members recommend.

I wouldn't bother emailing eBay but rather call them so you can see what they recommend and also make mention they tricked you into using an unsafe payment method. But in all honesty you are not covered as you did not pay with PayPal and your bank cannot do anything either as you can't do a chargeback as a credit card was not used. Maybe call them to and see what they say.

[tstore]

Re limit and definitely a ploy to get you to use an unsafe payment method. When sending money via wire transfer there are heaps of intermediaries which take a cut from convension and international transaction fees so $700 sounds about right for such a large sale...

[phorum_junkie*]

ebay expressly forbids the use of wire transfer as there is no comeback, you have gifted the seller the money. The buyer is responsible for all import duties and taxes, not the sender.

You have allowed yourself to be conned and unless you are prepared to persue the seller in their own country there is nothing you can do I am afraid.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I agree with the title of your thread, it would have to be the worst buying experience I have read about.  However, I think that most of your problems have been self inflicted.  Sorry if this sounds harsh or blunt, but sending that amount of money by wire transfer????????????  Doesn't matter what the seller tells you, it was doomed from the get go.

[springyzone]

I feel so sorry for you as I think you have been robbed.

Whatever you do, send no more money, no matter what this seller tells you or asks of you.

I think I am right in saying this, but if you buy on ebay and a seller asks you to pay by an unsafe method or if they refuse to take paypal, you can report them to ebay, you don't have to go through with the sale. You could forward the emails on to ebay as proof.

I think you have lost your money this time, but in future, don't let anyone talk you into paying any way other than paypal, unless it is a pick up item where you can look at it before paying over your cash.