book sellers selling items not in stock

[narkoz]

Why am I having so much trouble buying a book? It appears eBay book sellers are listing and selling books without knowing true stock levels in "their warehouse" ie most likely in their supplier warehouses. Her'es my three attempts at buying one book listed on eBay and not available in my country's bricks and mortar bookstoors and interestingly not currently available in our stoor's US warehouses.

#1: Book purchased and does not arrive in 10 weeks. "Sorry lost in mail we will refund you"
#2: Book purchased and does not arrive. "Sorry we should not have listed that one will refund you and let you know when back in stock" nothong heard since
#3: Book purchased after I specifically asked seller to check that book was actually in stock. Its been 9 weeks now, still no book.

I am suspecting these sellers do not hold their own stock and are falling victim to placing order on their suppliers who do not have stock - but sellers are happily taking my money and listing items as shipped - so so wrong!!!

Anybody having similar issues??

[treasuretraders2003]

I think if you look at the feedback of the seller(s) involved, you will see that LOTS of people have had similar issues.

They turn over huge such a lot of sales that they don't care about the negs they receive.

Don't buy from them or similar sellers again - check their feedback first - that's what it is there for.

Put a "watch" on the book you are looking for and it will turn up one day when upi are not looking for it !

[ambridgebuckskins]

"It appears eBay book sellers are listing and selling books without knowing true stock levels"

Some, not all. You'll find Aussie book sellers have their own stock, ready to send. Don't tar all book sellers with the same brush.

[putney32]

it is rampant with the ''big time'' sellers who just list and list and hope they can get the stock when someone orders one of their million or so listings.... but WHY OH WHY have you not left them neg at worst / or neutral even feedback to warn fellow buyers??

so long as 'buyers' let them get away with this behaviour, it will continue.

[davewil1964]

As ambridge said.

REAL booksellers, as opposed to eBay's beloved big box dropshippers, hold stock.

I could even hazard a guess at the 3, but I have no real need of a slap at this point in time.

Suffice to say - it pays to read the full listing for item location. One of your undoubted 3 lists location as Sydney, but the small print ALWAYS states out of stock and it will come from their OS supplier. Another of the trio will claim damaged item when they realise their prices are way under market value.

Buy from me. Or ambridge if you really must.

[go-tazz]

Add the other one that was reported were the buyer received their book from another site.

One of the "big" sellers had purchased the book from another seller and had it sent to the buyer direct,

(probably an error on their part).

They made a profit on the book which was never in their physical possesion,