buyer protections

[deca1589-2]

I'm interested to know buyer experiences concerning eBay's role in respect of seller advertising and actions taken when issues are established. This derives from a current purchase activity where the product is being returned and full refund sought due to the delivered product 'not matching the product advertised'.

In this case there was corro around specs and the product to be shipped (pre purchase), and identification of material differences/issues (more than a dozen) between the shipped and advertised products (post purchase). Overall seller responsiveness, in several respects, has been poor and I now come to the point .. I suggest that even a casual half interested review of the facts by an 11 year old or, let's say, 'blind Freddy' would conclude that the differences between the advertised and delivered products are so great as to render any concept of similarity pointless.

What I'd like to know is .. beyond the AI chatbot and agent help responses, which are worryingly similar, has anybody seen serious action taken around misleading advertising?

[padi*0409]

Did you open a dispute under eBay's MBG or are you doing the return off your own bat ?

All disputes I've had with sellers (not many) have been awarded in my favour by eBay.

[sandypebbles]

I have heard of people who opt not to follow eBay policy/use the MBG and expect eBay to cover them anyway 

Did you indeed open and follow through with an item not as described dispute?

What is the item number?

And what kind of serious action do you mean?

Especially against a seller registered overseas, and especially IF the buyer has not used eBay protections in the first place (any comments about class action/ACCC/Australian consumer law have been from people buying from China and doing their own thing rather than follow policy) 

Seller in China with 97.6% feedback, I would not have risked buying from in the first place

[*casey*]

"In this case there was corro around specs and the product to be shipped (pre purchase), and identification of material differences/issues (more than a dozen) between the shipped and advertised products (post purchase)" 

What is the item number ?

The Chinese seller sells items for babies (toxic, dangerous) and  the elderly, electric wheelchairs, electric bikes  and some very dangerous items when used in Australia.

None would  meet Australian Safety  Standards  and could  kill a child,   burn down your house and / or kill your family.

[springyzone]

Ebay's role is to do practically nothing.

They conform to all lawful requirements, that is all.

The fact is, they are not the sellers, they don't get to see the actual items, they wwouldn't know whether the items posted are as described or not.

If you get the wrong thing, you need to open a claim via ebay within 30 days as they have a money back guarantee. You'd probably win as ebay usually gives buyers the benefit of the doubt.

You can also leave feedback but be careful how you word it, just say something to the effect that you had a bad experience with that seller as you were sent something that did not match the item that was advertised.

Ebay probably won't take action against a seller though unless there is more to it.

For example, if someone came on to ebay selling items and was seriously scamming people eg taking money, not sending any goods, and ebay had enough complaints, that seller might be closed down.

If a seller tries to list something that is illegal to sell, that ad might get pulled (probably via AI)

But the fact is, ebay is pretty well flooded with counterfeit items and sometimes dangerous items, most coming from sellers registered in China.

It is not illegal for those sellers to sell direct to Australians. You'll see it on other sites too. Think ali express etc

Often those sellers get a fair bit of positive feedback because they do send the products and many Australians like the price & maybe aren't aware of safety issues.

So... some action is taken against sellers in some circumstances, but you'd be best to be on the alert and look after your own interests. be careful who you buy from and where they are registered. Don't rely on ebay at all.

[*casey*]

Hopefully you opened a claim through eBay's Money Back Guarantee

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-pol...

The seller's registered in China  but the item locations show Australia.

In regards to safety,  if necessary and relevant,  be sure to point eBay to their own policy

which was updated on 2nd May 2025

The following types of items are not allowed:

• Products where the sale of the product is prohibited by law or regulation, including products failing to comply with Australian Mandatory Safety Standards or which are subject to a a product ban in Australia
•  
• Products that pose a health or safety hazard as specified by government agencies

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/product-safety-policy?id=4300

[deca1589-2]

Thanks for the feedback and please take this as a limited 'reply to all':

- Yes I did and have throughout followed eBay processes concerning the purchase, return, communication and subsequent issues. However, and despite precautions being taken to limit risks, I have to acknowledge that desire did triumph to some degree .. mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa

- There was also some venting in my post and a calmer mind knows that in reality there is no option and I should have no expectation of action being taken vis the seller's misrepresentations (no I'm not going to detail specifics - the seller has not dispute them) 

- to the pointy end .. I'm optimistic (yeah I know) that the seller may finally accept that the goods were in fact returned and that the 'proofs of delivery and receipt' are valid (the main issue being identifying an almost unintelligible electronic signature or initial recorded on an electronic device used by the carrier) .. I'm having to go to quite extreme lengths in this regard and one almost crazy question overhangs the entire issue .. the goods being large, bulky and distinguishable would stand out like .. well, you know .. so, duhh why hasn't the overseas office asked their local warehouse are the goods actually there?

- hoping to have all this resolved soon (again, I know)

[*casey*]

"Yes I did and have throughout followed eBay processes concerning the purchase"

"I'm optimistic (yeah I know) that the seller may finally accept that the goods were in fact returned and that the 'proofs of delivery and receipt' are valid (the main issue being identifying an almost unintelligible electronic signature or initial recorded on an electronic device used by the carrier"

Did the seller send you a  return label with tracking ?

"why hasn't the overseas office asked their local warehouse are the goods actually there?"

Overseas office ?

The shonky Chinese sellers use  dropshipping  warehouses  in Australia to  sell  unsafe, dangerous  Chinese  rubbish.

Did you return it to a warehouse in Australia, eg Lucky Union returns or similar , a dropshipping warehouse ?

Is the tracking showing as delivered ?

Does the MBG  "item not as described" dispute  give you an option to ask eBay to step in ?

Don't let the dispute time out or you won't receive a refund at all.

[deca1589-2]

Thanks .. I might just address some of your points:

- Chinese rubbish .. generally yes, but if your interest is ebikes then you have little option as, apart from some leading bicycle manufacturers offering ebikes, the majority have Chinese origin (they are the largest producers of emotors in the world) - I've owned several ebikes over the years and apart from 1x time (where the motor died and was replaced free of charge by the Chinese manufacturer) they have been cheap, reliable & served their purpose.

- 'eBay stepping in' and 'eBay help' would be the best examples of oxymorons I could imagine .. my experience suggests that engaging with Agents is no more useful/helpful than the chatbot algos

- yes, i am mindful of the dispute timeline

[sandypebbles]

BIG difference between buying an e-bike from a proper China based manufacturer and buying an eBay that has been slapped together from the cheapest spare parts available in what is basically a dodgy seller in China's (for want of a better term) backyard

Big. big big difference

The e-bike does what it will do and catches fire/burns down your property and any property around you with it , or any other damage or injury or death it causes, insurance will not cover you

Please don't think for a moment that a random seller in China who sells death traps e-bikes is the same as buying an e-bike from a genuine company

It is not

Light years apart