ebay is it really as safe as it's made out to be?

[rnbguy]

Hi All,

I thought I'd share this experience.

I have purchased an item from the U.S, lost $6,000 due to the item arriving faulty ebay has hit me hard by removing my negative feedback.

Catherine B. from customer service completly made me feel 100 times worse by repeating the same line "sorry sir we can't do anything here".

All this because I advised the ebayer that if he doesnt reply to me soon I'm left with no choice but to leave negative feedback. All I asked was for him to reply to me as he was ignoring me, now ebay (CB particularly) have said I cannot say that here. regardless of ebay advising buyers to speak to sellers BEFORE leaving negative feedback.

Now the ebayer who took my $6,000 is running around with 100% positive feedback....

I wish there could be an ebay alternative out there, this isnt the first time they've let criminal action go without justice.

[davewil1964]

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@rnbguy wrote:

Hi Dave,

I don't think you've been on here long enough to understand the importance of accurate feedback 🙂

... it can mean more profit in some cases, more sales, and if invalid it can mean more exploit opportunities.

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I don't think you have any idea of how long I've been on eBay. Not as long as you, by a couple of years, but longer experience -wise if your feedback is an accurate measure of your experience.

[rnbguy]

thanks heaps guys especially for the detailed advice.

I'll prepare as much docos as possible. I hope the seller co-operates, im also getting a quote to repair it locally if it's something like 1-2k i'll probably just fix it and end the mess rather then twiddling my thumbs while the package is air lifted 10 hours across the world.

Paypal have been good to me so far but in this case I think I might have been a bit rude on the phone (probably because I just found out I lost 6k) and I don't think the lady appreciated or tried to understand why I was being that way 😛

thanks again for the replies, as for the ebayer out there sleeping well with my money and 100% feedback, well done to him he pulled a good one on ebay, paypal and myself so far.

[digital*ghost]

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@crikey*mate wrote:

I understand your frustration, but like any rules, they have to be applied equally. You attempted to use the threat of negative feedback in order to provoke a desired reaction from a trading partner. eBay simply do not allow this.

Had you have followed the correct procedures, your seller would still have his feedback, it is because you broke the rules that he doesn't.

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The problem with that is, if the comment was as the OP said, it's not against the rules.

This is eBay's Feedback Extortion policy: http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html

They actually go so far as to state this "It is possible to threaten negative feedback but still leave a valid comment."

Personally, their first example of what is not feedback extortion (“The item is already a day late, if it is not here by tomorrow I will leave you negative feedback.” ) has me a bit speechless....but if the comment was just "if you don't respond I will leave negative feedback", according to eBay's own definition, it doesn't qualify as FB extortion.

None the less, I don't intend to put the fire under anyone, just clarify things. 

[lyndal1838]

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@rnbguy wrote:

thanks heaps guys especially for the detailed advice.

I'll prepare as much docos as possible. I hope the seller co-operates, im also getting a quote to repair it locally if it's something like 1-2k i'll probably just fix it and end the mess rather then twiddling my thumbs while the package is air lifted 10 hours across the world.

Paypal have been good to me so far but in this case I think I might have been a bit rude on the phone (probably because I just found out I lost 6k) and I don't think the lady appreciated or tried to understand why I was being that way 😛

thanks again for the replies, as for the ebayer out there sleeping well with my money and 100% feedback, well done to him he pulled a good one on ebay, paypal and myself so far.

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First of all there is no need for the seller to co-operate at all.  You are no longer dealing with the seller but with paypal.  You will not be twiddling your thumbs either.....after you upload the documentation to paypal, wait a few hours to allow them to attach it to your dispute, then you can ring them and ask if they received it.  They will probably process it while you are on the phone.

As for being rude to the paypal representative.... I think they are used to it, but it demonstrates why you should not be rude to someone that you want to help you.  It was hardly her fault that your item was broken.

I am a  bit at a loss as to why you don't want to proceed with getting the refund....you have done the hard yards and all you need to do is post it with all the documentation.  If you are happy to spend a couple of thousand $ now on repairs, why all the fuss a few days ago about losing your $6000?

[rnbguy]

Hi All,

Apologies for the delay in response I've been flat out at work.

Still no progress from Paypal, theyre trying to get seller to give me a partial refund, I don't think I'll ship this item back too much trouble dealing with paypal, time I value more then $6k.

I'll provide update should any progress be made.

Cheers.

[lyndal1838]

Paypal  does not  get involved in negotiating partial refunds....that is done between you and the seller.  If you have escalated the dispute to a claim you will be expected to send the item back to the seller by trackable means and upload the documentation to paypal.

How is this too difficult?  It is so simple that ebayers do it regularly to get a few dollars refunded.  You certainly have more money that most of us if you think it is too difficult to pack and post an item worth $6000 to get a refund.

[foxette-in-sox]

DG,US ebay has EXTREMELY strict rules re even mentioning negative feedback in messages.I was stung like the OP as well & all I did was to make a statement with no threat.US ebay classify that as taking a stance or some rubbish,can't remember the wording now.

Oh & get this,sellers in the US are actually encouraged to provoke buyers into writing ANYTHING re negative feedback & they can & do then claim feedback extortion & have the neg removed.

[digital*ghost]

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@foxette-in-sox wrote:

DG,US ebay has EXTREMELY strict rules re even mentioning negative feedback in messages.I was stung like the OP as well & all I did was to make a statement with no threat.US ebay classify that as taking a stance or some rubbish,can't remember the wording now.

Oh & get this,sellers in the US are actually encouraged to provoke buyers into writing ANYTHING re negative feedback & they can & do then claim feedback extortion & have the neg removed.

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Interesting (not necessarily in a good way ), I was only looking at the Oz help pages, and I know a lot of Australian sellers have been told their negs can't be removed even if threats were sent via messages because they're not worded in a very specific way (i.e it has to be if you don't xxx, I'll leave a neg).

In some ways, it almost seems like, at a certain point, it could encourage sellers to provide worse after-sales service. o_O

[the_great_she_elephant]

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This whole scenario is getting more and more confusing.

[*crikey*mate*]

i don't think the seller really cares, it's only $6K after all, no biggie,

being a supermodel fish, I don't get out of bed for less than $10K a day so i can relate to that.