help - how do I sort out dodgy seller

[revivador]

I made a purchase gold & diamond ring - paid $150+ - payment was left unclaimed - seller <REMOVED> contacted me to supply PayPal ID direct - EBAY advised this was OK - made payment. next day listing disapearred - ring arrived and was dodgy - not worth $5 - contacted seller by text - he replied that I should have read the fineprint. Is this not an admission that the ring was not the real deal. Did this seller commit fraud by contacting me through EBAY message to send my PayPal ID direct full well knowing the ring was dodgy?.  No listing to check anything - cant open a case until 6/12/13 - 4 attempts to contact EBAY by phone had calls drop out after waiting on for 30 minutes each time???

[phorum_junkie* · Accepted solution]

If you paid by Paypal and ticked the box saying it was for goods then you have exactly the same buyer protection as you would if you paid through ebay. Your difficulty is going to be in proving the ring is not as described if the listing has been removed.

Just go to the transaction in your Paypal account and open a dispute for not as described, keep all communication through Paypal, do not use a phone or text messages, you now have nothing in an ebay email which could go some way to proving your case.  If the seller will not refund then you will have to escalate to a claim. If Paypal find against you come back here as there are ways to contest a decision.

[revivador · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much for your response, I feel much better to have had your advice. I did open a dispute in PayPal.

I can see I will have to be a lot more wary of EBAY from here in. Luckily I have had 133 good previous purchases with no difficulties.

It shocks me to see dozens of similar listings that EBAY allows. It shocks me that the listing can just be removed like that with no recourse to contact seller or EBAY  It shocks me that EBAY advised me on the phone to send seller my PayPal ID so the invoice could be generated direct from there. Once bitten Twice shy.   thanks again

[lyndal1838 · Accepted solution]

Why are you shocked that ebay has removed the listing.  By your own admission the ring is dodgy so ebay has protected you by removing the listing and advising you to open a dispute in paypal to get your money back.

Had you done that immediately before the ring actually arrived you would not have had to prove anything about the condition of the ring...a removed item is automatically refunded.

And why would you want to contact the seller once an item has been removed....just open the dispute.  Paypal does not need to be contacted either.....they will not tell you anything about a removed item.

And why are you shocked at ebay advising you to accept a paypal generated invoice....you still have paypal protection as you have found out.

[revivador · Accepted solution]

thanks - this is all a bit new to me & I guess I am too impatient - the removed listing (and seller no longer registered) in EBAY indicates I can open a case from tomorrow 6/12/13 - I have already opened a case in PayPal. I couldnt do anything in EBAY after payment - after the listing was removed & before the ring arrived  - the link  in EBAY advised to wait 10 days & no calls to Ebay were answered.

I was shocked that there was obviously other dealings going on with this seller (that he became unregistered 2 days after payment) & Ebay on phone advised me to contact this seller direct with my PayPal ID so he could generate an invoice direct from there. I really didnt know the state of the ring until it arrived yesterday.

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

Whilst I expect no better from eBay reps from my contacts over time (noting not all - supervisors are much better), I can understand your shock at eBays response, given what has eventuated after them giving you that advice.

I imagine that the you would have got a very polite and cheery, but somewhat canned response from a rep that at the most glanced at the particulars at the time and recited "the usual spiel",  without thought or consideration of the actual circumstances.  

[lyndal1838]

If an item is paid for with paypal you can not open an ebay dispute...it automatically defaults to payal as they are the ones to return your money, not ebay.You can open a paypal dispute at any time, especially if an item is removed or a seller deregistered.

If I am reading your posts correctly I get the impression you paid after the item was removed and the seller deregistered?  No wonder you are getting yourself tangled up in what you can do and not do.

Always open a dispute as soon as you are notified of item removal/seller deregistration...an Item Not Received is very straight forward.

What phone number were you trying to use for ebay.....I have never known calls to go unanswered.  Did you get the number through the Customer Support link at the top right of the page...and the 4 digit code number?