why does ebay allow its sellers to abuse buyers

[blenington]

Recently i asked a seller to supply dimensional sizes of an item i wanted to purchase. The seller replied that i should use the part number to get the right part, i informed him that i had the right part numbers and that the part required was being fitted to a modified machine with a late model motor fitted and that the part number for the muffler for this application doesn't exist. I asked if they could phsyically check the size and let me know the dimensions, so i could ensure it would fit the motor to chassis application.

The sellers reply was shocking to say the least, they wrote in capitals to inform me that they are not in the business of helping lazy people and that i was a fool and that they had blocked me from there site. When i complained to ebay they palmed me off as it seems they are adept at. I no longer shop with ebay as i've encountered this and other problems in the past and am sick of having no support from ebay. I expect to be treated with respect when purchasing items from a shop and if this had been a physical shop i would have had recourse through mangemnet to complain of such abuse and been issued an apology and i would have felt vindicated of any wrong doing. This situation is an embarrasment to ebay whom it seems backs their sellers before there buyers. I have done nothing wrong here. Thanks for nothing ebay.

[belindabargainhunter]

I think the problem is you get rude sellers and rude buyers but there is not much that can be done about rude people. I have been in stores and had rude sales people. Best thing I find to do is shop with the many helpful sellers and give them great feedback so others will do the same. Best way to get back at a rude seller take your money else where

[digital*ghost]

While I fully understand the issue, the key difference between a complaint to eBay (about an individual seller) and a complaint to management (about an individual staff member), is that eBay sellers are (generally) not eBay staff, therefore their authority over sellers is - in some ways - really quite limited (not so in other ways, I'm sure there are many sellers out there tired of playing limbo with the number of big sticks eBay wields).

There is no system in place to reprimand sellers for rudeness, other than reporting messages if they were abusive or breached policy, and/or the feedback system if you are involved in a transaction. There's really no authority for eBay to reprimand sellers if a buyer otherwise does not like the tone or content of a message, as each seller is independent and eBay will always revert to the "just an advertising medium" stance when they have, or wish to have, no dominion.  

[thelma48]

I think ebay needs to take action on these sellers.  My daughter-in-law is being phoned at home by an ebay seller whom she had left well-deserved negative feedback for.  Threatening phone calls early in the morning.  Is there a way we can publish this persons ebay details?

[lyndal1838]

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@thelma48 wrote:

I think ebay needs to take action on these sellers.  My daughter-in-law is being phoned at home by an ebay seller whom she had left well-deserved negative feedback for.  Threatening phone calls early in the morning.  Is there a way we can publish this persons ebay details?

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What good would it do to publish his details here?   You can't by the way.

Just report the calls to your phone company and their phone company if you know his number.

[davewil1964]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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@thelma48 wrote:

I think ebay needs to take action on these sellers.  My daughter-in-law is being phoned at home by an ebay seller whom she had left well-deserved negative feedback for.  Threatening phone calls early in the morning.  Is there a way we can publish this persons ebay details?

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What good would it do to publish his details here?   You can't by the way.

Just report the calls to your phone company and their phone company if you know his number.

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Or the police.

[ausgeoff1946]

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@thelma48 wrote:

My daughter-in-law is being phoned at home by an ebay seller whom she had left well-deserved negative feedback for.  Threatening phone calls early in the morning.

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How is it that the seller has your daughter's phone number?  There's no valid reason for a seller to ask a buyer for their phone number as part of the transaction. 

As somebody else suggested, you need to lodge a complaint with your telephone service provider.  Threatening or harassing phone calls are definitely illegal in most jurisdictions, and contravene state/federal telecommunications laws.

[davewil1964]

Geoff, you really need to apprise yourself of eBay's conditions before you make pronouncements.

Any buyer or seller can find the other party's registered (on eBay) phone details.

Whether or not they can be reported does not obviate that fact.