B@£$%^y Ebay Sellers

[Big Jim]

I think I have just been stitched up by an ebay seller.
I "won" at the end of last week, a 16mm item on ebay. I paid for it straight away feeling very chuffed with myself as it was a cracking bargain. Possibly due to the fact it had been slightly wrongly listed so difficult to find.
No contact from the seller until this morning when I noticed that the paypal transfer had been refunded.

I contacted the seller and this evening I had a rather curt email saying that the item was a bit damaged when he went to pack it so has refunded my money. I replied that I was negotiable on price depending on how damaged the item was and still feeling that I had bagged a bargain. I got a reply that basically told me to clear off.

Now I sell a fair bit of model railway stuff on ebay and yes things do happen. My son decided to help Daddy out and opened a few 00 kits I had sold, damaging the box in the process. I contacted the buyer and explained what had happened and we agreed a new price.

I have a sneaking feeling that this item did not make the money that the chap wanted and I will see it relisted again in the next few weeks.

I am not going to go into specific details as the last thing I want to do is cause upset and disharmony on this forum if the seller happens to be a member, and I have a suspicion he is!

If you are reading this, Mr Seller, thanks a chuffing lot, play by the rules next time.

[Gralyn]

Is anyone aware of what EBay do about this type of action by a seller?.
If a buyer failed to pay he would adversely effect his rating
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[andymctractor]

I'm no expert on e-bay but I never provide feedback until I'm fully satisfied with the transaction and the item is safely in my possession. Its not a complete answer to some problems but does allow a little bit of rebalancing.
I always pay up straight away but I don't use e-bay enough to worry about what someone puts about me

[steamie1]

Very tricky this one I would contact Ebay by telephone with the item number and take it from there.
It's like most business transactions, they are as faithful and sincere as the people involved. Luckily most people in life are honourable and selling/buying systems work.

[bazzer42]

I've been caught like this and darned annoying. I imagine the seller is untouchable if he explains it was too damaged to sell.

I use ebay a fair bit but bargains are very far and few between, most 16mm and lgb goes at silly prices so it is galling when a seller lets you down.

[pippindoo]

I've had exactly the same earlier this year, paid within minutes of the auction ending, got a confirmation email from PayPal, followed minutes later by another email from them telling I'd been refunded because the sellers PayPay account wasn't 'verified'. So same thing but a different reason. Apparently, they do it immediately before the receiving account can withdraw the money and leave you out of pocket. The same seller changed their trading name days later, they had a massive feedback score but many previous names. Just to be aware!

[pauly]

I know a few seller particularly a steam loco seller who do this a lot, I remember one engine I won was "dropped down the stairs" when he went to pack it, was back on eBay a week later and kept being resisted until he sold it at the price where he couldn't accidentally drop it down the stairs

[Big Jim]

Hmm wonder if its the same chap?

[pauly]

Hmm wonder if its the same chap?

post or pm me his ebay shop

[SteveC]

I have had over 3000 transactions on eBay. Most have been absolutely fine. I've had a couple that never arrived, but were resolved with the seller. But then I always check transaction histories My only real issues were with buyers, one who claimed never to have received an item so I gave a refund, and the item appeared for sale a couple of weeks later from the original buyer! Their photo showed a label I had put on the item myself! Another claimed an item was not as described, namely that the backstamp (it was fine porcelain) was incorrect. My wife used to be the export manager for the manufacturer, and I'd even sent them a copy of the relevant page from the manufacturer's historical marks document.

[Big Jim]

I quite agree that there are rogue buyers as well, possibly more than dodgy sellers. With an iffy buyer there is no real come back for the seller.

[MuzTrem]

Big Jim, at least you got your money back. More than once, members of my family have been scammed and left out of pocket. Hence, I try to steer clear of EvilBay altogether these days.