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EBAY BULLSH*T

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Steve Conner

Fri Apr 09 2010, 01:37PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

I've done cash on collection before. I think they recently changed their rules so you have to offer Paypal as an option, though.

quicksilver

Fri Apr 09 2010, 03:47PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

I stopped using eBay some years back for these reason & others. I would never use that method of sales ever again. (Similar burn stories as the above)
It's not only the "siding with the buyer with NO investigation" issue; there is some undercurrent of distrust as well as many, too many scams through-out the years on eBay.

I might buy some stupid small things there but I actually hesitate because there ARE false descriptions; especially of electronics. The classic is selling a broken high-end flat-screen or transceiver, or whatever claiming it as new; saying it got wasted in transport and collecting from the shipping company (wasting time on the buyer's part).

EBay has become a real home for scams. It has also become a home for record keeping and reporting "suspicion" to authorities - if buying chemistry-related glassware. In certain States (because of drug mfg) chemical glassware is ILLEGAL. EBay reports such sales to the state authorities! "Buy a beaker; go to jail". It's not eBay's place to decide who is a drug cook and who is a curious 16yr old student.

It's just a place to avoid if alternatives exist. And if you have high-end merchandise like antiques, collectibles, etc; you would be gambling on a loosing side to sell on eBay. There are just too many "burn" stories for it not to be a place that attracts the worst sleazy jerks.

EEYORE

Fri Apr 09 2010, 04:43PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

I am pretty sure you can refuse paypal, as I went through an ordeal with someone trying to pay them with a MO since they didnt accept paypal.

A lot of buyers wont pay by check/MO since it leaves them at the mercy of the seller, not to mention the hassle of sending payment via mail and then waiting and waiting.

I may start refusing paypal for all but international sales since it becomes even more difficult to recieve payment. The downside is that buyers may feel they have no protection.

I just dont see why ebay doesnt put out a little effort in making sure the buyer and seller have a legit story. Why not make them submit pictures, stories, ect.? Its cuz ebay is full of crap and isnt paying for the extra effort. I do pray that Ebay will fall, somehow, and allow the other venues to pick up their traffic. Thats the ONLY reason ebay is around still. Seems to me the Federal Govt. could get involved into a lot of the crap Ebay tries to pull.

Matt

Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Fri Apr 09 2010, 07:07PM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

I've been selling on Ebay for a short while, buying for over 10 years, and the only real problems I've had were people with low feedback or trying to buy something from a guy who was selling "revenge kits".

All in all, I really haven't had too much trouble with it other then the once-in-a-while pushy buyer who makes requests after the purchase, which is very annoying.

Refusal of Paypal is common and you state that in your listing. I do use paypal and it's worked for me so far.

When you do run into an idiot, you block them in your blocked bidder's input so they cannot buy from you again.

And as far as glassware goes, I've bought quite a bit and never had a problem. Remember glassware is just glassware.
I haven't had any run-ins with the anti-science/anti-thought task force yet.

quicksilver

Fri Apr 09 2010, 07:14PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

EEYORE wrote ...

I am pretty sure you can refuse paypal, as I went through an ordeal with someone trying to pay them with a MO since they didnt accept paypal.

A lot of buyers wont pay by check/MO since it leaves them at the mercy of the seller, not to mention the hassle of sending payment via mail and then waiting and waiting.

I may start refusing paypal for all but international sales since it becomes even more difficult to recieve payment. The downside is that buyers may feel they have no protection.

Matt:

I actually feel OK working around PayPal and HAVE bought may things overseas with a MO. There IS some protection (& you can IMPLY there is) using such things. I know of one guy who bonked PayPal and has been using eBay for a long time....just got sick of a lot of issues w/ PayPal and did OK!
A lot of things depend on the longevity of the seller, how he/she phrases his ad and the "gut" feeling from the buyer.
Now IF you are doing a sale with "no returns" then you may get some static but again; if you say something to the effect that the buyer will be promised just exchange of whatever, you may be fine.
I've bought several things from guys on this board and was MORE than pleased....That's also an alternative; using hobbyist discussion forums.
Some people on BOTH ends don't like Paypal. I would give it a try with something like "will accept other modes of payment aside from Paypal" and see what happens. USUALLY eBay gives you some grief but IF you Email the potential buyer and offer you may be surprised. A lot depends on how much money is exchanging hands.....
But if I were you I would test the market. Usually, you have to contact the guy and offer alternatives. However I would NOT do something like that w/ high end merchandise OR in a manner that's "fast & loose". I would really establish a dialog. Frankly; the times I have sent a MO or check, I was satisfied because the guy wanted repeat business & blowing the reputation over 100 dollars is just foolish.

* Please understand my animosity toward eBay. It's not heavy or a world crusade but I do happen to know that their level of power in the person to person market is SO immense, that they can decide the fate of an event with limited appeal. What's more I agree that IF there were alternatives; people would move around. However just like any giant in any industry & in a free market, if you have strong backing, large capital, & strong marketing you will prevail over light-weight competition. {Certain software comes to mind}. Monopolies are NOT healthy (IMO)
However, there have been problems with items & legality starting many years back. EBay wants to maintain itself on the "favored side" so they strip any privacy from their market.
Privacy itself is a whole other discussion but if every purchase anyone made were always public, negative opinions could be fomented simply by showing those purchases in a negative light. Think about the fight Libraries made to maintain anonymity in their records of books people read. You may simply have an entertainment interest in something but be made to appear quite the "bad-guy".

EEYORE

Fri Apr 09 2010, 07:38PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

quicksilver wrote ...

I may just try out the non paypal road now. I will change my policy to accept returns and hope my feedback (100% , 456, unless that scumbag leaves my first negative) will pick up the rest.

I may try it out on some lower priced items first and see how it goes. (In case I get a NPB)
It is always sad to hear of people being screwed out of their money. It makes me sick to see EBay operating the way it does in America. Courts would never allow the buyer to get away so easily, nor the crummy sellers. I feel that Ebay could start by paying for people to review cases. If the buyer cannot truly prove a seller is bad, let him leave feedback and have to chalk it up to experience. Seems to me the feedback system (if made fair again) could take care of alot of crap like this. I know I CERTAINLY read the feedbacks of EVERYONE. There ought to be a special complains section where buyers and sellers can QUICKLY read ALL complaints in the user history. This too could be moderated by Ebay to prevent abuse (extortion). Seems the biggest problem with Ebay is their lazy, cheap attitude when it comes to customer service. I do pray they get theirs, but I bet it never comes.

As for blocking idiots, there is nothing to stop them from getting a new name and returning. Also, that doesnt prevent small time sellers like me from taking a nasty hit. High volume sellers couldnt care less when their $5.00 sale gets reversed 10 times a week. Even ole nasty Chris Luebner managed to sell so much that his large number of negatives become swamped.

Matt

Conundrum

Sat Apr 10 2010, 08:21AM

Registered Member #96 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4061

hm..
with the demise of NFBs for powersellers this has become 1000* worse.

IMHO what there should be is some mechanism so if a single buyer starts negging mulltiple people within a set time it gets his/her account frozen and the feedbacks put "on hold" until someone can find out what is going on.

Best of both worlds.
-A

Chris Russell

Sat Apr 10 2010, 03:38PM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

I've cleaned this thread up. A couple of points:

Do not troll. Future attempts to mock or belittle the belief systems of others will be met with stern consequences. This forum is comprised of people with many different political and ideological differences. Most of the time, it is of no consequence to the thread, and should be checked at the door.

Do not feed the trolls. An angry, emotional response is exactly what a troll wants to see. Don't give him/her the satisfaction. Simply report the post, and move on. Be the bigger person.

That is all. I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

Scott Fusare

Sat Apr 10 2010, 04:13PM

Registered Member #531 Joined: Sat Feb 17 2007, 10:51AM
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Posts: 125

My Bad - that was intended as a private message

Hon1nbo

Sat Apr 10 2010, 08:18PM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: North Texas
Posts: 1040

if selling things of a technical nature like laser lenses, if you haven't already done this, list them under the industrial category and from what I understand ebay has a different policy on items listed for an industry with specialized uses
buy I believe PayPal, not eBay, actually has the real seller protection (and from my experience they have a pretty good customer service, but I never had an issue like this)- contact PayPal directly and try to talk to them, I think that if you explain the nature of the incident, and in particular the refusal of the buyer to provide evidence, they can freeze his paypal account until the issue is resolved. This also prevents the same user from simply creating a new eBay account ebay never gets it's head out of its a**!

just my 2 cents

-Jimmy

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