seller turning nasty - please help!

xela_17

Sorry for the long post- but I'm in a bit of a state about this problem.
I bought a tv off ebay over a month ago and the seller sent it to me within the week after I paid him through paypal. However, the tv was broken and I emailed the seller to tell him. Got an email back immediately saying 'sorry for that, will send replacement and collect broken one'.
A couple of weeks went by, me emailing him to see where the new tv was and being told he had 'supplier problems' but would send soon. I told him i needed it for my sister's birthday and when that was. he said the tv would be there. I gradually got the impression I was being fobbed off but he was so polite and helpful I believed what he was telling me.
I only got upset when it was 2 days before my sister's birthday and no tv. I emailed him angrily. He then changed his attitute completely, becoming abusive and telling me to stop moaning and just have a refund. If he'd only said that 3 weeks previously. I said fine but now he's saying I have to pay for postage to return the broken tv to him, when he's said previously that he would pay for the return courier. I'm happy about the refund (I know it's more than some people get) but why should I have to pay for 2 lots of couriers (£25)?
I also don't like the tone of his emails, he now seems a very nasty piece of work. I know I can't chargeback through paypal as he has successfully fobbed me off for so long that the month deadline has passed. What can I do - please help.

Layla

Hi xela_17

A couple of ideas for you...


I have had a few problems in the past when buying things from ebay and have found that being persistent has always paid off. If I were you I would keep emailing him to try and sort it out. Have you left feedback for him yet? If not, then let him know that if it isn't sorted out satisfactorily within a certain deadline then you will have no alternative but to leave him negative feedback. If this doesn't bother him, then I would suggest to him that you will deliver it back to him yourself - even if you have no intention of doing this it sometimes makes dishonest sellers a little bit more willing to sort the problem out if they think they might actually have to face you. If all else fails, if I were you I would offer a compromise and offer to pay half the postage costs and he pays the other half - getting him to give you the refund and postage costs up front via Paypal.

I am not sure what ebay's policies are about paying postage when there is a dispute. I agree with you that you shouldn't have to pay postage twice, but to clarify the whole situation, have you tried the community boards on ebay? I have posted a couple of times on there and have always had some very helpful answers.

VH

Your best bet is still communicating with the seller. You need to stick to your guns and be firm otherwise they will mess you about until you go away.

I wouldn't bother waiting for another TV. Email them and say that you would be happy with a refund but that you should not have to pay the postage costs as the item is clearly not as described - i.e. working. Point out that if this is not acceptable to the seller then you will file a complaint with EBay which states that the item is clearly not working and therefore not as described in the auction.

Be sure to be polite and don't do things like insulting them or being nasty, this will just make matters worse.

If you get no joy from the seller then contact EBay immediately here. I have to say that you should not have left things this long but if you are persistent then you should get something back. If the seller gets nasty then make it very clear that you will take up the matter with EBay.

xela_17

Thanks very much for your replies. I have emailed seller saying that I will report him as he was selling items not as described. He has written back saying the item wasn't broken when he sent it out. This is obviously a lie as he has never said this before in over a month's worth of emails.

He is now suggesting I file a claim with square trade. This seems strange to me as square trade works with both parties to come to a compromise, but if he is willing to compromise why doesn't he just do that now? ???
Anyone had a positive result with square trade?

robowen

Posting bad feedback is likely to result in you getting bad feedback too ! >:(

you only get 90 days to leave f/back, so why not wait 90 days to the minute and then leave bad feedback for him. he wont have time left to give it to you

works everytime for me ;D ;D ;D

robowen

xela ... see pm !