MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Would you take an eBay buyer at face value?

potbelly

The key problem here is that eBay will compel you to give a refund, and if you have used Paypal, they will deduct the money from your account, WITHOUT ASKING! So first tip, don't leave any money in your Paypal account, withdraw any payment immediately. If you need to pay for your own purchases, Paypal can take the money from your credit card, but they can't remove money from your credit card for a refund.

Another point is that eBay and Paypal are one and the same company now. Not surprising ebay insists you offer Paypal as a payment method.

Since the latest rule changes, ebay offers NO support or even sympathy towards sellers. As a result, I no longer sell on ebay. That's a great shame as most people are honest and decent but it's not worth the risk anymore.

Maybe eBay will realise the problems it has caused sellers who now have no defence against dishonest buyers, when the number of sellers reduces considerably. And without sellers, eBay ceases to exist!

Winston_Oliver

I had a smilar problem which I reckon was a complete scam - I sold an old ( but still current) mobile phone and posted it promptly to my buyer. A few weeks later (still within the complaint period) the buyer claimed that it hadn't arrived and raised a dispute against me.

It was very lucky that I had been caught out with people saying stuff hadn't arrived before and so had posted the item to require a signature at the other end. I was able to check the Post office site online and establish that the item had been delivered and signed for.....so I replied with the information to the dispute.

Funnily enough, I never heard any more about the matter....

But clearly there are plenty of people out there who are trying to scam on eBay, so keeping proof of posting and making sure the buyer needs to sign for the item is highly recommended for any item of more than minimal value.

SADIE

Originally posted by Taffybiker
Not a chance! Who was looking after their home while they were away? I always used to send by recorded delivery. I say used to because I am no longer a member at my own request after a run-in with ebay. Everyone knows they are supposed to check the contents before signing - that is their responsibility. Someone signed for it, and that signature confirms all was in order at the time of delivery. That would be my arguement anyway, even though I know most people sign first and check later.

Doesn't work like that, you only confirm you have an item not you've checked it. I wouldn't dream of keeping my postman or courier while checking all's well with my items and as a courier I wouldn't be pleased if every one expected me to wait while checking. Some sign and add UNCHECKED suits me.

Originally posted by potbelly
The key problem here is that eBay will compel you to give a refund, and if you have used Paypal, they will deduct the money from your account, WITHOUT ASKING! So first tip, don't leave any money in your Paypal account, withdraw any payment immediately. If you need to pay for your own purchases, Paypal can take the money from your credit card, but they can't remove money from your credit card for a refund.

I think from what I've read they've past the deadline for a refund, it's about would you give them a refund when it's too late for them to claim.
Withdrawing money from your Paypal account won't help, they pursue with debt collectors.

I'd consider it, I'd check their feedback.
If it was new and sealed it's possible the discs missing, discs missing have been posted about a few times on the forum. If it wasn't sealed I would have checked that the disc was inside before posting.

~Jem~

chantile wrote: »

Ive had a similar problem when I sold a pair of concert tickets on ebay, after I posted them recorded delivery the buyer said they hadnt recieved them. As the concert was on Friday night and the tickets hadnt showed up I had no choice nut to refund. Still think I wuz scammed though!!!

If you sent by recorded delivery then you shouls have let them put a dispute in with paypal. If you had sent recorded then surely the item was signed for somewhere? Thats all paypal need to see to favour the seller.

Also if you buy from ebay and return an item for a refund, make sure you send it back recorded as the seller might claim not to receive it back

nadnerb_2

On eBay the scammers used to be sellers, but now that eBay have changed the rules it seems the scammers have swapped sides and are now the buyers!

LOUY_2

No refund.

Similar has happened to me before. I sold a mobile phone on ebay and packed and wrapped it myself, and sent via standard Royal Mail delivery.

Buy contacts me to say that it was just an empty box. He demanded a refund

I suspected he was lying and the only possible cause is if the box was damaged and opened on delivery. I said to him that it was sent and I would raise this issue with the small claims at Royal Mail.

He never did contact me again after that.

I am sure if it was seriously missing, and I was raising the issue with Royal Mail, he would have definately follow up on this.

DJ_Mike

If you're foolish enough not to remember if you put the disc in there before sending it then you need to start paying more attention!

Personally I take photos of stuff with the discs in the picture anyway - I'd have to be pretty nuts to lose the disc when it was in the case for the picture!

The only remaining possibility is for a sticky fingered postie to have nabbed the disc out of the package. Well, there's just no accounting for that, is there? If it was a buyer I trusted (i.e. bought from me before, thus built up a rapport) I might be willing to concede a refund, but having repeat buyers is exceedingly rare for me on eBay.

So no... no refund!

heygringo

I've used eBay both as a seller & buyer for some time & only had 2 bad experiences. 1st was a buyer who insisted that the item I'd sent (glass) was smashed on arrival. I asked for a confirmation email photo to prove his claim, I didn't hear from him again. :rotfl:And recently (last month) I sold 3 items, 2 buyers paid for their purchases, the 3rd, despite an invoice sent after the auction had finished, didn't respond. So after a week I sent an email reminding the buyer, still no response, then a second email, again no response, so I started an unpaid dispute via eBay, who later gave the buyer a "strike" & credited me with a refund for the final value fee being amended. No problem, no hastle, can't fault eBay C/S especially as they now offer a free call number! :T

BeeJay

John_Pierpoint

DirtPoorGuy wrote: »

It's not really hypothetical given this recent post.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2175071&highlight=dvd

I notice that the best advice on the real life example is to send a replacement.

Probably cheaper than giving the money back and if it is a scam the crook at least has to sell the second copy;
meanwhile the seller keeps their on-line reputation and good financial standing..

John_Pierpoint

DirtPoorGuy wrote: »

It's not really hypothetical given this recent post.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2175071&highlight=dvd

I notice that the best advice on the real life example is to send a replacement.

Probably cheaper than giving the money back and if it is a scam the crook at least has to sell the second copy.