Problems with overseas ebayer (Update - please help!)

wallyUK

I've run into a bit of trouble and hope you can help me.

We've bought a US made carseat to use on an upcoming airplane journey with our young son. I couldn't find a normal online shop to ship the carseat to the UK so I used an ebay seller. They are a powerseller with a 99.5% positive feedback rating. I've read back through the comments and unfortunately some of the negative ones echo what I am going through with them now.

It's been over two weeks since I paid for the item and while I didn't necessarily expect it to have arrived yet (customs etc) I wrote to them to enquire about the date it was actually shipped. Since then they claim to be unable to reach anyone in their warehouse to confirm if the order has even been shipped, much less the date it was shipped. All they say is they have 'left messages' with the warehouse but have yet to hear anything. I find it odd that they have no idea what the status of an order is.

The item was buy it now so I paid immediately via paypal and they have had my $200+ for the past two weeks. The did offer me an alternative item which they said was 'better', but is actually not suitable for my child. Have said sorry and that they can't do anything until they hear from the warehouse. I've asked to be able to contact their warehouse directly, but this was met with a rather rude response and they are now ignoring my emails entirely.

I really don't know what to do! They also offered to refund my money which indicates to me the item has NOT shipped, but they refuse to confirm or deny this. I am quickly running out of time and in order to impliment plan B (have my mother in the US send it to us) I need to act quickly.

Help! I don't want to leave negative feedback - they have always responded to any left for them with negative for the buyer.

Sugar_Coated_Owl

It sounds as if this seller was dropshipping and perhaps the company they were dropshipping for have encountered a problem.

If they cannot confirm whether or not the item has been delivered I would be inclined to accept their offer of a refund.

wallyUK

Now that I've learned what dropshipping is, yes I think that is what they do given the array of odd items they have for sale. I've also noticed another negative feedback regarding the same item I am trying to buy so perhaps it is a problem with that distributor. I'll see what he comes back with today.

Hintza

Wally depending on your time scales here I might be tempted to ask for a refund,a decent seller dropshipping who runs into problems will probably comply. If they don't at least answer your request start a chargeback and get things moving.

I am generally against premature chargebacks but I imagine when dropshipping goes pearshaped it is a total nightmare for all concerned. If you have time to spare you could let it run for a while yet. How were the posting I hope not by surface? Keep an eye that his listings to check they don't all disappear if this happens start charge back immediately.

wallyUK

I've phoned him today and he maintains that he is still unable to contact 'the company' and muttered something about a trade show in vegas . If he is talking about the manufacturer that is a load of rubbish because I contacted them yesterday but they can't talk to me because they're wholesale only. The upshot of all this is I can either take the alternative product offered which is not appropriate, cancel my order, or wait. If I cancel my order he won't refund me until he has confirmed the package has not yet shipped!

I'm not sure what to think now - I guess it could still arrive? Or not? I've found two websites set up specifically to chronical the horrible time a lot of people have had with this ebayer - particularly being bullied into leaving positive feedback when they didn't want to. I've paid with paypal and a CC, should I have some protection here? All I really care about is getting the darn carseat so we can have a good trip.

Oh, forgot to say he quoted shipping by airmail although the amt he has charged me seems low so I guess it could be surface. If it was it could still arrive in time if it was actually sent, that is.

wallyUK

Have had an encounter with him tonight. After asking again why he couldn't contact his supplier he suddenly wrote to me saying they were shipping him the seat today and he was cancelling my order (???). Called to query and he said the story had changed and they weren't sending it for a few days and he presumed I wouldn't want to wait for it (!!). I questioned him a bit but he just went on about how he refunded me etc so what else could he do - he could keep my money, etc,etc. So I hung up. Got an email saying 'You know why we cancelled your order and now you hung up on us, BE GONE!' I am livid. The only semi-rude thing I did was hang up, never swore, always polite. I have wasted three weeks waiting for him to fulfill the order and now I have to sort something else out, hope it arrives on time AND I've lost money in all the foreign exchanges. I am tempted to give him negative feedback for him acting like such a troll. But I am sure he will respond by neg-ing me. How will this affect me, I don't sell much on ebay and normally buy small bits and pieces for a couple of quid - my current rating is only 22. Or should I leave neutral?

Grrrr

Hintza

Your seller should not have treated you this way but he is probably being messed around by his supplier, he will have been working away in the bakground trying to sort something out (and failed). This is why on these boards dropshipping is not seen as a good idea.

You really should leave him a neg as a warning to others but be polite and factual. However I could understand with a score of 22 why you would not want to.

At least you have got your money back which is a win!