Ebay non-performance as agent

honeythewitch

campdave wrote: »

Someone's being slightly melodramatic.

You want to speak to a human, there's your answer.

If you don't like it, keep on doing what you're doing.

Getting hold of the phone number and email address isn't easy in the first place.
Plenty of people never get that far. Obviously if there was a lot of money at stake you would persevere, but not for one or two pounds.
Yet the principal is still the same.
If the complaints system is too complicated to use (in unusual circumstances. The automated system and refunding works great for most things) it discourages complaints about
unscrupulous buyers and sellers and drags the reputation of the site down.
Why wouldn't they want to make it simpler?

Flyonthewall

honeythewitch wrote: »

I would suggest that they change the complaints system so that you can communicate with a real person if the automated system is not applicable, and use the same methods that other sites (successfully) use to stop people re-registering time and time again.

I get the impression that Ebay are not a small struggling firm who cant afford a few more customer service staff.

As others have said, there is always the phone. Their phone service is no better or worse than most big companies. Either way, the option is there and you can talk to a real person.

The system used by many sites is to IP ban people. Ebay do check IP addresses. They limit accounts of family and friends going by IP address used or just where they believe someone is related. However, it is possible to get around such a ban and it is a problem that all sites have. IP banning people is not as successful as you appear to think and there is no guaranteed way to stop someone ever signing up to a site again.

They may not be small but that doesn't mean they can have an unlimited amount of staff to deal with every claim personally and it would be a complete waste of money considering how many can be solved the way the system is now. A lot of companies have systems that deal with issues and/or send out automated replies.

Flyonthewall

honeythewitch wrote: »

Getting hold of the phone number and email address isn't easy in the first place.
Plenty of people never get that far. Obviously if there was a lot of money at stake you would persevere, but not for one or two pounds.
Yet the principal is still the same.
If the complaints system is too complicated to use (in unusual circumstances. The automated system and refunding works great for most things) it discourages complaints about
unscrupulous buyers and sellers and drags the reputation of the site down.
Why wouldn't they want to make it simpler?

(Main menu on the top right of the page)Help & Contact > (Drop down menu) Contact us (Phone/chat/email)
Buying/Selling/My account - click on the problem. It gives you contact details along with a help section/helpful links.

It's that simple. It couldn't be any easier than that.

theonlywayisup

honeythewitch wrote: »

And wait on the line for several hours at great expense!

I get a freephone number, I assumed everyone does?

honeythewitch

soolin wrote: »

With a PIN I have never waited longer than 45 seconds, certainly less than a minute.

The only time I ever waited longer was when there was a serious meltdown and everyone was on the phone.

We must make sure we are only swindled at off-peak times then!

I am sure the waiting time is different for everyone, but I imagine that most people would find a long wait on the telephone followed by a recording that announces a ninety minute delay unacceptable?

The one time I was forced to persevere on the phone, the complaint was sorted out quickly and efficiently by pleasant staff.
It is a shame it is not always like that.

honeythewitch

theonlywayisup wrote: »

I get a freephone number, I assumed everyone does?

No, I think you get that "if" the complaint can go through the normal system, otherwise its charged.

theonlywayisup

honeythewitch wrote: »

No, I think you get that "if" the complaint can go through the normal system, otherwise its charged.

No. I have tried on three Ids and get the freephone number.

Not sure what you mean by 'normal system'.

Where are you getting the number?

honeythewitch

Flyonthewall wrote: »

(Main menu on the top right of the page)Help & Contact > (Drop down menu) Contact us (Phone/chat/email)
Buying/Selling/My account - click on the problem. It gives you contact details along with a help section/helpful links.

It's that simple. It couldn't be any easier than that.

Thats odd. It looks different on mine. I cant find the number. I only have the bit that says "To help us connect you with the right agent, select the category that best describes your issue"

theonlywayisup wrote: »

No. I have tried on three Ids and get the freephone number.

Not sure what you mean by 'normal system'.

Where are you getting the number?

Bu "normal system I mean the one where you tick boxes to tell them the problem, and then you get the number with the code. It works great unless your problem isn't covered.

I think I got the number from this site, in a thread about people having difficulty getting through. (It was a while ago and I couldn't get the number )

But actually.... I cant imagine anyone waiting for a long time on the phone even if it was free, unless it was a large amount of money.

Edit...
I have found the telephone number on the site (by googling it) but it isn't listed in the customer support section. ...

QUOTE
Having difficulty contacting ebay through trails and trails of go here, go there etc, this is a direct number to their Police lines, good luck 02086053028 , However you can now contact them on 08003583229 . but will have to go into your help and trail through contact ebay and they will give you a code which is active for about 15 minutes to confirm you are who you are, very usefull
END QUOTE.

Flyonthewall

honeythewitch wrote: »

Thats odd. It looks different on mine. I cant find the number. I only have the bit that says "To help us connect you with the right agent, select the category that best describes your issue"

I looked at it when not signed in on another browser. It's slightly different but still as simple.

(Main menu) Customer Support. Customer support (Drop down menu)
Contact ebay tab (if you sign in it's the same as I said before, select the problem and you get the contact details).

If it says to select a category have you tried selecting one? or have you already gone through that?

honeythewitch wrote: »

We must make sure we are only swindled at off-peak times then!

I am sure the waiting time is different for everyone, but I imagine that most people would find a long wait on the telephone followed by a recording that announces a ninety minute delay unacceptable?

The one time I was forced to persevere on the phone, the complaint was sorted out quickly and efficiently by pleasant staff.
It is a shame it is not always like that.

A long wait, whether free or not, and recorded options are always annoying but sadly that is how it is for many companies. In some cases it's the only option, at least ebay do have other options.

theonlywayisup

honeythewitch wrote: »

Thats odd. It looks different on mine. I cant find the number. I only have the bit that says "To help us connect you with the right agent, select the category that best describes your issue"


Bu "normal system I mean the one where you tick boxes to tell them the problem, and then you get the number with the code. It works great unless your problem isn't covered.

I think I got the number from this site, in a thread about people having difficulty getting through. (It was a while ago and I couldn't get the number )

But actually.... I cant imagine anyone waiting for a long time on the phone even if it was free, unless it was a large amount of money.

Edit...
I have found the telephone number on the site (by googling it) but it isn't listed in the customer support section. ...

QUOTE
Having difficulty contacting ebay through trails and trails of go here, go there etc, this is a direct number to their Police lines, good luck 02086053028 , However you can now contact them on 08003583229 . but will have to go into your help and trail through contact ebay and they will give you a code which is active for about 15 minutes to confirm you are who you are, very usefull
END QUOTE.

Doesn't matter if you tick boxes not relevant, I always go for selling fees invoices just out of habit.

Try it and see what you get. The whole point about the pin is that it means you breeze past the security. You only need your account name/user ID when you speak. Perhaps the reason you are on the phone 'for hours' is you aren't inputting the pin.