Sellers Exploiting Poor Buyer Support

[ramsouthwest]

I have noticed quite a bit recently with items purchased that have either not arrived/been received or the wrong items being received that there is no support anymore. It has happened a few times in the last few months and has put me off.

I bought a car alarm battery that wasn't cheap at almost £30, Waited a month and when it arrived it was the wrong configuration. I checked with what I had ordered - definitely the wrong item so raised it with the seller. They said they would accept it back if it was faulty - I explained it wasn't faulty, it was the incorrect item. No refund, No return!

Again, I bought some lights. They never arrived, but stated delivered - where to who knows? I raised it with the seller - failed to respond. So Ebay closed the case.  No Item, No Refund.

Not just me either. My wife bought a car part. Went to collect - didn't know what we were talking about, sent on our way (3 hour drive) Contacted Seller, blocked us. £168 No Refund, No Item. Ebay weren't interested.

So is this the 'in' scam now? Have you experienced similar where you as a buyer just have to accept your lose your money?

[tobiasd4]

You should have opened item not as described case (seller can't refuse this type).

They supply returns label, you post back for full refund.

Ignore seller excuses.

[ramsouthwest]

I did do this - only it appears the sellers are using the 'faulty' clause to sidestep the issue. Ebay used to step in, but that appears not to be the case anymore. Even if you raise it with them, nothing happens.

I had similar with a carb for a mower. Was clearly counterfeit and leaked badly from everywhere, but seller would not accept a return unless I could send a photo with matching numbers. It was the same type he was claiming, it was HIS carb that had no model numbers - so again, side stepped buyer protection as I could not prove matching numbers. My carb matched his description of carb number - that to me was all that mattered. Once again, another ebay scam they get away with. Ebay not interested.

[jckl1957]

The seller can't insist on anything - when you start a return (or open a case for item not received) you do not have to communicate with the seller at all, and they cannot  impose any conditions.

As long as you open a case through Ebay within the allowed timeframe and choose the correct reason for a return, the seller has no option but to accept the return.

I think you don't understand how the Money Back Guarantee works,

As a seller rather than a buyer, I can honestly state that Ebay favours the buyer, not the seller in cases, but you do need to follow the process correctly.

[ramsouthwest]

This was done in accordance to the process. I waited the appropriate time, raised it as not arrived. Seller had a week to respond - totally ignored it. Ebay sent me an email stating the case was closed as the seller failed to respond. 

Whilst looking at other posts here, there seems to be many complaining of the same thing, and even sellers claiming their sales have dropped on the platform, which booming elsewhere. Maybe the counterfeit/scam sellers are actually having a measurable impact now.

To be perfectly honest, I see Ebay like a pound store. It will be counterfeit, with no guarantees but will be cheap. If I want security, I use other platforms with better security. That is really sad when you think it used to be the go-to marketplace. Looking at the posts here, you can see a common theme - hopefully it will be flagged and they do something about it.

[jckl1957]

In your previous post, you complained about an item you RECEIVED.

'I had similar with a carb for a mower. Was clearly counterfeit and leaked badly from everywhere, but seller would not accept a return unless I could send a photo with matching numbers. It was the same type he was claiming, it was HIS carb that had no model numbers - so again, side stepped buyer protection as I could not prove matching numbers. My carb matched his description of carb number - that to me was all that mattered. Once again, another ebay scam they get away with. Ebay not interested.'

Then, you complained that '. I waited the appropriate time, raised it as not arrived. Seller had a week to respond - totally ignored it.'

If you receive an item, and open a case stating you have not received it, then your case will close.  You needed to open a return.

Buyers are very well protected and have 30 days to start a return case.  However, if you don't use the Money Back Guarantee properly, and open the right sort of case, then it will not work for you.

[john1297576]

Once you open a case within the 30 days allowed, if no response from seller then you escalate to ebay after 3 days. This applies to Not received cases and Not as described cases.

You do not wait for ebay to do something, as they won’t, because they would assume that because you have not followed up the case, that you had resolved problem with seller.

You obviously never followed correct procedures, as if done properly buyer will always win. 

[red_magpie]

Many responders here have been on these boards for years - over 20 years in my case - and we get a good idea of what eBay does well, and what it does badly.

eBay's money back guarantee, if used carefully and correctly, makes it almost impossible for the buyer to lose. If anything, it's absurdly biased in the buyer's favour.

The Achillees hell for buyers is that eBay requires its claims procedures to be followed exactly. Every day we hear from buyers who have opened the wrong type of case, missed a time limit or failed to comply with some other requirement. eBay makes absolutely no allowance for inexperience or mistakes. The case will be closed and cannot be reopened.

If this has happened to you "a few times in the last few months" I'm afraid the overwhelming probability is that you unwittingly failed to use it correctly in some way. There is a link to eBay's money back guarantee in every listing - it's so important to read it.