Stupid stupid ebay ...

[frazzledbutcalm]

Just having a bit of a rant. I'm waiting for ebay to email back regarding this problem, but just want to rant in the meantime.

Long story cut short - I bought a new bed frame from a business seller. Bed arrived late, was clearly a shop model (scuffed, dirty) .. no response from seller so opened a case with customer support. Seller then picked up this bed and sent a new one (also arrived late). New one has a faulty part, I've sent photos and seller has emailed to say new part will be with me 14th or 15th Feb. Today is 19th and still not here!

In view of this I escalated claim further for ebay to decide the outcome. Had email today to say they want me to send the bed back to seller and I will receive full refund. BUT THEY'VE SAID I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR RETURN POSTAGE!!!

I'm not even going to rant about why I'm NOT responsible for return postage.

Like I say, don't need advice, just want to vent some anger

[monkeyfacegrace]

Dont return it.
Ebay will refund you regardless.
Relax, as the buyer you are invincible.
It fucking sucks to be an eBay seller.
Really, relax.

[frazzledbutcalm]

You're right monkey ... I've stopped selling as ebay always favours the buyer, even when they are wrong and are proved wrong!

Ebay aren't going to refund me regardless (which is what I thought they did), they have said they won't issue the refund until I put the return postage tracking number in my case details ... As I'm not going to pay to return a faulty item, I can't provide tracking number, therefore no refund...

I've emailed telling them that as the item is faulty the seller is responsible for return postage.

[fergoose]

ebay cannot force the seller to pay the return postage sadly - they can only refund you your original payment. Why can't the seller collect the faulty item and refund you themselves? They came once before?

[monkeyfacegrace]

Post a letter to them and add a tracking number.

Job done.

[frazzledbutcalm]

Seller's not exactly on the ball. I'd be happy with the replacement part that was supposed to arrive 5 days ago

Under ebay and sale of goods etc, if item is faulty it the sellers responsibility to pay for return postage ..
monkey !I couldn't just make up a number! ... Could I? ...
I'm arguing the rules first with ebay, but if that gets nowhere ....?

[fergoose]

no please ignore what Monkey has said - that is fraud.

if you paid by credit card go to them, or take the seller to small claim's court. Yes they should pay return costs but how can you enforce that? ebay won't take the money from the seller.

[frazzledbutcalm]

fergoose .. it's just not me to give false details.. I'm confident I can make ebay see sense.. actually I'm not confident, ebay are shite at the best of times! I'm determined to make ebay see sense

[frazzledbutcalm]

Well I've had my reply from ebay regarding return postage .... Fin stupid ebay!!! Oh just try communicating with your seller regarding the problem!!??!! Isn't that what I've been doing on phone and email, got nowhere, and that's why I've had to open case and escalate case for ebay to sort!! They really are thick as s!!!!

[fergoose]

ebay cannot take extra money from the seller for the return - they won't budge on that. You will just have to try and find a cheap courier, or not return it and right off the money

if you paid by credit card or card verified by visa you could try a chargeback

[frazzledbutcalm]

I know ebay can't take extra money from the seller. But, in my mind they should be arranging with the seller for them to arrange collection of the bed. After all, it's faulty ... It's not my responsibility to sort out a faulty item, it's the sellers.
It's their message that I just find incredulous. Their customer service is crap.

[fergoose]

well how would they force the seller to collect the item? I don't see how that is possible for them to do that?

Have you phoned the seller and spoken to them? Complained to consumer direct?

[frazzledbutcalm]

The seller has already collected the first faulty bed so is perfectly capable of arranging the collection of this second faulty one. Ebay can (and does) refund items then leaves it to (tells) the seller to collect the item so they can recoup their monies back from their supplier/manufacturer for faulty items.
I've phoned the seller many times and have got on very amicably with them. Albeit only after I opened the case with ebay, seller didn't want to know before then. I emailed the seller recently to say the promised replacement faulty part had not arrived, some 4-5 days after it was promised. I got no response. I then escalated the claim to ebay which is procedure. This was only yesterday so I've done nothing further yet.
FWIW, I have said to ebay and seller that I am happy to keep the bed, if seller sends the replacement faulty part.

[MrsZoidberg]

If the seller refuse to pay for the return (and as a seller I do agree that they should pay) then it may be cheaper contacting the manufacturer direct and getting the parts from them - some will even send them for free.

[frazzledbutcalm]

Just spoken to the seller. Seems she doesn't answer emails but has no choice about telephone
She's sending another part today... Lets wait and see if I get this one...
She was very surprised when she got the email from ebay saying I wanted to return the bed ......... So ebay didn't even consult with her before making the decision..
I do think ebay is just very badly managed.