To be sick of Ebay buyers taking the piss?

[FourStoneDown]

I run a small business selling preloved clothing on Ebay. I'm meticulous about the quality of items that I sell, I check things extremely thoroughly, and list very thorough measurements of everything. Most people are delighted with their items and leave me lovely feedback, which is really nice.

However there seems to be a minority of buyers, although that number is increasing, who either invent a flaw with their item when there isn't one, or say that an item doesn't fit them, and then return it to me damaged or worn. One seller has returned a dress today that she said didn't fit her; it was returned inside out as if she'd just taken it off and bundled it up, in carrier bag, with a broken zip and smelling of BO! It'd clearly been worn for a night out then returned to me.

Last week a lady wanted to return a jacket to me, that she had had for over 2 weeks as it didn't fit her. I said it was fine, and she sent a tracked item, but it was an old dirty anorak rather than the jacket she'd bought from me. I escalated to Ebay and they found in favour of the buyer and so I had to refund her £30! She then sent me a message laughing and gloating that she sent me an old piece of tat and got a refund and got to keep the jacket!

And another buyer a few weeks ago decided 3 weeks after receiving a top that the colour didn't suit her so therefore it wasn't as described and started a dispute. She refused to return the item and again Ebay found in her favour and just took the money and refunded her, letting her keep the item!

There have been many other cases recently of returns because something 'doesn't fit' when it has clearly been worn for a night out, then shoved in a bag and returned to me.

AIBU to be pissed off with it all?

More and more people including myself are leaving eBay because of this. I sold some happyland kids stuff for over £100 and the buyer said most of it was broken but funny enough would not supply any photos and I supplied lots and prove that I had package correctly
eBay still found in their favour so they got over £100 worth of toys and the money back. I don't use eBay now

No experience but that's terrible! Can't you forward the gloating message to EBay?

YANBU. What dreadful people can you forward the gloating message to eBay?!

She then sent me a message laughing and gloating

If she sent that via ebay, escaladate with them, you have proof that she is taking the piss, and they can check the messages sent/ received.

Yanbu. eBay seem to allow really dodgy buyers to rip people off.

I stopped selling on there when I found out buyers can keep items and get a refund if you don't allow returns.

Hope they go bust or a fairer alternative comes along.

I think the problem is with eBay always siding with buyers tbh.

Escalate the gloating message - that's your proof.

I've been lucky so far, insisting on cash on collection for large items (any Paypal payments get refunded), and telling anyone wanting a refund "of course, as soon as it's returned and I compare it to my detailed set of photos and check the UV security pen marks to confirm its the same one". Amazingly, 99% of them don't bother sending the item back!

Have had a bunch of grumpy arses complaining that a vintage book or similar is in worse condition than they expected, though, so I'm fed up of those. If I tell you it's a "reading copy" with cracked spine, scuffed corners and some foxing, then complaining there's some scribble on page 92 is ridiculous! Go find your out of print book elsewhere...

Haven't seen my UV pen in years... :)

It's non-paying bidders I'm getting pissed off with.

They never reply to messages.They're not even people with really low numbers of transactions either. PITA.

YANBU, I very rarely sell now, and I certainly don't sell highe value stuff. We sold a Nintendo DS woman said it had a cracked screen so wanted a refund and she would return, she returned her old broken DS and kept our nearly new one. One buyer couldn't be bothered to pick the item up from post office( not in when delivered)so opened a dispute saying he wanted the postage money back because we hadn't posted it. They always side with buyer no matter what. I have loads of stuff I could probably get a nice bit of cash for but eBay selling has put me off selling.

Totally agree. I got to the point where I was finding eBay selling really stressful for this reason so stopped.

Yanbu.
I was almost scammed for 600 pounds. Xh and I were short on cash and won a brand new item that sold at 750 RRP. It was new, never used. Bidding got to 600; sent it and the buyer said it was broken. Sent back a laptop of the same type but with a smashed screen. EBay initially found in favor of the buyer. I escalated with eBay as xh had taken note of the identifying codes. Don't know what eBay did or said to the buyer but we got the original laptop back, thankfully still unused and undamaged, cut our losses and took it to cex and got about half of what it was worth.

YANBU

Buyers tend to know now that EBay will generally side with them regardless and issue a refund so it encourages more buyers to take the piss.

I've stopped using eBay to sell & would never go back because of this.

That's awful!

You need to phone eBay. Not just settle with the resolution centre online.
You need to go through all the channels that then direct you to calling them. There isn't a lot of options that allow you to do this, but go through every one. I have to lie and say I'm ringing about something that I've selected the reason is, and once on the phone to them I explain the real reason.

Has anyone found an alternative to Ebay that isn't Amazon ? I have got kids clothes and PS3 games that I was looking to sell.

I did used to sell quite a lot a few years back but the prices things sell for seem to have gone right down as well. It did used to be fun but now does seem a hassle.

Sorry for jumping in.

I suppose car boot or local Facebook group

The advantage of Facebook is no fees and it's face to face cash transactions. Downside is you might not get as much as you would on eBay.

I find the number of no-shows without any contact from facebook selling is very high. Some admins are great and remove people but most wont.

They always side with buyer no matter what.

No they don't.
I bought an item just before Christmas, from a supposedly UK seller who said he/she used Royal Mail 24 for delivery. It turned out to be a Chinese based seller (with appalling English, so very difficult to deal with by message) having stuff sent from a UK 'warehouse' - and delivered by Yodel.

I was given a tracking number which just took me to a blank message.
The item never arrived yet Yodel said they'd delivered it. And that was that. No signature had been required.

I opened a dispute and EBay said that because Yodel's tracking showed it as being delivered then that was good enough for them. I appealed against it and was told to contact Yodel and get them to confirm that they HADN'T actually delivered it. Failing that, I was told to call the seller - in China - and argue the toss with them.

So, no item and no refund.

She then sent me a message laughing and gloating that she sent me an old piece of tat and got a refund and got to keep the jacket!

I'd suggest sending the message to ebay so her account can be cancelled, but frankly I doubt they'd care and anyway she'd just re-register under a different name

It's a total waste of time for private sellers now; ebay seem only to be interested in the big traders who earn them loads in commission, and it's only the majors who can absorb the pisstaking of so many buyers

take them to court.