To never want to sell on ebay because it brings disaster into your life?

[PuffinNose]

In the last month, I've bought 12 things from ebay. However of those sellers:

• 1 had an unexpected bereavement so couldn't post for ages
• Another's partner was rushed into hospital so couldn't post for ages (must have ruined the holiday they told me they had planned a few days after I paid).
• 1 was flooded and hasn't had a computer so couldn't post (but thankfully they had their phone of something because they could reply to feedback)
• 1 of them had a pesky dog who damaged the item. I was a bit disappointed because the item went for much less than it should have done.
• 1 of them has posted it but it's gone missing but darn it, the post office printer wasn't working so she has no proof but she did post it so no won't refund (don't worry, I know my rights).

So, ebay sellers seem to be an unlucky lot.

What are the best lines you've had from ebay sellers/buyers?

For the record, I'm generally not bothered about delays as long as they tell me. I've replied nicely to all the messages and symphasised as apprpropriate.

Ebay's dodgy, end of. Who wants to deal with scammers?

Worse than DelBoy is the real crim stuff that goes on that ebay refuses to deal with. I had to get the sex crimes team involved when I sold a pair of Louboutins. To a convicted perv, as it turned out - he stalked me on SM, messaged me obscenely - using ebay systems - and finally found my address, courtesy of ebay. Ebay enabled all this, and refused to take action.

Somebody bought off me and didn't pay, I chased them and the told me their child had died so couldn't go through with the transaction. This tragic bereavement didn't stop them purchasing items the same day I finally made contact with them. Pretty sick to use that excuse but then people are weird!

I bought some swimsuits and when they arrived they were all saggy and stretched, completely unwearable but the seller claimed they were a special type of fabric which was supposed to be like that! I sent them back and got a refund.

I buy a lot of children's clothes on ebay and have had some real bargains when no one else has bid, but I feel quite sorry for sellers who end up with pennies when something only sells for 99p.

Selling on eBay has been shit ever since they removed the facility for sellers to leave negative feedback for buyers

I can understand this, but have to admit that I used to get pissed off years ago with sellers refusing to leave feedback unless/until I left positive fb for them.

Some of them used to hound me with messages. It meant that if there was a problem, they felt they had some sort of hold over the buyer. There was something vaguely threatening about being told "When you leave positive fb for me, I will leave it for you" - after all, as an honest buyer, what else can you do but pay promptly?

I totally agree about dishonest buyers though - or are they CFBs?

What hacks me off is when sellers say "no refund". A while ago, I had my eye on a coat. The Seller had a 100% feedback history and yet, I watched it for ages and couldn't bring myself to buy, just in case it didn't fit. I think it's ludicrous to spexpect anyone to buy an item of clothing (on an unusual brand) and not allow a genuine return.

It's still up on the site. Permanently.

I also once bought a handbag which claimed minimal wear. It arrived and looked like it'd been kicked around the street. A section of the lining had gone and no attempt made to either repair or list it as such. I charity shopped it. Couldn't be bothered even to return it to a seller who was clearly just robbing people.

I stopped selling years ago. Used to make quite a bit of money from it (wasn't a business, I use to buy stuff and sell it on if it wasn't any good for me).
The final straw was when I sold some stuff, all correctly listed and got good feedback but some people didn't give me a very good star rating. I still don't know why. Because I'd not sold for a while it neant my stars were really low.
Then one lady bought some cardboard jewellery boxes from me. She paid a couple of pound but wanted them posting to Malta so they cost a fortune! I checked she understood what she was buying etc. Anyway when they arrived she wasn't happy and left negative feedback and the lowest possible star rating.
I got a warning from ebay about my stars and a set time to improve. So I sold a load of stuff very cheaply with free postage. Some of it cost me money.
Not one of those people left me feedback and I didn't have anything else to sell so I couldn't improve my stars and ebay closed my selling option permanently.
Bare in mind I'd had my account for years and had maybe 3 negatives in that time and my stars had all been 5s until then.
So I asked ebay to close my account completely but they refused. So I still have an ebay account they won't close. Might email them again. I've not used it since then.

To the PP that wanted to know about bath seats ( on phone so hard to scroll back) contact occupational therapy or ask your GP to refer you. My mum has been given an electric bath seat through them due to mobility issues and I (also an RA sufferer) have had help with various aids through them HTH. As you were ebayers

I stopped selling after I tried to sell maybe ten or fifteen items at the same sort of time, (clear out) and only sold one successfully.

Electric fans - buyer came, tested them, ( I insisted he plug them in at my house), agreed they were good and two weeks later asked for a refund as "Not as described" and didn't keep the house cool. In the end I agreed - ebay were useless. He had my address, ebay were going open a case against me so it was easier to give in. He brought the fans back and I refunded all his cash. By then it was Autumn.
I had buyers not turn up, buyers ask for posting after Cash on Collection was clearly stated on the ad, buyers who messed me about and items that didn't sell at all. I sold a desk for £5. It cost me more in time, energy, petrol etc than I made.

@SukiTheDog It's ebay though, not a shop. You can't return stuff if it doesn't fit - if everyone did that then people who are trying to sell things they no longer want would be faffing about dealing with returns all of the time.

I understand that and if it were a UK brand with sizing that was more or less "known" I'd feel differently. I guess that's why so many months on, it's still listed 😐

I haven't bought anything on eBay for about 4 years...since the 'unworn' gym leotard for my daughter had a period stained gusset...

And I only sell stuff through the local FB sites now as I resented the PayPal charges.

OP

On what grounds did they refuse to close your account?

I once bought a t shirt dress 'like new' for not even much of a bargain

It was absolutely covered in white animal hairs that no amount of washing would remove. Also had weird oil stains on it 😞

I still buy but don't sell since we had a very large bulky heavy item listed as collection from postcode only, we would help buyer get it into their car etc but it could not be posted.

Bought by a buyer with an English buying address. Clearly a business. Who then demanded we post it to Spain 'where she lives'.

Who then said she'd paid (she hadn't) then said she'd paid plus a tenner postage (she hadn't and no way would a tenner get it to Spain)

Then promised for the fifty millionth time she'd arrange collection. So we waited. And waited. No more responses to our messages.

She then opened a dispute...With Spanish eBay. All in Spanish. Which we could not read and which does not communicate through English eBay.

Oh it was fun. I can't even remember how it got resolved. Once a dispute is raised you can't end the sale.

Said large item is still cluttering up my spare room.

Oh God. Ebay is just shit now! It's absolutely amazing how many items I have sent well packed in mint condition that turn up mysteriously "damaged" or the dame who bought my size 4 vintage boots despite being told repeatedly they would NOT fit her size 6 feet and who then demanded a refund because they "smelled funny". Odd that!
I did sell some Halloween props once that were well received. Good feedback etc. That were then returned a month later for no apparent reason. No refund asked for. Very weird.
I still buy occasionally but I'll NEVER sell again. It's not worth it.
I do hate being hassled for feedback. Take a hint. If you don't get any it's because I'm unimpressed. Just not enough to leave a neg. But keep pushing me and I could change my mind.

Oh. For the pp who mentioned sellers saying "no refunds" . This is unenforceable under UK DSRs. They are just trying it on. You can send anything back that is bought unseeen and Ebay usually uphold this.

I'm only just dipping my toe into eBay again after years off it. Have bought some great items! However this has totally put me off selling my own stuff on there. I'm amazed anybody makes a living from it reading this thread!

I have never sold on Ebay but have bought loads - considering the number of items I have bought over the years - some from abroad too - I have have proportionately few problems.

Logans. No idea. I sort of understand keeping it open for a little while after your last transaction to make sure there are no issues. Or not letting you use the same email address to open a new account. As far as they are concerned (incorrectly) I was a bad seller. I did kick up a fuss about it but they couldn't care less.

TBF it can still be good for buying and I do use it reasonably regularly for that. It's the selling that's a ballache. I recently spent hours listing vintage football programmes for DM after DF died last year and I think I've sold four

Sold something collectible - but not hugely valuable - to a US buyer. I had all over the listing in underlined caps - message me first if international or be aware that sending not by airmail this may take 5-7 weeks. She bought. I messaged her to say I can send it airmail and charge you cost, if you'd prefer it or be aware it takes 5 -7 weeks (or more) if I send it not airmail. She said That's OK, fine. Send it the cheaper way.

I posted it. Got proof of postage. Within a day or two she was asking "Is it here, yet?"
No.
A day or two later:
"Why isn't it here yet?"
Polite, friendly but impersonal response to the effect - well check back at our messages. I warned you it will take weeks and you agreed.

Almost daily messages for a couple more weeks. She opened a dispute and claimed never to have got it. Despite having proof of postage I just thought "I can't deal with this bitch any more" so just refunded her instantly. So she got the item (presumably because I bet it did arrive) and a refund (Scammer). I instantly regretted not fighting my corner as I did have proof of postage but truly decided for a low value item not worth it. Wished I had in retrospect as it rankles years later. She got quite abusive but I stayed pleasantly calm throughout (whilst thinking WHAT A BITCH) in case I had to prove it later.

I'd been on eBay since it started and had and still have 100% rep (apart from the bitch who pressed 'neutral' then gave me blindingly positive feedback - when I questioned her she said "The neighbour's cockerel is waking me up every day and I'm so tired I hit the wrong button!" I kid you not. Yes, nutjobs in the UK too...) I thought it was mutually assured destruction if I gave her negative feedback (American Scammer, not British Cockerel Nutter). And I didn't want to risk my 100% good feedback for umpteen years on one con artist.

I realised after the US woman was probably a scammer. I'm sorry for blaming an entire several continents for the dickishness of a single resident but - ah tough. I'm doing it.

I have never sold anything outside the UK/Ireland ever again. Never had a problem again. I sell a fair bit. One problem arose recently but I refunded him (gobby bloke) instantly and he left me stellar feedback.

Incidentally, the American woman had 100% good rep - so I no longer take that as a guide to how trustworthy anyone is. I also am not put off buying people with 97% , 98% or 99% rep as the more transactions you do the more inevitable you will get the odd headtheball.

Paypal gives the Buyer loads of protection. I avoid Amazo Marketplace though as total scammers can operate there and you have no comeback whatsoever. I saw something sold for one of my hobbies lately, where the man had feedback with person after person saying they ordered one thing (worth about £50) and another thing (worth about 10p) came instead. Amazon has left this seller up and the only recourse buyers have, is to complain and hope for a refund from the Marketplace seller - Amazon should be liable themselves. They might filter it a bit better, then...

Also eBay displays Feedback prominently. I have used Amazon for years and only just spotted where you can find Feedback last week.

But Amazon say "Sod you - just read the Feedback already, then it's your fault if you buy from a scammer!" eBay rep isn't as good and yet it has lots of buyer protection in place. Amazon doesn't.

BWatchWatcher and jennielou75:

Thanks so much for that - they don’t need to have someone extra around just to keep an eye on things, do they? I live by myself, and need things to be manageable by me. Do you need a specific type of bath or can they satisfactorily go in your standard one?

I may be onto a whole new life changing thing here!

I went to bid on something and was blocked rang to find out why and 2 previous sellers that I had collected from(and therefore paid cash) had reported me as a non paying winner - this meant they got their selling fee defended!

JaneEyre70

Thanks so much. It sounds fabulous. I'm off to do a bit of research about it. I'm in Australia, so it might be a bit more expensive, but I'll happily pay $4000 for it. When I looked years ago, special baths/adaptations seemed to be in the range (then) of $10 000, so I never really pursued it.

Actually, there's a very slight chance my private health cover might pay a small proportion, especially with a letter from my GP. They cover a proportion the cost of things like health club membership and TENS machines.

@Iclavdivs the bath chair my mothrt has is set up so that it won't lower you if it doesn't have to power to bring you back up do there are checks and balances in place. My mother added it to a standard bath.