Has Ebay really got this bad?

[Lyndaishistory]

"Warranty Information:
I'm going to start by saying the item is sold "AS IS, That is, no refund!" But it doesn't matter. As long as you submit a request for return under the category of "not as described" (even if it was), eBay will allow you to send back the item despite any of my objections or how valid your reason is. Want a bad ass CPU for a weekend lan party? Order here and when your done return it under the "not as described category". Want to test out a piece of hardware you aren't familiar with? No problem! When you're done with it just request a return under "not as described category" (even if it was). To reiterate, the party line is, the item is sold as is with no refunds. But just tell eBay it wasn't as described (even if it was) and they will seize the money out of my paypal the second you request the return. When I ask eBay to intervene, there automated system will automatically grant you your request regardless of any objections I have, or evidence I wish to present. AND.... if that isn't enough, it will generate a return label and you can send it back at my expensive. So, even though I'm just one guy working out of my garage, selling used electronics, you can buy with the same amount of confidence you would with Amazon, because as far as eBay is concerned, I may as well be."

Seen a lot of these types of messages in independent sellers listings, recently.
Has Ebay really go this bad? I remember it being a great place to sell things but recently I sold a couple of things that (unfortunately) went for 99p. I ended up owing ebay money for those listings.
Is there an alternative? Or will Ebay continue to get worse?

Link:
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sigma-Designs-Realmagic-EM8300-/163201304485?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137

Same problems here too.

I sold a phone with a cracked screen last week, I took clear pictures of the damage and wrote about it in the description. I also said that I would have it fixed at a cost to the buyer if they preferred. I used the phone the day before posting, it works perfectly. They received it and say the screen doesn't work at all and open a dispute immediately. PayPal automatically ringfence the money out of the sellers acct until the dispute is sorted.

It's not the first time things like this have happened and the only reason I keep going back for more is because we don't have Facebook

I'm glad I didn't read this thread a few weeks ago! I just sold about 25 items, for the first time in several years as a seller. Buy quite often still. Anyway, I didn't have any problems, thankfully.

I've been a bit skint recently and have sold quite a lot but fingers crossed

I only buy now. Selling is too much hassle but lots of bargains to be had as a buyer.

sorry my child just appeared downstairs and I pressed post too soon - fingers crossed I've been ok so far (just sold a load more tonight). I've had a couple of bad experiences - one woman claimed a top was used and covered in dog hair when it had tags on and I don't have a dog! But on the whole it's been ok. I get proof of postage receipts when I post second class and send photos of them to the buyers when I send. This seems to put off potential spurious complaints.

I sold an outfit that was new with tags and they said it wasn’t as described and then I got it back minus tags

I listed an icandy pram earlier and deleted the listing after about half an hour as I couldn’t risk being scammed again for a lot more

When ebay first started it was a great place to buy and sell. Unfortunately, as is the usual form these days, people want something for nothing.

EBay is no longer the place to buy or sell. EBay is the ruin of its own success. Shame that :(

I make a good part of my total income selling on ebay.
IMO putting no returns accepted is asking for trouble. It forces a less scrupulous buyer who just doesn't like the thing they bought to either invent a reason why it is SNAD, or to actually damage it. Accepting the return allows them a way out and may save the seller from paying the return costs.

There are categories I would never sell in though (clothing being the main one, but also tech).

I've been conned once. Sold baby clothes in June and in September I think it was, they claimed they hadn't received it. They waited an awful long time, i didn't have the proof of postage any more. Strangely their paypal address had changed to somewhere in France when they PayPal dispute was made. Very weird.

I used signed for postage for a while after that, back to normal postage now for goods below £15. Not had any more problems since. Just that one and I've been selling since 2006

Private sellers won't use ebay any more because once the listings are up they're sitting ducks for hordes of professional scammers. No one I know would ever use the site to sell any more.

Ebay's policy is not to encourage private sellers, in case you hadn't guessed They want businesses that make them more money.

It's a shame, because the site grew from private buyers. But there's now a gap in the market reopened for a more reputable selling site.

Ebay used to be a great place to sell on nice clothes and other items. Back when Sellers AND Buyers were rated. No more. Full of scammers and high fees.

Local FB pages and Gumtree are the only things I'll use now. Free and harder to get ripped off because I only deal in cash in hand.

I used Ebay in it's heyday (2008/2009/2010...) but I was had a few times on there so I gave up. I now prefer to sell on FB.

No, in my experience it's not that bad. I've sold over 90 items this summer and made over £400 (less eBay fees). Out of those 90 items:

1. Buyer claimed the item hadn't arrived. I sent the tracking number and never heard back so assume they were just trying their luck.
2. Buyer said the soles on some sandals were worn in an uncomfortable way due to my gait. We agreed the item was sold in used condition but that they were genuinely unwearable for her. I issued a 50% refund and she binned the shoes.
3. Winner never paid so I relisted the item
4. Winner never paid so I relisted the item

All the other auctions, from 50p sales to £28 sales have been absolutely fine.

I agree that eBay always sides with the buyer and I have both lost out to and benefited from that policy as both a seller and a buyer. But, if you list your things properly and thoroughly, most buyers don't complain and most transactions are trouble free.

Can anyone advise me on this please? I sold a small item for less than £20. Buyer contacted me as they didn’t want to keep it and I authorised a return. In the meantime buyer lodged a dispute on PayPal ( to stop the money coming to me I presume). I now can’t pay for anything with PayPal as I suddenly have ‘insufficient funds’. Has the pending payment frozen my account? I have received the item back now but can’t issue a refund presumably because the money never came to me. Ive never had this happen before. Thanks.

Reading and worrying! I have sold successfully and with no problems and about to try again.

I also buy lots, mainly clothing but find prices much more ( and sometimes far too) expensive. I think this is down to the pricing system when listing where 'EBay suggests' a price. When I list I ignore 'EBay suggests' - many are second hand clothes after all. I suppose it is Ebays's way of trying to up its revenue but I wonder if EBay sells much at all these days?

Yep, problem is ebay always siding with the buyer - their policy is to assume people are honest but this seems to only apply to buyers, while sellers are not afforded the same benefit of the doubt. I sold a small batch of childrens' toys a few years ago and had about 25-30% buyers raise refund requests for items not received (sent recorded), 'damage' during posting (no evidence), not in pristine condition (sold as used). Always a stress dealing with the ebay site and having cases 'opened and closed' against you without even being able to defend yourself or ask questions. One lunatic started filling my inbox with loooong explanations of how I wasn't providing the customer service expected of the likes of Tesco direct or wherever (she bought an item for less than £3!). I reported several buyers but got some bs non-committal reply. Closed my acc, never use paypal either.

I had someone buy a pair of unworn Vivien Westwood shoes off me once then wanted to return them 'item not as described' because although they were the size advertised they didn't fit her. That's not my problem love. She still managed to return them to me and eBay issued a refund as we argued our point. So luckily we got to keep our money and got the shoes back! Cheeky cow had worn them and broken a part off! Shocking that you can't leave negative feedback for these shitty buyers

I stopped using eBay years ago because of fraudulent sellers.

The bias in fraud has now swung to the buyers and it is too stressful to sell.

I don’t know how they keep going nor how they seem to avoid disclosing the true extent of fraud and I don’t like PayPal.

They do not seem interested in the sellers on their site.

I got my own back on a dodgy buyer. I sold a lovely Monsoon 100% silk dress, worn once, for £15. I'd had it dry cleaned after I wore it, and sent it off still in dry cleaning plastic bags. Buyer, after 2 weeks, said it was 'filthy' but that she'd be prepared to keep it if I refunded £12 for dry cleaning!
I refused and told her to send it back for full refund. She returned it, and had smeared something white and powdery down it, and had very obviously worn it, probably to a wedding. She left very unpleasant feedback, obvs annoyed I hadn't acceded to her demands. I got it cleaned again and sold it for more on next auction.
My own back was I saved her as a seller as I noticed she occasionally sold items. I waited until she was selling something cheap I could make use of, and bought an unopened pack of M&S knickers from her using husband's account and his work address. I then left her feedback along the lines of "Disgusting! Sold soiled pants as new." She swore blind they'd been clean and tried to get the feedback removed but it stuck.
Well, it made me feel better.

We've had masses of problems lately, sold a phone and PayPal held funds as pending until it was signed for and positive feedback left for me. The buyer tried to claim it was damaged. Didn't hear anything back after I pointed out the photos I had taken and used on eBay did not show the same fault. I've had buyers complaining they've not received their item when they've not paid, PayPal took the money back out to refund. Now pretty much every transaction gets held as pending until the goods are clicked as received by the buyer, even if the tracking number says delivered I've had to argue with pp that I should get my funds. Currently got a parcel sitting in a post office as no one available to sign. And nearly £40 pending until it gets signed for.

I've 4 lots of negative feedback, which is 2 people leaving feedback twice. I only sold them one item each!

In contrast, I sold a phone on Facebook (didn't want the funds tied up as pending). After an initial flurry of time wasters, gent came out and picked it up next day. Checked phone over, paid cash. Job done. Nothing back to say there's any problems either. Sometimes it feels like Facebook is full of time wasters, but at least it doesn't cost me to sell and I get cash there and then for collection. Sometimes I offer postage but only if it's a small item.

I had a buyer complain I’d overcharged her for postage as I’d made her parcel ‘extra heavy’ with too much bubble wrap. I’d actually charged her over £2 LESS than it cost me to send but she quibbled with me over 34p as to send it on the cheapest weight and size it would have been 34p less than she had been charged. There was no way it could have gone on that size even if I’d put no packaging in at all but I refunded her the 34p just so she’d shut up and go away.
34p. Honest to god.

I don't understand how so many people have been allowed to have a refund and keep the item. The couple of times I've problems and had to open a case to return, eBay have made me return them, at my own cost too (before I realised eBay can provide a label.) This included bad fake trainers which really should have been destroyed.

I've noticed that amount of items for sale on eBay has dropped. I'm not surprised, they are trying to put distance selling rules onto people selling their private secondhand goods and it doesn't work. I rarely use it now. Selling is expensive and risky, very drawn out resolution process when you encounter a problem. I don't like the auction process either I'd rather just buy something if I see something I want rather than watch it for a week and get sniped in the last 10 seconds.

For me the joy of Ebay was that you could buy perfectly good kids' clothes, toys and books for a few £. Not anymore though, private sellers doing a clear out are obviously put off by CF buyers and Ebay's policies as many people have said above. My good stuff goes to the charity shops now and the rest to the tip.
Ebay has lost its spirit, forgotten why people used it in the first place and now it's just an online market place for cheap tat that takes weeks to arrive if it does arrive at all.

I've never (touch wood) had an issue when selling - although I rarely sell much at all. I once had someone who didn't pay, but eBay forced the payment through for me.

I struggle to actually shift stuff for a decent price. Had about 40 items of used baby clothes up and after about a month stuck it in Facebook and it sold quickly (at the same price £15). But I guess baby clothes are 10 a penny on there.

I do find that the people want over the odds for stuff. I'm not sure if that's due to the selling fees and people trying to recoup money, or people just genuinely think their stuff is worth more than it is.

The few times I have bought clothes for me, I've found them (IMO) poor quality, so stretched fabric, shrunk in wash etc. I've got a few bits for ds from there and the quality can be very hit and miss. I've never bothered raising a complaint to the seller.

Agree that a rating system for sellers should exist, allowing people to confirm what rating they are happy selling to and if you frequently pay late/items go missing that is recorded in your rating. Wouldn't surprise me if Facebook introduce this on marketplace.

I occasionally buy but also never sell anymore. At one point I was selling at least a few items every week and then like so many I got conned when a buyer bought an expensive item, claimed it hadn't arrived and was issued a PayPal refund immediately... Despite the fact the buyer lived in America and the item would not have arrived by then. PayPal were not interested in this and neither were Ebay. I lost a fair bit. EBay is my last port of call now when once it would have been my first. But there just isn't as much on there as there used to be (I suspect they have scared away a lot of sellers) and a lot of what is there can be bought from Aliexpress or elsewhere.