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

If you have proof that the parcel has been delivered or dated photos of the item in
good condition on your listing then a seller claiming non receipt of goods or item not as described should not be pandered to.

I’m perplexed as to how sellers have lost a not received case with a proof of delivery. I’ve had quite a few of these over the years as both a private and a business seller and I have never lost with a PoD.
Even if this has happened all it would take to fix is a call to eBay to remind them they have met all the requirements to meet the seller protection guidelines.

Re the time stamped photo of the item, this isn’t proof, and surely you can see how this also would be open to scam artists too? (At the expense of the buyer).

I'm currently having issues as a buyer as
well. I ordered something on 9th and still not received it. The seller keeps sending me generic replies to my emails and the
tracking number doesn't work. I need to
open a case myself but I actually really need the item and it's the only one I can find so I'm reluctant

Why????

Yes, I won’t sell on eBay any more after being caught out like this.

I go through phases of buying and selling on eBay, it’s definitely gone downhill since I started in 2004.

I’ve recently had problems with a seller who I bought a top from. I paid £17 and she asked for £3.50 postage which I paid. She asked if I’d pay via the “friends and family” setting on PayPal and I said no as it gives the buyer no protection. She refused to send the item but also refused to refund me. I eventually opened a case and PayPal refunded me as the seller said they’d sent the item recorded but had no proof of delivery. PayPal refunded my money but then magically the item arrived the next day (some 3 weeks after I paid for it!). Tracking showed it had been posted the day before. I did call PayPal and they reversed the refund. It’s really put me off buying as the top she described as “new without tags” was quite faded and had a manky tissue in the pocket which had gone through the washing machine.

Likewise as a seller I’ve had buyers claim item not received and then open a case. eBay always find in favour of the buyer. For this reason I will not only send recorded delivery, I used to send 1st class especially for small, low value items as it seemed unfair to charge the buyer more in postage than they’d actually bid for the item! Learned my lesson there!

I have sold clothes/shoes that I have only worn once or twice - starting price low - all feedback been great - sold a dress I knew was perfect 2 weeks later a complaint that it was stained - was so upset that I said if they would take it to charity shop I would refund them and I hope that karma gets them and they get totally ripped off by someone else aaarrrgh

I sell on local fb pages and fb marketplace now.

@19lottie82 Because they do reply to my emails and it is literally the only one of this item on the Internet as far as I can see and I genuinely need it

They actually have decent feedback and are a business seller based on the U.K but I don't think English is their first language so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for now. I will claim back through PayPal if I have to but I was going to give them another week first. It's only a £20 item or I'd be more concerned

I was going to list my maternity clothes on eBay but you've all persuaded me not to! I've sold three pairs of designer sunglasses and a brand new perfume in the last month or so and no problems, guess I was lucky!
eBay were great when I sold my dad's 1960s watch in 2014 though, the buyer asked me to send to Spain if they paid more for postage, then tried to blackmail me (directly through eBay's own messaging system ) for a partial refund for the minor scratches that were both listed and shown on photos. I refused to refund anything so they left negative feedback, eBay removed it and blocked her (not sure if just from me or from the whole site).

I tend to use Facebook Marketplace for buying & selling locally, Ebay if I want to get something cheap sent over from China, specific forums for specific things (Motorbike bits etc) and Amazon for the rest.

I'd never sell on Ebay again, the fee's from them & Paypal & the general faffing make it too much of a pain.....

The seller keeps sending me generic replies and the tracking number doesn't work

Ah yes, the Great Tracking Number Mystery, where sellers quote a reference which doesn't appear to exist (and don't reply to queries about this)

A cynic might even think they're inventing some kind of "proof" for when an item they've no intention of sending fails to arrive. I've opened cases like this twice, but these times they did side with the vendors - perhaps because, as big business sellers, they make ebay a lot of money?

polka but surely the item must have been due to arrive ages ago? I really don’t understand what you have to gain by NOT opening a case? Even if they are genuine?

PS lots of sellers manage to list the item location as based on the U.K., when they’re really overseas - if they are a business seller check their registered address at the bottom of the listing.

It's shit for sellers now, unless you are a big business. Back in 2005 I used to sell loads of stuff, old river island jeans in good nick, top shop bits and I'd make good money. Now the buyers know eBay will always side with them so they tend to ruin items and claim partial refunds or say they didn't receive it. My last straw was when I sold a brand new dkny perfume, just out of the box and the photos showed it full, seller said it's been half used! She never sent any photos to prove it and eBay took her side, refunded money and I never got it back

Touch wood but I’ve being selling & buying personal items for years with very few incidents. My tips are;

1. Always post recorded & reflect this is the postage cost.
2. List an item for what you would like as a minimum opposed to .99p, it may take a few relists though.
3. When I had a buyer complain about the quality of something which was untrue ebay refunded both of us so I didn’t mind in the end.

I’m pretty sure for years one of the stipulations of Paypal is goods must be sent signed for, do other posts not do that?

Unless it's a large letter rather than a small parcel, you no longer need to post 'signed for' to be protected. The postage receipt for small and medium second class parcels now come with a tracking number which works just as well to show you that your item has been delivered to the seller. Ebay accept that as proof (or they have for me today). It's a new thing that came in the last year or so.

Signed for doesn’t always mean anything. Years ago I sent out 2 very expensive dresses over £100, had proof of signature but buyer insisted they didn’t have them. They were refunded 😩

Anyway. All this proves is that unfortunately some people are utter shits (buyer or seller) and some people will always try to abuse the system.

I had thousands of successful transactions. But we always remember the bad ones that cost us money.

I understand why the buyer is favoured. It’s just hard when you’re the seller and you’re good and honest.

Thanks for that manicinsomniac.

I buy loads of items and have never scammed anyone. But it is true that ebays rules make it very easy for the scammers, and as such does bring them out in full force.
I sell a few bits on there if I don't get enough interest on Facebook or Shpock, I do use signed for and haven't had a problem. But I am a rare seller to be honest.
I have had lots of people refuse to send items when they go too cheap, one even said I had to pay her another £20 privately if I expected her to send it, pretty sure that's against the rules.
I had something I won on bids that they ignored and didn't send for weeks, they finally got back to me and said they'd been on holiday (surely you'd put that in the listing if it was true), eventually said she'd posted it, I got it another week later with the time stamp on the parcel saying she'd only sent it 2 days before.
People shouldn't charge me for first class and then leave it in their wardrobe for 4 weeks before sending, it's rude and crap.
I've had sellers send the wrong item (i ordered screwdrivers and they sent a grinding disk) and then tell me to pay return postage if I want the item I actually paid for!
I've had things stained, I've told them and they said "you won it for 99p, what do you expect?". I'm sure there are plenty of buyers who are scammers, but the sellers aren't always what they're cracked up to be either.

I’ve been a buyer for years and years. I’ve sold a few things too and never been scammed, thankfully. I bought a fill your own cartridge set for my printer. It did not arrive. I messaged the seller and he/she asked me to try at the collections office. Ours closed recently and is now a PAIN to get to, so I said I wouldn’t, the seller said they’d refund once it got returned, but it was going to be ages so I raised a dispute and got an immediate rrfund. It’s annoying that the seller thinks I’m lying. I buy online so I don’t have to find time to go to the shops. I have two young kids and work full time. But I bet the seller absolutely thinks I’m a scammer. It’s such a shame.

I used to sell a few items a year, second hand gadgets basically and I've never had an issue, however I stopped selling on Ebay when it started going downhill.

It is literally a scammers paradise now, a friend has a side business building and selling gaming PC's, he had one customer say that a £2k PC hadn't arrived even though the tracking said otherwise. The customer only lived half an hour away so my friend visited him, I'm not going to say what happened but needless to say the case was dropped.

I used to sell 20 items or so a month I sell 8000 items a year on ebay, and rarely have a bad situation.

The trouble seems that a number of posters here are more like businesses and not private sellers therefore (presumably) come under distant selling rules.

I’ve been a buyer for years and years. I’ve sold a few things too and never been scammed, thankfully. I bought a fill your own cartridge set for my printer. It did not arrive. I messaged the seller and he/she asked me to try at the collections office. Ours closed recently and is now a PAIN to get to, so I said I wouldn’t, the seller said they’d refund once it got returned, but it was going to be ages so I raised a dispute and got an immediate rrfund. It’s annoying that the seller thinks I’m lying. I buy online so I don’t have to find time to go to the shops. I have two young kids and work full time. But I bet the seller absolutely thinks I’m a scammer. It’s such a shame.

It's not the sellers fault that you're lazy

The irony is that eBay are currently spending lots of money on an advertising campaign about trying to make some spare cash flogging your stuff on it!

Sounds like they just need to pay much closer attention to the scammers and stop automatically generating refunds to buyers without proper attention to the case.

I’ve had trouble with buyers, as I’ve mentioned. I’ve also thought of another problem I had with a seller/eBay. Seller selling a custom made item of clothing. It was expensive (180.00) The picture they had of the finished article was taken from a flattering angle. On arrival it was concealing a bump underneath and was poorly made. eBay and PayPal said it was beyond their expertise to decide. It was unfit for purpose, however, and I resold it on eBay for £40.00 before fees.
The seller on being contacted sent a dreadful reply with laughing emojis. Horrid scammers. They’re currently selling a similar item (but ready made) but the photo is more accurate and it’s been without sale for months with the price being reduced.

I sold a very old laptop recently. I was watching the auction in the closing minutes and saw that the price jumped up considerably and then dropped back down in the last seconds.
I then received an email from eBay to say that their had been some suspicious activity on my auction.
Apparently,an unregistered buyer had put in a bid (beyond me how you can do that) and eBay had cancelled the bid in the final moments.
I then receive an email from the winning bidder saying that he didn't want the laptop after all because he thought I was trying to push the bid up.
I tried to explain to him that that wasn't the case but he didn't believe me,left me a negative practically calling me a scammer, within an hour.
I wrote to eBay asking for the neg to be removed. I am still waiting months later!