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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be really unimpressed with Ebay

65 replies

rabbitwoman · 12/08/2020 21:34

I did start a thread in the Ebay forum on my specific problem - there is no traffic, though - but basically, i have only joined eBay in the last month to clear out my attic. one of the first things i sold was a very nice collectable doll very cheaply to the first person who made me an offer, only for them to claim it didn't match the listing because it was was absolutely filthy - oh, but she would keep it and clean it, if i was prepared to refund her what she paid for it for her trouble..... hmmmm

i assume she thought i would not want to spend the money on the return postage, or that i would be worried about getting negative feedback, but i stood my ground - i called eBay several times for advice and they said to accept the return anyway and when i received it back it was, indeed, perfect and lovely and very collectable - i only gave her a partial refund, to cover my fees, but she opened a case to eBay they refunded her the rest anyway and took the money out of my paypal account!

I naively thought that eBay had policies in place to protect sellers like me from these practices - especially when there is plenty of proof that she was being dishonest, such as plenty of photographs, and lots of messages between us on Ebay - for instance, i asked her several times for photographs which she did not provide, she just kept reiterating that it was filthy and not fit for her children to play with. You would have to ask, who would buy a 35 year old doll off of eBay to give to her daughters to play with WITHOUT expecting to wash it first? However, clicking on her user name, she herself sells vintage dolls, very obviously after having restored them - they are all immaculate - so i find it hard to believe she would not have known how to clean my dolls dress properly? Or that she would not have mentioned this? Or that she would be buying vintage dolls to give to her daughters to play with when she knows their real value?

A bit of research has shown that this is actually very common, and lots of people have fallen foul of similar practices., some to the tune of hundreds of pounds. I am lucky that got my doll back and was able to resell - for a lot more - and that i was only out of pocket a relatively small amount of money, but if this is a known and much reported tactic, why on earth aren't eBay trying to do more to stop it?

There are lots of forums and blogs on the internet i have read the last few days saying that eBay are awful at tackling these issues - but it would seem quite easy to me to be able to demonstrate when someone is being fraudulent in this manner? It is so blatant! Is it because most people would just shrug their shoulders and not bother with reporting?

It just seems so easy to defraud casual sellers like me - what can i do to protect myself? I am only halfway through my pile of stuff to put on eBay and have not even started with the really valuable stuff yet - is it worth it? If there is absolutely no protection for sellers, if eBay nearly always finds in favour of the buyer even when they are blatantly lying, why does anyone ever sell anything on Ebay in the first place!

Less than delighted. Am i unreasonable to be really disillusioned with eBay and want to give up?!

OP posts:

refriedbeanstalk · 12/08/2020 21:40

They don't care about sellers, only buyers. They prefer business sellers I think. I still buy on eBay but I only sell through Facebook marketplace. You can still post things (although that makes it riskier). It takes longer but everything goes eventually and then you're not paying fees so you can ask a lower price.

Anordinarymum · 12/08/2020 21:41

No don't give up. If you are selling something make sure the buyer knows exactly what they are buying.

I recent'y bought some capri pants from a seller with a shop. When they arrived they were nothing like the photo, and look like clown trousers. I was wearing them for my daughter to see when my grandson pulled the tag off.
I told the seller they were not as described and wanted a refund. I told her the tag had been pulled off but the trousers had only been tried on and are unwearable.
The seller told me she was not a charity and that even though she provided a return address she would send them back and not issue a refund. I took it up with eBay who found in her favour so it works both ways

Original poster

rabbitwoman · 12/08/2020 21:52

it just seems so random - why find in favour of your seller, Anordinarymum, but against me?

surely they need sellers to get buyers in the first place?!!! Why not look after everyone? I am quite a prolific buyer too!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

rabbitwoman · 12/08/2020 22:30

I think I am most unhappy that I called eBay a few times to ask their advice. They told me to accept the return then give her a partial refund when I had the item back, which I did. Then she opened a case and they found in her favour because I had accepted the return!!!

OP posts:

OrigamiOwl · 12/08/2020 22:53

eBay always side with the buyer.
A cheeky trick is they will claim an item has arrived damaged so they want a refund. I've had this several times but funnily enough when I've asked for for a photo of the damage I've never heard anything from them again.
I refuse to sell on there now. I'd rather cut my losses, save the hassle and donate to a charity shop.

Coffeeisnecessary · 12/08/2020 22:57

Sorry probably being a bit dim here, but if she sent the doll back, why only a partial refund?

Coffeeisnecessary · 12/08/2020 22:58

I'm sick of selling things on ebay though, so many times something has 'sold' then I get a message, oh I don't actually want it, it was an accident etc. So then you have to start again.

Hingeandbracket · 12/08/2020 23:06

eBay is utterly wank.

Anordinarymum · 12/08/2020 23:15

in fairness to eBay, I have had some real bargains from there but also some bum deals such as the nail varnish that was old, half full and sticky.
I complained to the seller who said she would send another out as a replacement but failed to pay postage on it.

It's swings and roundabouts on there.

I am about to start selling some things and feel like I am stepping into foreign territory.
Not everyone is honest and eBay have to sort shit out all the time.

Anordinarymum · 12/08/2020 23:16

@rabbitwoman

it just seems so random - why find in favour of your seller, Anordinarymum, but against me?

surely they need sellers to get buyers in the first place?!!! Why not look after everyone? I am quite a prolific buyer too!!!

Honest answer - I don't know except that they are a power seller and so eBay make plenty wonga out of them ?

sixlemons · 12/08/2020 23:17

There seems to be a lot of fishy goings-on at the moment. Not long ago I found something I wanted to buy, and I bid the reserve price. It only had a day or so to go, and nobody else bid on it. When I got back from work the day it finished, I looked at my emails to see that the seller had cancelled my bid. I assumed that they may have sold it privately elsewhere and thought that was that.
Later on I looked at my ebay account and in the 'ended' watched items was the item I wanted. Sold for the price of my cancelled bid. Someone else had bid on it and won it.
So I messaged the seller to ask what had happened. Turns out that they had received a message purporting to be from me, asking them to cancel my bid as I had made a mistake and didn't want it after all.

1Morewineplease · 12/08/2020 23:24

I feel that eBay is a platform for dodginess and poor quality.
I used to buy/bid for loads of stuff , years ago , but I’ve realised that it’s a ‘ you get what you pay for’ site.
I’ve bought ‘authentic’ French pottery that came with a ‘ made in Portugal’ mark.
I’ve bought a pub sign for silly money , because it meant something to us and it arrived considerably smaller than advertised.
And don’t get me started on the linen weave cardigan, as modelled, that turned out to be nothing more than a table mat!!!
Returns were always difficult and pricey so I’ve stopped using it.

ireallyamthewalrus · 12/08/2020 23:30

Someone on the eBay forum said that eBay is a good way to give away your stuff, and occasionally you’ll even get some money for it.

It’s certainly put me off selling on eBay.

Original poster

rabbitwoman · 12/08/2020 23:35

Coffeisnecessary - because I had paid two lots of postage - once to get it to her and once to return - and ebay fees. So I was out of pocket.

OP posts:

Original poster

rabbitwoman · 12/08/2020 23:41

Also - it had a leave feedback option on the sale entry, so I did, just saying I had reported her for abusing the returns policy - clicked the 'leave feedback' button - it was then on her profile as a green positive entry!! Well, there was no option to leave negative - I did a quick Google and this is 'negative positive' feedback, most frowned upon, she could report me for it - but I have NO WAY of changing it!!

ffs - so you can't leave negative feedback for buyers, then? Why on earth not!?

OP posts:

Midsommar · 12/08/2020 23:41

I sell quite regularly on eBay but yes unfortunately they do seem to side more with the buyer

TippledPink · 12/08/2020 23:51

I am an eBay seller but I sell new healthcare items. You will always get buyers who try it on, and there will always be sellers who sell crappy goods that aren't as described.

The issue I guess is that the buyer said the item isn't as described- I would have expected eBay to look at photos the buyer provided in order to prove the item wasn't as described. Then if they decided the buyer was correct, then the buyer would be entitled to a full refund regardless of delivery costs as it would be seen that it was your mistake, not the buyers fault so they should not be out of pocket. For whatever reason, eBay agreed with the buyer that your item was not as described

This is why I would never sell secondhand stuff on eBay, too many potential problems and iffy buyers. Facebook marketplace all the way.

rosiejaune · 12/08/2020 23:55

@rabbitwoman

ffs - so you can't leave negative feedback for buyers, then? Why on earth not!?

Because there used to be an issue with sellers leaving retaliatory negative feedback.

It happened to me, where I left neutral feedback about an issue that the seller resolved, but not very well/promptly, and with a lot of attitude. I mean really I should have left negative feedback, but I was concerned about their reaction.

And then they left negative feedback anyway, when I hadn't done anything wrong. I'd paid promptly, contacted them politely about the issue, and they felt a neutral review justified leaving me a negative one?!

It should explain that you can't leave negative feedback on the page though; did you not read the information before posting it?

Itslookinglikeabeautifulday · 12/08/2020 23:55

Yes I just sold some of DD’s stuff and one buyer left me my first donut (after 190 positive feedbacks since I joined in 2003). They clearly had t read the description or bothered trying to contact me. So yes, I left “negative positive” feedback to warn others and couldn’t give a stuff what eBay think of it. I hope the buyer sees it and is even half as riled as I was!

Titsywoo · 12/08/2020 23:58

I never sell on ebay now as they never protect the sellers. Virtually everytime I've sold something in the last year it's been "broken" and they want their money back but hold onto the item. I did fight one of these disputes and won as the listing said it was damaged then they wanted a refund as they hadn't read it properly. People take the piss.

meme70 · 12/08/2020 23:58

In a business seller on eBay have been for 13 years eBay is crap they always side with the buyer
We have had people break leather belts that’s the metal buckle as it’s too small (xxxxxL ) just some they don’t have to pay return postage

Amazon’s worse

meme70 · 12/08/2020 23:59

@Itslookinglikeabeautifulday

No one looks at negative positives as they are buried in under a positive

Itslookinglikeabeautifulday · 13/08/2020 00:17

Maybe, meme70 but it certainly made me feel better

Original poster

rabbitwoman · 13/08/2020 00:42

No, look. These are the two screens. Does not give any warning, instruction, guidance.....

OP posts:

Legoandloldolls · 13/08/2020 01:05

Ebay always sides with the buyer. Mind you I have had quite a few full refunds from.people who dont post but keep the cash or sell fake tat.

I would never sell a expensive item to post out. I had someone recently tell me a brand new item was filthy ( it wasnt) and someone said a parcel didnt arrive well after they signed for it.

I only sell low cost second kids bits and expect 1 in 10 people to RIP me off. If it's a £10 bundle but I sell 9 ok that's still worth the effort, but for anything less than say £3 I just can not be arsed. But it was handy and profitable during lockdown.

Just keep expectations low and dont sell anything to post that you can afford to loose.

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