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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be seething that someone is trying to cheat me an expensive item on eBay?!

153 replies

ponderingthisthing · 18/11/2021 08:21

Sold a BNWT expensive designer blouse on eBay which has gone through the global shipping programme. The buyer messaged me with a picture to say that there's a hole on the sleeve. There is no hole in the one I sent!! The picture the buyer sent me is a zoomed in view but it looks like a terrible quality replica.

I made the terrible mistake of just uploading stock photos and can't believe I didn't take pics of the actual blouse. Does this mean I'm now doomed and will lose hundreds of pounds to this scammer, who will end up getting the genuine item for free? I know eBay almost always sides with the buyer so not feeling hopeful here. Also the buyer has over 2k ratings on eBay and is clearly business seller. Any tips at all on how I could protect myself? Feel so sick about this whole ordeal.Sad

OP posts:
cantbeforeal · 18/11/2021 10:09

eBay sucks I'm currently trying to find somewhere else to sell

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/11/2021 10:11

I know they're going to now return the replica blouse with a hole now

Almost certainly, yes - but if the original was silk (and listed as such) and what she returns isn't, you could raise raise that with ebay. It probably won't work, but at least it's worth a try

And yes it's important to have pics of the actual article, but unless you loaded images of every square inch I doubt it would have made a difference here ... they'd just claim the "hole" was in a bit you couldn't see

As you're discovering, there's a reason why ebay's being deserted by small sellers and left to businesses who are better able to absorb the endless scams

Original poster
ponderingthisthing · 18/11/2021 10:13

@Bollindger

Go to the shop pick up a new blouse, take a few quick photos, plus the area of the problem, send them back to the buyer and eBay saying not there when sent.
Sadly it's a very rare item that you can't just buy in shops anymore.
OP posts:
Original poster
ponderingthisthing · 18/11/2021 10:14

@Oftenithinkaboutit

A blouse cost more than £600?
Yes, it's a rare designer item.
OP posts:
Anordinarymum · 18/11/2021 10:15

I bought a pair of Michael Kors ladies boots size 7 on eBay.

The boots that arrived were not Michael Kors and not a size 7. They were more like a size 3. I could not get my foot into the shoe part.

eBay found with the seller. I eventually had to give the boots to charity as I could not stand them being in the house after the thrashing I got from the seller and then having eBay back her up.

It did not matter what I said. They chose to side with a cheating lying bxxxxxd and I had to suck it up

Oftenithinkaboutit · 18/11/2021 10:15

Second hand or new?

imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere · 18/11/2021 10:18

I had a similar situation recently, it's unfortunately a common scam on eBay.
When my buyer raised a returns request claiming the item was damaged, I then raised a dispute with eBay, saying I was 100% certain I had posted the item with no damage and did not believe I should have to refund the buyer.
eBay resolved it by refunding the buyer themselves without charging me. So I got the full payment but they got a free item (which I'm still resentful about).
Worth a try, but you were wrong to not use your own photos and that might undermine your case.

Original poster
ponderingthisthing · 18/11/2021 10:31

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere

I had a similar situation recently, it's unfortunately a common scam on eBay. When my buyer raised a returns request claiming the item was damaged, I then raised a dispute with eBay, saying I was 100% certain I had posted the item with no damage and did not believe I should have to refund the buyer. eBay resolved it by refunding the buyer themselves without charging me. So I got the full payment but they got a free item (which I'm still resentful about). Worth a try, but you were wrong to not use your own photos and that might undermine your case.
Yeah, I don't know what got into me for not taking photo, when I do for all my other items. Totally stupid and gullible but too late for that now. But good to know that eBay did not make you refund the buyer. Did you need to provide any other proof?
OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/11/2021 10:32

Genuinely shocked (though not surprised) at that one, Anordinarymum ... I'd have thought it a clear case of "not as described", but who knows with ebay these days? Hmm

DontBeCatty · 18/11/2021 10:34

I’d be seething to but I can’t see how you are going to get anywhere without photos.

Winterautumn · 18/11/2021 10:37

Do you not have your original receipt to prove it was a genuine designer blouse you were selling?
Because you could maybe use this as proof of authenticity?!

FlowerFlour · 18/11/2021 10:40

Oh no, this is terrible. Obviously you know now to take pictures of the actual item.

If you have proof of genuine purchase that might help. So when the scammer sends you back the cheap replica you can show ebay that theirs is polyester, but you have proof of purchase from the real shop. It would be much easier if you had pictures of you with the genuine article but there's nothing you can do about it now.

festivefuschias · 18/11/2021 10:45

I’d find and send proof of purchase. Also is it still listed on any websites with details of the material and closes ups of details like buttons? With the two things together you might have a chance but having used stock photos doesn’t look very good.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/11/2021 10:56

Obviously not suggesting you're one of them, OP, but the other trouble with stock images is that it's precisely the scammers who often use these

Though as said, "real" photos may help but they're still no guarantee of what was actually sent - especially faced with a really determined liar

Authenticcelestialmusic · 18/11/2021 10:56

It’s very frustrating. I had an issue a few years ago selling on EBay and I will never sell on there again. There’s certain items I will now only buy from a normal shop due to concerns about fakes (especially anything electrical/toys etc).

Anordinarymum · 18/11/2021 10:57

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Genuinely shocked (though not surprised) at that one, Anordinarymum ... I'd have thought it a clear case of "not as described", but who knows with ebay these days? Hmm
Yes I know. I took it as far as PayPal asking them to get involved since eBay ended the case and would not discuss further. The boots were not a size 7. I have bought other items since then but am very cagey about what I buy these days and now I have items to sell and am wondering is it worth the aggro ! I think eBay is a law unto itself and they bend and change the rules according to who they are making the most money from.
Star81 · 18/11/2021 10:57

I once sold a children’s white company jumper. Went for a pretty decent price which surprised me.

Then buyer sent me an email saying how is was all bobbled, tear in seam etc which I was shocked about as it had hardly been worn and I knew it didn’t sound right.

Agreed to refund once received back. What I got was the same jumper but a very smelly hardly wearable one complete with tears and bobbles !

Sadly for the buyer they didn’t send it signed for / recorded so I denied having received it back and funnily enough never heard from then again.

Cowpad · 18/11/2021 10:58

No, I am an ebay seller for many many years and know the rules.of course there are buyers who try to cheat you.this is why(specially with such an expensive item) you take pics of the actual item(this is also much more honest,as the buyer can see the real item). You take loads of pics(you dont have to put all the pics in your listing).you have then proof,that your item did hot have a hole.it is best to offer returns accepted.this will stop some of the cheats cheating,buf sadly not all.You always get shop lifting or ebay cheats,that life unfortunately and yes,it is very annoying.

Skeumorph · 18/11/2021 11:03

Did you send to a home address?

I almost had something like that once. Fortunately, the buyer lived in a city we'd previously lived in. I suggested that there was no need to post it back as LUCKILY some of our best friends lived in X road and X road locally, and drank at X regularly, just around the corner from you, who would believe it! - and they could pick the item up for me :)

It was posted straight back. No threat, but it (I think) rattled them.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 18/11/2021 11:06

I think eBay is a law unto itself and they bend and change the rules according to who they are making the most money from

I think that last bit's especially valid, Anordinarymum. Bend the smallest rule as a private seller and they'll come down you like a ton of bricks - do it on an industrial scale as one of their big commission-earners and nothing appears to happen

I've lost count of the sellers who title their items "LIke (insert popular brand)", and can't be the only one who reports, yet still it continues

imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere · 18/11/2021 11:07

@ponderingthisthing re providing other proof, I just said the item was not damaged as clearly seen in the photos on the listing, which is why your case might not hold. In my case the buyer said the strap of something was broken and sent a photo of broken strap but my listing clearly showed the item hanging up from the strap.
I mean, of course, I could have broken the strap between listing it and posting it but I know for certain that I didn't. To me, more likely that the buyer decided it wasn't quite what they wanted and knew they couldn't return it based on that, so deliberately damaged it to force a refund.

DontBeCatty · 18/11/2021 11:09

Can you tell us what the item is and where you bought it?

Gooseberrypies · 18/11/2021 11:10

It’s worth more than £600 but you didn’t take photos of it? Hmm

thisplaceisweird · 18/11/2021 11:11

For designer clothes, bags or shoes use Vestiare Collective. They have an in-house team that verify authenticity and then items are purchased from them, instead of a marketplace.

Divebar2021 · 18/11/2021 11:14

eBay sucks I'm currently trying to find somewhere else to sell

If you’ve got nicer quality or designer items why not use Vestiaire? They have an authentication process which is supposed prevent some of these issues.