Have I been had?

[thehuntress]

I am light user of Ebay on the buying side of things and I'm wondering if the more veteran users can give me thoughts on this situation. In short:

I bought Ashes tickets for a large amount of money on March 25 and paid for them by paypal that day. The seller had 100% positive feedback.

He told me that the tickets would be sent closer to the time of the match (15th July). I started to get nervous in late June when I hadn't received the tickets and emailed him. No response to eight emails. Then a week before the scheduled match I got a handwritten note in the mail with a cheque saying that he had to give me a full refund.

The cheque cleared (so I did get my money back) but my DH was extremely disappointed as the tickets were a 35th birthday present. Tickets were by then too expensive for me to buy.

I suspect that the seller resold the tickets at a price higher than I paid for them. Because the 45 day period for feedback has passed, I haven't been able to leave feedback on him. I feel like this seller has been unhelpful, unresponsive and sat on my money for three months before giving me the refund. I am furious.

Is there anything I can do?

I dont know much about these things, but it sounds like you have been taken for a ride. I feel really sorry for you!

Thanks lottiejenkins. I agree with that! I think ebay is strict on the policy re leaving feedback only within the 45 day period.

There might be a very good reaso why he couldnt get the tickets to you. IMO, if you'd been "taken for a ride" you would not have got your money back. His communication leaves a lot to be desired, but you got your money back. You are well past the date for a successfull paypal dispute, so your seller has actually been very good. Had he not sent you a cheque, you would have got nowhere with ebay/paypal and would not be able to claim a single penny back.

Buying tickets on on ebay is very risky, and you took that risk. Luckily for you, you got a full refund. There are many many others who dont.

I dont think you have been tken for any ride, you got the full refund which is fairly good going!

I'd be grateful to get a full refund to be honest

I suspect he didn't actually have the tickets when he sold them to you but was gambling on being able to pick some up through his normal sources. You are lucky you got your money back -- as pps said, you couldn't have claimed through eBay or Paypal at this point so would have had to go through the small claims courts if he hadn't given you a refund.

This is why he has 100% feedback, though -- the unsatisfied customers don't get a chance to leave feedback because of the timing issue.

I have learned my lesson. MaDugger is right that it is very risky buying tickets off ebay. I shouldn't have taken that risk and won't do so in the future. This seller obviously exploits the loophole on time limits for ebay and paypal disputes. Perhaps I'll buy something cheap from him and leave horrible feedback.

Oh well, let this be a warning to others about buying tickets. And thank you for all of your responses.

I'm glad you posted about it here. It may well stop some other from getting caught out too.

I wouldnt be petty & try to leave him a neg. You got a full refund, which he didnt need to do.

My pet hate is people who flog tickets through ebay. Before the bloody internet if you wanted tickets for a gig etc then you would either ring up or go down the box office yourself. Nowadays, if you are after seeing anyone remotely popular you have to kill yourself trying to get tickets, mostly unsuccessfully. Then you look on ebay and the twats touts are there flogging them for ridiculous sums of money - aaaaaargh!