Run of bad buying luck

[edd_jedi]

I'm having the most ridiculous couple of months on eBay. Having returned barely anything for years, in the space of six weeks I have now received five items that are either not as described or arrived damaged. The problem is nearly all of the sellers are being uncooperative, not only refusing to accept returns, but also being rude, meaning I have to escalate to eBay which takes weeks each time. Just had another damaged item arrive today due to poor packing :evil:

These haven't been reckless/risky purchases on my part, all have been from well established sellers who I would expect half decent customer service from. I don't think I've ever had such a run of bad luck before, it's seriously putting me off buying anything at the moment. Anybody else getting fed up of bad sellers?

 

[lejackal]

I tend to find one in ten roughly ends up being crap in some way or another although I did have a rough patch last year which was really enough to put you off for a good while.

Hope things pick up for you!

 

[theforceuk]

Funny you bring this up as I was thinking the other day how I have never really had a problem with ebay and I just put it down to luck. My wife seems to have bad luck, but she bays a lot more than me on ebay. The time it takes to sort things out is so painfull though, very frustrating.

 

[subzero]

Iv'e been buying some MOTU lately and probably half of what iv'e bought were not shown/described properly by the seller and the items had some damage or wear, even after specifically asking one seller if there is any wear before buying it i'm told "no there's nothing"... only to receive it to see the wear I was told it didn't have.

Half of the sellers were fine about it and agreed to partial refunds to make up for overpaying for a worn item, but the other half were absolutely adamant on not refunding a single penny and most had the annoying response of "it's worth it it's in nice condition, so return it for a full refund if your not happy with it".... :?

Really annoying when I know full well the seller will pass it onto the next buyer inaccurately described again as a mint condition item, and will just have the exact same problem from them wanting to return it or get a partial refund.

 

[theforceuk]

I don't understand sellers not describing items correctly, I sell stuff on eBay and it's just not worth the hassle. As a seller you should always aim to exceed the buyers expectations surely?

Talking of MOTU did you see that factory sealed Castle Greyskull that sold for £760. Good price I thought.

 

[edd_jedi]

The latest thing I've received has two large slits in the box that must have been caused by a knife or blade. You cannot see them in the listing photos. The seller is saying I should have checked before buying, and that 'new' does not mean perfect. This guy isn't just an inexperienced seller, he knows exactly what he's doing and just hoped I wouldn't notice.

 

[lejackal]

The latest thing I've received has two large slits in the box that must have been caused by a knife or blade. You cannot see them in the listing photos. The seller is saying I should have checked before buying, and that 'new' does not mean perfect. This guy isn't just an inexperienced seller, he knows exactly what he's doing and just hoped I wouldn't notice.

On the bright side eBay specify that "new" means undamaged packaging so you've got him/her over a barrel - still a ballache I know but at least you can get your cash back and make them pay for the return postage

 

[Michael Sith]

Sorry to hear your having such a crap run of luck Edd, seems that there is quite a bit of this on the increase judging by recent posts, really puts you off eBay

Hope things turn around for though as it must be very disheartening.

 

[subzero]

I don't understand sellers not describing items correctly, I sell stuff on eBay and it's just not worth the hassle. As a seller you should always aim to exceed the buyers expectations surely?

Talking of MOTU did you see that factory sealed Castle Greyskull that sold for £760. Good price I thought.

That's true, it's a very short sighted thing to do because they'll only end up having to pay return postage costs for items not as described and also risk bad feedback which can affect sales in the future.

Wow £760, funnily enough I was actually looking at sold listings this afternoon for Castle Greyskulls :lol: but I didn't see that sealed one though, I always wondered what a sealed one might go for as iv'e never actually seen one.

 

[subzero]

The latest thing I've received has two large slits in the box that must have been caused by a knife or blade. You cannot see them in the listing photos. The seller is saying I should have checked before buying, and that 'new' does not mean perfect. This guy isn't just an inexperienced seller, he knows exactly what he's doing and just hoped I wouldn't notice.

That's just awful, trying to worm his way out of a refund there, I feel for you. I got told once by one when I received a MOC ERG with a large crack in the bubble which wasn't shown or mentioned, that "well it is described in the listing as used, I can do a partial refund of £5"... yeah bit of a difference between used and damaged, and £5 what an insult, I later found out he was very known for this type of ****.

These people shouldn't be allowed to trade. :evil:

 

[apack7229]

The past few items I've got either came damaged or very poorly packaged even though I asked each seller to pack them well. I also had a seller take a photo hiding the damage on a figure and telling me that I should have asked for more photos. It's irritating when you pay for something, ask them to package it carefully, they tell you they will then you receive it and it's damaged from poor packaging and they don't understand why you're mad.

 

[StarWarsFan]

Sorry to hear that Edd, no need for it.

 

[Snaketibe]

I'm sorry to hear this too, Edd.

Weirdly, after barely ever having had any problems with eBay either, even after hundreds of purchases over the years, in the last month I too have just had to return two items for not being as shown in the auction photos (which were actually stock photos, I'm convinced). The first seller was good about it and gave me a full refund, but the second return is still ongoing. Hopefully that one will turn out OK too, but I don't understand the mentality in using a stock photo of a mint item, and then sending one in worse condition than that. Surely that's simply guaranteeing a disaappointed buyer?

 

[Plastikheld]

I know what you mean. Last year I thought I got the "Curse of the Chirpa" when 4 MOC in a row arrived as a write-off.
Blister crushed from bad packing or blister completely ripped off of ****** AFA cases which could not be protected.
Two of them where double-stem Palitoy cards (one with a white fur), which I'm still searching till today.
It's not just the issues of getting returns for that (now) crap - it's also the loss of vintage items you problably will not find as soon again.
I'm the kinda guy who just informs the seller of the damage, but don't expect any returns, cause I have so much other things to do and mostly not the staying power to figure things out. In half of the cases sellers were really courteous .. the other half sucks.
But that's the Star Wars Vintage wheel of fortune at ebay - sometime you win, sometime you lose ... but five in a row spoil the fun.

 

[TK-7785]

Sorry you're having such a run of bad luck lately, Edd. I haven't been doing a great deal of ebay lately, certainly less the usual and I'm finding an increase in ******** sellers trying it on or just piss poor, ignorant post and packaging issues.

One ebay lot of a group of MOCs i purchased recently I specifically asked if there was any damage to the bubbles etc. I received a resounding no, they're perfect. Like **** they were! So I have to the rigmarole of having **** about with a dispute and returns process that I know and the seller knows I will win. Like others have said, I don't understand their mentality. What the **** do they expect will happen when items are received not as described or shown! :roll:

Then I had some dunce who posted a MOC without any paid postage. After charging me £5 through ebay I had to pay another £3 to Royal Mail to get the item. I said the item should have only cost £3 to post according to Royal Mail and the fee I had to pay, so I would like the £5 difference back please. Pretty fair I think. But no, he will only pay me £4 as he has to cover his costs. Well I wasn't the idiot who posted it with no paid postage, so suck it up.

However, in stark contract to those experiences I have also had one seller post me a Trilogo MOC with the best protective packaging I have ever seen and another who sold me a couple of extra vintage paper items he had, separate from a lot I had just purchased at a very reasonable price, again at very, very reasonable prices.

I hope you get a positive experience soon, Edd, to break the chain. It can feel like there is an ever increasing number of shisters and dodgy dealers out there, but when you have such bad experiences with apparently well established and known traders it's worrying.

 

[edd_jedi]

Thanks guys. I can normally stomach the odd cock up as you have to expect them now and then, but the millionsoftoys saga I posted about in the sellers to avoid forum recently has wasted so much of my time. I could have just let it go and saved myself some aggro, but having seen them pull the same stunt on friends in the past, and them then contacting me on here trying to prove what great sellers they are and threatening the forum with legal action (while I was on my honeymoon may I add) now I've had first-hand experience of their terrible customer service I felt I had a duty to warn others.

As you say just need a couple of cool pick ups to get me back on track hopefully!

 

[subzero]

Legal action, wow!, and adding that to how they behave with their buyers really says something about their intelligence.

 

[Mini99]

I just read that whole post! :shock:
That is not an area that I go to, so thanks they will definitely be on my "do not buy from" list.
Hope that you have better luck soon.

 

[weasel]

Legal action, wow!, and adding that to how they behave with their buyers really says something about their intelligence.

That's not the only occasion something like that has happened. :roll:

 

[subzero]

Legal action, wow!, and adding that to how they behave with their buyers really says something about their intelligence.

That's not the only occasion something like that has happened. :roll:

It's such an insult to threaten someone with that when they know full well they're in the wrong, iv'e even had that on ebay from a moron buyer once who had an item ( worth £10 ) he bought off me that broke 5 months after buying, I refused ( 3 times ) a refund because it's 4 months well over the return date and the fact that the item was used by him that whole time, so he then proceeded to start threatening me with taking me to small claims ( trying to quote legal facts clearly gathered from google ), I told him exactly where to go and I never heard off him again. :lol:

Unfortunately some arseholes like to threaten with action to try and force you to do something even though they know full well they'll never actually go ahead with it. It's such an insult to people's intelligence, nobody should have to receive those threats.

 

[lejackal]

Thanks guys. I can normally stomach the odd cock up as you have to expect them now and then, but the millionsoftoys saga I posted about in the sellers to avoid forum recently has wasted so much of my time. I could have just let it go and saved myself some aggro, but having seen them pull the same stunt on friends in the past, and them then contacting me on here trying to prove what great sellers they are and threatening the forum with legal action (while I was on my honeymoon may I add) now I've had first-hand experience of their terrible customer service I felt I had a duty to warn others.

As you say just need a couple of cool pick ups to get me back on track hopefully!

I think this guy is local to you and well qualified in dealing with arseholes

https://themontefiorehospital.co.uk/consultants/general-surgery/marc-lamah

 

[edd_jedi]

Guys, I appreciate your support but please can you refrain from calling this seller names (I have had to edit a couple of posts.) I wouldn't put it past them to try and use things like that to get the posts removed, so please don't give them the satisfaction.

 

[edd_jedi]

My brilliant luck on eBay continues. I recently sold something and the buyer opted for click and collect. I posted it via Royal Mail, tracking says delivered. 3 weeks later he contacts me saying he didn't bother to collect it in time, and it's been sent back. I have not received it back, and as the RM tracking link says it's delivered they won't do anything. I contacted CollectPlus (who handle the Click and Collect once delivered) but apparently they can't do anything without their tracking number (I only have the RM one.) So I am bent over a barrel and have to refund the **** because he was too lazy to collect it. Hopefully it arrives back to me at some point in future, but I have no guarantee.

A bit of adivce - turn off click and collect in eBay preferences! You are basically ****** if anything goes missing.

 

[lejackal]

My brilliant luck on eBay continues. I recently sold something and the buyer opted for click and collect. I posted it via Royal Mail, tracking says delivered. 3 weeks later he contacts me saying he didn't bother to collect it in time, and it's been sent back. I have not received it back, and as the RM tracking link says it's delivered they won't do anything. I contacted CollectPlus (who handle the Click and Collect once delivered) but apparently they can't do anything without their tracking number (I only have the RM one.) So I am bent over a barrel and have to refund the **** because he was too lazy to collect it. Hopefully it arrives back to me at some point in future, but I have no guarantee.

A bit of adivce - turn off click and collect in eBay preferences! You are basically ****** if anything goes missing.

Surely that should be just like the GSP where your only responsibility is to get it to the mailing centre address? That's terrible otherwise.

 

[weasel]

Yeah, I think I'd be refusing to refund him until I got the item back. Different if he had returned and could give you a tracking number (though you are assuming he returns the item and not an empty box) but if it has been return cos he was too ******* lazy to go and get it, then he can wait until it arrives back with you before he gets his refund. His fault the thing is returned not yours. Why should you be the one out of pocket?

It sounds to me lik he collected it and is chancing his arm, or if he hasn't my money is on it never coming back to you. Again though, why should you be out of pocket because someone else is a feckless moron.

 

[tigerham]

Sorry to hear that Edd. I haven't had any experience with click & collect as a seller but as a buyer I have once and wouldn't really do it again.

Remember the buyers name and address area as to block and keep an eye out for future sales.

 

[edd_jedi]

Well it never turned up :roll:

 

[Snaketibe]

Well it never turned up :roll:

Surely eBay can help with this?! If they offer a Click and Collect service, the onus is on them to get the damn thing back to you! Why the hell should you be out of pocket? You sold and posted it in good faith in accordance with eBay rules, the seller couldn't be assed to collect it and so it got sent back to you, but didn't arrive. What part of that is your fault?

I'm sure you have spoken with eBay, so what did they say? If they are refusing to help, I strongly recommend going higher up the food-chain and contacting their CEO (always a good tactic in these situations I find, and the contact details are usually freely available on Google). Politely recount the facts of the situation and I'd be amazed if you didn't get a satisfactory result. However, politely add to your email that if you do not get satisfaction, you will be reluctantly forced to take the matter to BBC's Watchdog. There's not a company in the country that likes to have their name dragged through the mud on that show, and (politely!) threatening that option usually gives these companies the kick up the ass they need to finally do the right thing.

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[edd_jedi]

It gets better, having received his replacement, the buyer has just opened a case for a refund for the original copy that got lost :lol: I sent the replacement tracked and his name is on the signature, I wonder what eBay will do about this.

 

[edd_jedi]

And eBay have refunded the buyer, case closed

Warning - turn off ******* click and collect!