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eBay... this story will knock your socks off!!!

 
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CIR Engineering




Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 4264
Location: Chicago USA & Berlin Germany


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:35 am    Post subject: eBay... this story will knock your socks off!!! Reply with quote


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I'm going to keep this as short as possible and leave out all the gory details otherwise this will take an entire page.

So a little over a month ago I sold a Lumagen 2141 on eBay (pretty high dollar item). At the time, I didn't notice that the buyer only had a feedback of "8." He paid right away and I shipped him in California a mint, refurbished unit, double boxed, inner box original factory. I had gotten the unit on trade when a client upgraded to a new PRO unit.

A week later, Sunday night at 11:30 PM to be exact, he sends me a message through eBay saying that he has not received the unit. I check UPS tracking and it says that it was left on the porch the past Friday. Not to derail the subject, but when I buy something worth a couple grand I check tracking every day and make sure I know when my item is coming and when it's delivered (I even sign up for text notification from UPS). Buyer said that UPS tracking initially said delivery would be the following Monday, so I figured he had a half decent excuse, but whatever.

Monday morning I immediately launch an investigation with UPS. As you may or may not know, officially eBay decides these kind of cases based on value; if the item is over $750 than the seller is at fault for a lost package if a signature is not required. Maybe I am naive, but I have been selling on eBay for 14 years and have sent many items worth much more. I have never gotten signature required and have never had a problem with buyers on this. Most buyer hate signature required for obvious reasons like not being home in the middle of the day.

None the less, I officially stated that I believed the buyer in our correspondence. He gave me his phone number to give to UPS, but UPS could not get hold of him. I pleaded with the buyer to call UPS because if they can't conduct their investigation than I lose the insurance money because at this point UPS is actually liable.

The guy is Chinese and must not speak very good English. So he was kind enough to contact UPS to further their investigation, but he had his wife call. During their call, his wife acknowledged that they had in fact received the package Evil or Very Mad UPS sent me a PDF with this statement.

None the less, the buyer still insisted that he does not have the Lumagen and wants proof of his or his wife's signature. At this point I know that he is trying to game the eBay system's policy of signature required for over $750. After a while he demands a refund even after I reopened the case with UPS two more times arguing that he says he did not get the package... He escalates the case and of course eBay decides in his favor.

Now the fun part, eBay tries to draft the funds from my PayPal account, but there was not enough to cover the item because of the PayPal fees being subtracted and the fact that PayPal was holding the remainder since there was a dispute. I call eBay who sends me to PayPal who then released the fees for the transaction.

I then call eBay back and get a very knowledgeable and kind woman. She instructs me on making a three way call with PayPal to release the hold. We hang up with PayPal once that's done and the money is in my PayPal account. She then starts to explain the process to reimburse eBay for the refund they gave the buyer.

I say wait, I actually want to dispute eBay's decision for the buyer. I say UPS did an investigation and twice found that the wife admitted to receiving the package. She asked if I had this in writing and I said yes. She sent me a link to upload the document and an explanation. I sent it right away while still on the phone. She typed a while and then said that eBay has overturned its ruling and has decided in my favor despite no signature. She said (and I got email confirmation immediately) that I do not have to reimburse eBay!

I told her that I was so happy, but a bit chagrin because now I will probably get my first negative feedback after 14 years selling on eBay. She said "hope for the best" because maybe he won't leave negative. I told her I doubted it because now the buyer is out the money. She said no, he should be happy too because he will have the money. I asked, "you mean if I get UPS to admire to having not made the delivery and I get them to pay the insurance?" She said no, eBay had already given him the refund and it was eBay's mistake! I said, "you mean eBay just lost $XXXX.xx dollars because you refunded us both? She said YES!!!

It's been a few days and I am still in total disbelief that eBay stepped up and did the right thing by me. I'm truly thrilled that eBay was so ethical in my favor. I know that there are horror stories on eBay, but honestly for me everything has always been done fair and well.

So that's my good story about eBay. Pretty amazing no?

Very Happy

craigr

_________________
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Phone: 865-405-6892
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Curt Palme
CRT Tech



Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24296
Location: Langley, BC

TV/Projector: All of them!


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really depends on who you get on the phone at eBay and Paypal. I had two cases lately.. one where a guy bought a reel to reel tape (new in the box) for $36, then demanded that I take it back, as he expected a case of 20 as shown in the pix. The text says 1 tape, and I am the cheapest seller on eBay for this tape, so no chance he'd get even 2, let alone 20 for $36! I call ebay, saying that I'd take the tape back if the cellophane seal wasn't cracked, but I wasn't going to cover 2 X shipping based on the buyer being an idiot. eBay said that was fine, I refund at my own discretion.

Second one is too long to get into, but they also found in favor of a buyer that bought a 60lbs reel to reel off me, demanded that it was sent UPS instead of USPS. He gets the deck hanging out of the box, signs for the effing thing, and of course it's MY fault for UPS dropping it. (double boxed, lots of bubble wrap). UPS refunded him $750, and he sent the deck back on his dime. I fought with eBay, as the whole dialog was documented via the eBay messaging system, and eBay 'as a courtesy' refunded me the $750. because 'I was a long time eBay member'. I was dumbfounded.

But yeah, usually ebay are jerks.
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jbltecnicspro




Joined: 23 Apr 2016
Posts: 512



PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a stupid-amazing story about eBay. 99.5% of the time it NEVER works out like this. Congratulations!
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cmjohnson




Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 5180
Location: Buried under G90s


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been an ebayer since 1999, I've done more than 100K in total sales, my current feedback is 697 and 100 percent, I've been a top rated power seller, and for all that, ebay has screwed me a few times and in every instance it was a case of a dishonest buyer.

You'd think that ebay would more frequently take the side of the people who actually provide the fees that keeps ebay profitable.

But, no, they almost always side with the buyer even if he's an authentic, carefully vetted turd and poor excuse for a son of a beeyatch.


My return policies are always NO, or "will replace with another item of the same sort" when I have multiple items of the same kind in stock.

Formally, I offer no returns at all. Not anymore. I check the "no returns" box but I'll sometimes agree to an exchange with the buyer, in the event of a defective item. (Rare, but it has happened.)

Once I sold a marine radio, completely tested, and the idiot who got it DROPPED it and smashed the microphone connector port,
and since I have to plug a microphone in to test the radio, I know it wasn't damaged when I sent it out.

It arrived back, weeks later, in the same original UNDAMAGED box I shipped it in. Ebay forced the refund anyway, rather than an exchange, even though I had another 20 or so radios sitting on the shelf and ready to go.

Pro tip for funding ebay and paypal: Tie them to a prepaid, refillable visa or mastercard debit card. NEVER tie them directly to any bank account. That way they can NOT pull money out of your accounts. They can drain the card, but not a penny more than that, and since YOU control how much money is in that card, you have total authority over how much they can get out of it.


I read a story not long ago about a guy who sold a special edition, brand new, sealed xbox one to some jerk who did a return on it and ripped the guy off for a lot of money. And he did return an xbox. A regular one, beat to hell, clearly not the same serial number, and of course, no box. Ebay didn't care.


I can not wait for someone to start up a class action lawsuit against ebay for a number of its policies. I'll gladly join in.
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Curt Palme
CRT Tech



Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24296
Location: Langley, BC

TV/Projector: All of them!


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Marc (Tinman) has an amazing story about a con artist. He bought a Studer A810 reel to reel, worth about $3500 USD locally from Craiglist. He paid $250 for it, wayyyy less than what they go for. Heck, even DOA, they are worth $1000 USD or so. He drives over to the guy selling it, and the guy tells him that he'd originally sold it on eBay for $2K or so, the buyer said it didn't work, so he had to do a refund, and now just wanted the deck gone.

Marc is a killer reel to reel tech, it took him 2 full days to get it running. Problem? The buyer obviously already had a nonworking deck that he needed parts for, so he swapped a bunch of defective boards into the deck, and if that wasn't enough, rewired the power transformer windings so that nothing worked, and it blew a few parts in the process. Marc called the seller back to tell him what happened. He was steamed, but of course due to ebay policies, there's absolutely nothing he could do.

I've had a few issues lately, USPS left a receiver sitting outside in the rain last week, destroying it, even though it was double boxed, and another damaged item as well. Luckily the buyers were reasonable, contacted me before leaving negative f/b, and we worked through it. USPS DOES pay claims, unlike Fed Ex and UPS, so that's how I always ship.
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CIR Engineering




Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Posts: 4264
Location: Chicago USA & Berlin Germany


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Curt Palme wrote:
Marc (Tinman) has an amazing story about a con artist. He bought a Studer A810 reel to reel, worth about $3500 USD locally from Craiglist. He paid $250 for it, wayyyy less than what they go for. Heck, even DOA, they are worth $1000 USD or so. He drives over to the guy selling it, and the guy tells him that he'd originally sold it on eBay for $2K or so, the buyer said it didn't work, so he had to do a refund, and now just wanted the deck gone.

Marc is a killer reel to reel tech, it took him 2 full days to get it running. Problem? The buyer obviously already had a nonworking deck that he needed parts for, so he swapped a bunch of defective boards into the deck, and if that wasn't enough, rewired the power transformer windings so that nothing worked, and it blew a few parts in the process. Marc called the seller back to tell him what happened. He was steamed, but of course due to ebay policies, there's absolutely nothing he could do.

I've had a few issues lately, USPS left a receiver sitting outside in the rain last week, destroying it, even though it was double boxed, and another damaged item as well. Luckily the buyers were reasonable, contacted me before leaving negative f/b, and we worked through it. USPS DOES pay claims, unlike Fed Ex and UPS, so that's how I always ship.


When I sell hardware now I actually open it and put a subtle mark on every board and take a photo of it. I am hoping if I ever get a loser who wants to swap boards it can be a good defense.

craigr

_________________
*NEW JETI 1501-HiRes 2nm Spectroradiometer
JETI 1211 Spectroradiometer
Photo Research PR-650 Spectroradiometer
Klein K10-A Colorimeter
X-Rite i1Pro2 Spectroradiometer & Spyder Colorimeters *For JVC auto-calibration when Klein & Jeti are not applicable
Murideo Fresco SIX-G HDMI 2.x Multimedia Generator
Murideo Fresco SIX-A HDMI 2.x Analyzer
*NEW Light Illusion ColourSpace XPT Version β Color Calibration Software
Light Illusion LightSpace XPT Pro Version 10.x Color Calibration Software
*NEW OMARDRIS JVC Software Patch to use K10-A and Jeti with JVC OEM AutoCal Software!
Sencore CR7000 CRT Tube Analyzer / Rejuvenater
Authorized Dealer for Lumagen & just about everything worth buying Wink
www.CIR-Engineering.com - craigr@cir-engineering.com
Phone: 865-405-6892
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larryp




Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: eden prairie mn


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's amazing the lack of morals & values so many people have today. Seems to be getting worse to.
One day they'll have to answer for all of it.
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Spanky Ham




Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Craig,
If I would have gotten screwed by ebay, then I would have driven to California and beat the living crap out of the guy.


For the buyers, I recently bought a phone on ebay. It was supposed to be delivered by UPS. It came and the driver couldn't find the address (been here many times). Instead of contacting me, they immediately shipped it back to the seller. She refused to send it back and I had to file a claim with paypal. They paid, but it took about a month.

LOL, Tinman's story sounds like my dealing with Gary Murrell (remember him?). I sold him a complete set of boards out of an XG. They were bubble wrapped and newspapered. He said they were damaged and sent them back. He then wanted me to file a claim with USPS. I swear he switched the boards.
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Tinman




Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1326
Location: Carson City Nevada


PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Curt Palme wrote:
Marc (Tinman) has an amazing story about a con artist. He bought a Studer A810 reel to reel, worth about $3500 USD locally from Craiglist. He paid $250 for it, wayyyy less than what they go for. Heck, even DOA, they are worth $1000 USD or so. He drives over to the guy selling it, and the guy tells him that he'd originally sold it on eBay for $2K or so, the buyer said it didn't work, so he had to do a refund, and now just wanted the deck gone.

Marc is a killer reel to reel tech, it took him 2 full days to get it running. Problem? The buyer obviously already had a nonworking deck that he needed parts for, so he swapped a bunch of defective boards into the deck, and if that wasn't enough, rewired the power transformer windings so that nothing worked, and it blew a few parts in the process. Marc called the seller back to tell him what happened. He was steamed, but of course due to ebay policies, there's absolutely nothing he could do.

I've had a few issues lately, USPS left a receiver sitting outside in the rain last week, destroying it, even though it was double boxed, and another damaged item as well. Luckily the buyers were reasonable, contacted me before leaving negative f/b, and we worked through it. USPS DOES pay claims, unlike Fed Ex and UPS, so that's how I always ship.


Yeah, THAT was a huge mess. It was so screwed up, even IC's stuffed in backwards into their sockets.
I bought the deck for parts, but repaired it out of sheer spite!

Still have it! Thumbs Up

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