eBay changes direction again

[Beemermark]

I stopped selling on eBay quite awhile ago because anyone for any reason could return the item with me paying postage both ways. A few months ago I bought a new part for my truck that was defective. 10 minutes after I bought it the seller closed the case. I appealed and got my money back. Last week I bought a used part and asked for a refund since it wasn't as described. Seller closed the case 5 minutes after I opened it. Tried the appeal process and spent the better part of two hours trying to find how to file an appeal. Every link takes you back to the information on the appeal process, even the phone! Finally managed to find an email link to contact eBay and I told them my problem. Their answer -

[FONT=&quot]I've reviewed the details of the case and see the return request was not filed within the seller's return policy. Because of this, they are not obliged to accept the return and, as a result, the case has been closed in the seller’s favor.[/FONT]

So the seller had a no return policy and (1) I don't think eBay even reviews the return process. It just goes to the seller who decides if he want to accept your return. (2) Good luck on the appeal process, they've purposely made it almost impossible to actually contact them and initiate the appeal process.

So I'm back to selling on eBay. Cameras will be described as condition unknown and returns not accepted.

 

[charjohncarter]

Good move. I've bought many used items, and most of the time there is some small thing that should have been disclosed. These problems that I can live with so I don't bother returning. But I've pretty much quit buying there.

 

[mpaniagua]

I've to admit that most time the seller has a good attitude and tries to solve the issue on the best terms. Recently I bought a Kalimar lens for my Kiev 88 and focus barrel was a bit loose, which was not described on item. Seller refund an acceptable amount to fix it (it only needed a small screw to tight the barrel). Another time,a Voightlander Skopar 21 that came with a back element scratch refunded without need to return item. I always try to get my stuff from sellers with high/good feedback though.

I suppose that ebay is like a big garage sale now. So better expend your money accordibly.


Beemermark, since I sometimes sell stuff on ebay, thats good news.

Regards

Marcelo

 

[das]

I wish there was some other, easier way to buy certain camera stuff that you really can only find today on eBay -- sold mostly by Japan/Eastern Europe/Russia-based sellers. Looking for a Contax SLR or lens or CZJ/Soviet stuff? Good luck finding a wide selection of those things at any camera shop in North America. Etsy is starting to get there as a good alternative, but everyone on Etsy lists camera stuff sometimes up to 50% or more than they go for on eBay. Also, the fact that eBay/Etsy charges STATES SALES TAX on international transactions is ridiculous. If you buy directly from a store in Germany, no state sales tax. Buy from that store on eBay, sales tax.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Did you paid with PayPal? This was the only way to return money from scumbutts a.k.a. eBay.

Good luck to sell with condition as unknown. You have to be ready to sell for well under aveage price. If you are selling cheap junk, no biggie. But if it is valuable gear, prepare to lose.

And I recommend to open account in totally diffrent bank to provide it for those scumbutts.
And remember, SIN request is not legal and those criminals knows it and push it as optional now.

 

[Godfrey]

I dunno. I've been buying and selling stuff on Ebay for 23 years and I've had only a couple of issues, in either direction. I've had just as many issues dealing with transactions at the busier brick and mortar shops over the same time period.

I see little reason to complain overmuch.

G

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Last week I bought a used part and asked for a refund since it wasn't as described. Seller closed the case 5 minutes after I opened it. Tried the appeal process and spent the better part of two hours trying to find how to file an appeal.......

I just want to make sure I understand this so I don’t get nailed. When you filled out the online form to ask for a refund, does it no longer give you the checkbox of 4-5 possible reasons you are asking for a refund, one of which has always been, “Item not as described”? Up until now that has always been enough to get a refund, true or not, seller be damned.
Ebay’s written policy up until now had always been that even if the item had been listed as “No returns”, that didn’t matter. If the buyer said it was “not as described”, they got a refund, regardless of whether the buyer is lying. So, just to be clear, ebay has changed that, in writing? “Item not as described” is no longer listed in the checklist, and no longer sufficient in itself to generate a refund? Seller can just refuse to refund?
And if this is the case, is it only the case where item is plainly listed as “no refunds” , or is it the case for any item at all?
If it only applies to items that are listed in the ad as “no refunds” that wouldn’t be as bad because, well, “no refunds”.

I requested and got a refund 3 weeks ago, and process was like it’s always been. Good for the buyer, dangerously bad for the seller. If it’s as you describe, and, if it applies to all sales, not just the ones marked “no refunds”, that will have flipped the tables.

Every sale which ends in a refund represents money that ebay doesn’t make, so maybe they are tightening the screws a bit.

 

[agentlossing]

I've never accepted returns on eBay, I've found it to discourage most of the dumb returns... the only recent item I had returned was a Panasonic GX9 which the buyer figured out was PAL version and was afraid it would not produce good video in NTSC areas... he didn't educate himself or just look deeper into the menus to discover that the PAL version is a "global" one that allows selection of both NTSC and PAL native framerates. I didn't argue, I just accepted the return. He was at least honest and sent the camera back in the same condition with quick enough shipping.

 

[p.giannakis]

I joined the eBay party relatively late (2009) and i had good experience for many years. Over the last (roughly) 5 years i started receiving daft requests for returns (including a completely damaged Pentax K1000 which was in perfect working order when i posted it and a AF Nikkor 50f/1.8 with one of the screws from the mount missing).


More recently i started selling through Facebook marketplace and for more expensive items i sell them via Ffordes. I am also using eBay less an less as a buyer too.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

As a buyer, look for items from eBay sellers with experience and positive feedback and you should not have issues outside of some minor inconveniences.

As a seller, show lots of pictures of the actual item (as a photographer, that should not be an issue) and be as detailed as possible in your description (this will protect you when you get bogus return requests based on condition).

The threat of negative feedback generally works in the buyers favor. Most legit sellers want to protect their feedback score, so most give more than reasonable consideration to the buyer.

However, I did once run into a situation [as the seller] in which the buyer was completely unreasonable. I felt after processing a completely irrational return request (and paying shipping both ways) I was going to get negative feedback regardless - so I denied the buyers request. And yes, I got negative feedback solely for my no-return policy - and there was nothing I could do about it.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I joined the eBay party relatively late (2009) and i had good experience for many years. Over the last (roughly) 5 years i started receiving daft requests for returns (including a completely damaged Pentax K1000 which was in perfect working order when i posted it and a AF Nikkor 50f/1.8 with one of the screws from the mount missing).


More recently i started selling through Facebook marketplace and for more expensive items i sell them via Ffordes. I am also using eBay less an less as a buyer too.

FB market place "AI" blocks Nikon Nikkormat with Nkkor 50 1.4. I send it for review several times, but it is only "AI", no actual brains involved.

I have to bump marketplace price up, because first question they asks is about lowest price. Even if price is totally within market.
And sales are dead slow. Even at low price. For photo gear. My wife sells some other things mostly for low price and it is good.

We need PayPal international market place.

 

[cboy]

Sold a bunch of items in near mint - mint condition however whatever defects ive always been transparent. Pictures tell a thousand words and taking as many photos as possible helps with liability. Mechanical defects are harder to prove though...but ive experienced times were it was down to user error in that the buyer didnt bother with the manual.lol

 

[Beemermark]

I just want to make sure I understand this so I don’t get nailed. When you filled out the online form to ask for a refund, does it no longer give you the checkbox of 4-5 possible reasons you are asking for a refund, one of which has always been, “Item not as described”? Up until now that has always been enough to get a refund, true or not, seller be damned.
Ebay’s written policy up until now had always been that even if the item had been listed as “No returns”, that didn’t matter. If the buyer said it was “not as described”, they got a refund, regardless of whether the buyer is lying. So, just to be clear, ebay has changed that, in writing? “Item not as described” is no longer listed in the checklist, and no longer sufficient in itself to generate a refund? Seller can just refuse to refund?
And if this is the case, is it only the case where item is plainly listed as “no refunds” , or is it the case for any item at all?
If it only applies to items that are listed in the ad as “no refunds” that wouldn’t be as bad because, well, “no refunds”.

I requested and got a refund 3 weeks ago, and process was like it’s always been. Good for the buyer, dangerously bad for the seller. If it’s as you describe, and, if it applies to all sales, not just the ones marked “no refunds”, that will have flipped the tables.

Every sale which ends in a refund represents money that ebay doesn’t make, so maybe they are tightening the screws a bit.

I've been on eBay since they started and have well over 800 positive feedbacks. I got tired of jokers who bought a camera sold as non-working for parts only being returned to me as not described. As a seller I had no input in the return process, eBay just refunded the buyer from my PayPal account. In these two cases it at appears eBay didn't even review my return request. For the last one the seller immediately closed it saying the pictures and description were accurate. When I finally found an email link appealing the decision I got the message about seller not accepting returns. The seller had a feedback of over 1100 so not a scammer. Most eBay sellers are now stating they will accept returns with no hassle so just avoid those that won't. I don't return many items but I recently bought a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses that turned out to be too small and the seller said no problem send them back.


I'm beemer-mark on eBay and any camera I'll be selling are low value cameras, some I know have issues and will be represented as such, others just condition unknown.