eBay

Have had my first experience with Ebay Customer Service today; I've been using ebay to buy and sell for over 10 years now. But last week, when placing a order that contained multiple itemes, in different quantities, ebay have locked my account on account that the computer I was using was not recocnized by them; I've called Customer Suport, unlocked it, placed the order; A few days after I've found my order to be doubled ( Every item, in the same quantities, from the same vendors; just as if you would hit the pay button, but instead of your itemes be taken from your shoping basket and the transaction to be confirmed, nothing happens, so you hit the Buy button again, but now the system registers both Buy button actions so it doubles you order). Anyway, after talking to a poor english Rep, I get a Manager ( wow, this is good, surely they should understand my problem); NOPE... the Manager gave me 2 options: Try to get in touch with the selller and ask them to cancel your order, arrange for returns and wait for reffund, or sell the extrta itemes yourself ( we will get the sell fees double, not too bad for us!); They simply refused to accept any responsiblity ( a double order has never happened on Ebay, so it is not possible, she said!)

My advice: Stay away from ebay, plenty of other options out there with less fees for seller anyway: Wish, Facebook market, OLX,

After paying for my item, the seller hadn't shipped my item 4 days later, when their handling time was 3 days. I contacted the seller and eBay requesting a cancellation of my order and a refund, then went out and bought that item from the store so I could have it in time for Christmas. Another day passes, and I hear nothing from the seller, no cancellation or a response... The seller at this point still has my money and the item i purchased. I call eBay again, and they tell me that since the estimated delivery date is up to 11 business days, I have to wait until AFTER THAT to receive a refund, even though there is NO EVIDENCE OF THE ORDER BEING SHIPPED! WHATTTT?! So, basically a seller can keep your money and your item for that amount of time, if the wish, as long as the estimated delivery date gives them that amount of time, (even if they have no proof of the item being shipped *smfh*)... Thank god for PayPal! I contacted them and explained what happend, and right away, they put a hold on the funds and began processing the refund right away, since the seller never shipped the item... If you have a problem with your sellers, contact PayPal. They have your back if you are getting screwed by eBay sellers #thankyoupaypal

EBAY FRAUD AND PRICE FIXING. I believe there are a few sellers in China that control the worldwide markets and eBay. They have sales and marketing agreements to inflate and control prices and disclosure/representatiions for ALL PRODUCTS on eBay. These people control everything including Ebays profits, shipping costs, listing fees, protecting sellers (not buyers). Ebay is owned by a few key individuals. The vast majority of the stock is owned by specific people with overseas companies. This is the largest fraud operation I have ever seen. I occasionally run into a honest person that have represented their items for a fair price including shipping. It's virtually impossible. They have millions of items for sale under different linked user names. There are a few people in China, Russia and a few other countries that own Ebay, PayPal, the money processing company in Europe (I do have specific details) and I look forward to receiving your reply. They also control Ebay's MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! There is absolutely no money back guarantee to protect buyers. EBAY HAS NEVER GIVEN ANYONE ON PENNY BACK. Ebay actually makes money on their guarantee. The only way is to catch a seller because they have agreed to my terms and conditions I SENT THEM BEFORE I PLACED MY ORDER. Then, if they say yes, you still have to go through Ebay hoops and wait. Ebay states there is buyer fraud on Ebay. I would like just one documented example. Buyers go through hell to attempt to get their money back. I'm sure it's possible to abuse the system. I want one case? I have now documented over 1000 sellers and items that are fraudulent. I have reported items and sellers. To date I have seen no evidence of the "fraud protection department" doing one thing to stop fraud. I could go one forever. Waiting for a honest reply. Ken

There is no denying eBay is a great platform for selling unwanted clutter and earning yourself some extra money in doing so... However and be warned!

If there is a dispute with regard to your sale on eBay... eBay will always rule in favour of the buyer. Which in turn determines that following your eBay sale. You are exclusively relying on the honesty of the buyer. Do not be fooled by any claim eBay make about offering seller protection. They don't! And unless you can prove without unreasonable doubt the integrity of your listing which is nigh impossible. EBay will always refund the buyer even if the item you sell and especially if you post, is new, boxed, and wrapped. Remember you have to prove what the buyer received through the post was also new, boxed, and wrapped. Simply you can't

I strongly advise you never to sell a high-value item on eBay. If the buyer disputes your sale eBay will side and refund the buyer. No matter how high the value of your item To rub salt further into the wound. You will have to pay the return postage. Only sell what you can afford to lose or won't really miss, however, frustrating this may be in the event of you being scammed. I should add I am aware there are rogue sellers on eBay. They mostly sell counterfeit gear

To re-iterate eBay can be an easy way to de-clutter and earn money. List honestly and always take multiple photos from every angle of the product you are selling. Always obtain and keep postal receipts and advertise the fact you do. It may help detract the scammers but in itself is no prevention you will be scammed or having eBay side against you in a dispute. If you have any doubts about the integrity of a buyer and I understand this can be difficult. Don't post your item. In return, you will almost certainly receive negative feedback and eBay may well take action against you. So what it's better to be safe than sorry!

Before I conclude I should add. If you do have the misfortune of having to deal with eBay customer services. Be prepared for automated replies to your queries, and or receiving emails from eBay without the option of replying to said email.

I hope the above is of help. I am myself an eBay buyer and seller for nearly 15 years, and yes I have been scammed on a few occasions examples being swopping identical scratched CD discs, returning identical scratched LPs, etc etc. Although once I did catch a scammer out. He claimed he posted my item back to me but stupidly left a false tracking number. Which I proved was not a genuine Royal Mail tracking number. EBay grudgingly accepted I was a victim and I did not end up out of pocket

Do I list items of high-value on eBay?... No because despite the temptation my item may be viewed many times thus increasing the chance of receiving more money? I am very aware that the higher the value of an item the higher the chances an item will attract and tempt the scammers.

I stumbled upon Twice about six months ago and I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm constantly getting rid of clothes so having someplace to send them and actually get money to buy *new* clothes was amazing. I've sent them over half of my wardrobe over the last six months. Their buying and selling practices are extremely inconsistent and it's seriously irked me, now I use ThreadUp instead and rarely sell to Twice.

They are extremely inconsistent about the quality of items they buy. They have rejected items I've sent them due to "overall" wear when the items were NEVER worn or worn once. They had zero "wear." I had a really nice pair of Seven jeans that I sent them and they rejected due to "overall wear." I was seriously dumbfounded. The only thing I can think of is that they had a slight distressed look due to the wash and they mistook this for wear. There was zero staining and zero wear on the hems. Another item I sent in which I was amazed they rejected was a pair of ponte knit grey pants by Alice & Olivia that were in perfect condition, I seriously had worn them once (like many women, I have tons of stuff I have worn once and then seem to never wear again). They rejected them claiming there was a "loose thread" on hem. I had never seen a loose thread, it just strikes me as overly picky.

I don't think their so-called "apparel experts" that evaluate the clothes are experts at all. Since they accepted enough other items in this batch of clothes and I wasn't going to wear these jeans anyway, I accepted their offer, but it really irritated me that they rejected them for a completely unfounded reason. If that isn't bad enough, I have purchased items from them that are in WAY worse condition than any of the items I've sent them that they rejected due to "overall wear." How annoying!

I've noticed lately their inventory and selection seems to be getting worse. I think people are getting really annoyed with their inconsistent buying practices and not sending their clothes to them, much like myself. I understand they want their clothes to be "like new" condition but I think they'd be better off allowing slightly more imperfections and having more selection and not pissing off so many people with their rigid buying practices. ThredUp has a much better business model in that they list things with a "Tiny Flaw." ThredUp definitely has items with visible wear but so what? I will decide if it's too much wear and not purchase it! I'd rather have more selection to browse.

If you haven't heard of ThredUp, I highly recommend checking them out. They beat Twice hands down in both selection, buying practices, and overall customer service. They used to make you pay for returns but now they allow free returns if you choose store credit. That is fine by me! Twice can kick rocks.

I've been an Ebay member for twenty years and have always been satisfied. Then the following two situations happened simultaneously, which have permanently turned me off from ever listing anything for sale again.

I listed two valuable antique saxophones at the same time in July, 2019 and both received winning bids. On Saxophone 1, the buyer never paid. Nothing happened. No apparent effort was made by Ebay to induce the winning bidder to pay. Two months later, an e mail from Ebay that the case I had filed was closed. No resolution, no explanation, no elucidation as to what if anything Ebay had done to right the situation. Then, out of the blue, an e mail informing me that I was being charged a $190 commission on the sale of the instrument!

Saxophone 2. The buyer paid and I shipped the 80 year old sax which was delivered several days later. The buyer then wrote objecting to the condition of the instrument. I had posted clear photos with the listing showing the instrument from all sides, and some of the buyer's objections were downright ludicrous, i. E. a statement that the saxophone was "rusting". (Saxophones are made of brass, a non-ferrous metal and therefore do not rust.) The buyer filed a case to return the sax at my expense and the Ebay examiner sided with the buyer and ordered me to provide a prepaid USPS or UPS shipping label, warning me that if I failed to do so within five days, the purchase price of the instrument would be refunded to the buyer and the buyer would get to keep the instrument! A nice threat, huh? If I complied and provided the shipping label, I would be charged the refund of the purchase price after delivery of the instrument to me. I purchased a shipping label the same day and e mailed its image to the buyer via PDF. Ok, I didn't like the way Ebay handled the case, but my reaction stopped short of outright hatred of this company. Then today, shortly after the return of the sax in acceptable condition, came the final straw, an e mail from Ebay informing me that I owed $2540 for the refund of the instrument, $254 more than the sales price which I was expecting to refund to the buyer. Once again, I was being charged a commission for a sale that ultimately wasn't consummated.

Ebay has shown itself to me to be abusive of its sellers. Never ever will I list anything on it again. As a forum for buyers it's fine and one can't argue with the enormous selection of items. But that may change when sufficient numbers of other sellers have had enough of being chiseled and take their business elsewhere.