eBay

icecapped · ‎03-14-2014

I am so frustrated and disappointed. I won an an auction yesterday that was an auction and a buy it now. Nobody used the Buy it Now option. The auction started at $4.99 and was Free shipping to my location. A day prior I did contact the seller because I was on my mobile and did see (or I don't know how to access it) info on shipping ect. I wanted to confirm shipping was free. This seller said shipping was only free on the buy it now option. So once I returned home I was able to get on my computer and take a good look at all the auction and the info. No where did it specify that shipping was free only for the buy it now it even said to my postal code it was free. I must add this seller is from Ont. and I am also from Canada. So I messaged them back to let her know that. At this point there were no bids. So they could of made any corrections, or remove it. Once I sent that message they said to be frank she wouldn't take any less than $32.25 for this item. I messaged back to let her know that they started the bid at $4.99 and they should of started the bidding higher. I bid on the item yesterday won it with FREE shipping. I paid right away. The seller sent me a message telling me what she was willing to take $32.25 for the item and NO LESS. To me I take that as extorsion. That was the seller saying if you want this item you have to pay me the $32.25. I messaged back to say no I won the auction fairly. Shortly after they returned my payment(which is now frozen in paypal). I can not open up a case against them because they returned the money. I have contacted ebay and they are looking into it. But it is so frustration knowing you won an auction, which is a contract and they don't have to follow through just because they didn't get enough money.They set the starting bid and take their chances. Their last message was telling me ebay can't do anything to them and that they warned me that if they did not get their price I would not get the item. There should be a way to make the seller send the item I won it fair and square! I did leave a negative feedback.

I just never thought a seller could do this.

Spoiler

marnotom! · ‎03-14-2014

Why did you bid on the item after the seller spewed that idiocy about wanting much more than her minimum price for the bikini?

froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock · ‎03-14-2014

A seller can do anything they want.

A buyer can do anything they want.

If a seller tells you it's a pony, and sends your a gerbil, that's their choice.

If a buyer says they will give you a million dollars for a picture of the queen wearing mukluks and then doesn't pay, that's their choice.

Ebay cannot enforce an individuals actions.

Obviously the sale was poorly done. The seller has no obligation to send the item at the agreed to price. It specifically states in ebays rules and agreement that the seller AGREES to the rules, and the rules say you should ship an item that;'s paid for BUT if you don't then there can be consequences for not doing it. BUT this specifically means the seller doesn't have to send the item, which would really be unenforceable anyways.

You can punish the seller if you like, or just let it go. It's up to you.

If you paid for the item and they refunded, I believe you can open a case for item not received after the appropriate shipping time but at this point the seller, if smart, would just agree it's not going to arrive, and the case would close with no penalty to the seller.

The most you can do is leave negative feedback and low DSR's

It kind of sucks you didn't get the great deal you were thinking, but really, is that your goal to gain off of someone else's mistake?

femmefan1946 · ‎03-14-2014

I can not open up a case against them because they returned the money.

Did you try?

You can Report the seller as a non-performing seller.

You have up to 45 days from the end of the listing to start a Dispute.

You have up to 60 days from the end of the listing to leave Feedback

You can while leaving FB, also leave Detailed Seller Ratings. A normal transaction gets FiveStars. The lowest Rating is ONE STAR. No stars is a Free Pass.

Another case of a new seller who doesn't understand the process. Both her FB were from sellers so she doesn't even have much experience from buying.

You are right, She should have started the item at the price she wanted to get. She should not have advertised Free Shipping and she should not have refused the sale when she set up the parameters.

On the other hand, she obviously has no clue about how to set up a listing.

icecapped · ‎03-14-2014

From her emails she seems to know exactly what she is doing. She actually thought there would be a bidding war and the price would go above the buy it now price. I did leave a neg FB. As for opening a case against her I tried and when I could not I called ebay and they said since the money had been returned I could not. 😞
The sad thing is her emails were so arrogant that this person will do again for sure.

icecapped · ‎03-14-2014

It was paid for promptly ( with in minutes) it was not a mistake, they are an online retailer. It was very evident like I said above that it did not go their way and they backed out.
I have called ebay when I could not open a case and they said since the funds were returned I could not open a case.

marnotom! · ‎03-14-2014

@icecapped wrote:

From her emails she seems to know exactly what she is doing. She actually thought there would be a bidding war and the price would go above the buy it now price. I did leave a neg FB. As for opening a case against her I tried and when I could not I called ebay and they said since the money had been returned I could not. 😞
The sad thing is her emails were so arrogant that this person will do again for sure.

Bidding war? Clothing is probably the most competitive category on eBay. Reducing your pool of potential buyers by restricting your shipping location to just Canada is one way to ensure that you don't get a bidding war.

I agree with Femme. This seller doesn't have a clue. I think their initial email to you should have been a sign of that, and a sign that they should be avoided.

icecapped · ‎03-14-2014

I guess it is my mistake to think that if you enter into a contract you should abide by it.
There will always be people that don't have to follow the rules.

marnotom! · ‎03-14-2014

@icecapped wrote:

I guess it is my mistake to think that if you enter into a contract you should abide by it.
There will always be people that don't have to follow the rules.

It's not a mistake to believe that, but it is a mistake to think that a seller like that is going to see the error of their ways and change their spots. Rarely does trying to teach the other party a "lesson" work out well on eBay.