eBay

urienrxo · ‎03-11-2014

Hello to all the honest sellers out there. I was wondering if it was possible to create a petition or whatever so that ebay changes its fairness towards sellers? I mean we all know ebay takes the buyers' side most of the time ( if not, all the time ) and I am hoping for a change. What do you sellers think?

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-13-2014

When a buyer claims that an item is not as described: It's probably true and that's why ebay backs them.

A buyer who spends money on an item wants that item, and so clearly when an INADed claim is made it makes sense to believe it.

In short: When a seller ships an item not as described the seller usually gets away with it and sellers know that's the way the system is set up.

That is because most buyers just suck it up because the hassle and expense involved in returns is too great.

I don't think that a buyer has ever tried to scam me with an INAD claim. However, just as all sellers are not honest, not all buyers are honest. I've seen cases on the U.S. boards where a buyer filed a SNAD and asked for a partial refund. The seller asked the buyer to return the item for a refund and offered to pay for return shipping so that there would be no expense to the buyer and often the buyer is never heard from again. The buyer may not have agreed to that because they really wanted the item..flaws or not but I am sure that in some cases, there really wasn't a problem with the item but the buyer thought they would try to get a partial refund anyway.

I've also read about cases where the buyer did sent an empty box or the wrong item and since there was delivery confirmation, ebay forced the refund.

Again, there are bad buyers and bad sellers so I don't agree with your statement that most sellers get away with sending a not as described item and that most buyers have to suck it up.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎03-13-2014

....does this one mean I do not know anything ?

You don't really want me to answer that do you Inuk ?

Seems the Newbies should restrain from making comments regarding the Regulars IDs without the facts in place.

bb_cool_stuff · ‎03-13-2014

... there are bad buyers and bad sellers...

Unfortunately we run into questionable buyers & sellers pj , but like the most of us, we remain optimistic & the great ones will always prevail.

Cost of doing business.

Told ya, I'd be back pj, now we just need a certain stamp seller to reappear.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-13-2014

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

Again, there are bad buyers and bad sellers so I don't agree with your statement that most sellers get away with sending a not as described item and that most buyers have to suck it up.

So it sounds like you believe that most items which are not as described are returned to sellers for full refunds?

froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:
@froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock wrote:
This must be true, as Ebay has gone to great pains to tell us sellers how they banned something like 950 000 buyers who were taking advantage of the system.

Are you sure about that?

Ebay banned about 950,000 sellers.

I can't find the email now, but I am certain that maybe 6 months to a year ago, ebay sent out a message talking about all the changes they made to protect sellers and one of their points was that they had gotten rid of 950 000 sellers, or some huge number like that.

I have searched for that email/ message, but cannot find it. Maybe it was just a dream.

froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock · ‎03-14-2014

EDIT: I remember an email from ebay saying that they got rid of 950 000 BUYERS. A google search shows me the closest I can find is 54000

pjcdn2005 · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:
@pjcdn2005 wrote:

Again, there are bad buyers and bad sellers so I don't agree with your statement that most sellers get away with sending a not as described item and that most buyers have to suck it up.
So it sounds like you believe that most items which are not as described are returned to sellers for full refunds?

I didn't say that. You used the term most...I'm saying that there are different situations and that not one particular thing happens in most cases. That's my opinion. Neither of us know what happens in most situations as neither of us are involved in 'most' snad situations. You can only speak of your own experience, not for most buyers or sellers.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-14-2014

Yes, of course.

It goes without saying that there is no way of knowing the actual percentages and that I only have my own experience and what my friends and others have told me to go by.

I am of the opinion that most cases of item INADed are not returned to sellers.

It sounded like you were disagreeing with my opinion.

In any case, it's one of the most difficult aspects of buying eBay to deal with.

It's never simple when a buyer gets an item that was misrepresented.

rose-dee · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:

It's never simple when a buyer gets an item that was misrepresented.

I would think it's one of the simplest things to avoid as a buyer. Choose sellers whose reputation and experience are obvious, whose descriptions and photos are clear, and who fully and promptly answer any questions asked prior to purchasing.

In 13 years of buying I've never received an item that could be construed as misrepresented. But then I usually vet sellers and listings carefully before hitting that "Commit to Buy" button. If I don't, I'm prepared to take my chances.

In any event, eBay has mechanisms for dealing with claims of "Not As Described", and a lot of sellers are now paying for return shipping if they've genuinely made an error. There is a big difference between wilful misrepresentation and an inadvertent error or omission in a description. I'd have no qualms about dealing quickly and firmly with the former type of seller via a formal INAD claim, but would give the latter an opportunity to offer a mutually acceptable solution.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-14-2014

Saying that it's never simple when a buyer gets an item that was NADed is an entirely different conversation than discussing how easy it is to avoid.

Completely different topic, but since you brought it up.

Obviously a lot of buyers do fall into that trap or there wouldn't by a very heavily weighted DSR for it.

EBay recognizes the problem and understands it's import.

rose-dee · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:

"Obviously a lot of buyers do fall into that trap or there wouldn't by a very heavily weighted DSR for it."

Well, no. That DSR is weighted no more heavily than the others, as you should know if you're an experienced eBay seller.

"Saying that it's never simple when a buyer gets an item that was NADed is an entirely different conversation than discussing how easy it is to avoid."

Well, no, in fact, they are directly linked. Look for the better sellers, and you'll find a better, more reliable product. Look for the cheapest price, and ignore the rest, and you take your chances.

EBay's INAD policy clearly favours buyers, not sellers, not because there are a lot of "traps", but because eBay wants its buyers to feel comfortable buying sight unseen online.

This is particularly true now that eBay has initiated its "Money Back Guarantee" programme, a feature designed to encourage buyers to return items for refund. Even if faced with a possibly spurious claim of INAD, a seller really has no choice now but to immediately refund, and in many cases if an error was inadvertently made, pay for return shipping as well. I fail to see how this policy causes any difficulty at all for buyers. In fact, it opens sellers up to the potential of even more INAD claims as a result of buyer remorse or outright fraud.

Anyone who has reasonable experience selling on eBay will appreciate how much simpler it is to be in the buyer's seat.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-14-2014

Rose.......... what are you trying to do?

I'm not interested in arguing with you.

You call it discussing, but that is not the way I experience your posts.

Also: I don't know but check the new Seller Dashboard for INADed DSRs.

I'm not an expert on eBay details like some are, but check it out.

Seems different to me.

rose-dee · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:
Also: I don't know but check the new Seller Dashboard for INADed DSRs.
Seems different to me.

Yes, you are correct, the DSR threshold for INAD is 1.20%, and 2.40% for the other 3 DSRs. This fact reflects eBay's pressure on sellers to accept INAD claims almost regardless of the reason for them. It is directly in line with their "Money Back Guarantee" policy, i.e. a low tolerance level. It is telling sellers to beware of creating situations where INADs claims may be made. This may be a good thing for eBay as a whole, in weeding out undesirable sellers, but heavily favours buyers of course.

However, as of the Spring Seller Update, the DSR system itself will no longer function as the sole determinant of a seller's performance. EBay will now be judging sellers based on defects, and here are the relevant ones:

The defect rate is the percentage of your transactions with one or more of the following defects, top predictors of buyers leaving eBay or buying less:

1, 2 or 3-star rating for item as described
1-star rating left for shipping time
Negative or neutral feedback
Return initiated because the item was not as described
An eBay Money Back Guarantee or PayPal Purchase Protection case opened for an item not received or an item not as described
Seller-cancelled transaction

In other words, the only area in which eBay is giving sellers a bit of a nod of understanding is the shipping time DSR. That is a timely and reasonable change, as that DSR has been widely misinterpreted by buyers to mean "total delivery time".

The other 3 DSRs will have a broader spread, that is lower tolerance before creating a defect for a seller. Neutral FB will also generate a defect.

All these measures are good news for buyers, and more work for sellers. As I said previously, having been both a buyer and a seller, there is absolutely no question in my mind that being on the buying side is the far simpler role, with no responsibilities except to pay for the item promptly and return it if unhappy. The cost of returns may soon not even be an issue if eBay has its way.

Incidentally, as a buyer I consider the potential of having to pay to return a defective or broken item just a part of the risk of doing business online. If I want to ensure I don't have to deal with that issue, I'll buy in a B&M store.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-14-2014

@rose-dee wrote:
Incidentally, as a buyer I consider the potential of having to pay to return a defective or broken item just a part of the risk of doing business online. If I want to ensure I don't have to deal with that issue, I'll buy in a B&M store.

Yes, and some will agree with you and others will not.

In any case, thank you for sharing.

(BTW............. It looks like as an experienced seller I do know a thing or two after all.)

rose-dee · ‎03-14-2014

@i*m-still-here wrote:
(BTW............. It looks like as an experienced seller I do know a thing or two after all.)

You may have noticed a change but you misinterpreted that information.

Which is why these boards can be helpful in sorting out the meaning from all the messages we get from eBay -- what I consider one of a seller's top requirements. Things are rarely what they appear to be on first glance.

i*m-still-here · ‎03-14-2014

@rose-dee wrote:
@i*m-still-here wrote:
(BTW............. It looks like as an experienced seller I do know a thing or two after all.)
You may have noticed a change but you misinterpreted that information.

Once again Rose: That is your opinion. Good sellers are able to see that others (their buyers for example) tend to have different ideas than they do.

Some mare share your opinions, and others will not, but you need to recognize the difference between an opinion and fact.

urienrxo · ‎03-15-2014

Yes i was pro active, actually SUPER pro active in reporting him and I did all I could...nothing.

He was not banned because he was a seller with almost 3000 stars on ebay. I posted his info here, ebay removed it.

So no can do...

urienrxo · ‎03-15-2014

You're talking about respect...yet you called me URINEn...on purpose. Which is childish and unprofessional.Google Urien, it's an actual word, a name...now you know something!