Challenges to Buying on EBay

[i*m-still-here]

An issue that is cropping for me when I buy on ebay regularly now is the following:

A shipping price is agreed on with a seller, but after the sale things go awry.

For example: 

A seller refunded without a word to me, and I can only guess that he changed his mind about shipping after he'd billed me.

In another a seller have agreed to ship without the GSP.  When the agreed upon payment was received via paypal the seller refunded without notice, and then explained that he had decided to go with the GSP after all.

In others sellers are very difficult and require numerous messages to plug in the cost of shipping, and it's often higher than the agreed upon amount.

In some of these cases, if i don't pay.................. then it seems to me I'm going to get threatened with strikes and the like.

Also................ some of these sellers take it upon themselves to report the buyer when the buyer won't pay the increased cost/

In my experience ebay is very quick to send out reprimands to buyers and Trust Me:  That is very annoying.

I've been shopping here from the git-gp.........  and I pity the new buyer with all this kind of nonsense going on here.

Buying on ebay can be a challenge:

Not a romp in the shopping mall.

[bcrafty4fabrics]

I am am finding out the same problem.  The shipping prices have gone way too high now shipping is higher than the price of the item in many cases, I wonder if this is a way to avoid paying Ebay fees.

I recently bought something and I emailed the seller before bidding about shipping rates.  He/she reply with the shipping price to Canada now that I have won the auction I got an invoice with a shipping rate much more expensive than with the one he/she quoted.  I am have requested a second invoice with a the shipping rate quoted before but haven't heard back from the seller.  I will refuse to pay if they don't adjust my shipping rate, can I cancel my purchase if this is the case?

This is very annoying since the reason I bid for the auction was based on the shipping rate.

Ebay has to seriously look into this and do something about it.

[i*m-still-here]

 I have won the auction I got an invoice with a shipping rate much more expensive than with the one he/she quoted.  

That's a common scenario.

The options all kinda stink for the buyer:

a) The seller could send a request to cancel if you don't pay.

If you agree then the seller can recover FVFs and you can't leave FB.

b) If you don't agree to cancel, then the seller could file an unpaid item case and you get a strike.

c) If you complain to much the seller could report you and you get a reprimand from ebay.

d) If you pay the inflated cost, then the whole transaction leaves a bad taste for ebay.

d) If you are still able to leave FB and leave much deserved NFB then other sellers won't sell to you when given the option.

I have no idea where sellers get the idea that ebay favours buyers.

It does not.

[pierrelebel]

"then the seller could file an unpaid item case and you get a strike."

That is not correct.

If the seller refuses to honour a shipping quote, a buyer should refuse to cancel the transaction and let the seller absorb the fees.  NO STRIKE will be given by eBay in those circumstances.

If a non-payment dispute is filed by the seller (most know better and will not) the buyer is given the opportunity by eBay to respond to avoid a strike.

Buyers should hold sellers responsible. Being "nice" by letting them off the hook at no cost to them will not solve the problem as sellers will continue to act in total disregard of the buyers.  The only way "bad sellers" learn is when it costs them money.

[kalvin@ebay.com]

Hi bcrafty4fabrics & i*m-still-here,

There are policies in place to address excessive shipping & if you come across this, please report those sellers through this link.

I'd also encourage contacting Customer Support in these cases so they help provide guidance on these situations.

Thanks,

[i*m-still-here]

I am fully aware that the way these issues can be resolved is via lengthy phone calls to CS.

And I do mean lengthy calls which are stressful and just plain awful.

I've spend more time with this kind of nonsense than I care to note.

In fact, not long ago I increased my phone plan to pay for all the time I spend on hold with CS.

(I'm not kidding about that.)

All in all........... not worth the time spent to make thing right.

[i*m-still-here]

"then the seller could file an unpaid item case and you get a strike."

If a non-payment dispute is filed by the seller (most know better and will not) the buyer is given the opportunity by eBay to respond to avoid a strike.

Buyers should hold sellers responsible. Being "nice" by letting them off the hook at no cost to them will not solve the problem as sellers will continue to act in total disregard of the buyers.  The only way "bad sellers" learn is when it costs them money.

I'm not sure what you mean by "" Being "nice" by letting them off the hook at no cost ""?

If that means leaving NFB....... IMO a very bad idea.

Leave NFB and your buying power is seriously curtailed.

Also, when a buyer is threatened with a strike, the buyer can pay or call CS............ 

Those phone calls can take an hour......... easy............ and often require several calls.

More often than not........... the resulting headache just isn't worth the outcome.

[pierrelebel]

"If that means leaving NFB"

I do not mean that.

I mean exactly what I wrote above.  "Being nice" is letting a bad seller off the hook by accepting a transaction cancellation allowing him to recover his fees.

As far as feedback is concerned, different buyers may react differently. Some - afraid of potential repercusions - can leave a "weak" positive feedback with appropriate low DSRs. Others - not afraid of potential repercutions - can leave a neutral or negative feedback clearly outlining the situation ("Refused.to ship based on earlier shipping quote.  Later requested xx% extra")

"when a buyer is threatened with a strike"

NO.  There is no need to call.  A buyer can simply answer the eBay inquiry. NO STRIKE is given in such circumstances.

And yes, eBay is no longer "buyer friendly".  As discussed elsewhere., eBay made a U-turn this year favouring sellers at the expense of buyers.  And eBay staffers can do little but give us the company line on the subject.  That is their job.

[i*m-still-here]

That said: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think a buyer is even able to leave FB for items unless they've been paid for or refunded.

Trust Me: These situations are common and a no win for buyers.

[i*m-still-here]

P......... Please read post #6 again.  🙂

[pjcdn2005]

As mentioned already, if the seller won't send an invoice with the shipping fees they had agreed to earlier and then sends the buyer a mutual cancellation request, the buyer can answer no, they do not want the transaction cancelled.

The seller would not receive their fvf back.

The seller would not be able to leave an unpaid item request because there had already been a cancellation request...only one per transaction. An unpaid item and a mutual can not be opened for the same transaction.

That said: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think a buyer is even able to leave FB for items unless they've been paid for or refunded.

Unless something has recently changed, that's incorrect. If a buyer receives an unpaid item strike, feedback will be removed. If a case such as an inr or snad is opened and the seller wins, the buyer cannot leave feedback. But as far as I know, in any other situation the buyer can leave feedback.

[i*m-still-here]

Thanks.......... I couldn't quite get an understanding of that.

So, then, if a buyer refuses the request to cancel and does not pay, then the seller cannot open an unpaid item case?

I have always refused the request to cancel because IMO these sellers do not deserve to recover FVFs, but I've never been quite sure of the procedure.

I'm pretty sure that a buyer cannot leave FB regardless of what went before unless and until an item been paid for.

At least I can't.

Really, these sellers who are increasing shipping costs after the sale really have nothing to lose other than FVFs........ and that isn't always the case either.

They are also pretty quick to hit the "Report a Buyer" button, and ebay puts very little thought into how they deal with those issues.

To me it looks like they just send those warnings out by rote.