posted on July 4, 2013 06:54:51 PM new
If you have not heard of this website,you better pay attention now.
Recently a buyer bought a watch from me,then she complained it has hairline cracks,scratches and signs the monogram has been removed.
With 14 days return policy,I asked her to return the item,
I receive the item and emailed her immediately,there is no hairline crack,no scratches and no monogram removal,but the back of the watch is shut so tight like a clam no way can anyone open it.
This is not the condition when I sold and shipped her the watch,she admitted the back was open when she received it.
I want to work with her,so I said I will see my watch repair man the day after tomorrow.
She demanded her money now and said I should be able to open it,no need for repair man to do so.it is a piece of cake.
The next day she filed for ebay to get involved.
Ebay robot read the date the dialogue began and check the DC it has been delivered and immediately took money out of my paypal account and give it to her $309.95.
I called EBAY and waited a long time for a rep to speak to me,she said go see the repair man and tell us what he said,we will reimburse you for the repair or the whole amount,you are honest and we trust you,no need for a written testimonial from the watch man.
So yesterday I went to see the 2 watch men I dealt with and one saud the only way to open it is to use a hammer,the other tried and failed and refused to go any further.
So I called Ebay customer service and they transferred me to Ebay buyer protection (yes,buyer not seller protection) and I asked who gives them the right to dip into my paypal account and give her the 309.95?
The rep said because dialogue started on such a date and X number of days have past and DC showed it has been delivered?
BUT I AM WISE TO APPEAL SO GIVE ME 5 MINUTES TO GO THRU YOUR EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THIS BUYER AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
It was decided I will get my 309.95 back and keep the watch BUT FIRST I MUST GO TO IC3.GOV AND FILE A REPORT ON THIS buyer SO SOMEDAY IF THERE IS ENOUGH COMPLAINTS,THE LIKES OF FBI WILL GO AFTER HER.
She waited while I entered all the information and filed the report and then give her the report number ,then she said your money will show up in your paypal account in 72 hours.
I feel rather depressed,so I get the money and keep the useless watch and Ebay is asking me to file a govt report on the buyer while it does nothing .
She mumbles like it could be damaged by the post office,it could be this or it could be that,so why should I complain,I got my money and my watch?
Is Ebay that desperate to keep these buyers??to the tune of losing 309.95 dollars?
And what gives Ebay the right to dip into my paypal account and give her the money while we were still working on the case.
Ebay keeps carping it is just a venue,since when does the venue barge in and refund the buyer without consulting with the seller?
And Ebay lets these buyers get away and come down so harsh on the seller,14 days return,24 hours uploading DC,automated return,free shipping ,free return shipping and does not even have the balls to file a report on the govermnet site?
[ edited by lostmymojo on Jul 4, 2013 06:57 PM ]
[ edited by lostmymojo on Jul 4, 2013 07:01 PM ]
posted on July 6, 2013 10:46:41 AM new
This is nothing new. A few years ago, I had a buyer that switched out a brand new camera, sealed in the box. They had the same exact model.
They emailed me and said that the camera was defective. So, I told them to return it to me and I would replace it with another one. These were brand new, purchased on close out from Office Max, and I bought several of which the serial numbers were in sequential order.
The buyer didn't like that I offered an exchange, so they filed an INAD on the item and demanded I refund their money. eBay required them to return the item. The camera I received was not the same camera I sent. The shipping box they used was smaller than the box the camera came in and the original box, manual, and accessories were missing. When I opened the box, there was an older, beat up, greasy, scratched camera with a broken LCD on it. The serial number was attached to a plastic plate that is held on by screws. This was the only piece on the camera that looked new, except that the screws were scratched and the plate had cracked when they switched the serial number plates on the camera.
I called eBay, they told me to do the same thing. I filed an IC3 complaint, and I also did a police report that was forwarded to his town in California. eBay gave me a refund as well, but this buyer was allowed to continue to buy on eBay. They were also a seller that sold old car parts, hence the greasy, scratched up camera they returned.
The most bothersome thing in all of this was how eBay first tried to blame me for it. They said I shouldn't have used stock photos. These cameras were new and ironically, this was about a month after eBay started promoting their "stock photo" program that sellers could opt out if they didn't want their photos used for the program.
When I sold each camera, I did note the serial number in the notes section. eBay didn't care that I did everything right. They only cared about protecting their buyer.
My question is, by them covering these fraudulent buyers, aren't they just making themselves an accomplice to the crime by looking the other way?
[ edited by shagmidmod on Jul 6, 2013 10:47 AM ]
posted on July 6, 2013 10:51:27 AM new
Over the last 20-30 years crime has become so bad that the police no longer bother responding to theft. Budget cuts in municipalities, with population growth has made impossible for them to keep up.
Now, you file a police report online, then if you have insurance, you file a claim. This system is also ripe for fraud... but what do you expect when nobody wants to pay taxes for these services?
[ edited by shagmidmod on Jul 6, 2013 10:52 AM ]
posted on July 6, 2013 12:10:00 PM new
I do have insurance,but it covers the watch I shipped to her,it does not cover what she did to the watch after it arrived.
Ebay said money would be in my paypal account within 72 hours,so it should be any moment now?
I also have several cases where I shipped a small item overseas and buyer claimed it was damaged and want a full refund not a replacement,they are not expensive,it seems this is some sort of cheap thrills to get something free?
Shag,
I remember you told us about this Office Max camera but you did not mention IC3.GOV,this is the first time I heard of IC3.GOV and from the way I entered all the information,just her ebay Id ,I doubt any law enforcement person could find her or bother to find her.
