eBay Trouble Update

[Peter Polack]

I apologize; I tried to search for my original post and the search engine couldn't find it.

The Cliff's Notes version:

I bought a used trainer on eBay. The seller shipped it uninsured with a tracking number. The Postal Service lost the trainer but sent the seller a cut out section of the box with the To/From address on it and suggested he file a claim.

I waited patiently but after enough time passed without U.S. Postal answering the seller's claim, I suggested to him that he consider issuing me a refund.

The seller's attitude seemed to be it wasn't his problem; he figured his responsibility ended when he dropped it off at the Post Office.

I thought I was screwed.

So, I invoked eBay's Buyer Protection Program. I had to "escalate" my claim (eBay's term and procedure) because the seller wasn't budging. This is sort of a last ditch process at resolving any problems with the seller.

Ebay sent me an e-mail within 24 hours of escalating my claim. Their e-mail said, " "We" issued you a full refund...", so that implies eBay paid me for the loss, right?

Well, in the Comments section of their findings they said their justification for finding in my favor was "(eBay) didn't receive valid tracking information from the seller." This sounds odd because I had a valid tracking number and was able to watch the package's progress until it was lost. Perhaps eBay meant the tracking number was invalid because it didn't show the package delivered?

So I said above that eBay claimed THEY issued me a refund. I assume the money came out of their pocket. When I checked my PayPal account, it shows the refund coming from THE SELLER.

My question is, did eBay pressure the seller to refund the money or did they pay out of their own pocket? What was their leverage?

[Jonathan]

Maybe the reason you couldn't find the thread in the archives is because it resides over at the paceline forum? I think thats where I saw it.

But to answer your question, eBay/PayPal will put a hold in funds in your acct and will send that to the buyer if they find against you.

[Cookietruck]

ebay is not gonna pay you themselves
they pulled the money from the sellers acct.

[Peter Polack]

Maybe the reason you couldn't find the thread in the archives is because it resides over at the paceline forum? I think thats where I saw it.

Thanks for the dope slap; I deserve it!

[andys]

USPS screws up at least 50% of the time. Only use UPS.

[PDAR]

Thanks for the dope slap; I deserve it!

Last week I walked into a PNC bank and tried to deposit a check earmarked for a TD bank, so don't beat yourself up.

[rabo]

I bought a $11000 truck off ebay recently, and did not receive the title. Ebay buyer protection (via their insurance company) paid the truck off and got me the title.
My mess up, but impressed with ebay buyer protection.

[thollandpe]

USPS screws up at least 50% of the time.

At least 73.6% of statistics are made up.

[Chris]

USPS screws up at least 50% of the time. Only use UPS.

That seems a little hyperbolic. I am amazed at the accuracy of the USPS considering the sheer amount of mail and the variety of types and sizes of packages that they move in a single day. I can't recall a single problem mailing any letter or package that I have ever sent.

[edoz]

I've had quite a few problems with receiving packages from USPS in the last year or so.

[-HvA-]

Ebay most likely pulled the money out of his bank account. Flip side of this: it's really easy to get ripped off as a seller nowadays on ebay. Ebay (like Visa, etc.) sells the commodity of apparent security when you make a purchase like this.

[Matthew Strongin]

I've had quite a few problems with receiving packages from USPS in the last year or so.

Same here. Some delivered to the wrong house. Some lost. And their claims process is useless. But at least the scads of coupons and junk mail make it on time every day.

Glad to hear eBay came through for the OP.

[doctor855]

Meh, they make it miserable for sellers that are trying to do the right thing.

[allezdude]

Ebay most likely pulled the money out of his bank account. Flip side of this: it's really easy to get ripped off as a seller nowadays on ebay. Ebay (like Visa, etc.) sells the commodity of apparent security when you make a purchase like this.

i've always wondered what would happen if the seller drained his paypal account and had no money in it, when ebay went to refund the buyer.

[-HvA-]

i've always wondered what would happen if the seller drained his paypal account and had no money in it, when ebay went to refund the buyer.

Yeah, I'm not sure either. I've heard of several instances where it's withdrawn from the account causing an overdraft, but I'm not sure what the limitations would be.

[doctor855]

It would be charged to your back up funding source. Be it a credit card, bank account, or whatever else there is out there.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Buyer protection is good, but seller protection is non-existent..

True story, because it happened to me. About 5 years a go i sold a 1998 BMW 740il on the ebay. I sold it for $7500, i had made contact with the seller and talked to him directly several times. He paid the entire amount via paypal, and also paid the amount of the fees.. He sent someone after the car, inspected it and drove away. He lived in Philadelphia, i live in tennessee. No biggie, i talked to him when he got the car and he was excited. 90 days or so later, there is $7500 taken out of my secondary account, the backup for paypal. He had made a claim that he was going to restore the car, and when he took the dash out there was some messed up wiring...

So now, i am out the car, the title, and the $7500. According to them, i misrepresented the car. This after about 4 months.

This turned into a 6 month nightmare, with ebay doing jack shit.

I bought a $11000 truck off ebay recently, and did not receive the title. Ebay buyer protection (via their insurance company) paid the truck off and got me the title.
My mess up, but impressed with ebay buyer protection.

[randonneur]

USPS screws up at least 50% of the time. Only use UPS.

Unless you're shipping from the US to Canada, in which case the reverse is true.

[houston]

I had sold my Cannondale to some bidder in California called Flight2fuk. Kind of funny name, I thought. They had thousands of positive reviews. They had over 1000 purchases on random things that day alone. I googled them and they are a freight forwarding operation that bids on behalf of Japanese buyers and forwards the goods on to Fukushima and inspects distributes the goods to the buyers. Once the package gets out of the US, my insurance is void and there are hundreds of people who get the money automatically withdrawn from their paypal account because a package gets damaged or the item is not as described. At the end of the day, a seller will be out his item and his money. Ebay and Ebay of Japan made this arrangement and will not help the buyer when their racket screws us over. I cancelled the sale.

Ebay is a great place to buy stuff. Buyers can get whatever they want from the seller. You could buy a bike, ride it for 90 days and get your money back because it was "not as described". They are dead to me.

[the bottle ride]

This thread is really scaring me- I think I may be done as a seller.
I have had a few whacky things happen but generally it has been positive.

But the way eBay protects only the buyer really makes me re-think eBay altogether... And I have been a long time user: I have close to 2000 positive feedbacks from over the years.

Once I get through this years spring cleaning I may shut er down