eBay Trouble Update

[sparky33]

Accept US bidders only, payment only by PayPal, shipping cost stated in listing, post lots of pictures.

This tends to work well for me as a seller. I look for these similar qualities as a bidder.
I have used Ebay/Paypal protections/refund services with success.

It's not a perfect system, but it can work well.

[rphetteplace]

ill add ive had zero problems with the postal service.
i send a lot of stuff usp.

Much better than the pony express was when you used to work for it.

[BShow]

Is there anyway to ensure payment? Or should i just say no thanks.?

I don't believe that there is. In fact, I think any protection that you might have with a US sale goes right out the window with international buyers. I avoid international sales like the plague.

I've pretty much stopped using Ebay because it's too easy for somebody to file a claim with Ebay and Paypal. Both of whom immediately side with the buyer. Between the Ebay buyer protection and the paypal buyer protect, sellers are guilty until proven innocent - and even if you are proven completely innocent, good luck getting your money back. I've had a situation where the money was withdrawn from the buyer's account so they told me I was sol. fvck those guys.

[cody.wms]

I've pretty much stopped using Ebay because it's too easy for somebody to file a claim with Ebay and Paypal. Both of whom immediately side with the buyer. Between the Ebay buyer protection and the paypal buyer protect, sellers are guilty until proven innocent - and even if you are proven completely innocent, good luck getting your money back. I've had a situation where the money was withdrawn from the buyer's account so they told me I was sol. fvck those guys.

I won't sell anything on eBay now that I couldn't totally write off. There are way too many horror stories at this point. It doesn't really seem to matter how good of a job you do, if the seller says they aren't satisfied, they get their money back. eBay's stance seems to be "how do we know you REALLY sent that carefully photographed and described item? You could have sent anything!"

Buyers seem to demand more, too. I took a pair of shoes back because they "were two different sizes." Doesn't matter that they were tagged the same size, and measure out exactly the same. Yeah, I bet the buyer's feet are two different sizes, like most people, but if I don't accept a return it's negative feedback for me, even though I didn't do anything wrong (and don't accept returns, FWIW). It's not that big of a deal, since it was just the cost of shipping, but for the guy that sells a TAG with all the paperwork, who has to accept the return of who knows what watch because the buyer says it is "fake", then that's another story (didn't happen to me, but just one of the stories I've seen recently).

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a class action suit against them in the near future for how weak their "arbitration" process is.

[-HvA-]

Buyers seem to demand more, too. I took a pair of shoes back because they "were two different sizes." Doesn't matter that they were tagged the same size, and measure out exactly the same.

Argh, major pet peeve. I understand a lot of online retailers have "bend over backwards for the customer" return policies, but geeze, when assholes expect the same from me after already having provided a proper description and pics it's a bit too much.

[Mike Mcdermid]

I took a pair of shoes back because they "were two different sizes." Doesn't matter that they were tagged the same size, and measure out exactly the same. Yeah, I bet the buyer's feet are two different sizes, LIKE MOST PEOPLE,

I really was laughing outloud when I read the bit in bold,

bravo

[Jonathan]

One thing about this thread is that it feels somewhat better knowing that others have had similar extremely negative experiences selling things on eBay. It seems that one bad experience can be enough to make you really reevaluate how you sell. The only issue is that eBay is the only place that most people look these days.

I've had a negative experience or two. I had to learn to just think of it as a business transaction. It's either worth my time or not. The fees have gotten so high too, that I'd rather offer a better deal here and net out the same money.