How to play ebay?

[maxandgeorgia]

How neat to actually see your successes with ebay play! I'm still lurking and watching. Don't know WHAT I'll do if my little silver or Argosy baby does appear on ebay and I just know it's mine. . .but. . .maybe I just have to stop this addictive checking to see what's up for bidding! If I never know it's up for bid, I'll never know I missed it. But, that's no fun. . .ARGH!

[fwiz]

I purchased a palm-pilot from a seller (paid for it via paypal 5 min after winning)
and waited three weeks for the guy to contact me. He never answered emails. I finally got ahold of him on the phone. He told me a story of how the outgoing shipment must have got lost in the mail. Then followed that up with telling me he's got another unit he will send me with no sync cradle or charger for a 30 dollar cash refund included in the box. I was desperate to get that exact model for technical reasons so I reluctantly agreed. he waited another week to send it.
When it came time for feedback, I told the short factual truth about the experience.
The seller was practically indescribable in his overblown negative feedback about me.
Its been 3 months. I figure that I should just start a new account.
What would you do?

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

Don't know WHAT I'll do if my little silver or Argosy baby does appear on ebay and I just know it's mine. . .but. . .maybe I just have to stop this addictive checking to see what's up for bidding! . .ARGH!

Have you checked www.rvtraderonline.com? (If you're searching for airstreams, limit your years or you'll get more than 200, most of them new ones. If you want an Argosy, enter that as a separate choice, there are rarely more than 2 or 3 at a time. AND they always tell you where they are located.) What about the classifieds in Airstreamer on www.airstream.com?

Overall more information, lotsa choices - and some duplication with eBay.

Tin Lizzie

Got my tags & title, now pray for a warm temperatures!

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by fwiz

I purchased a palm-pilot from a seller (paid for it via paypal 5 min after winning)
and waited three weeks for the guy to contact me. He never answered emails. I finally got ahold of him on the phone. He told me a story of how the outgoing shipment must have got lost in the mail. Then followed that up with telling me he's got another unit he will send me with no sync cradle or charger for a 30 dollar cash refund included in the box. I was desperate to get that exact model for technical reasons so I reluctantly agreed. he waited another week to send it.
When it came time for feedback, I told the short factual truth about the experience.
The seller was practically indescribable in his overblown negative feedback about me.
Its been 3 months. I figure that I should just start a new account.
What would you do?

Explain what happened to eBay and you can get them to take it off your account. We've had this happen before as well, and eBay has been good about fixing it so we can keep our reputation clean.

Stephanie, It's my understanding that the only way negative feedback can be removed is by mutual agreemrent between the persons involved in the transaction. Then, the orginal comments remain, it's just stated that for what ever reason they've agreed to withdraw the comments. eBay will not remove negitive feedback and even if you close your account and reopen it, it remains with you.I now have 470 positive feedbacks and one negitive. That one negitive is from a member that gave me negitive because I gave him negitive for not paying for a winning bid. It remains on your record FOREVER.As a matter of fact ebay states that the only resons that THEY would remove feedback is if:A court would demand it, it contained vulgar language or it contained personal contact information, and then it's not an easy process.

[sfixx]

Originally Posted by fwiz

... I told the short factual truth about the experience.
The seller was practically indescribable in his overblown negative feedback about me.
Its been 3 months. I figure that I should just start a new account.
What would you do?

What a shame that happened but don't forget that you can respond on your feedback page to his negative feedback. Usually people like that have at least a few negatives so your response is more believable. Write something thoughtful and resonable sounding.

Also, you can negotiate with him to have the feedback removed (through ebay). Did you give him a negative too and that's why he's so upset? Also, it's my belief that sellers should give feedback after receiving payment because the buyer has completed their obligation. Never give feedback first when you are a buyer. I've avoided giving negative or neutral feedback just to keep from getting the "retaliation feedback". You simply have to consider the consequences of giving a "neg". If you can't leave anything nice don't leave anything...but I've never been really screwed so far.

If your buyer was telling the truth he actually did you a huge favor by replacing the item. It sounds like the shipment maybe wasn't insured. That's always a good idea and it proves that it actually got shipped too.

If you have dozens of feedbacks it might be worth keeping 1 neg. Most people understand a good ebayer can get smacked by a rouge neg.

Best of luck,

Steve

[Stefrobrts]

Definitly reply to the feedback and defend yourself. I'd still contact eBay and explain the situation and see if they would work with you and the seller to get it fixed somehow.

I believe the feedback we got removed was from a buyer who had been subsequently kicked off. So maybe that makes a difference. We have a policy of not giving negative feedback, because it tends to get you the same back, which is unfair to the innocent party. We tend to give neutral feedback at the worst, as do a lot of people. So be sure and check the actual feedback comments to see if there are a lot of neutrals and read them before bidding.

We have an over 2000/100% rating on ebay. We will go far out of our way to make our customers happy, because eBay is a big part of our business.

[redeagle313]

Originally Posted by fwiz

I purchased a palm-pilot from a seller (paid for it via paypal 5 min after winning)
and waited three weeks for the guy to contact me. He never answered emails. I finally got ahold of him on the phone. He told me a story of how the outgoing shipment must have got lost in the mail. Then followed that up with telling me he's got another unit he will send me with no sync cradle or charger for a 30 dollar cash refund included in the box. I was desperate to get that exact model for technical reasons so I reluctantly agreed. he waited another week to send it.
When it came time for feedback, I told the short factual truth about the experience.
The seller was practically indescribable in his overblown negative feedback about me.
Its been 3 months. I figure that I should just start a new account.
What would you do?

You should respond to the negative feedback with the truth and expose them for the dishonest jerk that they are. You can also contact Ebay about their dishonesty. Obviously, they was offering an item for sale that they did not have, but that they thought they could obtain quickly for a lesser price. There are many people out there who are buying items from wholesalers and reselling them, on Ebay, but sometimes the item runs out prior to their auction listing ending. Always check the seller's history before bidding, I saw a similar situation's feedback from a buyer who had waited weeks for partial shipment of an item, then when he gave negative feedback he was flamed for it. The seller then posted the same item for sale again (book and cd set). When I inquired of the seller if shipment would be within 24 hours of payment, I received no response. I later looked on Amazon, the book and cd set was availabe for $25 less than this person's Buy-It-Now price. He was offering the item on Ebay and he did NOT have it, much like your seller. I PM'ed the previously flamed-buyer, and he contacted Ebay, who eventually removed the feedback from the bogus seller.

If these things go unreported, they will continue to grow.

[LLB21]

I think that after you post feedback EBay will not let you correct it if the other person posts negative feedback about you. Doesn't seem fair to not be able to respond.

[flamingo-kid1]

Originally Posted by LLB21

I think that after you post feedback EBay will not let you correct it if the other person posts negative feedback about you. Doesn't seem fair to not be able to respond.

I have 3536 feedbacks on Ebay, all positive. I have 4250 total.. they keep two scores.

We bought a WRECK of an Airstream several years ago,a nd was able to fight it out witht heguy who misrepresented himself, as well as get my deposit bback through my credit card. What a NIGHTMARE.

It worked out perfectly well, however, because a few weeks later, Luna came up for sale. I woud have been SICK if we'd gone ahead and bought the wreck, and THEN saw Luna.

So, Georgia, bottom line, GO LOOK before you bid! Inconvenient, but a necessary evil.

We are so lucky to have this forum. Someone in the vicinity of the unit you're looking at will go eyeball it for you, if it's far from where you are!

If we had been active on the forum back when, someone would have told us her belly is ripped, stuff is hanging out, and her bathroom is hanging on the ground. Poor old girl.. it was a beautiful unit once upon a time.

[moogie32]

This is sort of off the subject but I'm just wondering if the mint condition Bargman 99 lens someone is selling on Ebay is worth the 28 dollar entry bid or even the 35 dollar "buy it now" price? Comes with gasket and screws too. I really could use one as one of mine is faded and this is one of the tiered ones (wedding cake?)types. I already have a bid going on a doorlock set so I shouldn't even be looking but you know how Ebay is....BTW, Has anyone seen that really nice original Safari up for bid now? I'm trying to remember the year - I think it's a '65...

[redeagle313]

Originally Posted by LLB21

I think that after you post feedback EBay will not let you correct it if the other person posts negative feedback about you. Doesn't seem fair to not be able to respond.

If you go through the Square Trading forum, and if you can demonstrate to EBay that their has been misrepresentation by a buyer or seller, they will sometimes remove negative feedback from the retaliatory buyer/seller from your profile.

You are correct, that you cannot alter someone else's feedback.

[TomW]

I went on Ebay last week in search of a Shop Manual for a non-Airstream project. Although I had envisioned a used, greasy manual, the only choice I was presented with was the manual on CD, "Adobe Acrobat" required. Fine. Don't ya just love the information age.

Buy it now for a couple of bucks plus $12.95 shipping was my first clue that something was not quite right. But, deciding to gamble, I went for it since all the shop manual offerings were similarly priced.

The CD came in today. One look at the home made label on it told me it had obviously been pirated. Scanning the "readme" file, I found the following:

To obtain password for this software...

Leave positive feedback that gives me proof you have received
the manual and e-mail foxmoto951@wowway.com
with your user ID and the password will be sent within 24 hours

If you do not with to leave positive feedback... return it
back to me for a refund of the purchase price less s&h & eBay/paypal fee's

This program requires Adobe Acrobat Reader...

You can get it for free at www.adobe.com

So even though I paid for the manual, unless I provided positive feedback, I was going to be unable to use what I had purchased.

Since I was not in the mood to fall on my sword for 15 bucks or so, I provided a positive feedback checkmark, and quoted the message above in the required comments section. My password arrived shortly thereafter.

Since I have what I need, I will move on. I do, however, feel a responsiblility to forewarn my friends. So I started here.

Tom

[driftwood]

Seems to me that was a form of Blackmail & or misrepresentation, therefore Fraud and should be reported to the Ebay fraud department.

If he used the U.S. Mail = Federal Offense. I'd burn him!

[balrgn]

Man that sux!

Who did you get it from???

[summerkid]

I've bought half-a-dozen things on eBay with mostly lackadaisical responses & mediocre items. But should I leave feedback after being charged $25 to specially ship a wedding gown? Special shipping meant "roll it up in a ball & see if it will fit in this cardboard box." Do I ding the seller for shoddy customer service?

I recently bought a stained-glass piece that I was confident had been made overseas but it looked lovely. When it arrived you could see that one side had been assembled wrong, so that the piece measured 24" high on one side but 26 1/2" high on the other. i didn't want to bother to send it back & we found a spot to hang it where you see the beauty rather than the hunchback. But I know damn well the seller knew about the mismatch. Do I ding him?

Another piece that was supposed to be stained glass turned out to be cut glass rattling around in metal channels. There's a difference. I also wasn't going to trouble myself to return a $95 tchotchke, so it found a pretty place where it won't get rattled. Do I post negative feedback because it wasn't actually stained glass?

And then there was the made-in-China glass firescreen that arrived with hinges all at the same place on each piece, butting rather than locking together. After arguing with the seller for awhile, I paid $25 for my local stained-glass guy to resolder it, and that is where I'll be going from now on.

Meanwhile, I have 0 feedback, because I'm afraid to pipe up when items seem substandard, but without any positive feedback, I'd look like a loser right off the bat.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by summerkid

I've bought half-a-dozen things on eBay with mostly lackadaisical responses & mediocre items. But should I leave feedback after being charged $25 to specially ship a wedding gown? Special shipping meant "roll it up in a ball & see if it will fit in this cardboard box." Do I ding the seller for shoddy customer service?

I recently bought a stained-glass piece that I was confident had been made overseas but it looked lovely. When it arrived you could see that one side had been assembled wrong, so that the piece measured 24" high on one side but 26 1/2" high on the other. i didn't want to bother to send it back & we found a spot to hang it where you see the beauty rather than the hunchback. But I know damn well the seller knew about the mismatch. Do I ding him?

Another piece that was supposed to be stained glass turned out to be cut glass rattling around in metal channels. There's a difference. I also wasn't going to trouble myself to return a $95 tchotchke, so it found a pretty place where it won't get rattled. Do I post negative feedback because it wasn't actually stained glass?

And then there was the made-in-China glass firescreen that arrived with hinges all at the same place on each piece, butting rather than locking together. After arguing with the seller for awhile, I paid $25 for my local stained-glass guy to resolder it, and that is where I'll be going from now on.

Meanwhile, I have 0 feedback, because I'm afraid to pipe up when items seem substandard, but without any positive feedback, I'd look like a loser right off the bat.

There is a button marked "neutral" that you can use. It doesn't affect the other person's positive feedback, and lets others know there might be a problem. I have used it on a few occasions, the only time I used negative was when I had to wait 2.5 months without a response for an item. I posted negative, and got negative feedback also for posting negative. The other guy got booted off Ebay because of it, but the black mark remains.

[eljay]

Summerkid, I contact the seller and tell them that the item is not as described. I carefully spell out my concern with photos as possible. I request a refund and request to return the item. Anticipate that you will lose shipping costs to and from the seller.

If the seller does not respond, you have the option of filing a complaint with Ebay: http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/inr-snad-process.html

For the items you describe, I would use neutral feedback or not leave feedback at all. It is likely that your feedback will be tit for tat. However, I have posted neutral (item not received before they had the "not received policy") and received negative back from the seller. As a new user if you receive 2 negative feedbacks, giving you a -2 rating, Ebay will give you the boot.

As a seller, I make sure to accurately describe the item. I use the best photos possible in the ad. I include a statement that there will be no returns. I encourage bidders to ask questions before bidding. I answer every question asked even if the info is already in the ad.

You can't change feedback positive or negitive. eBay will not delete it from your profile . You can respond to it and and if two people involved in a deal left mutually negitive feedback for each other they can agree to retract it BUT the original stands. If you read the rules regarding feedback you'll see that ebay will only intevene in feedback that could result in a lawsuit and a few other very special circumstances. e Bay will not remove negitive feedback because you may think it unfair even if you could prove it. If you are in any way unhappy with a transaction you should always try and resolve it with the person involved. Once feedback is posted it's more than likely there forever and for all to see. Remember even if you delete it in cyber space it's never really gone.

[FireFighter]

alright everyone who is secretly watching my auction on ebay own up to it

I think it will be kind of fun to see how many forumn members are lurking!

ebay item number 4547560914