ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I just wanted to get my recent eBay ordeal off my chest as it's really wound me up! Needless to say it's probably something many Beoworld users have been through before and my wife tells me I'm stupid for still using eBay!
I will refrain from naming the eBay user involved (as much as I'd like to!) and apologies in advance for the length of my post!
Basically I've been slimming down the small collection I've built up over the past few years in order to fund the restoration of my Beolab 5000 by Frede, sad to see some bits go (the 70's BeoMaster 2000 for example) but will be worth it in the end.
One item I listed a few weeks ago was a rosewood Beogram 1200 that I'd had for many years but was't fully working. It was listed as parts/not working and was I was explicit about its condition and took many pictures and a video. I specified that I'd prefer the buyer to collect in person but would ship if needed (against my better judgement).
The auction ended and didn't hear from the winner or receive payment. Ok, I thought, they'll get in touch about arranging a convenient date for pick up. Nothing. Nada.
After a week I contacted them again only to be told (in a fairly impolite way) they would come and get it the following week but no day/time given. Again nothing for several days.
After a long weekend I contacted them again to tell them I had no choice but to mark it as an unpaid item if I didn't hear back as I'd already paid the final value fee. Again nothing so I opened an unpaid case against them - no surprise but they then paid up. I politely thanked them and confirmed the courier had been booked and the tracking code.
I packaged the turntable very well (as I'd like to receive it!). I removed the tonearm weight, the stylus/cartridge, the platter (which was wrapped in many layers of bubblewrap) and everything was then double boxed with more bubblewrap and those packing air-bags. Packaged pretty much perfectly.
Next thing I hear was that it had arrived and they complemented me on the packaging! however, they had a couple of issues - firstly they couldn't find the belt (I replied it was tucked in the chassis) and the tonearm rest had snapped off in transit - seemingly by the bubble wrapped platter (it must have been dropped out of a window for that to happen!).
OK we've all had items that have arrived slightly damaged and how deflating that is for both buyer and seller, so I behaved the way I would want to be treated and offered a full refund on return of the Beogram (and I was confident I could repair the sheared off arm rest) and would just swallow refunding the full amount.
Oddly they replied that they didn't want to return it but wanted a partial refund towards the cost of a repair. Hmmm I thought - non-paying bidder first, now wants money back but keep the item! I started feeling uneasy.
Becoming suspicious I replied I'd prefer to give a full refund on return of the Beogram (they had all the original packaging that they'd complimented me on anyway!).
Finally this morning I receive an unpleasant email from them saying now (after I'd insisted on a return) there were magically MORE problems with the turntable and they will return it packaged 'as best they can', saying how it was badly packaged initially (despite them complimenting me initially?!). All this and and they would be wanting compensating for the cost of returning the item AND a full refund.
This got my goat.
I called eBay and explained the situation. The representative looked over the item case and read through the communications and then told me that ultimately as the item was listed as 'parts or not working' that it wasn't liable to eBays money back guarantee so I didn't have to give a refund OR reimburse the return shipping cost. If the buyer opened a case against me then I could reject it and that was that - also eBay would remove any negative feedback. The rep added notes to my account to surmise our chat.
I've decided not to conduct any further communication with the buyer as I feel it will be both futile and just wind me up even more. If they open a case then so be it.
They've attempted to take me for a mug, having both the item AND part refund. I was honourable in my behaviour but when I didn't give them everything their own way I believe they then fabricated additional damage to strengthen their case and scam me.
Ultimately I will now be wary of eBay and certainly no longer ship ANYTHING.
Please be warned - since I joined eBay in 2001 it has fallen to the mercy of liars, cheats and unscrupulous people - the honest sellers and buyers are ripe for being shafted.
Sorry again for the length of the post but this incident has really aggrieved me!
Beovision 7 40 mk 5 ,beovision 6x3, beosound 3000, beogram 3300 , 2 x lc2, 2 x beocom 1401, beocom 6000 x 2, 5 x beo4,
, 4 x beolab 4's, form 2, h2, a2,a1 and a beolab 2 😀😀
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
I've only bought a few used collectable car brochures from the 1980s BUT last year I got ripped off when I bought a Blu_Ray disc of Flashdance from the 1980s. Despite the seller (in London) assuring me that it was genuine, it turned out to be a pirate disc. The seller would not refund my money as i'd opened the cellophane wrapping - of course, to check the disc.
I truly felt taken for a ride and being honest, i've never used Ebay since. I'd never buy a second hand product, so it's of not much use to me.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience - it seems it's both 'Caveat Emptor' and 'Caveat Vendor' when buying & selling on eBay...
Recently I bought a Beosound 3 on eBay in excellent condition, but without a power supply; it arrived as described, but I had to leave the country for eight weeks so had no chance to test it before I left.
On my return (surprise, surprise..) it didn't power up at all when I plugged in a new supply - completely dead. As this was now about 9 weeks after purchase there wasn't much I could do really, so I had to just put it down to experience. I don't know where to go with the Beosound 3 as it'll probably be uneconomical to repair, so I'll probably end up binning it - a waste of ~£150.
On the other hand I've had only really good experiences on Gumtree - generally nice people, a chance to test speakers etc. before buying, and also the odd bargain (e.g. mint Beolab 6000s for £150!) too.
One just has to be careful out there...
This sounds awfully familiar to many of us. I completely agree with Dave in saying that it isn't the place it used to be. It is also a much more difficult place for sellers than it is for buyers.
Ben
As a very heavily involved eBay seller, I can say that there are indeed some scumbags out there. The worst are the ones who we found were simply stealing a part to repair their faulty item and returning our item as 'faulty' with a swapped-out part inside.
We ended up taking the step of security marking screws and bolts, plus using the holographic 'void if removed' stickers. This seems to have stopped this practice on the whole, but if the world was a decent place we'd never have had to have done this...
There are some good people on eBay - but as usual it's the idiots who spoil it for the rest of us. I could spend the next day and a half ranting about the place, but until someone comes up with an alternative we're stuck with it. That said, when someone does come up with a credible alternative eBay will make him/her an offer that cannot be refused and we're back to square one.
Lee
Many years ago we sold a leather three piece suite on eBay for what, to the purchaser, was a bargain price.
Several months later we were contacted by the buyer who claimed hat the suite was in such poor condition that he had had to throw it away. He was going to leave negative feedback unless we gave a refund. After challenging his thrown away claim, he admitted that he still had the suite, but some expert had looked at it and thought that it had been stored outside (which it hadn't).
The outcome was that we agreed a partial refund rather than risk our 100% positive feedback. Since that event we have not risked sellimg anything on eBay. Many sellers will be more concerned about their feedback record than standing up to rogue buyers.
The alternatives to eBay do carry a high price though: a traditional auction house will not be interested in small low value goods unless they are bundled together, and all goods carry such a high commission of maybe 20% to both the buyer and seller, plus listing and other spurious add-on fees, that it is no wonder that eBay continues to be popular despite the risks and drawbacks.
Graham
vikinger:Several months later we were contacted by the buyer who claimed hat the suite was in such poor condition that he had had to throw it away. He was going to leave negative feedback unless we gave a refund. After challenging his thrown away claim, he admitted that he still had the suite, but some expert had looked at it and thought that it had been stored outside (which it hadn't).
Depending on how many months, they wouldn't be able to leave feedback anyway due to the cut off period for leaving feedback. I wouldn't have refunded them and made it clear why on a response to their feedback - if in fact they left some. If you only had their negative feedback out of your previous 100% record, sensible buyers would see that there was an issue with the buyer in that case when they checked the feedback - as any sensible buyer should do. You should have reported his blackmail threat to eBay and told them of his deception (told it was thrown away etc).
Dave.
Dave Farr: vikinger:Several months later we were contacted by the buyer who claimed hat the suite was in such poor condition that he had had to throw it away. He was going to leave negative feedback unless we gave a refund. After challenging his thrown away claim, he admitted that he still had the suite, but some expert had looked at it and thought that it had been stored outside (which it hadn't). Depending on how many months, they wouldn't be able to leave feedback anyway due to the cut off period for leaving feedback. I wouldn't have refunded them and made it clear why on a response to their feedback - if in fact they left some. If you only had their negative feedback out of your previous 100% record, sensible buyers would see that there was an issue with the buyer in that case when they checked the feedback - as any sensible buyer should do. You should have reported his blackmail threat to eBay and told them of his deception (told it was thrown away etc). Dave.
I am fairly certain that the rules at the time allowed feedback some time after the transaction, and the buyer in not leaving feedback at the outset knew what he was doing. He is no longer registered on eBay (or has changed his ID!)
vikinger:I am fairly certain that the rules at the time allowed feedback some time after the transaction, and the buyer in not leaving feedback at the outset knew what he was doing. He is no longer registered on eBay (or has changed his ID!) Graham
Shill bidding is the absolute worst... I've been outbid at the end of a few Beosound 9000 auctions, only for them to reappear a week or so later from the same seller. Most people are fairly shameless about this practice, it's so common now...
I used to work with a guy who used to sell cameras via eBay. He had all of his mates bidding on them for every auction just to push the price up! It used to make me so mad.
I've also seen so many auctions finish to a 'high bidder' only for them to immediately reappear. I've even questioned sellers about it and asking what happened to the original buyer - no response ever comes. Some people are just selfish and completely shameless.
Chris Townsend:eBay were meant to have a system that watched out for dodgy bidding. Patterns etc
Of course they have but so long as they receive the sellers fees etc, why would they be bothered? They don't give a hoot about their reputation as can be seen by the way they treat some people who have had problems. Some people have lost thousands of pounds due to scams and eBay always dodge out of any claims against them due to the smallprint and say it has to be taken up with the seller/buyer as eBay are just a conduit to get the two together. They take no responsibility.
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
eBay makes more profit on the seller fees if the item sells for more. A conflict of interest?
I've experienced this before as a seller too. It's the worst. You were lucky you sold it as parts/not working! Don't give them a cent.
Funnily enough, the only bad experience I've ever had as an eBay seller was when I sold a Master Control Panel 5500. I had been using it for over a year, so knew it was fully working and I wrapped it like a baby (as I always do wrap anything I ship).
Well the buyer complained that it arrived damaged and wasn't fully working, but he said he had no camera to send me photos of the damage and it then transpired that it he was using it with a Beomaster 7000 but before I could respond, he left me negative feedback.
Subsequently he agreed to remove the feedback if I gave him half his money back but I thought about it and then wrote him a long and polite email telling him exactly what I thought of him and explaining he would be getting no money back. I also responded to his feedback so people could publically see he was a chancer. My 100% rating dropped to 99.9% for a few months but eventually returned to 100% and his comment was soon lost in my feedback history.
MrRoast - one very important thing to do is to add this buyer to your blocked bidder list so he can't do this to you again!