Buying on Ebay

[2manyrocks]

I don't use eBay much anymore. What I see is new items are generally cheaper and are delivered faster through Az. Selling through eBay with their fees and potential returns not worth hassle to me.

 

[JasperFrank]

Totally done with e-Bay. But that might just be my statistically unusual experiences.

 

[caver]

I have an older GPS with a screen failing that I just sold on ebay. USPS says incorrect address. I ask the guy and he's Spanish speaking. My package is being returned but taking forever. I checked our local PO yesterday and she said yeah returns take forever to find their way back home. UPS was same price when I shipped it but the post office was slightly closer. Lesson learned even though UPS isn't much better in my eyes I'll avoid USPS.

 

[Richard001]

I also have had a bad experience with a E-Bay purchase. Ordered an expensive electronic instrument and it never was delivered to my house.

Apparently after a lot of investigation by the local police and the USPS, it appears that a package with my purchase order number was delivered to an address in my city, not my address.

So USPS said "delivered" and E-Bay was happy. But I was not. I filed a claim with E-Bay for my money back. There was a lot of himm and hawwing, but in the end, I was out the money for the instrument.

Finally ordered the same instrument from Amazon for next day delivery. And it was delivered the next day.

Don't think I have ordered anything from E-Bay since. This happened about 1.5 years ago.

 

[WinterDeere]

That's a surprise. I've been doing business on ebay as both a buyer and seller, since about 1996, and have never been screwed on a deal.

Sure, I've received an item here or there that didn't meet expectations, but every time I've contacted the seller and we've worked something out, usually a return but sometimes a partial refund to make things right.

Likewise in reverse. I once sold an item as "good" that I hadn't realized was "bad". I just refunded the buyer the purchase price and let them keep the item (two pieces, one was good). Everyone was happy.

 

[dfkrug]

I've been doing business on ebay as both a buyer and seller, since about 1996, and have never been screwed on a deal.

In my long eBay history, I have built up an official deal count of over 1000, but it would be closer to 2000, since only about half have left feedback. Most are as a buyer.

In that mix, I sold one car, one tractor, one tow-behind digger, several chainsaws, etc. Bought one car, some tractor implements, chainsaws, etc. I buy something about 2-4x/mo.

Of that total, I had a guy send me some broken tool, which resulted in me giving him neg F/B, back when a seller could do that. I have had to go thru Paypal for a refund once. I shipped something that the USPS damaged. In that case, I gave the buyer a partial refund, and claimed my $50 damage from the USPS.

Overall, very very few problems in 2000 deals. Happy.

 

[DK35vince]

I've purchased hundreds of items on Ebay.
I think maybe twice I never received my item. Filed a complained with Ebay or Paypal and got a refund. No issues

 

[yomax4]

Seems that eBay and the USPS have both gone backward. I've had several recent items delivered to someone else and I never got them. As previously stated, USPS marks it delivered and eBay won't help after that. I now pay a little more on Amazon and get what I pay for.
Another common issue on eBay is the Chinese sellers stating that the item is US stock and you find out it's not. Then they change arrival dates 3-4 times and the product arrives 2 weeks late. If you want to send it back they tell you it has to go to China which costs 3x more. No more Chinese Sellers for me.

 

[California]

Another common issue on eBay is the Chinese sellers stating that the item is US stock and you find out it's not. Then they change arrival dates 3-4 times and the product arrives 2 weeks late. If you want to send it back they tell you it has to go to China which costs 3x more. No more Chinese Sellers for me.

That's the sort of seller you leave negative feedback for.

I posted that marking pens - like what junkyards use - arrived dry and then soaking the tip with solvent didn't bring out any pigment. In several messages I was offered free stuff if I would remove that feedback. My reply was nope, we need to warn the next potential customers.

But my strangest 'Chinese' slow delivery had a 'shipping label created' note from Phillipines after a month or so, then replies to my inquiries came from Hong Kong, and finally the item arrived via Thailand Post. WTH??? Obvious drop-shipping, the HK guy who listed it obviously never had possession of the item.