I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1997. It used to be that when a person didn't send the money for something they won, they risked receiving Negative Feedback.
Now eBay has it so the seller cannot leave a non-buyer Negative Feedback if they stiff the payment. Ebay still charges the seller the commission for the sale. You then have to go through a tedious process to prove you were not paid. Ebay was requiring 30 days to pass before they would help which can seem like an eternity. With eBay being connected to PayPal as the primary payment source, you usually know you got stiffed if payment doesn't come within a couple of days and the buyer ignores your emails.
I'm getting tired of non payers and I don't understand the rational of these people who are doing this unless it is just to prevent someone else from getting the high bid. Below is what the seller now sees for leaving feedback to a buyer.
I have my selling set to report non paying buyers after 4 days. I think that can be shortened to 2 days now. Ebay allows another 4 days for the "buyer" to respond then takes "corrective" action. The process is automated on my end.
Once or twice, the buyer has contacted me and let me know they would need a couple more days. I have put them on my exempt list.
Hey Jerry, I bet the hair on the back of your neck stands up each time you drive past that pretty PayPal building in Omaha, heh? It makes me feel better if I give that building the old 1 finger salute when I drive by!
Their fees bother me... but I still keep buying/selling. Ebays charge is 9%, up to a max charge of $250. And PayPal skims off another 2.9% (including 2.9% on your shipping charge!). I don't think it costs Ebay any more to handle a $2,000 transaction than a $20 transaction - so why do they charge that much?
Because they can.
It sucks but thats life in the buying-selling on-line market!
I had to file one this week... just part of doing biz online... :-/
I've been stiffed a few times on buying merchandise that did not exist.
The process to get your money back takes nearly 6 weeks or more, even using paypal.
I remember when I started doing eBay, I don't think PayPal even existed yet. You could get payment any way you could, check, money order, even cash. Now if you list that you can receive payment by any means other than PayPal, eBay will promptly end your auction. Of course Ebay and PayPal are owned together.
Can't reach a real person at PayPal? Try this number: 402-935-2050
I also remember when I could sell WWII collectibles such as .50 caliber shells or casings. Now they are banned. They have banned a lot of stuff over the years EXCEPT SURVEY MARKERS!!!!!
If you are a buyer on Ebay
and you have been stiffed, promised a refund which never came through, etc. and you paid with PayPal, I hope you paid PP with an American Express card.
I have had three or four disputes over ten years and a couple of thousand transactions.
As soon as I began to file the dispute with Amex, they automatically picked up the transaction as "PayPal", directed me to a special page they have set up to deal with PP, and took over the case from PP, as in PP was "out of the loop" and that Amex and not PP rules, procedures, schedules, etc. would be followed.
That resulted in an immediate credit and not more than ten or twelve days later I got an email and a snail mail letter from Amex informing me that the case was now closed in my favor.
The last two times I didn't even bother with ebay or PP. I just went directly to Amex and it was all handled quickly and professionally.
If you are a buyer on Ebay
I agree except I use VISA.
I'm not exactly sure why but I have had the most difficult time with paypal.
Now they want me to send copies of utility bills etc to prove I am a person I guess.
The last problem I had I wasn't even aware until I had "purchased" an item. 100' of line for my sailboat. The purchase appeared to go through but then I started getting "pay for your item " emails from ebay. So I went to ebay and tried to pay. No luck. I wrote the seller and told them of my problem and offered to pay by credit card; No response.
Now I have a "failure to pay" on my otherwise perfect record.
PP sucks
If you are a buyer on Ebay
Good hint.
I tried to buy some Leica gear that, once delivered, turned out to be stolen.
(Leica has a list, and they won't give you a maint. contract on stolen equipment)
EBAY / Paypal dragged out the refund for 4 months. Lots of runaround & talking to people in faraway places with bad english.
Finally, I sent them notice that, since they had the police report and the money, obviously it was fraud on their part, and if I didn't have the money in 72 hours I would be swearing out arrest warrants for their officers and board of directors. Phone rang 20 minutes later, got my refund.
If you are a buyer on Ebay
> Good hint.
>
> I tried to buy some Leica gear that, once delivered, turned out to be stolen.
>
> (Leica has a list, and they won't give you a maint. contract on stolen equipment)
>
> EBAY / Paypal dragged out the refund for 4 months. Lots of runaround & talking to people in faraway places with bad english.
>
> Finally, I sent them notice that, since they had the police report and the money, obviously it was fraud on their part, and if I didn't have the money in 72 hours I would be swearing out arrest warrants for their officers and board of directors. Phone rang 20 minutes later, got my refund.
What I always recommend is forget the Civil stuff, go right for the criminal complaints if you want immediate action.
Been using that for years. I can't stand people who try to cheat me. They are Thieves and are therefore criminals and deserve to be treated as such.
B-)
If you are a buyer on Ebay
Figure they had the use of my $2100 for four months, wonder how much they made with it?
If you are a buyer on Ebay
> Figure they had the use of my $2100 for four months, wonder how much they made with it?
You didn't insist on Interest?
Incredulous!!!!
:-O
