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Deception the Sequel: ebay

Started by SawyerBrown, December 31, 2013, 12:04:24 PM

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SawyerBrown

Just learned some things about ebay that I didn't know ...

I had a woodworking machine for sale, thought I had it sold, buyer would not respond to the invoice, e-mails, etc etc.  A "case" was opened ... and then closed.  So here's what I DIDN'T know:

1) You cannot leave feedback on a buyer after a case is closed.

2) You cannot leave negative feedback on a buyer anyway.  ebay won't allow it.  So all those nice reviews you see are only the positive feedback.  (Gosh, that's helpful.)  When I called and tried to convince the nice lady from ebay that that made no sense, she said, "Well, I see your point ...."  I'll bet.

3) You're charged for any listing fees even if the (their!) buyer reneges.

4) From every appearance, my deadbeat buyer is still in excellent standing and has every right to bid on other items on ebay.  Apparently they have registered a "strike" against him/her, and after 3 strikes they take some kind of action, but the fact that he reneged on me is completely hidden from other unsuspecting sellers.

All I can say is, it's hard to believe anything you see any more.

Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Peter Drouin

My dad said never believe what you hear and only 1/2 of what you see  :D :D :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

SawyerBrown

Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

wolf nemeth

Welcome to Ebay!   About  8 years ago  somebody somehow stole my Ebay info and started selling  (apparently) counterfeit tickets to Ohio State football games.  I still have no idea how all this works, but eventually Ebay wrote to me to tell me that I was banned from their site.  No conversation, no appeal, no recourse And I don't even give a  flip about  OSU......
If you  don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else!

clww

As a seller you have the ability to reject any bids from an eBay user with any negative feedback. Actually, you can reject bids from anyone at your discretion.
eBay changed their feedback policy about six years ago.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

SawyerBrown

Quote from: clww on December 31, 2013, 01:45:24 PM
As a seller you have the ability to reject any bids from an eBay user with any negative feedback. Actually, you can reject bids from anyone at your discretion.
eBay changed their feedback policy about six years ago.

What negative feedback??  It's not allowed!  That was my point ...
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

clww

Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

Windy_Acres

For a decade, I was a heavy ebay seller (starting in 1998), Power Seller, 100% feedback, DSR of 4.9 and so on. About 10 thousand transactions.

Then Meg Whitman left ebay, some slick cat took the wheel and decided on a new business model, and subsequently ran off most of the small time sellers like myself, for a myriad of reasons, this being one of them (not being able to leave neutral or negative feedback, not that it ever really mattered).

Then there was the BS that ebay claimed it was nothing more than an medium for exchange (controlled by the SS !, they left that part out). I lost track of how many seller based class action law suits came and went.

Its really a shame, not from my lost potential profits (and buildings full of inventory), but from the stand point, that so many obscure nick nacks are no longer available, because guys like me rolled it up, and have not since found a place to peddle our wares.

Im still sitting on 10s of thousands of NOS GM, Ford, and Jeep parts dating to the 1940s. There are guys actively looking for what Im sitting on, but Ive yet to find a replacement market place that I find palatable to exchange on. I formerly took flight in late 2009 or when ever the last major restructure took place. Prior to that, I really started slowing down around 2007. I dont remember the time line, but the final straw for me, was charging commission on the cost of shipping. That is where I decided I had enough.

If you look at their "numbers" as a company, they are doing better, they are on a comeback, their plan is working (with the big sellers they are making more money as a company, probably with allot less hassles) but its turning into another Amazon, which IIRC was their plan, with him at the wheel, BTW, his salary, $29M.

http://www.geekwire.com/2013/ebays-amazing-turnaround-ceo-john-donahoe-amazon-boxes-offices/

Ive also been a heavy buyer, and noticed the good deals on the eclectic stuff I regularly acquired has just gone "missing", that is, Im left to assume Im not the only one that has flaked out.

I did trip over a website, powersellersunite, where mostly sellers talk about where to take their "business". Pretty much an anti fleaba theme there. Long story short, there is no alternative for sellers. At least not yet anyway.

SwampDonkey

I sold an item there once and only once. By the time they took all the fees out I gave the item away pretty much. That was enough of that sham for me. That was about 8 years ago. I don't want anything to do with the place.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

acrosteve

As has been mentioned, ebay transformed into a much more buyer friendly place, making it very difficult for sellers to have a fair shake.

I think it is crazy that the feedback system was so bastardized.  It's like, what's the point?

That being said, I still plan to sell in the future, because i think it is going to be hard to find the same level of exposure you get on ebay.
Timberking B-20

Papa1stuff

Windy ,have you looked at Amazon?
1987 PB Grader with forks added to bucket
2--2008 455 Rancher Husky
WM CBN Sharpener & Setter

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: Peter Drouin on December 31, 2013, 12:14:11 PM
My dad said never believe what you hear and only 1/2 of what you see  :D :D :D :D

Old Saying.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Windy_Acres

Quote from: Papa1stuff on December 31, 2013, 08:03:31 PM
Windy ,have you looked at Amazon?

yes, I did, I actually signed up and tried to sell, but everything I have, is not in their catalog, and at the time, I could not even post a pic with my listing (so none of my listings had pics), and in 3 months, I dont think I sold more than a handful off parts or tools. Ive not looked at it since (around 2009 when I flaked out from fleabay). Thanks for mentioning it.

Are they starting to take on small sellers ? When I tried it, it was geared for folks selling new stuff that was in their "catalog" of known entities. Which I didnt understand, if you and 7 other people are selling the same exact widget, and Amazon is the cheapest, most likely with free shipping through Amazon, whats the point of being there ?

My stuff is different, 75% of my stuff or more, Im the only one on ebay with that part when I list it (because its all Old OE NOS), but for the life of me, I dont understand why there are so many sellers on Amazon with the same thing, but the prices are all over, and Amazon almost always is the cheapest. Not sure I understand that business model ? It takes time to do the listings, seems like a great waste of time.

Im hoping something picks up some steam here soon.

SwampDonkey

Etsy is another place people sell stuff. What about craig's list. Up here in Canada we have Kijiji, everything and their dog are sold there. It's actually set up by province and city.

People sell old non copyrighted books on Amazon. Usually I can download them free off archives.org. In fact I have found any I wanted right on the archives site.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

mad murdock

I hear you about (fl)E(a)Bay!  My wife sold mostly, and bought (some)'on the'bay from 1999-early 2000's. Quite a bit of stuff really, but she stopped for similar reasons like you stated. We have since used craigslist to both buy and sell, much better, an zero fees!! Only bad thing of guys like you with lots to offer for sale, is the short term of each classified. It would be a full time job keeping track of each classified and relisting items for sale.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

SawyerBrown

I thought I liked ebay because of the auction style, and the fact that you could set some minimum price you wanted to get for something, but it could go much higher.  With Craigslist, etc, you just set a price and then that's what you get, it may or may not be what you could have gotten for it if somebody really wants it.  But I just don't trust them any more, they are certainly not seller-friendly.
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Windy_Acres

The logistical model for craigs, is dealing locally. 99% of what Ive got to sell will fit in a medium flat rate box, and chances of me finding a local buyer, is really remote.

Think saw parts if you want. Ive got 90cc Dolmar, if I wanted to part it out, what are the chances of anyone in driving distances needing a part. Not very good, especially here in the land of corn and beans (not forests !).

I use Craigs for stuff I dont want to ship (usually because of size), otherwise, most of what Id like to pedal is a bust on Craigs. As evidenced by my past sales on Feabay, more than half of what I sold would go to the west coast alone, and in a year, maybe a couple items would be in driving distance, and I can recall a handful of parts in a decade being picked up, instead of mailed.

Ebay was the bomb for a number of years and they slowly but surely killed it for allot of us. Back when things where moving, I averaged 50 items a week, sold. It was almost a full time job to list, pack, and ship. I kept about 100 items for bid/sale, and nothing more, because if I went past that point, I could not get it shipped as fast as it sold.

ancjr

I sold 2 cars on ebay.  One, I broke even on.  A kid bought it as a project for him and his dad to work on together.  I didn't feel so bad about that sale.  The other was a complete fiasco.  Ended up having a deadbeat buyer who posted baseless negative feedback and being billed by ebay for a very sizable listing fee, due to them basing the fee off the deadbeat buyer's bid.  Then, several months after parting ways with ebay, the "buyer" called demanding I deliver the vehicle to him.  I guess he figured after all that, I'd just give him the car, free, and deliver it to boot.

SPIKER

I USED to buy a good bit on EVIL-BAY & thru the late 90's I bought a lot but never tried selling.   I always had very good results buying and only after they changed a lot of their rules did I and my woman BOTH get JUNK that was advertised as NEW or totally WRONG (scam) sellers.

I bought and paid 2/3 price for what was supposed to be automatic (temperature controlled) mixing valve and (*&$ looser sent me a simple 3 way valve that NEW at the store was only 20 something bucks.   EVIL_BAY would NOT even let me contend it (the guy had removed my $ from his account so I was stuck and out the $.)   

About 2 weeks prior (I was building a new PC for the woman) and bought a Pentium Processor (listed as NEW Pentium 3) what arrived was a Pentium 1 75mhz  >:( >:( >:(   Yep same thing, guy pulled the $ and she was stuck with a 90 buck CPU that had bent pins and was totally wrong for the MB EVIL-BAY didn't even let me leave negative comments against the sellers in both cases.

I made a few more buys with OK results but took 4 tries to get s GOOD (non broken) Ceramic Ignitor for my turbo heater.  I think that was one of the LAST things I bought there, I been buying from Amazon now for a year or so with good results so far...

It sure is hard to justify a lot of the issues that EVIL BAY has been experiencing for over 10 years the scammers and thieves seem to run the place now.   

I have BOUGHT off CL but have had very little success selling thru them, 20 or 50 scam spam phishing emails to every real seller/buyer.   I bought 6 or so cars and sold ONE but took listing it for a year and have had other cars on there for a year or more as most just lowball offers and phishing for active emails.   NEVER contact these people directly always go thru the CL email otherwise you will be spam bombed..   I also use a spam account I can walk away from if it gets hacked.

Mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

beenthere

QuoteThink saw parts if you want. Ive got 90cc Dolmar, if I wanted to part it out, what are the chances of anyone in driving distances needing a part. Not very good, especially here in the land of corn and beans (not forests !).

Windy
Sounds like a website for you might be good for your business.
Jeff is good with putting them together when he has time.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Windy_Acres

Quote from: beenthere on January 01, 2014, 04:52:25 PM
QuoteThink saw parts if you want. Ive got 90cc Dolmar, if I wanted to part it out, what are the chances of anyone in driving distances needing a part. Not very good, especially here in the land of corn and beans (not forests !).

Windy
Sounds like a website for you might be good for your business.
Jeff is good with putting them together when he has time.


Thanks for mentioning that, its not really a business, it was just a part time hobby. Im thinking of having a physical auction at some point and letting someone else play with it. Ive already done that with all my M38 Jeep stuff, put in lots and auctioned it off. Im not sure I even broke even (it came out of a large purchase that there was no way to break out how much any of it was), but I was able to unload 300sqft of space that was racked to the ceiling.

At this point, the stuff is just taking up usable space. The sad part is, guys restoring old cars are looking for these parts, little if any of what I have its "re-popped". I look at it this way, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Jim_Rogers

Call up Danielle at antique archaeology and see if she can get Mike and Frank to come over and buy up some of your stuff.

They just may do that and you'll get rid of a lot of stuff.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Windy_Acres

Quote from: Jim_Rogers on January 01, 2014, 07:45:16 PM
Call up Danielle at antique archaeology and see if she can get Mike and Frank to come over and buy up some of your stuff.

They just may do that and you'll get rid of a lot of stuff.

Jim Rogers

I dont think Im 2hrs from their Iowa place. Last year, I was on I74, going around Bloomington, IL, and Mike sped past me, in the lettered sprinter van. I actually saw him coming up in my review mirror, I said to myself, Il be ... if that aint Mike coming up behind me. He was running solo.

On another forum, I hang out on, the subject topic is welding and fabricating one of the active members was found out by their production company (horder of collectible stuff), and he was on an episode this summer (it was called the "Louisiana Purchase"). It was a thread on the forum, it was interesting to hear the backside of it, compared to what you see on the show.

I really would not want to be on TV, and being they are pickers, they would want to pick, Id want to sell, everything. Cant pick the cherries off the top, makes moving the rest that much harder. That and it really takes a car guy to peddle this stuff. You need to know what it is to sell it.

Ljohnsaw

I used to sell a lot on eBay and didn't like when they changed the fees (fee on shipping) and removed the negative feedback for buyers option.  I would pick up old fishing stuff and old toys locally to sell.  I would also buy LARGE lots of stuff off eBay and re-sell in smaller lots.  I've made several thousand dollars in a few years but now it is just too much trouble.  I agree that there are soooo many bad sellers now.  I set up automatic non-paying bidder strike that would go out after 4 days.  I didn't have to do anything.  Sad thing was most of them were deadbeats so I never got paid, but my fees were reimbursed.  I would block sellers that were bad in the past.  Sometimes I'd get a real psycho buyer - their threats and claims were so bizarre!  I usually do well around Christmas time (starting before Thanksgiving) selling vintage toys but lacked the enthusiasm these last 3 or 4 years now.

I tried Amazon and it was totally a waste of time.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

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