Ebay memo

[Jma]

I've lodged a dispute. The vendor asked for photos, which I supplied. Now they've gone to ground and I'm just getting silence. I don't want the things, just want my money back, but I guess I'll be expected to pay for return shipping. The seller has mostly positive feedback, so I guess it's like the example above - they bribe people to accept a part refund in return for not negging them.

Asking for photos seems to be the latest trend when you get something that's nothing like you were expecting.
Last couple of times I've refused telling them I don't have a camera, and if they're willing to provide me with one I'll send them photos, no takers so far.
Get onto the Ebay's live chat & explain the situation, have the necessary link(s) etc. handy for when they ask.
They have been very good over the last couple of years helping me with similar issues to what you describe.
And every single time they've organised the refunding of my money without me having to send the garbage back.

[shred]

Thanks for that info, Jma.

Just after I posted, I received an email from them asking for me to elaborate on what the problem is and to send a video clip. I guess they intend to just keep messing me around and asking for more and more things until I give up. I'll try the live chat option and see how I go.

[Jma]

No probs.
I also believe that's their intention, stuff people around long enough hoping they'll give up.
With Ebay chat you're dealing directly with Ebay staff, makes things a whole lot easier.

EDIT: don't forget the mandatory bad rating

[peteramjet]

I don't want the things, just want my money back, but I guess I'll be expected to pay for return shipping.

The important part is that If an item is not as described it is the responsibility of the seller (not the buyer) to pay for the return postage costs.

Of the cheap stuff I buy through eBay (under A$15), I probably open a not as described dispute close to 75% of the time. In September all 3 ‘cheap’ things I purchased were disputed and I have been reimbursed.

Disputes are normally on the basis of things like the seller advertising a false battery life, incorrect operating range or that it operates a certain version of something (eg Bluetooth 4.2) only to have the item arrive and have the packaging/manual/product clearly state something different.

In all my cases the items have almost certainly been drop shipped from HK/CN/SG (despite being advertised as being in Australia). The sellers have never paid for any item to be returned, and I normally offer to return to item in person to their ‘Sydney’ address. Ironically my offer has never been accepted. I have kept all the items and have also been reimbursed the funds.

I normally include photos of the inconsistencies (which is normally clearly marked on the packaging or the manual) when I submit the dispute. Sometimes they claim the box or manual is old but the product is ‘updated’. I ask for a tech sheet or similar to validate their claim, and never hear back.

I don’t bother with feedback because the seller can easily get negative feedback removed it they refund, which they always do.

I don’t try this on with legitimate, properly advertised items clearly from Australia, or times where there is an obvious mistake in the advertising. But I’ll admit I do target (for use of a better word) the ‘dodgy’ sellers who make false claims about their products and location. I think if it as ‘scamming the scammers’.

[lsemmens]

I've been lucky, I Guess. I purchase 3 induction heaters recently, and 2 failed shortly after they were installed. They were cheap Chinese clones, so I was expecting that there might be some issues, but not after a couple of months. Anyway, I contacted supplier, and after a little back and forth (photos etc). They sent out two new ones and did not want the old ones back. SO I pulled them apart and found that, in one, the switch had died and the other had a dodgy cct board. So I now have spare parts for if another dies.

[shred]

They've offered me a $5 refund and I can very generously keep the useless knock-off devices they shipped. I've said I'll be happy with a full refund and they pay for return postage.

I wouldn't mind so much of the beacons they supplied were cheap, but I paid $12 each for two - that's the price you expect to pay for a quality brand name bluetooth ibeacon. The generic knock-offs that I was supplied with cost about $2 each. I'll see how this plays out, then open a chat session with eBay in the likely event that I don't get anywhere with the seller. Their technique seems to be to keep making you jump through more and more hoops until you give up.

[eeprommemory]

They've offered me a $5 refund and I can very generously keep the useless knock-off devices they shipped. I've said I'll be happy with a full refund and they pay for return postage.

I wouldn't mind so much of the beacons they supplied were cheap, but I paid $12 each for two - that's the price you expect to pay for a quality brand name bluetooth ibeacon. The generic knock-offs that I was supplied with cost about $2 each. I'll see how this plays out, then open a chat session with eBay in the likely event that I don't get anywhere with the seller. Their technique seems to be to keep making you jump through more and more hoops until you give up.

my seller played the $5 then $10 then $15 game i left him bad feedback and got FULL refund with please change your feedback.
i am starting to think china is going to implode soon because they are dumping as much junk on ebay as they can and hope no one notices.
fake stuff galore its a minefield.

[peteramjet]

I've said I'll be happy with a full refund and they pay for return postage.

Good work. A clear case of ‘item not as described’ by one of the many dodgy eBay sellers. You’ll get your funds back and likely get to keep the knockoff beacons.

[shred]

Thanks everyone for the advice in this thread. Here's how it played out.

Late yesterday (always 24 hours between replies), the seller offered a $10 refund on my $24 purchase.

I couldn't find an online chat function on eBay (it might not exist any more), so I clicked the button "Ask eBay to step in". I uploaded the main photo of the distinctive looking brand name product that was advertised (taken from the advertisement) and a photo of the cheap and nasty junk that I received. I added an explanation of the situation.

One (1) minute after I clicked Submit, I received notifications from eBay and PayPal that my money had been refunded in full. I guess the seller has someone who just deals with this stuff all day and they rolled over and processed the refund as soon as I submitted the request to have eBay step in.

[DB44]

EBay needs to be treated with great care. I've never lost any money on it, but over the years have had a number of disputes which have all been resolved favourably. I just had the pleasure of buying a new phone from an e-bay seller who claimed to have Australian stock. I am happy with my purchase. The phone arrived on the day promised in original sealed packaging and is working well. However, documentation with the packaging reveals that the product was in fact shipped from Hong Kong. The packaging had a label shipping directly from an address in Hong Kong to me. I contacted the seller a number of times during the transaction. Firstly, it had not shipped after a couple of days. Shortly after I complained about this i was given a Fastway tracking number, which had no tracking information for a number of days. When I complained about this tracking information appeared the next day, showing that the product had been picked up that day and was in transit. It was in fact delivered the next day, which was the original day promised. I am satisfied and got a reasonable deal, but of course the claim of Australian stock was simply rubbish. So much on e-bay is sourced in Asian countries, and many Asian sellers are quite simply dishonest by our standards. I'm told that there are some cultural issues involved, including a very different grasp of contract law in some countries. Unfortunately it is a good idea to treat all sellers from China, including Hong Kong, very carefully. Quite frankly for any item of more than trivial value I prefer if possible to pay a little more and buy locally. Having said that, there are many reliable sellers, whether by choice or necessity, and with prices in Australia the way they are there is significant money to be saved. Paying by way of Paypal, monitoring the transaction and complaining to the seller frequently if necessary, and of course escalating the matter to e-bay early rather that allow a bad seller to play for time should keep your money safe.