Ebay problems and feedback dilemna

[knifeaholic]

I buy a lot of knives on Ebay, and I am always careful to ask questions about every potential problem if the seller does not cover it in the description, like handle cracks, blade snap, etc. Yet at least half of the knives that I receive have handle cracks, even when the description clearly states "no cracks" or if I have covered it by asking a question and getting an answer from the seller.

Most sellers will refund on a mistake, but one has me particularyl in a boil. I bought a Case Tested green bone slim trapper, had the usual assurances, but when I got it there was a long and visible (without a glass) hairline along the front handle. Seller refuses to refund saying that there were no cracks when shipped (haha). The seller did a very poor packaging job (one thin layer of bubble wrap, then in a regular non padded envelope). I suppose its possible that it happned in transit, but I would still consider that the seller's fault.

I guess partially I wanted to vent, but I also wanted to ask everyone's advice about leaving negative feedback. I want to leave a negative for this seller, but my fear is that they will leave a negative just to retaliate for my negative. That would be unfair since the seller hs not been hurt by this transacation. I know that this will be a non-issue under the new rules, but this has already happened. Thoughts/advice appreciated.

[Blade Runner]

My thoughts....Posting his seller name on this forum and others may do more good than anything. Sorry to hear about your bad experience.
Regards
Gary

[Gunsmoke47]

You are exactly right. If you post a Neg, they will do the same just because they can. I am in a similar situation as we speak. My wife also uses my ebay account and she recieved an item that was totally NOT represented correctly. However, It was a $9.00 dollar item including shipping and I told her it wasn't worth a neg. It's a bad deal and it is the principal of the thing, but for nine bucks it is a lesson learned. The seller had a really bad feedback rating so part of it was her fault. (She never looks at things like that) A knife with some value is a different matter and I don't know what I would do. I know this doesn't help but it's all I can tell you. Good luck with whatever you do, Kelley

[justold52]

Here is what I found out Gunsmoke47 ,

The seller did a very poor packaging job (one thin layer of bubble wrap, then in a regular non padded envelope). I suppose its possible that it happened in transit, but I would still consider that the seller's fault.

Even with INS. from the Post Office the INSURANCE will only pay if the item was properly packed. If they feel it was not then the Post Office will not pay for damaged goods. All you can do then is go back to the seller.... In this case I am sure the INS. will never pay for damaged or lost goods packed like that. If the item was lost (came out)
Then the seller would get the money and you still have to get it the money from him. Again in this case the Post Office would not pay due to improperly packing.

If E-Bay wanted to help their customers they would have some kind of shipping packing rules, and not just more FEES... ALL THIS IS JIMO.

[jonet143]

make the complaint with ebay, the buyer usually wins.

[Paladin]

I tried to make a recovery thru the eBay system because of poor packaging that lead to the complete loss of the knife from a Priority envelope. It got caught up in the postal mail handling equipment because of the bulge in the envelope and the knife was ripped out and never recovered.
The eBay people shrugged it off and sent me packing, so I doubt there will be any help there.
I have tried to wait until the last possible minute to leave feedback in hopes that the other party would be unable to retaliate because it would be expired by the time they notice that neg feedback has been left for them. That doesn't work well because eBay drops feedback off at different times.
Most of the time I just suck it up and go on my way.
I'm not real sure how it will work under the 'changes' and I am not sure when they will go into effect. I believe that buyers will be the only ones able to leave feedback under the new system, so it might be well to wait and see about that.
Whichever, please let us know the name so we can beware.

Ray

[El Lobo]

knifeaholic,
Since you asked for opinions...here is my take, for what it's worth.

I visit sometimes when you sell, and I know your descriptions are honest, and right on the $$. Since you have a spotless feedback rating, it seems the timing is about as bad as can be regarding leaving a negative for the seller, right before the changes take place. I don't believe it's worth the probable retaliation, unless you now consider the knife a total loss to you.

I certainly don't advocate doing nothing a majoriity of the time...but this might be the time to take the high road. I might post some more details, like Gary mentioned, especially if the person moves a lot of product on eBay. JMO, of course.

Sorry about the bad deal.

Bill

[okbohn]

Let me post as a seller.

If you go through Paypal with your complaint, you will always win. We have never won a dispute--even ones where we were clearly being screwed.

In regards to packaging for shipping. We (us personally) take the approach that we promise to get the product to you in the condition stated. If it arrives broken or damaged in any way, we take care of the customer. With that policy, we do sometimes ship with minimalist packaging because --especially on lower priced items-- the amount we save in shipping costs and packaging materials and time makes the very few issues we do face worth it.

Those are my thoughts. I hate ebay and we are selling down our ebay inventory and then will not list any more. They have NO concern for sellers at all.

[WILLCHIS]

I HAD 100% FEEDBACK RATING ON EBAY I LEFT ONE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FOR AN ITEM THAT NEVER TURNED UP,THEY LEFT ME A NEGATIVE RATING AND 18 MONTHS LATER I AM STILL ONLY 99.7%

[orvet]

If E-Bay wanted to help their customers they would have some kind of shipping packing rules, and not just more FEES... ALL THIS IS JIMO.

You said a mouth full there Ken!
Perhaps if enough buyers complain about the issue ebay will require some type of standardization for shipping. Although on second thought I doubt it. It really doesn't make sense to ship a 99¢ item by Priority Mail & add another $5.00-$6.00 to the price.

There should be some sort of packaging standards set up appropriate to the item & the price. Just about anything a person buys in normal daily life can be purchased through ebay (with a few exceptions), and obviously the regulations would be extensive.

But I do see a need for some sort of minimum standard for packaging. I have received knifes shipped in plain unpadded letter envelopes. Amazing that it made it through the postal machinery! Of course the seller had charged $5.00 for shipping as well.

Dale

[Forensic Jim]

I have a 100% feedback rating, but was scammed by a seller who over charged me on an item that he claimed came with postage and insurance for $9.00. When the item arrived it was sent in an envelope for a couple of dollars and there clearly was no insurance provided as stated in his listing. I tried contacting him for days with no success. Finally I said the hell with it and left him negative feedback knowing full well that he would do the same. I also complained to eBay that what he was doing amounted to fraud. To me, it was a matter of principle and I could care less if he left the negative rating which he did do. He contacted me a couple of weeks later and apoligized and refunded my money and said that he would no longer operate like that with the overcharges. We both agreed to drop the negative feedbacks and now I'm back to 100%. To me, if someone is blatantly trying to screw with you, leaving negative feedback is not an issue. If your right, your right.

[Hukk]

Unfortunately to keep a list of bad sellers on a knife forum may be asking for litigation and defimation of charactor and so on, even if they deserve it.

This past December I sold 2 knives made by W. Cody to an eBay buyer and he sent me an email saying how disappointed he was, that the knives had rust and looked like they were taken apart. I asked him to send the knives back and I did not hear from him for a couple days. Then he was DEMANDING that I pay him to ship the knives to me. I told him again send the knives for me to look at prior to a refund. Then he acussed me of making a false ad and DEMANDED all of his costs back before he would send the knives back. Once again I sent my reply and called eBay. They were as incredulous as I and said I had set the terms of the auction and the buyer was refusing to comply. I heard from him once more and I told him to call eBay.

I never refused to return the money, I merely requested that he send the knives, which he never did. I checked his feedback and he had several negatives for this very thing.

For all I know he dropped a knife or somehow damaged it because he descibed a condition I never saw in the knives and REFUSED to send them back. I haven't heard from him but it's been so long now, if he leaves neg. feedback, I'll do the same favor, sometimes it's the buyer who is being unscrupulous and dishonest.

If we list bad sellers, bad IDEA - good intentions. But there is always 2 sides to a story.

[gmusic]

eBay sucks................................

As a whole they do very little if anything to aid in disputes between B&S. I was ripped off for $330.00 on a knife deal and they did absolutely nothing!
Their complaint system is a farce! Their feedback system is a farce!

I think it should be a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If the buyer wants to pay shipping both ways, then there must be a problem with the item. If it's damaged during transit file claim with carrier or better yet insure the item..................very simple. Those should be the terms for every deal!

IMO.

[Paladin]

Hukk is correct in his post. We cannot defame or slander on this or any site and that is exactly what we would be accused of if we kept any sort of list. Defense costs are very costly and these costs would not be covered by the homeowners policy in any state of which I am aware. An umbrella policy is required to cover such defense costs.

Ray

[9ball]

Advice: Use two or three different ID's for buying. That way when you Neg their sorry ass it will not effect your stellar selling feedback when things like this happen. And will/do.

9ball

BTW: At one time you could have Neg's removed for $25 bucks. Check with the Seller's board over there to confirm. You had to jump throught a bunch of hoops, but I still see them disappear.

Mean folks get meaner when Good folks do nothing.

I have also learned never to buy any thing from any one who replies to a question and signs off with "Cheers".

[okbohn]

To make your disputes with a seller stick--always--here is how you do it.

Make sure your account is hooked to a credit card (not debit card) then go through the hoops when you pay to make sure you pay with the cc.

If you have a dispute--you can go through paypal or you can go through your own cc company. If you dispute it with paypal and the guy has no money, then they give you the judgment, but no money. Then, if you go to your credit card company and dispute it, then paypal holds the bag and you are good.

[BamaFatman]

I am really sorry to hear about your raw deal. As a general rule I never ship anything in a envelope. No matter if i've sold a knife or made a trade with someone from here. I use a box, with the knife wrapped in paper towel, then newspaper, then I pack crunched up newspapers around it so the knife can't move around in the box. All the sales I make on ebay do a littler higher shipping cost but I DO PROVIDE INSURANCE in my shipping cost, this is the reason I charge a little more. I've never sold one that anyone has complained about and if I had I would certainly do my best to make the situation right. I would do like Hukk, and ask that the knife be returned to me and then give the refund if deserved.

This is all just my opinion of course.

[knifeaholic]

Thanks for all your replys everyone, and your support. It certainly helps to vent. I of course agree with the opinion that I can't leave negative feedback when the seller can leave me a negative simply in retaliation. That certainly IS one unfair thing about the current feedback system.

I am both a seller and a buyer on Ebay and I have always had a "no questions asked" return policy. I realize that no amount of pictures and description can truly convey the look and feel of a knife. I have only had one or two returns on all of my sales. It never ceases to amaze me that some sellers have such a callous attitude toward the buyer.

[steve]

if you paid thru paypal, you can file a dispute with them and if the seller doesnt answer or doesnt give you the answer you want, you can escalate it to a claim for a refund. it usually takes them 30 days or less to decide the case, but i would take pics of the knife and damage and state your complaint that the seller didnt list the damage in their auction and also if you have tried communicating with the seller, i would keep the emails till everything is decided, that way you have proof of what kind of response you got from them and also if the item was shipped shottily in an unpadded envelope, i would keep that too as evidence of fault by the seller.........in other words, keep and be ready to provide any and all evidence to paypal or ebay for your claim. if you paid by paypal, you should be able to get your money back. buyers can win with paypal, but you have to have the proof that youre in the right. the only thing is that if you go thru all that and do win and get your money back, the seller could and probably would give you a negative when its all said and done.

if you got a good deal on the knife, you may could resell it on ebay listed correctly and get all or most of your money back that way.

[knifeaholic]

Thanks Steve, good advice....I actually paid with a money order. I use paypal 100% of the time whenever a seller accepts it, but some do not.