Ebay annoyances

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Hal Nail said:

I'm not sure it is necessarily happening fast enough to be the only reason at play here, but I'm convinced people are getting more stupid generally!

A reasonable conclusion...

 

[hayfield]

Showing the box In some cases it can be useful, for instance there is a lot of difference between modern Southeastern Finecast loco kits and the earlier versions or the Wills kits. But as you say the contents of the box are usually far more important than the box, so showing the box only can be frustrating. Given I always look at additional photos to see if there are any additional parts, I am not too bothered, there is always the description to fall back on

 

A box on its own can be useful in frightening off other bidders, I read the description in these cases for clues and have got some great bargains when the buyer has been lazy in their presentation. Calling someone stupid is a bit strong when they lack presentation skills and or know nothing about the item. For years dealers have made a living from buying at auctions cheaply and reselling at high prices. Its called retailing

 

Rarely can I find a bargain when an item is well presented, but this is the sellers prerogative. I look for these type of lots, as every now and then a gem is hidden away 

[Hal Nail]

11 hours ago, hayfield said:

Calling someone stupid is a bit strong when they lack presentation skills and or know nothing about the item.

It was in fact a joke about wider society but in the unlikely event someone on here has read it and is now inconsolable, I apologise!

[hayfield]

15 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

It was in fact a joke about wider society but in the unlikely event someone on here has read it and is now inconsolable, I apologise!

 

 

Sorry I missed the joke, I spend my life looking for gems others have failed to notice/realised. usually its house clearers who want to earn a few bob extra and lack the appropriate listing skills, or what I would call a junk shop accidently obtaining things they know little about, a relative selling the dregs of someone hobby etc. In one way we should be thankful its not been thrown away.  Now if it has a decent photo it gets noticed, folk look out for estate sales. But its the bright ones who list the items thinking they still may be of use

 

But be careful, a photo of a box only may be hiding something which may be a bit of a dud

[Hal Nail]

4 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

 

Sorry I missed the joke, I spend my life looking for gems others have failed to notice/realised. usually its house clearers who want to earn a few bob extra and lack the appropriate listing skills, or what I would call a junk shop accidently obtaining things they know little about, a relative selling the dregs of someone hobby etc. In one way we should be thankful its not been thrown away.  Now if it has a decent photo it gets noticed, folk look out for estate sales. But its the bright ones who list the items thinking they still may be of use

 

But be careful, a photo of a box only may be hiding something which may be a bit of a dud

I bought a bike part which i came across by accident myself and think since the seller had spelt the brand wrong, no one else found it and my bid was unchallenged.

 

Slightly tricky moral one - felt a bit guilty after the event once it was obvious what had happened and I have pointed out errors sometimes since then, to prevent people losing out through such mistakes.

[friscopete]

I sold a 1/43 CAR kit of a Ferrari 375 MM for  for about 180 quid .It was a hard to find kit and had the magic  word BOSICA on the bottom meaning it was a kit by Vincent Bosica and a well regarded name .about a week later my wife said is this  any interesting .Its a Ferrari  kit .it was a similar kit and on sale for 20 USD in the states ..no proper description and crucially no  Bosica for people to search for .I held off bidding until the last mili  second but no one else bid on it  .With low postage cost (then ) and no customs (then ) it was nice earner.

[hayfield]

18 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

I bought a bike part which i came across by accident myself and think since the seller had spelt the brand wrong, no one else found it and my bid was unchallenged.

 

Slightly tricky moral one - felt a bit guilty after the event once it was obvious what had happened and I have pointed out errors sometimes since then, to prevent people losing out through such mistakes.

 

A chap I worked with about 8 years ago had searches for misspellings of top designer brands, reckoned he found quite a few expensive items which cost not very much

 

But as you say look out for mistakes

[GWR-fan]

When I display an image on a listing the first image is always the item with its box directly behind it.  For many the box is almost as important as the contents.  Many store the item after use and prefer the manufacturer packaging for security.  The box also identifies the item so that there is no misunderstanding as to confusing an item with an earlier released item from the manufacturer.  Many do not identify the part number of the item in their listing.  Many sellers do not identify a super detailed item as a tender or loco drive so the box is a quick method of identification.  While the image of the box does not need to be the first image displayed it is important for the listing.   Many times I would receive a message asking if the original packaging was available even though the images clearly showed the box.

[GWR-fan]

My pet grievance,  another case of a Hatchette coach masquerading as a Bachmann car.  Description states no identification but either Bachmann or Hornby.  Then of cause it could be a cheap magazine knockoff.  The seller is not a naive eBayer who rarely posts items for sale.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann-BR-maroon-Corridor-2nd-Coach/114696111167?hash=item1ab46bc43f:g:SnIAAOSwGGFgD0Xs

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by GWR-fan
Spelling

[kevinlms]

2 hours ago, GWR-fan said:

My pet grievance,  another case of a Hatchette coach masquerading as a Bachmann car.  Description states no identification but either Bachmann or Hornby.  Then of cause it could be a cheap magazine knockoff.  The seller is not a naive eBayer who rarely posts items for sale.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann-BR-maroon-Corridor-2nd-Coach/114696111167?hash=item1ab46bc43f:g:SnIAAOSwGGFgD0Xs

 

The give away is the statement that 'More identical ones are available', suggesting that the seller went out and purchased multiple copies of the magazine. Many did of course, which is fine. But no one should be passing them off as from another manufacturer.

 

I wonder why Hatchette didn't mark their models, because they are hardly gaining anything by them being misrepresented on online selling sites. Certainly, it has allowed a free reign to some sellers, to bend the truth.

[DCB]

4 hours ago, GWR-fan said:

My pet grievance,  another case of a Hatchette coach masquerading as a Bachmann car.  Description states no identification but either Bachmann or Hornby.  Then of cause it could be a cheap magazine knockoff.  The seller is not a naive eBayer who rarely posts items for sale.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bachmann-BR-maroon-Corridor-2nd-Coach/114696111167?hash=item1ab46bc43f:g:SnIAAOSwGGFgD0Xs

 

It's obviously a Hachette, the lack of the Bachmann logo and no lettering or lining is a giveaway.  Personally I prefer the Hachette to the Bachmann,  mainly because they were 20% of the price.   $27au is a bit steep.  But hey the guy has to live, those holidays in Bali don't come cheap and insuring the Lambo ain't free either.

If it ain't what it says open a dispute with eBay.  He'll probably give a refund and you keep the coach,  he can't afford negative feedback.

It's always good to give an accurate listing but if you haven't got a King clue about trains the research could take ages, like me wasting an hour on identifying a 20mm shell case last evening.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Even more obvious, is the solid trussing on the underframe on the Hatchette coach...which was obviously inspired by a Bachmann model. 

 

 

One that was modified earlier....and a Bachmann Brake...

 

 

Taking a Hatchette coach apart....part 2 of the above...

 

 

 

[John M Upton]

Going through my Watch List just now and a number of items are still active but labelled 'This item is out of stock' so why on Earth are those listings still active?!?

[Hal Nail]

10 hours ago, John M Upton said:

Going through my Watch List just now and a number of items are still active but labelled 'This item is out of stock' so why on Earth are those listings still active?!?

Is that when an offer is accepted perhaps and the system doesnt pick that up as ended in the same way? I've noticed this but never worked out why 

[cessna152towser]

My wife purchased an expensive jacket on eBay.    Item described as made in Pakistan, but item location shown as Preston UK.   Seller has 100% feedback.   We received tracking information last night that the item has been dispatched direct to us from Karachi, Pakistan.     Re-checking seller's feedback today, there is a recent positive feedback on an identical item which says item is very good quality but buyer had to pay customs duty.     Something wrong there surely.    I don't see why, as a buyer living within UK,  I should be liable for any additional customs duty if item location is shown on eBay as UK.    Quid iuris?  

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, cessna152towser said:

My wife purchased an expensive jacket on eBay.    Item described as made in Pakistan, but item location shown as Preston UK.   Seller has 100% feedback.   We received tracking information last night that the item has been dispatched direct to us from Karachi, Pakistan.     Re-checking seller's feedback today, there is a recent positive feedback on an identical item which says item is very good quality but buyer had to pay customs duty.     Something wrong there surely.    I don't see why, as a buyer living within UK,  I should be liable for any additional customs duty if item location is shown on eBay as UK.    Quid iuris?  

 

 

Report them to eBay

[cactustrain]

I've just sold some items on Ebay and when I go in to see if the buyer has paid so I can dispatch, I get told I have to relist them! Never had this happen before. What is going on?

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, cactustrain said:

I've just sold some items on Ebay and when I go in to see if the buyer has paid so I can dispatch, I get told I have to relist them! Never had this happen before. What is going on?

 

Perhaps the buyer has been kicked off ebay and the sale is no longer good.  I've had that happen - and for once ebay were right, though I've forgotten what we was doing.

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, cactustrain said:

I've just sold some items on Ebay and when I go in to see if the buyer has paid so I can dispatch, I get told I have to relist them! Never had this happen before. What is going on?

 

I had this on two of the 3 items I sold this evening, phone app no use. I went into both items in the unsold section as soon as I did this they moved into the sold section without any actions. Obviously a glitch in the system tonight. This has happened a couple of times previously to me

Edited February 28, 2021 by hayfield

[cessna152towser]

On 26/02/2021 at 14:07, hayfield said:

My wife purchased an expensive jacket on eBay.    Item described as made in Pakistan, but item location shown as Preston UK.   Seller has 100% feedback.   We received tracking information last night that the item has been dispatched direct to us from Karachi, Pakistan.     Re-checking seller's feedback today, there is a recent positive feedback on an identical item which says item is very good quality but buyer had to pay customs duty. 

The jacket arrived at Heathrow on Sunday where the seller sorted out customs.   It was then flown to Edinburgh and has been delivered today by DHL.    I'm thinking the other buyer who had complained of having to pay customs duty may have been based outside of UK.   Nothing extra to pay and all's well that ends well.

Edited March 2, 2021 by cessna152towser

[Michael Hodgson]

Maybe this will mean an end to the sellers who purport to be in London but the stuff comes from China by airmail

[Ruffnut Thorston]

A lot of stuff from China is handled by agencies, based in the UK.

 

They receive the items from China, and re-label the package with, usually, a Royal Mail label, and it is then sent out to the customer.

 

Probably simplifies customs clearance, and shipping in bulk?

 

[John M Upton]

I think I may have had a botched attempted theft via Ebay!!! 

• Chap contacts me, asks if I can make a special version of an item I make that I am listing.
• No problem says I and duly works out what's needed.
• How are you getting on? asks the Chap half an hour later.
• Does this look okay to you? I respond with a mock up image for his perusal and instructions to clink the link and buy from the listing he sent the question from if he wishes to proceed.
• That looks great, says the Chap, how do I purchase?
• I reply with the same clear instructions about simply buying one from the listing he sent the question in (far less faff than setting up a new one off listing when the price is the same)
• Night falls.
• Next morning, Chap sends message asking if I can post today.
• No problem I say again, last postal collection is at 4pm and it could be there next day.
• That is great says the Chap, how do I make my purchase? he then asks again.
• I repeat the instructions again
• So you will post this out today? he asks again with a screen grab of my original sample picture.
• Yes I can, I reply, last postal collection at 4pm etc.  All I need now is the confirmation of your payment then I can pop it in the post.

The moment I mentioned payment before I would post the item, he vanished, never heard from him again and his Ebay Account has now been closed.

 

Thinking about it in the couple of days since, I reckon he wanted me to send the item before he had paid for it, hence attempted theft.  This is why I will never post anything until payment is confirmed cleared and in my hands.

Edited March 13, 2021 by John M Upton

[beaumoc]

Hi. I'm not sure if many sellers have had the same problem, but I sold a load of rail related DVDs recently on ebay, and had one buyer claimed that a class 20 dvd had steam related content, for around 4 minutes within the programme. Ebay forced me to refund or accept return and then confiscated the buyers money off me. I checked the DVD and there was no such steam loco within the class 20 programme. It seems a good way for the buyer to watch a dvd and effectively use the seller as a free library service, for which I have to pay postage both ways and then refund once this guy has watched the DVD. My reporting of the buyer went unanswered, yet his reporting of me got a refund in less than 30 mins. He also then moaned that I had blocked him from further sales. 

Just shows that ebay couldn't care less about the seller, especially when I could provide proof that the buyer was lying. 

Be careful guys as there are criminals amongst the railway community.

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, beaumoc said:

Hi. I'm not sure if many sellers have had the same problem, but I sold a load of rail related DVDs recently on ebay, and had one buyer claimed that a class 20 dvd had steam related content, for around 4 minutes within the programme. Ebay forced me to refund or accept return and then confiscated the buyers money off me. I checked the DVD and there was no such steam loco within the class 20 programme. It seems a good way for the buyer to watch a dvd and effectively use the seller as a free library service, for which I have to pay postage both ways and then refund once this guy has watched the DVD. My reporting of the buyer went unanswered, yet his reporting of me got a refund in less than 30 mins. He also then moaned that I had blocked him from further sales. 

Just shows that ebay couldn't care less about the seller, especially when I could provide proof that the buyer was lying. 

Be careful guys as there are criminals amongst the railway community.

 

Report that the buyer had lied to obtain a refund and make a fuss with eBay. Quite clearly eBay has no way of checking it, and I believe do try and police the market place fairly, but unless you submit a counter claim how can they judge who was in the right ? Certainly there are dishonest folk out there and clearly for what ever reason he wanted to return the DVD his reason was incorrect.