Ebay annoyances

[009 micro modeller]

I have quite a specific annoyance currently. I have bought a clockwork loco, requiring restoration but supposedly with a key. The key has not been included with it, I don’t want to return the whole loco for a full refund (also can’t as I have started restoring it) and the seller is ignoring me, yet there seems no official way to get a partial refund (because I am happy with the loco but need to spend more money to get a suitable key elsewhere). I know eBay try to avoid partial refunds because it can be misused but is there a way of sorting this out?

[Colin_McLeod]

Open a dispute. 

[009 micro modeller]

25 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Open a dispute. 

 

Tried that. If you go to eBay’s ‘resolution centre’ and enter ‘not as described’ (which is the most correct of the available options although probably not quite right) the only option given seems to be ‘return for full refund.’

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, 009 micro modeller said:

I have quite a specific annoyance currently. I have bought a clockwork loco, requiring restoration but supposedly with a key. The key has not been included with it, I don’t want to return the whole loco for a full refund (also can’t as I have started restoring it) and the seller is ignoring me, yet there seems no official way to get a partial refund (because I am happy with the loco but need to spend more money to get a suitable key elsewhere). I know eBay try to avoid partial refunds because it can be misused but is there a way of sorting this out?

 

Leave negative feedback and start a dispute

[Colin_McLeod]

1 hour ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Open a dispute. 

 

1 hour ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Tried that. If you go to eBay’s ‘resolution centre’ and enter ‘not as described’ (which is the most correct of the available options although probably not quite right) the only option given seems to be ‘return for full refund.’

 

In that case leave negative feedback, keep the loco and move on.  Some crooks are not worth the hassle of chasing.  You may be able to purchase a key on E bay in any case.

[John M Upton]

If it is a Hornby O gauge tinplate type then the standard common or garden clock key works on them as they are exactly the same, it's just that if the key has 'Hornby' on it then its considerably more expensive!

[sandwich station]

6 hours ago, rab said:

My eBay annoyance is of a slightly different type.

 

Del Prado: Why did it have to be N gauge?

 

The number of times I do a search for N gauge

and amongst it are Del Prado items.

This week there were about a dozen listed.

OK I suppose for collectors, but totally irrelevant

for anyone looking for working models.

 

I sold a load of N Gauge Del Prado in the early 2000's on Ebay. I wanted the British Locos but not the others. You'd be surprised how many bids from all over Europe I got for them.

[hayfield]

6 hours ago, sandwich station said:

 

I sold a load of N Gauge Del Prado in the early 2000's on Ebay. I wanted the British Locos but not the others. You'd be surprised how many bids from all over Europe I got for them.

 

Quite often eBay's search engine spreads its net far too wide, plus when some very dubious sellers add premium brand names in their listing for inferior products. Try searching for DJH kits, you will find one sellers entire range of overpriced items appear

 

Or search for kit built and numerous ready to run items appear, on rare occasions they may have been super detailed, but that never makes them a kit. One of these days I will buy one then complain under the miss description rules. Still as many of these overpriced items never sell few seem to get caught out 

[009 micro modeller]

10 hours ago, John M Upton said:

If it is a Hornby O gauge tinplate type then the standard common or garden clock key works on them as they are exactly the same, it's just that if the key has 'Hornby' on it then its considerably more expensive!

 

But it seems the keys I already have for 00 clockwork locos are incompatible.

[Hal Nail]

On 28/08/2020 at 07:32, hayfield said:

Or search for kit built and numerous ready to run items appear, on rare occasions they may have been super detailed, but that never makes them a kit. One of these days I will buy one then complain under the miss description rules. Still as many of these overpriced items never sell few seem to get caught out 

 

"Scratch built from a kit" particularly irritates me.

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

 

"Scratch built from a kit" particularly irritates me.

 

At least it started off in bits in a box !!  

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Some modern RTR ends up in bits in a box these days....

 

 

 

[hayfield]

9 hours ago, Sarahagain said:

Some modern RTR ends up in bits in a box these days....

 

 

 

 

Still not a kit though. may well fall into a kit bashed item, but will usually be classified as a modified RTR. It is where the seller is knowingly passing off a ready to run item off as a kit. If someony has carefully modified a RTR model call it out as it is and show off the modification.

 

A modified RTR is still a modified RTR

A repainted RTR is still a repainted RTR

 

When looking for a kit of a particular loco sometimes I have to sift through imposters

 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

I was, of course, refering to the habit of modern RTR to shed parts in the packaging in transit...

 

 

[GWR-fan]

Of particular annoyance to me are buyers who are particularly picky in how they want their package prepared for them,  outlining in detail that the item must be doubly boxed and the item carefully covered in bubble wrap.  Now that is fine if they are paying for the packaging,  however,  I have found many years ago that the typical buyer will not pay one cent for handling and packaging costs.  They somehow believe that the amount paid for postage covers the costs of packaging and handling.  I refuse to use the eBay postal label and so all my packages have the post office printed barcode label showing exactly the amount paid,  which coincides with the amount that they paid for postage.

 

 I am very particular as to how I package my items and with several thousand packages sent I have had only two failures leading to locomotive damage and that was due the original manufacturer packaging causing the damage.  Just this year I have posted several hundred packages.  Exactly where does the buyer think that I source my packaging and bubblewrap from as it does not grow on trees.   Many years ago when selling LGB and other largescale items I added a small handling charge of just a few dollars to my listings and sales dropped to zero.  Removing the charge saw sales increase.  

 

Also,  due most eBay buyers using the eBay mobile phone app for purchases,  when making multiple purchases there is no way for the buyer to request a combined invoice prior making payment .  Each purchase is regarded as a separate transaction and postage charged accordingly for each purchase.  The buyer then requests a combined package and demands a refund on the excess postage paid.  EBay applies a roughly 11% postage fee on the total postage cost paid and in Australia then charges an additional 10% GST on that postage cost.  This leaves the seller further out of pocket.  The approximately 21% surcharge on the cost of postage is non refundable from the buyer as are the costs of packaging.  If selling but just a few items a year then sourcing adequate packaging material is relatively simple and basically no cost to the seller.  However, when we are talking of hundreds of packages,  then who does the buyer think pays for those packages and packaging material to ship his items securely in?  The buyer is certainly not paying for materials and actually in my experience refuses to do so.

 

 

[hayfield]

There seems to be something going on down under with eBay buyers

 

Certainly I have noticed some sellers have started what I would call the Amazon method of using a much larger box than needed to send the items out in. I would call this sensible especially if using one of the lower quality couriers.

 

I certainly have never asked for a package to be wrapped a certain way (though tempted to offer extra for the use of Royal Mail) and I have never received requests to pack items a certain way

 

There have been many chats about eBays Global shipping costs, I don't use it .

When I buy an item I deduct all postage costs from what I see as my maximum price. So international sellers beware using GSP may reduce the value of your sales

 

I both apply postage discounts when selling, and ask when buying. I use the mobile app as a back up preferring to use a laptop.

 

As for eBay fees My higher cost sales and sold on promotion weeks where there are offers. Mostly max selling fee £1 inc postage. On a £50 sale equates to a 2% fee, usually only sell low value items on non promotional weeks and or increase prices on non-promotional weeks

 

If you are talking about 100's of packages then the seller should be on business rates, but its the buyer who pays GSP never the seller. If you do not like it don't offer/use it

[Crosland]

On 05/09/2020 at 01:13, GWR-fan said:

They somehow believe that the amount paid for postage covers the costs of packaging and handling. 

 

It should.

 

On 05/09/2020 at 01:13, GWR-fan said:

I refuse to use the eBay postal label and so all my packages have the post office printed barcode label showing exactly the amount paid,  which coincides with the amount that they paid for postage.

 

I always charge more than I pay RM to cover (1) the packaging costs and (2) the ebay fee levied on the postage.

 

I have never had any complaints.

 

[hayfield]

9 minutes ago, Crosland said:

 

It should.

 

 

I always charge more than I pay RM to cover (1) the packaging costs and (2) the ebay fee levied on the postage.

 

I have never had any complaints.

 

 

Derek

 

Exactly what I do, some however think they get more by starting bids at 99p and giving free postage. Too risky for me

 

1 I am too tight to take a chance of selling an item for less than I think its minimum worth

 

2 For similar reasons I would rather state a post and packing cost and sell for a slightly lower price

 

As for using eBay postage labels, on two out of 3  occasions the Post Office has refused to accept the service offered. Both times to both cost me money and time to resolve the issues. Plus I would rather support a local business serving the community, even when it costs more

[Ruffnut Thorston]

It does seem that eBay is making it more difficult to send a combined invoice.

 

I have heard from a seller who has tried, and failed, to get their head around the process, claiming that it used to be easier than it is now.

 

More p&p paid, more for eBay...

[009 micro modeller]

20 minutes ago, Sarahagain said:

It does seem that eBay is making it more difficult to send a combined invoice.

 

I have heard from a seller who has tried, and failed, to get their head around the process, claiming that it used to be easier than it is now.

 

More p&p paid, more for eBay...

 

I was thinking - could you get round it by listing everything as collection only and negotiating postage for those who want it (usually most people who might be interested)? But then the items wouldn’t be insured by eBay while being shipped so that potentially opens another can of worms...

[hayfield]

39 minutes ago, Sarahagain said:

It does seem that eBay is making it more difficult to send a combined invoice.

 

I have heard from a seller who has tried, and failed, to get their head around the process, claiming that it used to be easier than it is now.

 

More p&p paid, more for eBay...

 

I think firstly it does not work on the phone application (I have not found it) so may be only accessible when using a lap top/desk top computer, easy then to send a combined invoice and reduce the postage. Certainly very easy to operate when sending a joint invoice

 

However make an offer does not work, the work around  is to reduce the cost of the item (not the postage) by using the make a counter offer to the seller.

 

However if all else fails just send a refund via PayPal, lets face it for non business sellers what does a few pence difference matter ?

[John M Upton]

Sending combined invoices on eBay's mobile app is possible but it is an absolute faff which is why I tend to do all my admin on a good old fashioned PC at home.

 

One thing though, if you use eBay's website on an Android device it will randomly chuck you out citing 'this website is no longer supported on this device' which is another pain in the neck.

[Crosland]

22 hours ago, hayfield said:

 

Derek

 

It's Andrew

 

[hayfield]

Sorry

 

Bad memory

[rab]

Going off topic but i slipped up recently.

I won two items which had click and collect delivery option, but

forgot that you can't get combined postage on click and collect.

To avoid the inevitable ' What have you been buying now'

and 'how much did that cost, I requested they be sent

separately on click and collect