A note to those selling on eBay

[hayfield]

Paul

 

I think you have two different things happening, Firstly the item you are sending. A plastic bodied RTR loco is far less fragile than a glued whitemetal kit, with the latter I would take extra care in packing as continued bumping may affect the model if it can move about or keep hitting a stiff cardboard side.

 

As for the feedback as a buyer I am happy to leave feedback first and allow the seller to reply with their own feedback. As a seller I only leave feedback once the seller has left theirs. Like you on the rare occasions there is an issue I will offer a refund or reduction depending on what the buyer requires. I have no issue with honest accurate feedback, as a buyer I always contact the seller first then leave appropriate feedback. If I were in your shoes I would have left accurate feedback about the buyer

[kernowtim]

I recently purchased from an Ebay business seller a RTR o gauge loco which turned up in a not very strong cardboard box the same depth as the models and about 6 inches longer and wider, with a few sheets of crumpled newspaper to cushion it, nothing around the models box. the model arrived safely despite corner damage to the outer box and the seller apologized for the packing error, asking me to phone him, I messaged back saying model was ok. I later left positive feedback mentioning poor packing and within 10 minutes got an irate reply stating he offered to "mend this" and blocking me from future sales and also passing my details to "other sellers I know on ebay and that's most of them"

Post was free but not sent special delivery as advertised, I didn't mention that in feedback though..

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, kernowtim said:

.....and blocking me from future sales and also passing my details to "other sellers I know on ebay and that's most of them"

 

 

Plenty more fish in the sea.  So he knows most of the sellers on Ebay?  That's some trick.

He's a Bullsh*t merchant - forget him.

[Ben B]

Quote

I had several Big Big Triang coaches delivered via Hermes and although well wrapped in bubblewrap they had shattered into pieces like glass shards, i dread to think how it had happened. I photographed the remains and got my money back but expect the seller had a harder time claiming off them.

 

I had a Lima 0 gauge diesel from eBay a couple of years ago, which the seller had packaged very well, but My Hermes left it outside the front door... which wouldn't have been too bad, were it not torrentially raining.  And they hadn't left it actually IN a puddle.  Bravo.  Luckily once I'd used a hair-drier on the mechanism it worked about as well as Lima 0 ever did, but still...  Quite often I find My Hermes deliveries sat on top of my bins down the alleyway beside the house, which means the delivery driver has either climbed a 7-foot gate and trespassed, or tossed the parcel over and hoped it would land on the bins.

 

To be honest though I've had good experience in general with Ebay purchases lately, and decent packaging.  It think the record being some Kato track I bought the other week which was in its own packaging, wrapped in about 10 layers of bubble wrap, in foam pellets, in a shoebox, in a plastic wrapping.

[RANGERS]

1 hour ago, Ben B said:

 

I had a Lima 0 gauge diesel from eBay a couple of years ago, which the seller had packaged very well, but My Hermes left it outside the front door... which wouldn't have been too bad, were it not torrentially raining.  And they hadn't left it actually IN a puddle.  Bravo.  Luckily once I'd used a hair-drier on the mechanism it worked about as well as Lima 0 ever did, but still...  Quite often I find My Hermes deliveries sat on top of my bins down the alleyway beside the house, which means the delivery driver has either climbed a 7-foot gate and trespassed, or tossed the parcel over and hoped it would land on the bins.

 

To be honest though I've had good experience in general with Ebay purchases lately, and decent packaging.  It think the record being some Kato track I bought the other week which was in its own packaging, wrapped in about 10 layers of bubble wrap, in foam pellets, in a shoebox, in a plastic wrapping.

A pal of mine was disposing if his 4mm collection and a quantity of Lilliput Lane figures a year or so back, so in anticipation ordered 50m of bubble wrap and some loco sized cardboard boxes from the same store. 
 

In a remarkably short time, both items duly arrived, consigned in separate packages, the boxes were flat packed in a couple of metres of bubble wrap inside a larger cardboard box. The bubble wrap was inside a cardboard box as well, and to avoid damage in transit it was packed in....you guessed it, another five metres of bubble wrap.

 

As the postage was free, next time he’s going to forgo the order and just ask for the free postage x10 to get his 50m of bubble wrap.

[hayfield]

15 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Plenty more fish in the sea.  So he knows most of the sellers on Ebay?  That's some trick.

He's a Bullsh*t merchant - forget him.

 

Thankfully in the area I am interested in and the prices I am willing to pay, usually I find I am dealing with decent folk.

 

Like most I have suffered the odd issue with poorly packed items arriving in some cases damaged. Usually things are amicably resolved, sometimes just an apology is all that is needed, at worst in a tiny amount of cases a refund is  forthcoming and the item returned providing postage has been received. But these cases are the exception,

 

As I said earlier I don't go for either expensive or high tech items. And am regularly surprised at how many items poorly packed arrive undamaged. Plus we have a decent My Hermes delivery agent covering out area 

[adb968008]

21 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Plenty more fish in the sea.  So he knows most of the sellers on Ebay?  That's some trick.

He's a Bullsh*t merchant - forget him.

There is a bad buyers list for model railways out there, mostly US centric, but it exists.

you just copy / paste the list in to your blocked bidder list and done.

 

There are tons of “bad buyer” lists out there for different ebay categories.
 

if you end up on one, i’m not sure theres a way off it. How much they are adopted I don't know, but if they were to get popular and UK sellers got frustrated too many times I could for see them taking more notice.

Edited April 12, 2020 by adb968008

[Paul H Vigor]

On 19/08/2019 at 18:25, Butler Henderson said:

My ultimate packaging was to send a 009 Peco GVT loco to Australia welll packed in a wooden box.

 

The weirdest purchase packaging wise was a Hornby M7 with an address label attached to the models box!

Note: Australians are very strict on any import of wood. They impose Biosecurity Import Conditions at the port of entry.

[duncan]

Yes, destruction of packet, complete disinfection or return, the cost being passed on probably the the purchaser to reclaim from seller.  We had a container which the dumbo warehouse staff stuffed with old pallets to wedge the contents, we persuaded the Aussie customs to disinfect & burn the pallets, rather than returning the container - expensive though.

 

ps they are also sensitive about foodstuffs, so good thing we didn't sent said wh staff to sort it out.

Edited May 20, 2020 by duncan
spelling

[Blandford1969]

At least you have got your items. I had one go missing in March which I had paid for and which was sent to me by recorded delivery. 

 

According to the tracking it never left the post office, yet getting anything out of them is like getting blood out of a stone!

 

 

[hayfield]

As a buyer your claim is with the seller, after 2 weeks you should be reimbursed in full, its up to the seller to make a claim

 

I recently put a claim into the Royal Mail, paid in 2 weeks

[John M Upton]

I am astounded.  I put a claim into the Royal Mail two years ago and I got the Three Wise Monkeys response.  Gave up in the end!!

[njee20]

Agree with Hayfield - as a buyer it's up to the seller to refund you, and they pursue Royal Mail. It's not your responsibility at all. This is the case with any purchase, not just eBay.

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, John M Upton said:

I am astounded.  I put a claim into the Royal Mail two years ago and I got the Three Wise Monkeys response.  Gave up in the end!!

 

 

A few years back now but I had a chat with their claims branch, The lady I spoke with was extremely helpful, I guess I was the exception as I was not ranting and raving

 

With eBay sales its very easy, complete the Royal Mail claim form including eBay references and refund details etc. Simple to complete and surprisingly easy. They do have a fraud department and do check out dodgy claims . With damaged goods providing the packing complied with their packaging requirements, in my only experience they are also fine. (I have had several items arrived damaged due to the senders poor packing which would not have passed their test, but that was the sellers problem not mine

 

The fact is you actually make more money with it going missing  than it arriving. As both eBay and PayPal return commission and the Royal mail pays the claim and refunds the postage

 

My recent claim was for being unable to use one of their online postage labels, but even though most companies are struggling with refunds the Royal Mail was fine.

[MartinWales]

9 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

 

A few years back now but I had a chat with their claims branch, The lady I spoke with was extremely helpful, I guess I was the exception as I was not ranting and raving

 

With eBay sales its very easy, complete the Royal Mail claim form including eBay references and refund details etc. Simple to complete and surprisingly easy. They do have a fraud department and do check out dodgy claims . With damaged goods providing the packing complied with their packaging requirements, in my only experience they are also fine. (I have had several items arrived damaged due to the senders poor packing which would not have passed their test, but that was the sellers problem not mine

 

The fact is you actually make more money with it going missing  than it arriving. As both eBay and PayPal return commission and the Royal mail pays the claim and refunds the postage

 

My recent claim was for being unable to use one of their online postage labels, but even though most companies are struggling with refunds the Royal Mail was fine.

Amen to that John! Just had two online postage labels refunded to me, without fuss, and took a little over a fortnight! 

[Blandford1969]

3 hours ago, hayfield said:

As a buyer your claim is with the seller, after 2 weeks you should be reimbursed in full, its up to the seller to make a claim

 

I recently put a claim into the Royal Mail, paid in 2 weeks

This is true, however after my own experience as a seller trying to get money back from the Royal Mail (the difficulty of showing how much something cost you when it was bought years before) thought it fairer to try and get it back from them as the buyer first. Blimey they make it hard work.  If they don't pay then I will go to the seller. 

[hayfield]

If you sold the item on eBay they asked me for the listing number, this gives them the value of the item. That was all I was asked for and they paid out quickly

 

I made a claim as a buyer on damage to something which was sent to me, I pointed out I was happy to receive the cost of replacement parts to repair, which was about a quarter of what I had paid for the item.

 

However for a lost Item, the seller has to refund under eBay rules and I sent all details regarding the sale and refund and in both cases they paid out

Edited May 21, 2020 by hayfield

[letterspider]

The problem with Royal Mail I find is that they will try to deny anything is their fault and then you have to force them to pay up.

I once sent a laptop Special Delivery, it was opened in transit (through Greenford sorting office) and delivered with just the box and charger. Royal Mail denied any suggestion of theft by their staff and suggested that (despite evidence of the eBay listing)  the box could have been sent without a laptop inside.

In the end at the point of posting the package was weighed and as it had arrived about 2 kilograms lighter I was able to get full compensation but...never an apology.

You almost never get an apology from the Royal Mail or the companies that wrongly issue parking tickets.

 

The moral of the story is keep a record of everything and very carefully look after all posting receipts. 

[hayfield]

The trouble with insurance claims and eBay is that with high end electrical equipment many have no qualms in trying different ways of defrauding either their insurance companies of delivery companies.

 

Whilst with hindsight it's easy to say but the recipient should have 1/ noticed that the parcel had been tampered with. 2/ its weight or rather lack of it. 

 

I assume the Royal Mail do initial checks, and for certain groups of products which prove to be a greater risk take more precautions. It is totally unacceptable that you should  have to force them to pay up, on the other hand expect to submit all the supporting evidence they require to resolve the claim, which includes the postage receipt.

 

I had a problem with a contents insurance claim, I was as per the conditions of the policy trying to reduce their costs, but the clerk and claims manager refused saying it would put me in a better position even though the other route was considerably more expensive, this went on for a week or so.  I phoned the company and asked to speak to Mr XXX (The MD) secretary, I was put through had a pleasant chat, whin an hour not only had the claim agreed but they waived the excess  

[kevinlms]

20 hours ago, letterspider said:

The problem with Royal Mail I find is that they will try to deny anything is their fault and then you have to force them to pay up.

I once sent a laptop Special Delivery, it was opened in transit (through Greenford sorting office) and delivered with just the box and charger. Royal Mail denied any suggestion of theft by their staff and suggested that (despite evidence of the eBay listing)  the box could have been sent without a laptop inside.

In the end at the point of posting the package was weighed and as it had arrived about 2 kilograms lighter I was able to get full compensation but...never an apology.

You almost never get an apology from the Royal Mail or the companies that wrongly issue parking tickets.

 

The moral of the story is keep a record of everything and very carefully look after all posting receipts. 

So why didn't the thief want the charger?

[letterspider]

No idea what they were thinking. 

[MrWolf]

My pet hate is Hermes. If any seller is sending by "other courier" I message them to say Do not send by Hermes. Two times in a year they have dumped something on the doorstep, two times it has been stolen. The latest was a £300 motorcycle gearbox. (They also dumped a parcel in the neighbours bin, but that was retrieved, wet through, no lid on bin) Even before the lockdown, you couldn't speak to anyone in person. All you get is an automated message saying it was signed for by a member of the household. The signature can be viewed on our website.

No it can't, it was never signed for and there is no record of a signature on the website. There is NO email address, NO complaints procedure and the insurance isn't worth a light.

They are unprofessional and seemingly unaccountable. Other companies now take a photograph of the package in the open door of the property it is delivered to, which protects everyone. Particularly because it is well known that thieves follow the vans and dash up as a driver is about to leave with a parcel, pretending to be or know the recipient. The drivers in the main are self employed man with a van. As long as they can tag the drop off location on their computer, they don't give a toss. I would likely get more results taking a 2lb hammer to the local smack rats to find out where my parcels went than trying to talk to the clowns at Hermes.

[hayfield]

I started a thread about mt bad experiences with Hermes, but since moving house in the last 3 years my experience has been the exact opposite in receipt of goods, I was aghast at the lack of security at the drop off point

 

The quality of delivery is down to the professionalism of the person delivering, certainly both Hermes speed of delivery has increased and tracking better than the standard Royal Mail system

 

Getting in touch is difficult, I did manage to find a phone number and speak with someone. They are getting better. Never had to use their compensation system, I understand its not as comprehensive or as easy to use as the Royal Mail

 

Now I am very happy to receive goods via Hermes. But using my local Post Office and Royal Mail offers me (given my concerns about my local drop off point) a far superior service for a little extra cost 

[MartinWales]

On 24/05/2020 at 08:30, hayfield said:

I started a thread about mt bad experiences with Hermes, but since moving house in the last 3 years my experience has been the exact opposite in receipt of goods, I was aghast at the lack of security at the drop off point

 

The quality of delivery is down to the professionalism of the person delivering, certainly both Hermes speed of delivery has increased and tracking better than the standard Royal Mail system

 

Getting in touch is difficult, I did manage to find a phone number and speak with someone. They are getting better. Never had to use their compensation system, I understand its not as comprehensive or as easy to use as the Royal Mail

 

Now I am very happy to receive goods via Hermes. But using my local Post Office and Royal Mail offers me (given my concerns about my local drop off point) a far superior service for a little extra cost 

Agreed there John!

 

Once I had a knock on the door from my neighbour, an electrician,who by nature of his work sometimes needs to order items online. A pile of parcels had been deposited in a roadside field approximately half a mile away, including his and mine, in poor weather, by a MyHermes courier. Only came to light as a result of the property owner (who incidentally shares the same name as yours truly!) trying to find his dog!. 

 

Have to agree though that their service has got considerably better and the courier now has a safe place on the property (we are four households on 5 acres)to leave any future parcels!

[hayfield]

Martin

 

I think when they launched their business they needed staff as quickly as possible and therefore they had to take what was available. Sadly far too many want to take things too easy, have no sense of responsibility or respect of others property, coupled with low rates of pay. Certainly I got the impression they employed people with chaotic lifestyles 

 

To start off, at my previous property the first agent seem to start work from mid afternoon on the days they fancied working, had a beat up old car with the family in tow (including the dog). The impression of a very poor quality outfit with a careless/carefree attitude towards service.

 

Quite the opposite from the likes of DHL etc with they company vans, uniform etc, which gives the impression of a professional outfit

 

Over time I have noticed Hermes have upped their game, newish vans are now used and certainly where I live a series of very proficient agents  giving a much better and quicker service. 

 

I do have concerns about getting items into the system, firstly my drop off shop leaves the parcels in the shop where customers can access them, the agents knowledge of how the system works was very lacking (I asked a very simple question which they could not answer). Finally one collection time a day, 1 pm so if you miss it you add 24 hours to the delivery.

 

Royal Mail still head and shoulders above then in all areas except for larger/heavier items