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.

Thanks for the photos guys. Looks like some cracking layouts. I haven't been to Doncaster for a number of years, so I think next year I shall make a trip.

Many thanks to the organisers and layout owners for a great show. My personal favourite was 'Canalside Iron Works'. Fabulous build quality.

As a seller I can answer part of your concern. During the process of getting the buyers address details, I purchase through ebay, the postage and that automatically prints me a pre paid stamp and address label. It then automatically updates my list of items I have despatched. (I assume the thought is that you need to wrap the item and box it up, so that you know the parcel weight and dimensions to get the correct postage) I then have up to the end of the next business day to get it to the post office before the stamp I've bought becomes invalid.

One issue I have as a seller on ebay is the international money conversion charges. Add that to listing fees, Final valuation fees (including postage fees) and paypal fees. It would be cheaper to throw the item away. One experience I had was a guy in Australia wanting an item shipped surface mail as it was cheaper than airmail. Nearly two months it took to arrive. As another poster has said. The sellers get stitched up by ebay now. Any problems then money in my paypal account is confiscated until ebay then auto refund, even before the Royal Mail have had a chance to investigate. Its sometimes stressful being a seller, but rewarding on occasions, as there are some genuine and thoughtful buyers who like a bargain and a bit of a chat.