How bad are ebay for siding with buyers?

[MarkJ]

I sold a belly pan on ebay, described as OK condition but with some stone chips and a scuff on one side from a drop. Put up as buy it now, someone bought it. They've messaged me today saying it's got a crack in it which wasn't on the pictures and that I didn't package the belly pan well in the box so think that's done it. They haven't actually said what they want.

I've had a look at my original pictures and it actually was in them, but I hadn't even noticed it, so it obviously wasn't put in the description. It's a hairline crack of about 1" long. If it were a man off the street I'd just say it was in the pictures, so no refund, and probably offer them the use of my fibreglass repair kit. However we all know what ebay are like.

What will be the best way to approach this? While I feel it's pretty good that it was photographed, will eBay pull me up on the fact I didn't specifically mention it in the listing? Should I contact ebay before the buyer?

[Ste]

eBay will side with buyers if a seller has been misleading with the item description.

eBay disputes are a PITA, all you can is stick to the facts and keep trying to help the derp buyer get whatever it is working properly.

Link to the auction in question please.

[MarkJ]

Cheers Ste, ebay item 271954298930. They haven't opened a dispute yet, just sent me a message.

You can see it on the pic with my hand in it, to the left of the small triangle hole on the left, right at the top of the screen.

I'm annoyed I didn't see it, I always try and mention any defects if I see them.

[CaNsA]

My missus sold a diamond necklace on ebay.

In the item description she the word "beautiful".
Loads of pics, all angles, close ups, hi-res etc etc
Item sold, she sent it off.
2 weeks later the buyer opened a dispute stating the item isn't beautiful.
Ebay went with the buyer.

Fuck ebay.

[Ste]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271954298930 For anyone interested.

Was it packed properly?

I'd ask for a photo of the damage so you know what's being discussed. As the buyer wouldn't have been expecting something in showroom condition, hopefully the bellypan is still something he wants even with hairline crack.

Keep everything very polite, remember you're the most helpful person on the planet and so you're devastated to hear about the unhappiness caused by the hairline crack in the fairing. etc etc etc

(you didn't send it by Hermes did you? )

[Ste]

[Ste]

Oh yeah, add the bloke to your blocked bidders list.

In fact, just add everyone to your blocked bidders list because it makes eBaying much easier.

[MarkJ]

It was just packed in a box that fit it well, not great but the delivery hasn't made the crack any worse, because they've sent me pictures of the crack that looks exactly like it does in the listing.

He's going to repaint it all apparently, but doesn't want to have to repair a crack. It'd likely take 2 mins with a soldering iron or fibreglass repair kit IMO

Royal Mail

cansa that's proper wank

[UncleFester]

Ebay are C***S. You can't add default postage of a high enough amount to cover insurance on most things if you use their pre-selected options.

You have to make sure you cover every single last dent / scratch / mark and even if you sell something as 'for parts or not working' some cheeky knobber will always try for a refund when the cheap fix they thought they might get away with doesn't work.

Even had one robbing twunt try and send me a MacBookPro back with a totally different mainboard fitted to the original case. Turned into a right mess, thankfully the sale price was low ( as I sold for parts or not working ) and the returned item got sold again ( with a different board and a different fault ) for the same price as the original item so i didn't lose out ........ Ebay however weren't the slightest bit interested in the theiving scumbag who had clearly swapped the board over. Thankfully the second buyer was honest ( computer repair shop ) and the parts he wanted off the MacBook were the ones that weren't faulty - he did ask why it was for sale again with a different fault which I explained fully. He said he'd had experience of something very similar.

I will not sell any more computers via that site, it's just not worth the risk.

Everything is photographed to death, sent with recorded signed for delivery and insurance to cover MY replacement costs. I no longer sell stuff from my works address because if someone else signs for something without checking it, the refund is processed automatically.

Ebay / PayPal don't care - they get their funds either way.
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2017 Z1000SX

[DrSnoosnoo]

I won a case against a buyer in the past with some side lights.

I always put in my listings, please study the images as they fairly represent the item and if you have any questions or want more pictures please ask.

That may not help per se but it shows you being reasonable for the future. I wrote in my listing that they had been modified to fit a totally different car with a non standard body kit and to look at the image of where the bulbs live to see what changes had been made.

The guy responded with these aren't how you described.

I replied asking for photos of what he means, he didn't send any at first. He started saying the lenses were yellowed, which my pictures clearly showed they weren't and then I got some pictures taken in a dark room with the flash of the camera ruining the colours.

I did "suggest" in a response that he was messaging me loads asking for a BIN price and when one was accepted he possibly realised it wasn't the "bargain" he expected, because in those messages I again said they had been modified and for him to look at the pictures.

IMO. You didn't say that there weren't any slight cracks, and a belly pan with a scuff from a drop, providing you mentioned the drop, I'd expect a hairline crack somewhere, as long as it's one, and not littered everywhere.

If he'd have looked at the pictures properly and raised any questions before buying he could have cleared it up. Caveat emptor. If your hand was intentionally blocking the crack from being pictured, you'd be being a bastard, but you weren't.
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[MarkJ]

Thanks everyone, you've been dead helpful

I've replied to him, basically saying "I'm sorry you're not happy, but it was in the pictures, I try to be honest in all my listings but I've genuinely missed this crack. Looks like whatever caused the scuff caused this"

We'll see what he says back, I don't hold out much hope in it ending well for me though.

[Minty]

Offer £10 refund for a fibreglass repair kit etc? You've now admitted to damage being not mentioned, now it is damage limitation.
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My fingers smell of your mum.

[Polarbear]

I'm loathe to post anything electrical to someone on ebay. It's cash on collection so they can see it working and I get cash.

Other than that, local rag classifieds.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Polarbear]

We always hear about the buyers being scumbags. I wonder how many sellers advertise one thing and send another before dissapearing.

Not that I think MarkJ has done that. It's just a general observation.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[MarkJ]

[Minty]

"Dear eBay, he mentioned the scuffs but not the crack. The crack has rendered the item useless to me, I wanted one without cracks."

Ebay will side with the buyer in this one, 100%. Tis, why I and others avoid selling on there (especially with Paypal).

I'd ceratinly go with the £10 and chalk it to experience (if he goes for it). Otherwise tell him to return it for a refund (postage at his cost) and relist it mentioning the crack.
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My fingers smell of your mum.

[DrSnoosnoo]

[Rogerborg]

[stinkwheel]

What I'd do is tell him if he's not happy with the item, he should send it back for a full refund and you'll swallow the postage.

Seems reasonable to me and would do to most people I suspect.

I had a guy buy an electric cooker off me (locally, buyer collects) then claim it was broken. I told him no problem, I'd be round later that day to pick it up and give him his money back. At that point, he decided he actually wanted to keep it. Funny that.

There are shitty sellers out there though. I've been delivered a PC with a dented chassis, a fucked PSU floating about loose inside the casing and no RAM. Sold as refurbished. I'm pretty sure he picked one up from his "scrap" pile rather than his "fixed" pile because he was selling off a whole load of the same type. Sent him pictures immediately showing what he'd sent and the packaging with no external damage.

None the less, he was very antsy about the whole thing and we had to go quite a long way down the dispute process before he agreed to do anything about it. I got the impression he thought, and still thinks, I was trying to do him over.

I've also seen the other side where buyers deliberately damage an item them demand a refund. People used to do it with bicycles my Dads company sold, they'd scratch the paint and demand a refund. After they started photographing them from every angle as they went into the box, they were able to resolve the disputes in their favour.

I refuse to send partial refunds on an object. If they aren't happy they can return it for a refund and I state as much in the auction.
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[Ste]

[MCN]

ebay is a boot sale. And full of whankers.
I am owed a small fortune (about £70) for a couple of stuffs not sent by sellers.
The main issue is the anonymity where you can't simply go around their gaff with a hammer to discuss any disagreement.

As Stinkers suggests, offer the buyer return postage, fix it your self and re-list as 'repaired'.
I don't think the wee crack is in any way significant in a part that would cost £££ new from a dealer. Fukc them.

Anyone want to buy a panel for a 2004 Triumph Sprint ST BTW? (Un-painted and un-damaged)
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Lord Percy]

Some people are just c*nts.

My first girlfriend - years ago when it was even easier to take the piss - her older sister would buy clothes from ebay then claim it never arrived in the post. Got a refund and free clothes.

[UncleFester]

[Ste]

[UncleFester]

Because ( assuming you don't go to the PO ) if you use Parcelforce collect - it's a different pricing structure.

Which is back to my point about having a price threshold that below it, it's not worth it to me.

I can't be arsed to go to the PostOffice and stand in the line of numpties with 2 shit watches and 3 RinkyDinky music players just to make £20 quid after costs.
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2017 Z1000SX