Warning! Ebay and Auction Sniper users beware

[countryford]

d-jones, if you bought it on ebay, then you can go after the seller through them. Besides, it is not the shipping company's fault, that the shipper doesn't know how to pack.
If you purchase an item on ebay and it arrives broken, you first talk to the seller. They have the option of giving you your money back or blowing you off. If they blow you off, you then go to the next level of ebay. Notify them, open a claim. They will then give the seller a second chance. Eventually if the seller doesn't comply, ebay will refund your money for the item and for shipping.
If you didn't use ebay and used another site, you may contact them.

 

[launderess]

This Thread Is Morphing Widly Into Many Directions! *LOL*

First, eBay's TOS forbid side deals. Not sure what sort of software is used and or how much of communications are monitored but members can be bounced out for violations. This is one reason why telephone numbers are not allowed in eBay messages between sellers and buyers. It is also why contact information such as emails and telephone numbers are only available to winning bidders.

If you arrange a side deal outside of eBay then you are on your own. Seller could send you a box of rocks or non-working and or damaged goods with little recourse available. Paid with PayPal? Well they are part of eBay so the information may be passed on. Don't get the item? Again tough cheese as you'll be on your own.

UPS and claims:

UPS deals with the "customer" who placed the shipping order regardless of whom paid. When you think about it for most retail purchases almost always someone else has paid the shipper who then arranges delivery.

As for the OP, just keep your eyes peeled. Have found nearly 99.9% of the time unsold items are relisted sooner or later. For one thing sellers cannot seek a refund IIRC unless something hasn't sold after at least two listings. Another reason eBay runs so many free listings and or offers to relist for free that it simply makes it worth a seller's time to do so. [this post was last edited: 6/17/2014-16:27]

 

[d-jones]

Justin

The incident I described happened a long time ago(2003 or 2004) under a completely different set of rules. The phone wasn't paid for using Paypal, so there wasn't going to be any refund through eBay and in the end the only recourse I had left was to leave negative feedback, which I chose not to do since that would have lead to retaliatory negative feedback for me, and I had already received a retaliatory negative feedback not much earlier from another seller that never bothered to ship the item I'd paid for. (I know he didn't ship it because a few weeks later he re-listed it) These two incidents caused me to scale my eBay usage way back and be much more cautious about seller feedback.

 

In the end another AE50 body came up for sale all by itself and I was able to pick it up for about ten dollars plus shipping, so I still ended up with a complete AE50 at less than half the typical price. It just took me a couple of years longer to get it.

 

[mattl]

UPDATE...

Well the seller relisted the Mixmaster, this time at $49 with $18 shipping and has a bidder!  Last time it ended at $19 with no bids.  Oh well,  I did score a mixmaster for $18 shipped, however with clear glass bowls.  I won’t be too upset if they get broken in shipping, I much prefer the correct bowls.

 

I might follow the comments in another thread and simply refurb it myself and might even paint it yellow -- if I can find a paint close to the original color.

 

[rp2813]

I've used sniping when I know the auction will end at a time when I'm not likely to be at my computer -- specifically "mybidder.com."

 

This worked to my advantage just within the past week when I was the sole bidder, but just in case set my snipe at 4 seconds before auction's end, and another bidder had come in out of nowhere with 6 seconds left.

 

What I've never been clear on is whether I have to place a bid on eBay first in order to have the sniper work.

 

[launderess]

@mattl

Feel your pain and am sorry things don't seem to be going your way with this mixer.

 

[mattl]

Thanks-

 

I've moved on after a week of grumbling.  Curious too see what shape the unit I did score is in. 

 

[perc-o-prince]

UPS deals with the "customer" who placed the shippin

Actually, UPS deals with their customer, a.k.a. the person who paid them. Whether or not their customer (the seller/shipper) was reimbursed for the cost is of no matter to them.

USPS will deal with either for filing an initial claim, last I checked, but will need the physical receipt or electronic proof of the shipping, charges, and tracking that needs to come from the seller in most cases.

If you need a claim filed and the seller refuses to file it or provide the necessary receipts, go to your item's eBay page and put in a claim for "item not as described." Tell them what happened. With very little doubt, you'll get the claim filed because the seller won't want to lose the money and the item, as well as having that strike against their account.

As for sniping and the like, back when eBay was newer, I used to plan the days and times that I would list items. Sniping had to be done in person, and many buyers did it for reasons mentioned above, plus we had people that used to watch our bidding history because Rich and I would take the time to ferret out odd finds because of search terms like misspellings (we learned not to bid early pretty quickly lest we pay more than we had to). For example, I would never have auctions going off on a Friday or Saturday evening or night as a lot of people were out and about. Same with Sunday daytime. My best times were Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings between about 8 and 11PM which gave the left coast a chance to get out of work as well. There weren't any smart phones, so it had to be done from a computer! With sniping, smart phones, and the international side of eBay opening up, almost any time became a good time.

It's still the best game in town, not that it makes it any better. If you're careful about your search terms, show lots of pictures to protect yourself, and give good descriptions, your items will sell and you'll average less than 12% paid to eBay. Try to sell things and pay that low of a fee anywhere else!

Chuck

 

[perc-o-prince]

MattL- did you call UPS to tell them that your driver wouldn't accept your refusal of the box? Almost guaranteed you'd have gotten an apology and they'd have sent someone to retrieve it if you had not yet opened it. Best of luck with your mixer!

As far as eBay being loaded with junk, yes, it is! However, there are still plenty of things that can be gotten using the correct search terms and Boolean operators to thin the herd. We needed a new motor for the pool pump. Local dealer: $349. Local dealer if you ordered it on their website and had it shipped: $203 + shipping. Buy It Now on eBay with free shipping and delivered in 3 days: $152. Same replacement motor, brand and model.

Chuck