Fifty Plus (50+) - Ebay issues

Well I thought sellers pulling auctions was the biggest problem with ebay but for me it is poor packing for shipment by the sellers. There seems to be no way to resolve this with the sellers as they reserve their retialitory feedback until you post yours.

Here are some examples:

Carbon seatpost sent in a bag. Bag was ripped in half when recived.
Watch. In its original box(only saving grace) thrown in a box about 10 times the size of the watch with no packing what so ever.
Heart rate monitor. See watch description above.

For the watch and the HRM the sellers were insensed that I complained to them.

I also have other feedback issues. One item never showed up and with much difficulty got the seller to refund the $. He claims he has no idea what happend but could produce no shipping conformation. Would you leave any feedback? Also a seller and I mutually agreed to not complete a sale. No harm no foul but the item is still on my list for leaving feedback.

On the road fourm when you post stuff like this the general response is "what's the problem". America is headed to **** in a handbasket with that attitude.

So do any of you have similar experiences and what should you do in the way of feedback?

Generally, I buy Bicycle parts, plastic models and model train parts on Ebay. If I deal with Online stores or large volumn dealers and pay reasonable prices, packing seems to be very good. When I buy from private dealers and the price is a steal, the packing can become indifferent and sometimes downright shoddy. The question then becomes.....(assuming that the damage was caused by bad packing, not shipper mishandling which is a different kettle of fish)....was the item damaged, or were my sensibilities damaged by the lack of packaging. If the item was undamaged then I try to stick to........ok, I bought it, its here, all's well. Feedback consists of "Its here, its what I ordered, thanks.

If the item was damaged, take pictures of the packaging and complain to the seller. If its not made right, complain to Ebay and Pay-Pal using the pictures to proove your point. If the seller makes good, then the feedback can reflect this.

There are things that I just won't buy on Ebay because of the nature of the sellers of those items. I also tend to do some research on my sellers feedback before I will bid on an item. I will not do business with sellers who do not accept Pay-Pal.

I have had things like drop bars shipped to me with no other packaging than a layer of bubble wrap and a stuck on shipping label. They arrived fine by the way....:eek:....so I guess no harm/no foul.

I don't have much eBay experience, but so far, so good. I think the feedback system is a joke, whoever came up with it deserves bad feedback. There were some changes made yesterday, I think, but I haven't read them yet. Perhaps things will improve but don't hold your breath.

I've had quite a few experiences with ebay (I think my total is 300 plus) as both a buyer and a seller, and only once have I received something where poor packing 'might' have been the problem. I couldn't tell for sure, so I didn't leave negative feedback.

And yes, Louis, the feedback system is not perfect. Still, I think its better to have it than not. Don't like the new rule that says sellers cannot leave negative feedback. What's up with that?

Rick / OCRR

sellers cannot leave negative feedback. What's up with that?

Rick / OCRR Huh? You gotta be kidding! :eek: I'm speechless. I have no speech.:o

Haven't run into a seller who pulled his item. Although I did that once myself. Last year I did have two sellers who did not ship item and did not communicate. Was as if they died. They apparently had money in their PayPal account and I was able to get a full refund in both cases. And left negative feedback.

But yes I received quite a few items with poor packaging. CPU chip and RAM sticks wrapped in one layer bubble wrap and mailed in an envelope comes to mind. Bought a commercial light fixture and it was just placed in a box with noodles. Item of course shifted within the box and arrived with broken lens. On the other side, I bought a vacuum cleaner, the seller didn't realize he could remove handle with a coin and pack in smaller box. Must have used $30 in bubble wrap to pack it in a large box. I've been using that bubble wrap for my shipping for two years.

"When I buy from private dealers and the price is a steal, the packing can become indifferent and sometimes downright shoddy. "

Thanks for making me feel like I am not being picked on!

Maybe it is beyond hope but if Microsoft gets Yahoo perhaps they will set up a "real" auction site. My ideal would be no reserve prices and a feedback system that prevents the sellers from retaliation if you pay within a fixed time period. Also a stiff penalty to sellers for ending auctions. Something like a 25% fee paid to the highest bidder if an auction is pulled.

Should negative feedback be given for crummy packing?

I haven't received many feedbacks due from sellers. As a buyer I can't do much but pay quickly. IMO that deserves pos feedback, immediately. I do this when I sell something. If a seller won't leave feedback before I do, I don't leave feedback. Maybe the new rules will help this situation............or not. :(

I guess if a package arrives ok, packaging was adequate...........maybe just barely. You certainly may mention good packaging. Poor packaging is only a problem if the item is damaged. Then feedback should reflect this.

I review feedback of all sellers very carefully before I pull the trigger on any product. One negative or neutral feedback in the last year is more than enough to stop me from bidding. Additionally, I ask the seller as many questions as I need to before making a bid. The way the seller answers the question is often a clue about the kind of seller your dealing with. Finally, in terms of feedback, I try to be honest and fair. That means I don't leave glowing feedback for someone that didn't make me glow with their service or the product.

I occasionally buy items on eBay and I occasionally sell them. I pay a lot of attention to the feedback of a seller before making a bid. Not just the score, but the words. Often a buyer will leave comments about the quality of packaging and other aspects of the sale that add or subtract from the buying experience. I guess my method works or I am just lucky. I have not had any really bad experiences with things I bought on eBay. A few things turned out to be better than expected.

As a seller I fiercely protect my perfect feedback score. I make sure I fully describe the items I sell and fully disclose any imperfections. I ask buyers to please contact me before leaving negative feedback if they have a problem with something I sold so I can make it good. This has not come up so far.

I tend not to give feedback before the buyer does as it encourages them to leave feedback. It also lets me know that the item I sent did arrive in good condition. I am disappointed when I know I did my part and a buyer does not bother to leave feedback. That score is valuable as it helps assure buyers that I am a seller they can trust.

Never had packing issues with eBay. Most of my issues were due to me trusting folks would do the right thing in the early days of eBay. In both cases goods were not exactly what was advertised-maybe partly my fault because I didn't ask enough questions ahead of time to make sure it was exactly what I was looking for. The use of pictures today makes a LOT of difference.

The first time was a golf club that was a slightly different model than advertised. The guy agreed to refund the dollars so I returned the club and never saw the money. Really, really hacked me off. Ebay investigated but the guy "ran"-changed user ids. I sent a number of nasty letters to his postal address including an article about the feds investigating internet fraud.........

The second was a set of wheels that were a slightly different model. I had asked questions ahead of time and the guy in the shop selling them convinced me they were what I was looking for but was very vague in his response......either he was a complete idiot or he was intentionally hiding the facts. Another guy in the shop later told me exactly what they were-after I'd won the bid. I tried to negotiate a settlement but he stuck me with his "restocking fee" before he ever mailed them. Wouldn't even agree to split it with me.

A few thoughts:

1) Shipping is a top complaint of online buyers, including auctions. Not suggesting that this makes your experience feel any better.
2) Indeed, words, along with the numbers are very important for eBay feedback. Do use words to characterize the situation, even if you end up providing positive feedback. As BluesDawg points out, many -- at least those with enough experience with online auctions -- do read the text comments and will appreciate it (although you will never hear this directly from bidders).
3) I did not know about the change in policy for feedback to be left by sellers. In any event, attempt to consider the entire experience, including the product, and provide a fair assessment. In many cases, poor performance in one area, does not suggest that the overall performance of the seller was necessarily poor.
4) It is reasonable to be concerned about retaliatory feedback. If you are worried about this, tread lightly. You can always leave a positive, but, use words in the text comment to tip off future users, e.g., include some positive text and some less than positive text.

My first Ebay purchase was a digital camera to replace the identical model that was stolen during a burglary. It arrived in a FedEx box WITHOUT ANY PACKING MATERIAL.:eek: He shipped delicate electronic equipment WITHOUT ANY PACKING!!! :eek: :eek: Fortunately it arrived unharmed and it's still usable. I do not like to complain about things if the outcome is positive, so my feedback just praised the fast shipment.

My only experience like this was a seller who shipped me a Park wrench, loose, in a big manilla envelope. I received the empty envelope with a big hole torn in the edge. I E-mailed a picture to the seller and they immediately sent me another tool, this time taped to a piece of cardboard that was put into another manilla envelope. It came through our Postal system just fine, so I left positive feedback.

makes you laugh My first auction were two sets of egg-beaters from a guy in Colorado. I waited and waited, for one month then two then just as I was to leave negative feedback I get a plastic bag at the post office.

In the bag there is a note and a neatly packaged box, well taped, well marked and totally intact. The note was an apology letter from Canada Post no less remarking that the parcel had fallen from the belt and was found during repairs.
In the box were the pedals as well as extra cleats the seller had thrown in, shipping sucked but heck of a good seller, got positive feedback.

I bought my EZ Sport on Ebay and it was scratched up when I got it for the way it was packed.The seller tried to do the right thing and had a bike shop pack it.I am sure if he had a twelve year old kid he could have done as good or better.And they charged him 35 dollars more than they estimated it at.
So that shop lost one customer and I would say he was a good one.The bike would have been like new if not for the shoddy packing.
Wink

Don't like the new rule that says sellers cannot leave negative feedback. What's up with that?

Rick / OCRR

I like this rule a lot. The overwhelming problem with feedback has always been retaliation from a seller when a buyer leaves honest feedback. The seller should be allowed to comment, but NOT leave negative feedback.

I haven't received many feedbacks due from sellers. As a buyer I can't do much but pay quickly. IMO that deserves pos feedback, immediately. I do this when I sell something. If a seller won't leave feedback before I do, I don't leave feedback. Maybe the new rules will help this situation............or not. :(

I guess if a package arrives ok, packaging was adequate...........maybe just barely. You certainly may mention good packaging. Poor packaging is only a problem if the item is damaged. Then feedback should reflect this.

I'm glad to read your post, especially since it reflects my sentiments. :-)

A lot of sellers seem to think that MY feedback is contingent upon ME liking THEIR product.

I always pay promptly and try to communicate clearly, so I feel I have earned Excellent feedback and, if the seller doesn't leave my feedback, I don't leave any for them, regardless of how well pleased I might be with our transaction, or how many begging e-mails they send, like, "Please leave me positive feedback and I'll do the same for you".

My first Ebay purchase was a digital camera to replace the identical model that was stolen during a burglary. It arrived in a FedEx box WITHOUT ANY PACKING MATERIAL.:eek: He shipped delicate electronic equipment WITHOUT ANY PACKING!!! :eek: :eek: Fortunately it arrived unharmed and it's still usable. I do not like to complain about things if the outcome is positive, so my feedback just praised the fast shipment.

This is the exact issue. If the item, a watch in my case, arrives by luck undamaged the sellers seem to think this is acceptable. "Hey what's your problem, it still works" attitude. To think the USPS or even FedEx handles delicate stuff with kid gloves is to live in LaLa Land.

Personally when I ship stuff via FedEx it is packed well and no problems ensue.

I'm glad to read your post, especially since it reflects my sentiments. :-)

A lot of sellers seem to think that MY feedback is contingent upon ME liking THEIR product.

I always pay promptly and try to communicate clearly, so I feel I have earned Excellent feedback and, if the seller doesn't leave my feedback, I don't leave any for them, regardless of how well pleased I might be with our transaction, or how many begging e-mails they send, like, "Please leave me positive feedback and I'll do the same for you".

Since I started this thing I will chime in on this issue also. I went through my porfile the other day and only 81% of all sellers I have bought from left any feedback! The other 19% are lazy slackers and the kind of sellers that just throw expensive stuff in a box with no clue about proper shipping. Ebay's feedback system is a joke as far as I am concerned.

I have great luck with eBay. Never had a problem. But then I think of it as a garage sale, not a store.

It's a rarity I go looking thru the bike parts section at eBay.
Time was,it was a favorite haunt.
Then little things like the suntour thumb shifters (vintage) that wound up being way overbid at the last min.(and showing right back up on eBay..I printed out the photo and there were the identical nicks)over and over and..
That syndrome began to invade almost every vintage part (very last minute "someone" puts an outrageous bid in)
I discovered places like loose screws and yellow jersey and classic bicycles and aebikes etc. which HAD what I was looking for (albeit not the exotica 70s super record stuff or regina oro gold chain etc.)and at a reasonable price.
It came packed the way it should, the shipping charge was correct (that being the other issue I began to have with eBay sellers)and it was clean and in perfect working order.
eBay was a great idea..that' got hijacked.

I usually leave feedback for the seller after I receive the merchandise that I ordered and had a chance to go over it thouroughly satisfied. I noticed that sellers now will only leave a feedback after you leave one for them or sometimes ignore leaving the feedback for you. I had 3 sellers not leaving a feedback for me despite the feedbacks I left for them.

I have been using ebay for around 7 years now. The system depends upon the honesty of the participants. Sometimes you have to consider that people no longer have a clear view of ethical behavior. Doting parents have raised a generation or two of sociopaths. Hooray for me, where's mine.

I buy large and small items. I research the seller, looking for patterns of problems or satisfied customers. It's easy to make mistakes and I don't punish people for them. I recently completed a sale and was at fault for not knowing certain details. The part I sold didn't meet the needs of the buyer and it was because we didn't think to consider a detail about the part. It was a small detail that neither of us thought mattered, we learned about standardization or lack thereof. This leads to misunderstandings, to possible problems, etc. I believe it's up to us to try to work it out. The individual I was working with was a true gentleman and was trying to make the part work for him.

I have bought and sold items. I sold a high end bike(Colnago) and spent several hours packing it safely.(Remember the gorilla in the American Tourister Commercial). This bike was 5+ years old and looked great. I had not put a nick on since I bought it from the first owner. It had a couple of stone bruises, period. Even the original owner had bid on it, not knowing it had been his because it looked so much better. My feedback was minimal, item looks to be as promised. Made me wonder if it was worth it.

Don't blame the system, be wary of strangers. It's a game to some, a business to others. I find that ebay is trying to create an independent marketplace, no more, no less. Also, all of the functions running that giant monster must be computerized. Hard to teach it to think. Also remember, there are lots of third world countries trying to use the internet, the cheapest advertising means in the world, to steal from those that are better off then them.(us)

I just passed on a full carbon Giant frame, my size in good condition because the seller had limited feedback and I didn't want to take a chance on poor shipping and a carbon frame. It sold for under $300. I like to buy local off of ebay when possible. I've had two really bad experiences with regard to poor packing using ebay. In both instances it was clearly the packer, not the shipping firm. In both instances, the seller did not post feedback waiting for me to post.
Sometimes I think we should have a fixed thread here on BF where we can list bad experiences with ebay sellers. Sort of like a Better Bike Bureau.

I have had good results with ebay and have over 200 transactions. I do take the feedback seriously. I like to see 99% or higher positive feedback. Anything less and I will read thru the seller's feedback and see if there is a pattern.

One thing is you must ask for shipping insurance if it is not included in the shipping cost. Otherwise shipment is at the risk of the buyer.

I just passed on a full carbon Giant frame, my size in good condition because the seller had limited feedback and I didn't want to take a chance on poor shipping and a carbon frame. It sold for under $300. I like to buy local off of ebay when possible. I've had two really bad experiences with regard to poor packing using ebay. In both instances it was clearly the packer, not the shipping firm. In both instances, the seller did not post feedback waiting for me to post.
Sometimes I think we should have a fixed thread here on BF where we can list bad experiences with ebay sellers. Sort of like a Better Bike Bureau.

I'm sure some people have had a much worse experience on E-bay than others but what you are suggesting here does sounds like a good idea.

Out of curiousity I did a search for 'anti ebay sites'

Result:- Results 1 - 10 of about 2,230,000 for anti ebay.

We are NOT alone. :-)