I am really mad about a item i brought off ebay.It is broken, What should i do?
By Bijou1
@Bijou1 (160)
Australia
April 20, 2008 6:35am CST
I brought a tube of foundation on ebay. I picked it up from the post office and opened the post satchel that it arrived in. The post satchel was full of foundation. It had been squashed and exploded everywhere. It is completely unusable. The tube had a single layer of bubble wrap but the foundation was not in a box, like it was stated in the ebay auction. I spoke to the Post office and they said that the seller is at fault because the item did not have nough bubble wrap and they should have send it in a box. I contacted the seller and she is refusing me a refund, saying that maybe i shouldn't buy things off ebay. It is so unfair.
As far as i am concerned, she should give me a refund then argue with the post office about it.
I have lodged a dispute with ebay but i have to wait 10 days, and its bugging me.
I am so cranky right now.
4 people like this
14 responses
@histechnoangel (356)
• United States
21 Apr 08
Yeah Im turned off of eBay. I bought a game cube on eBay for my bday and it arrived not working. The seller said he doesn't believe me. So, now I am stuck, short of money and with a broken game cube. Sucks!!!
@Bijou1 (160)
• Australia
22 Apr 08
have you got in touch with ebay? There is a dispute section that you can go to. If after 10 days, you and the seller havent reached an agreement, ebay will take over and fix the problem. Also, did you pay through paypal? If you did, they have buyer protection and can help get your money back. I wouldn't give up without a fight. Keep trying.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
20 Apr 08
You have done the right thing by putting a dispute in with ebay, the seller really should have offered to refund or replace if it is shown to be their fault, I would have replaced if I thought it was my fault, but then again when I post something delicate I always make sure it is well wrapped to make sure it does not get broken. It is just carelessness, and it annoys me when they do that and then say there is nothing they can do, it gives other good decent sellers a bad name.
@gottogogirl1956 (115)
• United States
21 Apr 08
Amen. I work hard to maintain my good selling name, keep open communication with the seller. I deal honestly and pack carefully no matter how inexpensive the item is. I would expect anyone to complain if they have a problem with me. I have had very few complaints and have taken a loss sometimes to make the buyer happy even when it wasnt my fault.
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
21 Apr 08
You have done the right thing lodging a dispute but eBay states that you have to wait the 10 days to give the other side a chance to respond. I would strongly suggest you make sure you kept the tube and the packaging as eBay may well ask you to send it back to the seller, and if you do then use a trackable means of posting.
Check out eBay's own community pages on the question and answer board, there are always loads of eBay members there who can advise you further too
@gottogogirl1956 (115)
• United States
21 Apr 08
I understand how distressing it is to wait to get a final decison in a dispute. I feel the same way when I cannot get a buyer to answer my email(s) when there is a problem, or they havent paid. I makes me the so mad to be ignored. If I have a buyer who has changed their mind or has lost their job or can't pay for a few more days. I am very understanding, and it has paid off more than once. I have purchased Bath and Body works items and have received them in a flat rate mailer with no packing. I was amazed that they arrived in good condition. I have also received one that was all over the place in the package. Thank goodness she put it in a plastic bag. Not a lot of protection but it would have been oozing out of the envelope otherwise. I didn't leave her a bad feedback but I let her know her packaging was crappy. I think I am almost over careful when I pack. Many of my feedbacks, remark about how good my packing job is. Some people just do not have any common sense. Maybe they just don't care. I know it is hard to wait but I hope you can resolve your issue. Just know that all ebay sellers are not that way. Good luck
@marcialoyd (1173)
• United States
20 Apr 08
That is exactly why I have decided to not use EBAY. You never know what kind of person you are dealing with. Are they a scammer or are they just careless. You never know. I bought a $150 cell phone from a Power Seller. You know the ones they say you can trust. Well I recieved a Unusable Cell Phone with Bootleg software. No refund and no cell phone. Lost $150. That taught me my lesson real well and I refuse to buy off of EBAY. You never know what you are getting unfortunately.
@gottogogirl1956 (115)
• United States
21 Apr 08
When you spend that kind of money, you should always pay with PayPal. Yes there are fees for the seller but that is part of selling. There is a PayPal protection plan that works quite well. If the seller has not been honest, item is broken, never arrives or seller will just not make it right for you, turn them into paypal to get a refund. Being a power seller does not make you an honest seller, it means you have a lot of sales. Read the feed back and see how many negatives the seller has, and check the shipping before you bid on anything. Protect yourself with insurance on things that are fragile or higher priced. I hope you have better luck in the future.
@Esoteric1 (863)
• Canada
20 Apr 08
I think that is all you really can do, you talked to the post office and the sender now you are waiting on ebay not much else you can do except for maybe not buy from the Internet but that same thing could happen from any store too. I would wait and have ebay settle it they most likely will refund your money, if they don't well just make sure you never buy from that seller again. This is why I try not to buy off the net there are a lot of greedy people selling things in a cheap manner and having the parcels stolen lost or damaged in the process. Hope you resolve this issue, good luck and take care.
@gottogogirl1956 (115)
• United States
21 Apr 08
It is too bad that you have been burned buying something online. I am an ebay seller and I have had only one item a buyer wanted a refund for. Yes I have had a couple of broken items that I helped the buyer get the insurance money for. I sometimes think FRAGILE means drop kick it across the room. My one buyer who wanted a refund ,did not read the description with all the measurements of a leather jacket, and he wanted a refund because it did not fit. I measure everything. I do not want any doubts as to what my customers are buying. I did give him a refund. I am not perfect, but I am great at packaging and treat my ebay buyers with honesty and I pride myself in what I sell and ship. It is too bad that your negative attitude gives honest sellers, such as myself a bad reputation. I hope the rest of your life is in much better shape. Life it good, I have a job, a roof over my head and enough to eat. Things are sometimes a struggle but all in all the sun shines in my life on most days. Try to find something positive in all you do your life, in all aspects of your life, and things might seem brighter for you too. Sorry to have vented on you, I am sure you are a perfectly nice person.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
21 Apr 08
i'm so sorry that you have to have such a bad experience shopping at ebay... i hope that everything will turn out well and ebay will go in your favour... that's why me and my hubby are always against buying things online and we prefer to go to the physical shop and look at the items in front of our eyes before we are willing to spend our money... of course it is a different thing if we are the seller... we don't mind to be a seller, but not a buyer...
@Ohara_1983 (4117)
• Kuwait
20 Apr 08
wow! what kind of seller they are, i think it is not good idea when they refused the broken itme, you need to report or make something that will be learn that not all customer will keep thier mouth shout. if they will give any action for that complain.
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
20 Apr 08
Thst is really horrible. Report her to ebay and tell them what happened so they can do something about it. If we sell on ebay we should have the item packed and packaged firmly to support the content of what we are selling to get repeat customers. She should've placed it in a box. Sellers like that shouldn't be allowed to sell on ebay.
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
21 Apr 08
Unfortunately, that is the joy of buying online :(
You see, the seller can blame the post office & refuse a refund due to it being fine when they sent it but as the post office said it was the sellers fault. More bubble wrap wouldn't have saved it though, not in a tube.
Continue with your dispute on eBay, if you paid via PayPal - file a dispute with them as well since the seller didn't pack your item so it couldn't be damaged & keep fighting for your refund coz unfortnately, the seller might try & blame others but the eBay rules do state that the seller is responsible for making sure items are sent in a way they cant get damaged. Plus, if it was supposed to be posted in it's box - you should throw that at the seller too - stating the box wasn't included as the listed said it would be & that might have helped to stop the damage.
I've been eBaying for 5 or 6 years now & have never had a problem like that - however, i am very cautious about what i buy & have yet to purchase make-up or anything too breakable!
@janisvg18 (181)
• Singapore
21 Apr 08
Is this for real?! I really haven't tried buying from ebay, and this really scared me....
Well, i guess some people selling stuffs in ebay take the opportunity to make money, even though what they're selling's broken or something.
@jbrooks (264)
• United States
21 Apr 08
i know that it is so maddening. when a seller refuses and if it is stated that i came in a box and then it does not, then the seller lied and i would have done exactly what you did by filing a dispute. i am sorry that you have found a dishonest seller but there are alot of sellers that are honest. do you buy alot on ebay? if you do i have a site that it well worth signing up for. you can earn money back on all your ebay purchases. email me if you are interested and i will give you the link and it is free to sign up for
@kezabelle (2974)
•
20 Apr 08
Theres nothing more you can do just wait for the dispute to be looked at chances are they decide in your favour but you often have to send the item back first maybe not in this case as theres not much left to send back but they should decide in your favour and get you a refund although it will only be a partial one less the postage
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
20 Apr 08
There is not much you can do other than what you have already done. You will likely get your money back from the claim. You can also of course always leave negative feedback for the seller. This was likely not an intentional error on her part, you should not suffer either. Your claim will likely be taken care of by Ebay
