selling on ebay - gone wrong

Jennyisbusy
Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
edited October 2024 in Chit-Chat
I am so pissed right now - I was going to eat my weight in food but instead I am going to throw this out to you good people.

We recently bought something we couldn't afford - had regrets and decided to sell it on ebay. So we listed the item, sold it and shipped it - yay! Everything is great right? Wrong - the buyer said they never received the item, and we were forced to immediately refund their money. We did not pay for tracking because the buyer said they didn't need it. Ebay took the money straight from the account that we got paid from, we didn't even get a chance to prepare.

So we overextended ourselves - thought we fixed it - only to find out we are now out the cost of the item + the cost of the shipping + the cost of packaging=WAY OVEREXTENDED.

Ebay doesn't give a crap either. They won't even request that the buyer return the item when it shows up. It's somewhere I hope bouncing around with the mailman - let's hope he brings it back to me.
I hope the buyer is telling the truth and not running a scam on normal people trying to sell an item. I feel angry.

Angry that the item may have been stolen by the buyer or from the buyer. Angry that the post office maybe didn't do their job. Angry that I didn't just pay for the tracking with my own damn money. Angry that ebay treated us like bad people. Angry that some bill is going to be late because I run a tight budget.

Replies

  • hazelnut861
    hazelnut861 Posts: 390 Member
    That really sucks but you did learn something. Sorry about your experience.
  • methetree
    methetree Posts: 381
    UGH! That is a terrible story! I am sorry to hear about your troubles. Let's hope that if the buyer is lying, their underwear are infested with the fleas of a thousand camels!
  • Hollybot
    Hollybot Posts: 108 Member
    Do some boxing, it will relieve stress, energy AND its a much better alternative to eating your problems
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Underwear infested with the fleas of a thousand camels! - YES YES - THIS (if they are lying)
  • vickyplum
    vickyplum Posts: 193 Member
    I had a friend that had this happen to them and your right ebay dont care they take they
    take the word of the people that buy things and not the people selling
    who in alot of cases are selling them coz they have to not coz they want to!!

    same thing they said they never recieved the item!!

    I hope you get your item back
    and sorry to hear of your predicament!!
    hope things sort themselves soon
    my thoughts are with you
    Vicky xxxx
  • kaylynn54
    kaylynn54 Posts: 141
    I know that this doesn't help now, but if you had gotten a tracking number, then you would know if the buyer actually received it or not. I have never sent anything to anybody without a tracking #. I know that this has been an expensive lesson and I'm sorry that you had to go through it, but next time, whether the buyer wants it or not, add enough in the shipping to get a tracking #. I hope that the package makes it back to you and it's just a post office goof up.
  • conorrf
    conorrf Posts: 1
    That sucks!

    Tracking info isn't for the buyer, it's so that the seller can prove that they shipped the item. eBay should be way clearer about this when selling...
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    Sorry but it is always the sellers burden...even those who say that they are not responsible for items lost are wrong, they are but many wont complain thinking this disclaimer is legal.

    I hope your item does turn up and that you haven't been scammed but...a valuable lesson has been learned, always obtain proof of posting at the VERY LEAST.

    Oh and have you checked the buyers history, see their feedback, if there are similar stories try and contact the other parties and if it seems they have pulled the same thing before lodge an appeal
  • dgirllamius
    dgirllamius Posts: 171 Member
    I never EVER sell anything on ebay with tracking. I include it in the price of the postage.

    If the buyer says he doesn't need it, then it seems like he actually received it, but you got no proof.

    Been there before with an item which I had tracked...claimed he never received it. I checked online and he in fact did.

    Tracking items should be required, not just if the buyer wants it or not.
  • nicolemarie045
    nicolemarie045 Posts: 131 Member
    This just happened to my brother in law this week....must be a crappy Ebay sorta time :( Hopefully you get the item back or the person isn't scamming you! Hang in there!
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    To be fair you should have gotten tracking so you'd know when the item got delivered and when. I'm thinking there is a good chance it was stolen since the buyer said they didn't need tracking. That was dumb.
    You should require it to at least cover your own losses and insurance on expensive items. It's really not that expensive to get tracking and insure something. I mailed a couple of rings valued at $500 and I put tracking, insurance and had the person have to sign to receive the items.
    Maybe this will be a good lesson to learn if anything.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member
    Seems odd the buyer told you they didn't "NEED" a confirmation slip (bit of a red flag). The confirmation slip is for the seller/mailer NOT the buyer. It confirms that the package did arrive to the buyer and was not lost, stolen but did arrive at the designated address.

    As a seller I ALWAYS buy insurance for any item over $25 for my customers and ALWAYS buy the tracking for Priority mailing. It's such a small cost for a peace of mind and the fee is easily added to shipping/handling fee or the item fee.

    Sorry that happened to you. It's possible a neighbor swiped it off the buyers porch (happened to me several times until I started having my pkgs. delivered to my work) but whatever the scenario there's not much that can be done now unfortunately.

    You'll probably have to simply take the lesson you learned and go from there. At this point without insurance and a USPS confirmation slip there's little that can be done to recover your money or the item.:flowerforyou:
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    Ebay should just require tracking for every purchase. And I want to say that I won't ever sell anything on ebay again - but I may someday. I sure as heck won't do it without tracking though!

    The buyer did not have bad feedback - but it wasn't the oldest account either.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    lesson learned...the hard way. If the item is that expensive, get tracking.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,032 Member
    Ebay should just require tracking for every purchase. And I want to say that I won't ever sell anything on ebay again - but I may someday. I sure as heck won't do it without tracking though!

    The buyer did not have bad feedback - but it wasn't the oldest account either.
    Tracking can be done on Priority mailing only. Which one would likely do if it's a large ticket item. Actually I believe it is highly recommended for sellers to buy it but then again I've been selling on the sight for quite a long time so it could simply be something that comes to my mind without even thinking.
  • jtsmou
    jtsmou Posts: 503 Member
    I deal with ebay sellers every day and I see this all the time with new sellers. Always include some kind of tracking or delivery confirmation. I actually recommend getting direct signature, and always insure and be prepared to prove the value you insure it for. Another big mistake new sellers make is underestimating the shipping and packing cost.... Big online retailers get a very different rate from UPS - Fedex - etc, so don't expect shipping to cost the same as what they charge, or even what bigger ebay sellers charge.
  • jayb123x
    jayb123x Posts: 138
    I sell quite a bit on ebay and always use 'delivery confirmation'. It's only 19 cents if you pay for the shipping label through paypal. And in a dispute Paypal will always side with the buyer if you can't prove the item was delivered.
    Ebay should just require tracking for every purchase. And I want to say that I won't ever sell anything on ebay again - but I may someday. I sure as heck won't do it without tracking though!

    The buyer did not have bad feedback - but it wasn't the oldest account either.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    Tracking can be done on Priority mailing only. Which one would likely do if it's a large ticket item. Actually I believe it is highly recommended for sellers to buy it but then again I've been selling on the sight for quite a long time so it could simply be something that comes to my mind without even thinking.

    not true. i send media mail packages all the time to my reviewers (i own a book review company) and i ALWAYS get tracking confirmation. ANY package can be tracked by the usps.
  • jayb123x
    jayb123x Posts: 138
    I send almost everything First-Class with Delivery Confirmation.
    Tracking can be done on Priority mailing only. Which one would likely do if it's a large ticket item. Actually I believe it is highly recommended for sellers to buy it but then again I've been selling on the sight for quite a long time so it could simply be something that comes to my mind without even thinking.

    not true. i send media mail packages all the time to my reviewers (i own a book review company) and i ALWAYS get tracking confirmation. ANY package can be tracked by the usps.
  • sinclare
    sinclare Posts: 369 Member
    I always use delivery conf. and I pay for the buyer's insurance if the item is over $50.

    Maybe it really is lost and will be delivered late? Stay in touch with the buyer, just in case. Maybe they are honest and never did get it?

    Most people will work with you and will do pretty much anything to keep their feedback postive.
  • ChristineMarie89
    ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,079 Member
    Ebay should just require tracking for every purchase. And I want to say that I won't ever sell anything on ebay again - but I may someday. I sure as heck won't do it without tracking though!

    The buyer did not have bad feedback - but it wasn't the oldest account either.

    keep an eye on em'. if they did scam you they got away with it and they will probably do it again and then mayby there will be feedback and u can file a complaint. So rude how ppl take advantage of people. Hope they didnt scam u though and it gets back to u
  • Adrenaline_Queen
    Adrenaline_Queen Posts: 626 Member
    That has happend to me too, but only for a dress... I dont use ebay anymore, when I sell I never get what it is worth when I buy I pay to much! xx Sorry to hear you have lost out... xx
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    ALWAYS BUY TRACKING AND DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, a required signature upon delivery is even better. Sounds like the buyer knew what they were doing by telling you NOT to get tracking. Live and learn.
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
    Well actually tracking benefits both the buyer and seller. The buyer to have proof the item was actually sent. The seller to prove it was sent and delivered. When you type in the tracking number it will say the actual time it was delivered along with the address.

    A tracking number is free of charge if you purchase your label online. Otherwise it's small change for something this important.
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    I kinda hope my story helps someone else out there too. :)
This discussion has been closed.

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