ClubRoadster.net banner

A classic bad eBay experience

4K views 22 replies 19 participants last post by  A Dingleberry Monstrosity 
G
#1 ·
Here's an eBay classic: "The oblique camera angle trick"...

http://tinyurl.com/qoshd

(BELOW)
What the part in question should look like.

See the writing? See the numbers? See the needle? See the air bubble above the CLEAR glycerine? See the shiny RUST-FREE chrome bezel?



(BELOW)
The pic in the eBay ad described by the seller as "NEW IN PACKAGE."

OK, so the seller ain't no Ansel Adams. There could be a blue gauge face in there somewhere. Right?
How far wrong can I go for only $27.99 (for "eBay-new" vs. $60 for "new-new") + only $9.38 UPS Ground (clearly padding profits for an itsy-bitsy gauge, but, hey, no more than Summit would charge).
Well, for $37.37 total, I'll come out way ahead of what I'd spend at Summit. Naw, screw bad ol' Summit Incorporated. They're "part of the problem." I'm "part of the solution."
I'll put my money where my heart is: I'll demonstrate my "esprit de corps" with a fellow gearhead eBayer who's just tryin' to make an honest buck in the good ol' U.S. of A.!
OK...I'll bite!




(BELOW)
Here's what showed up on my doorstep...

DOH!

Where's the writing? The numbers? The needle? The air bubble?



The shiny chrome? What's that? A little rust to sweeten the deal? Gee, thanks!



Anyone know the half-life of Scotch tape before it yellows and causes rust? 10 years? 20 years? Perhaps some carbon-dating is in order...



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OK. Oh, well, **** happens. Must've been an honest mistake. My comrade-in-arms eBay buddy ain't no cynical, malicious, connivin', money grubbin', lyin', mis-representin' scumbag! Not my buddy, no way!
Maybe he's just blind. Yeah, that's gotta be it. It's not his fault! Why, I'll bet he has one of those blue cards hanging from his mirror. Gets to park in those "handicapped" spaces at WalMart without getting a ticket. Cool. I'll just email my visually challenged comrade-in-gearhead-arms-eBayer-buddy and ask for my money back. I'm a nice guy, I'll even offer to save him the return shipping on this doorstop...


"Hey David,

I received this item yesterday. It is unacceptable and is not what was described in your ad.

Your eBay ad said it was "NEW IN PACKAGE." Though it may still be sealed in original packaging, it's ancient and must have been laying around for decades. The liquid inside the gauge has turned dark, rendering the gauge worthless. The casing and bezel have rust spots. The pic in your ad was out of focus, poorly lit, and taken at an oblique angle which did not show the actual condition. I wouldn't have considered buying it at any price if your ad had been accurate.

The text in your ad said "COMPARE THIS PRICE WITH YOUR MAIL ORDER SUPPLIES PRICE OF $59.95."

My comparison is: for $59.95, I would have had a gauge that I could see the needle on.

Here's a better photo that I took that actually shows the face of the gauge:

http://billwilner.com/ebay/problems/nosgauge.jpg

What I'd like is for you to email me back acknowledging that you'll accept my return of this item for a refund of the $37.37 that I paid, plus my actual expenses to return it to you (the amount of which I would tell you after I have shipped it to you).

Or, since this gauge is not going to be of any use to anyone, you could save the cost of reimbursing me for returning it to you: I'll toss it in the trash and you can refund me the $37.37.

RSVP.

Bill"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

<waiting...>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

No response.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OK, I'll file a claim with PayPal...

"Technically, the part is "NEW IN PACKAGE" as the ad said, but it is apparently so old that the fluid inside the gauge has turned dark, rendering the gauge useless to anyone:

eBay ad photo: http://i4.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/45/35/14_1.JPG

Photo I took of the item I received: http://billwilner.com/rjdmnet/nosgauge2.jpg

I feel that the seller misrepresented the condition of this gauge and it is not what I was lead to believe I was buying. I emailed the seller asking for a complete refund of my $37.37 + reimburse me for return shipping if he wants the item back. I got no response from the seller."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How the seller eventually responded after receiving my claim from PayPal:

"...IN READING YOUR EMAIL, SEVERAL THINGS COME TO MIND ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY.

IN RESPONSE TO YOUR TRITE AND DEMEANING STATEMENTS, FIRST, THE ONLY DESCRIPTION WAS A GAUGE MANUFACTURED BY NOS NEW IN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGING.

SECOND, YOUR METHOD OF DETERMINING AGE MUST BE TRULY REMARKABLE.

THIRD, YOUR PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE MUST BE STAGGERING.

FOURTH, YOUR PHOTO PROWESS IS TRULY IMPRESSIVE.

FIFTH, YOUR ANGULAR DETERMINATION OF PHOTOS IS IMMENSE.

SIX (sic), YOUR DECISION MAKING ABILITY LEAVES NOTHING TO BE DESIRED.

...CONTINUING, YOUR COMPARISON ABILITY IS ABOVE REPROACH.

<Etc, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah, more personal attacks...>

BY THE WAY IN CLOSING, YOUR IDEA OF TOSSING THE GAUGE IN THE TRASH IS PLAIN INSULTING.

DAVID WRIGHT"
(eBay seller="cruzindw2")

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Refund sent?

Eh, nope.
 
See less See more
5
#7 ·
I feel your pain ( not quite as bad but ... ) I just got stung for £68 ( $120 ) for an original mazda tan hood rear screen to go with the new mazda oem tan hood ( minus rear screen ) I got a few weeks ago ... described as any better condition would be new !!! turns up looking like it had been used as an emergency shelter in a war zone with VERY badly sewn in replacement rear screen that Fred Flintstone would be embarresed with :shock:

moral is if you get the slightest bad feeling friom an ebay description/photo , just walk away
I thought I was saving £120 over the cost of a new oem mazda rear screen, turns out I'm now pating £70 over the cost of a new one !!!

guys reply was pretty much the same "I only put new items on my car and would not use crap like this" !!! ... a minute ago he was saying it was virtually like new AHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!
 
#8 ·
Ive always assumed with ebay, that its my responsibility to pry the seller and find out if what they have listed is what I really want, but Ive also been screwed a few times.

The worst was when I tried to negotiate a deal off of ebay. That was a 6 month ordeal where I was supposed to get a pair of fiberglass running boards for my van shipped to me, but in the end I had to take an afternoon off of work to drive 2 hours to go pick them up because nobody could find a place to ship them. And then I get them and theres cracks and chunks of fiberglass missing in multiple places that Im going to have to repair when I was told they were in great condition. Oh well, live and learn, I guess it was still a deal at $200 for the boards and a stock grille, as opposed to $500 just for a new set of boards.

moral is if you get the slightest bad feeling friom an ebay description/photo , just walk away.
definately, if youre not satisfied with the decription in the listing, ask the seller questions. if they take forever to get back to you and cant provide the info you want, the deal is probably too good to be true 8)
 
#9 ·
My only bad experience so far was a Bride seat rail I ?won? for $7 AUD.

I guess the seller was expecting to make more cash because they didn?t reply to any of my messages until I left them bad feedback. :roll:
 
#10 ·
I've had good and bad experiences on eBay.

I got a home theater system that didn't work and they only offered to refund a part of the paid price and it would have cost almost as much to ship it back. I ate that one. :evil:

My used 2004 oem canvas top came with deep scratches in the glass window that were due to poor packing. I tried to contact the guy. He didn't return my emails. Left negative feedback and he called me one morning! Told me I didn't give him a chance to resolve it. He asked me to retract my negative feedback and he would look into my claim. I did and he never did anything. :evil:

As a seller, I try to be as honest as possible, provide accurate pictures, answer all questions honestly and post that I don't accept returns. Karma man! My rating is still 100% :D

Even with all that you get people who complain. #-o

I sold a very cool looking old Polaroid camera (1969) that I said I had no idea if it worked and no way to test it. Sold "as is" and clearly stated this in the ad. Well the guy won the auction with one bid (he got it cheap at $10) and he said the flash didn't work. #-o I had no idea and even stated this. BTW, my starting price was very low and I don't overcharge on shipping. What more can you do?

Now Bill has a VERY legitiment complaint and I'd be pissed off if it happened to me.

Sadly, eBay has some bad apples. Read the user ratings before you buy and that is still no guarantee. :(
 
#12 ·
completely off topic but still ebay related !

what is it with half of the USA ebay parts vendors that sell for example, a stage 1 clutch kit for $250 then try to charge you $200 shipping to the UK :shock:

you have got to be ****ing kidding ... I have just had a set of wide wheels plus extra parts shipped from Japan for less shipping charges than that !!! RIP OFF

if they don't want to ship outside of the USA just say so ,I'd be cheaper going for a weekend to Japan and get the clutch there !

ahhh ... venting over :roll:
 
#13 ·
OMFG, that asshole has no place to make those remarks with his lack of integrity. Sucks. Are you working any other angles to try and get some cash back?

I once was shipped a DA Integra alternator with a shot bearing that had been spray painted silver...

I tried to contact him but ebay won't let me since I don't have a transaction going with him.
 
#14 ·
completely off topic but still ebay related !

what is it with half of the USA ebay parts vendors that sell for example, a stage 1 clutch kit for $250 then try to charge you $200 shipping to the UK :shock:

you have got to be ****ing kidding ... I have just had a set of wide wheels plus extra parts shipped from Japan for less shipping charges than that !!! RIP OFF

if they don't want to ship outside of the USA just say so ,I'd be cheaper going for a weekend to Japan and get the clutch there !

ahhh ... venting over :roll:
Im in the same boat here mate :evil: You ceetainly have to check it out before you bid. I have bought Tein coilovers from a small trader in Kansas as the big guys wanted nearly double the shipping cost (USD 300.00) it takes some time, but you can usually find a trader with good International shipping for the big ticket items (have bought Torsen/Flywheel/Tein so far from US traders)
 
#16 ·
Personally I would have some "friends" hunt that guy down and give him a little "attitudinal adjustment".
Not only did he misrepresent, but to come back with insults and smart aleck responses to a very professional request, shows how he lives his life.
People like that make me not like people :roll:
 
#23 ·
Personally I would have some "friends" hunt that guy down and give him a little "attitudinal adjustment".
Not only did he misrepresent, but to come back with insults and smart aleck responses to a very professional request, shows how he lives his life.
People like that make me not like people :roll:
everything about this is awesome. sign on date, post count, e-thuggery, resurrection of a thread thats older than dirt....

If you would have also asked about sportmaxxes or how to get "slammage" the world would be awash with the glistening semen of jesus.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top