eBay Sucks Donkey Balls

[Albert]

Long story short, in late November or so I bought an entire set of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" DVDs from a seller on eBay, new and factory sealed. I get the discs (after waiting several weeks before the seller even shipped, as it turns he had to order them from his distributor) and they turn out to be bootlegs. This was immediately obvious to me as the packages were much thinner than the official TNG boxes (the silver ones that open up to reveal an inner box), there were spelling mistakes all over the back, and the UPC numbers were "dummy" numbers used for testing. I immediately filed a PayPal claim and got my money back quickly.

 

But, this was a Christmas gift so I had to scramble to buy the seasons individually. Bought most from Amazon, but they were missing one season so I got that one at a local Barnes and Noble (the only store I could find locally selling them). My Amazon order arrives and four of the six are in a revised packaging that doesn't match the original packaging. Unbelievable, and Amazon hadn't updated their images to reflect this. They do look similar, but they made the packaging simpler and they don't open the same and they clearly are not the same if you put them side by side. So, I run around to every B&N in Austin and find two of the four. The other two I buy used on eBay.

 

I got Season 1 and it was fine and as described. Today I got Season 7 and holy hell it is in the worst condition I've ever seen a DVD box, much less a Star Trek: The Next Generation box. First, the seller lied to me TWICE. Before the auction was over (it wasn't a BIN), I asked "Will you ship this in a box?" to which the seller responded "Yes!" Of course, it arrived today in a bubble envelope. I even left a note with my PayPal payment of "Please ship in a box." I also asked the seller, "Is the item pictured what you are selling?" and once again the seller says, "Yes". This also turned out to be a lie, as it's clear from the single picture he posted in the auction that it's not the same item.

 

Here's the auction:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 150399566963

 

Here's the dispute I opened on PayPal, with pictures:

 

"I received my copy of this DVD set today and am extremely unhappy. First, I asked if you would send this in a box and you replied "Yes". I also asked if the item you were selling was the item pictured and you also said "Yes". Both conversations are saved on eBay. You shipped this item in a bubble envelope and it is clearly not the item pictured in the auction.

 

The external, silver box for this set is the worst I have ever seen a Star Trek: The Next Generation box. It is extremely dirty, has sticker and other residue on the front and spine, and has countless scratches on all sides. And amazingly, Disc 7 wasn't even in the interior box, it was rattling around loose between the outside and inside boxes!

 

Pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see from the shot of the bottom and top of the box that it clearly does not match the photo in the auction. The item was described as "Very Good" and "in EXCELLENT CONDITION!!!" and it is most certainly neither--if I was going to list this item I wouldn't even list it as "Good".

 

I would like a prompt refund of my entire purchase amount ($42.51) plus an additional $3.00 to ship this item back to you, and I *will* ship it in a box.

 

Thank you."

 

Unfortunately PayPal won't let you request a refund of more than what you paid, so I'll have to wait for the refund first and then ask the seller to send me another $3.00 if he wants the discs back.

 

I'm fed up with eBay. You cannot rely on feedback at all--the first seller (with the bootlegs) had 100% feedback and this guy has 99.4% feedback. If a seller with 99.4% feedback is willing to lie straight to your face like this, the feedback system is entirely broken and not even worth considering when you buy something. Even being careful to ask the right questions before you bid won't protect you.

 

So now I need to buy this damn season AGAIN.

 

That's enough venting for now.

 

..Al

[+save2600]

Sorry Al - I feel your pain! Too many shady sellers on ePay and it's getting worse by the day!

 

Slightly different than your experience, about 5 years ago I was trying to save some money and foolishly bought one of those complete 1-7 season box sets for $200 and did not know they were 'bootlegs'. I knew they were from China, but assumed they were legit and packaged that way for the Chinese market. Long story short... $200 is a lot to spend on crap and while the menu and picture quality are great, the last 10-15 minutes is chopped off of the very last episode on some (maybe all) of discs!!! Funny thing is, these disks look totally professional with nice labels, boxes and cases. They're silver too.

 

 

...Buyer beware folks! What happens is that 3/4 of the way though the last episode on these discs, the show will stop and bring you back to the main menu

Edited January 7, 2010 by save2600

[Chickybaby]

I got gipped out of a pair of shoes but ebay didn't want to intervene since the seller was "actively communicating with me to remedy the problem". I didn't leave feedback because of the communication... which lasted until 30 days was up and now I hear nothing from them.I can't leave negative feedback and can't file a claim with Ebay.

Granted it was only 16$ but it's the principal. Now I have the chips for the game that were also bought off ebay and I haven't heard a word about.

 

When I have bought thing sfrom Amazon difrectly they have always been shipped faster then anything and arrived in mint condition. I haven't purchased from secondary sellers on amazon though.

 

I am sorry Albert for your bs you're going through.

[Albert]

Sorry Al - I feel your pain! Too many shady sellers on ePay and it's getting worse by the day!

Yeah, I was unaware of all the bootlegs until after I received mine in the mail. I didn't even open any of the packages to see what the discs looked like inside, or to see how they actually played. I didn't care, I just wanted my money back and it was an important lesson in how risky it is to buy DVDs on eBay. It's probably better to buy used discs (although that didn't help me with the set I received today).

 

..Al

[Crazy Climber]

The last 3 items I purchased from Ebay arrived broken, all from sellers with 100% positive feedback.

Seller 1 (Neon sign) - Tells me I must have done it and am blaming him for it

I ended up leaving nuetral feedback, but regret it, should have left a neg.

 

Seller 2 (Light up sign)- Tells me to file a complaint with the Post office and deal with it myself

After going back and forward a few times, she ended up giving me a 50% refund, still not really satisfied but whatever

 

Seller 3 (etched glass atari case)- Seller wants me to send them pics so they can file complaint with PO, fair so far but I am just sick of buying broken crap

[Albert]

Sorry to hear about the problems you've been having. These days I would fully expect if I bought something like a fragile neon sign, the seller would figure out a way to stuff it in a bubble envelope and then mail it via Media Mail. Most sellers seem only to care about the bottom line--how they can ship packages for the absolute least expensive method in the minimum packaging possible. I partially blame eBay and PayPal for this because of their high fees, but it's seriously out of control.

 

..Al

[Mirage]

This is the best thread title ever. +1 Rep for that, even though you don't need it

 

Sounds like you've finally reached the point with ebay that I reached a little over a year ago. I will go there to see what things are selling for, very occasionally, but otherwise, ebay can kiss my snow white butt.

[+save2600]

"I got gipped"

 

 

I will forever LOVE this phrase, but for the ultimate in Gypsy slander, you gots to spell it right Chicky! Here's and example...

 

I done been gypped. And yes, this has got to be one of the best subject headings I have ever seen. Was just surprised that Al started it. lol

 

 

BTW: Mirage... I was gang raped on my $200 ST:TNG purchase, can I get a +1 for that since I can still laugh about it? (Al's experience reminded me I even had the damn things!) lol

Edited January 7, 2010 by save2600

[Mirage]

 

BTW: Mirage... I was gang raped on my $200 ST:TNG purchase, can I get a +1 for that since I can still laugh about it? (Al's experience reminded me I even had the damn things!) lol

 

Yes, +1 from me for anyone that I notice in this thread that got the shaft from an ebay seller (or buyer for that matter).

[jetset]

Shit man you bought someone all 7 seasons of ST:TNG? How do I get on your list for next year?!?!?!?!

 

That sucks though. Ebay started being shit years ago when people started using it as their full time job rather than just a place to sell off stuff they don't want or need anymore. Half the sellers out there are shit. Hope you get it straightened out.

[CGQuarterly]

It's unfortunate, because eBay was a place I could turn to both to make some money selling my extra stuff, and to pick up items that I needed. Unfortunately this is no longer the case and I now avoid the place unless I have no other choice.

 

Sorry to read about what you had to go through, Al. Have to say though that you are an awesome gift giver. ST:TNG is one of my favorite shows, so I would have been elated to receive any of the DVD sets as a gift.

 

Chris

[CPUWIZ]

Shit man you bought someone all 7 seasons of ST:TNG? How do I get on your list for next year?!?!?!?!

 

I think you'd need a sex change.

 

It's obvious he bought it for a woman.

[Zwackery]

The last 3 items I purchased from Ebay arrived broken, all from sellers with 100% positive feedback.

...

Seller 3 (etched glass atari case)- Seller wants me to send them pics so they can file complaint with PO, fair so far but I am just sick of buying broken crap

Ouch. It wasn't this one, was it?

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 230415237962

[Lucky Man]

Al, sorry to hear about your problems trying to purchase this set. I got mine several years ago from an Amazon Marketplace seller and was surprised that it was brand new, sealed and in perfect condition as described. But this was when they were still available new. Now those same sellers want $500 bucks or more for them.

 

Hope you are able to find one.

[brojamfootball]

I had a similar experience a few years ago, before the Ebay feedback system was changed.

 

I bought a Sega Saturn item, a Nights Into Dreams set(game and analog controller) new in box. The guy sent it in a bubble envelope and of course it got squashed all pancake-style. The stuff still worked but the box was ruined. That was definitely part of the value, as I'm sure all you collectors around here realize.

 

Sent a message to the seller complaining that he had ruined the "new in box" item by packaging it poorly. He straight up told me that if I initiated an Ebay dispute he would leave me negative feedback. So I complained to Ebay anyway, being as he obviously sucked donkey balls as per the title of this thread.

 

Ebay never responded and the guy never left me neg feedback, so I just kind of let it go.

 

I've had two other purchases go wrong more recently, where the seller just sent me a different item than I ordered--similar, but different and not what I wanted. In both cases I initiated a dispute after getting no message responses from the sellers. I both cases I got a refund, kept the item, and still never heard from the seller. I can't really complain on those too much I guess, but one of them is an item I've still never found again, and the whole situation just wreaked of shadyness.

 

Long and short of it, yes I agree with you all. Ebay was once pretty cool and now blows.

Edited January 8, 2010 by brojamfootball

[Albert]

He straight up told me that if I initiated an Ebay dispute he would leave me negative feedback. So I complained to Ebay anyway, being as he obviously sucked donkey balls as per the title of this thread.

Any eBay seller who said they would retaliate with negative feedback should have been immediately banned from eBay. Especially if the contact was made within eBay's "Message" system and thus they could verify the threat. This type of thread cannot happen now since sellers cannot leave negative feedback (which is probably how it always should have been, to be honest), but that doesn't mean the feedback system is any better.

 

..Al

[+save2600]

Any eBay seller who said they would retaliate with negative feedback should have been immediately banned from eBay. Especially if the contact was made within eBay's "Message" system and thus they could verify the threat. This type of thread cannot happen now since sellers cannot leave negative feedback (which is probably how it always should have been, to be honest), but that doesn't mean the feedback system is any better.

 

..Al

 

Here's a great example of the worthlessness that is now ePay:

 

 

 

...most here know this guy. But yep.... a product of their new Feedback system. What a joke.

[carmel_andrews]

I think the way that things are going with eBay....They will soon be loosing a hell of a lot of users (buyers as well as sellers) going by this thread and ianoids thread that is

 

I dunno why eBay seem to be favouring the seller (apart from the fact that they make money out of each successful or otherwise transaction)

 

Perhaps it's true what they say about big business these days, once you get to a ceertain size of company and beyond, you loose touch with your real customers (and in eBays case it's buyers as well as sellers, as it would be pointless having an auction site with out any buyers)

 

Perhaps ebay are more interested in looking after it's shareholders and licking the arses/asses of the sellers..... After all eBay doesn't ever seem to be addressing or dealing with the issues and problems that ebay seems to be associated with

 

Perhaps ebay forgets that those that buy from sellers on ebay are as much a customer as those selling/advertising either commercially or privately...perhaps ebay needs to overhaul its 'customer service' contract with those that buy through the ebay service

 

Perhaps Albert should pursue the idea i suggested on the thread 'why so many ebay links/auctions within the marketplace section', either do an ebay alike service within AA or have a tie up with someone like ctcw/gg and have an exclusive AA area on there (at least GG/ctcw don't seem to have the same issues or problems that eBay has (perhaps the likes og ctcw/gg believes in that little concept that ebay doesn't....namely 'customer service')

[Albert]

Here's a great example of the worthlessness that is now ePay:

 

 

 

...most here know this guy. But yep.... a product of their new Feedback system. What a joke.

LOL, nice. Why am I not surprised..

 

..Al

[gdement]

Feedback is very broken. I don't really blame ebay though. I think the real problem is that buyers aren't discriminating enough. It's not just ebay that has this problem, I see it on everything.

 

Youtube videos? All 4.5-5 stars.

Morrowind mods? All 9.0-10.0.

Game ratings? Usually 7-10 - not as bad but still inflated.

Newegg product reviews? All 4-5 eggs.

It's like people are afraid to critique anything.

 

 

ebay feedback is so inflated that sellers actually have to obsess about the difference between 99.5% and 100%. Below 98% is considered a disaster. This is unfair to low volume sellers, who get slaughtered by a single neg. Meanwhile the high volume sellers are guaranteed sky-high feedback unless they're scammers.

 

Star ratings are just as bad. Supposedly it's a 5 star system, but everybody is between 4.5-5.0. eBay has caught on to this and uses a 4.3 average (I think) as the threshold for flagging a bad seller.

Because of this, sellers try to make buyers feel guilty for leaving even a 4. Don't buy into that - if ebay sees the typical star ratings going down, they'll recalibrate the threshold. In the meantime, remember it's an *average* - your individual rating isn't going to get them banned.

 

Don't feel guilty about leaving 1s and 2s either, if the seller deserves it. Scores this low are added up separately and can get the seller into trouble, but if they earned it, then they earned it. It's not the buyer's problem to worry about the seller->ebay relationship. eBay will always recalibrate their rules/thresholds over time.

 

If you don't want to leave a neg, then fine, but leave a fake positive and give honest star ratings. Don't just leave nothing.

The star ratings are anonymous, unless the seller happens to notice the change in their rating immediately after you left feedback. Unlikely to happen, and even if they notice, who cares?

 

That said, be fair, but I wish people didn't toss out perfect ratings constantly. Then we might actually be able to tell the difference between an average seller and an unusually good one.

Edited January 8, 2010 by gdement

[+save2600]

Perhaps it's true what they say about big business these days, once you get to a ceertain size of company and beyond, you loose touch with your real customers (and in eBays case it's buyers as well as sellers, as it would be pointless having an auction site with out any buyers)

 

Perhaps ebay are more interested in looking after it's shareholders and licking the arses/asses of the sellers..... After all eBay doesn't ever seem to be addressing or dealing with the issues and problems that ebay seems to be associated with

 

Bingo! That's exactly it. Pretty soon, they'll be hiring outside companies to take surveys on their own users.

Edited January 8, 2010 by save2600

[SoulBlazer]

Sorry to hear about all the problems, Al.

 

This is why I've used Amazon to buy and sell from for years, and hardly ever use EBay.

 

The few times I've had a problem with a item that I bought from a used seller on Amazon, I just file a complaint with Amazona nd get my money back, no issues. And while they have changed things recently to give the buyer more protection -- the seller doesn't get the money until they confirm the item has been shipped -- it's very easy to talk to the seller/buyer directly and handle things.

[CPUWIZ]

How does Al know?

[Crazy Climber]

The last 3 items I purchased from Ebay arrived broken, all from sellers with 100% positive feedback.

...

Seller 3 (etched glass atari case)- Seller wants me to send them pics so they can file complaint with PO, fair so far but I am just sick of buying broken crap

Ouch. It wasn't this one, was it?

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 230415237962

Yes sir, that is the one! I had a perfect spot in my basement for this little case, it was going to fit all my homebrew games but it arrived smashed in 1000 bits.

[CPUWIZ]

The last 3 items I purchased from Ebay arrived broken, all from sellers with 100% positive feedback.

...

Seller 3 (etched glass atari case)- Seller wants me to send them pics so they can file complaint with PO, fair so far but I am just sick of buying broken crap

Ouch. It wasn't this one, was it?

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 230415237962

Yes sir, that is the one! I had a perfect spot in my basement for this little case, it was going to fit all my homebrew games but it arrived smashed in 1000 bits.

 

Hey, isn't that seller oldjd?