When buying used...

[brigrizzme]

has anyone noticed that some sellers contact you right after your offer/auction end. Sometimes within a few minutes insisting upon quick payment. Then the line of communication closes for weeks after payment is sent. Is this a lack of respect or a power thing? I'm always excited to pay. The sooner I send payment, the sooner I get my new (used) equipment. RIGHT???

[markw]

The sooner I send payment, the sooner I get my new (used) equipment. RIGHT???

One would certainly hope so.

[Bryan]

Typically the sooner the payment is received by the seller the sooner you will receive the item. Delays for receipt of the item or tracking number may include: waiting for a personal check to clear (7 - 14 business days), seller has not received said check/bank check/money order/or cashiers check as of yet, or they have been very busy and unable to send you a tracking number but the item is on the way (one would hope this is the case). Lastly, they may be dishonest.

In the case of my VMPS sub, for example, I mailed a bank check to the seller and sent him an email listing the check number and what bank it was from. Unfortunately it took him a couple of weeks to get me the tracking number. By that time I had received the item. I did leave feedback for him on eBay letting them know of the delay but that the item was received as promised and I would do business again with him.

[r3dline]

I recently got hosed on eBay. In an attempt to put together a cheap home theater for my girlfriend's apartment, I figured I'd just get some real cheap JBL speakers (an entire 5 channel matching set, in fact). Well I got the two towers fine. The center came fine. Then I ordered two bookshelf speakers for the surrounds, and this is a copy of the complaint I emailed to eBay:

The seller described the speakers as being in perfect condition, and even sent me pictures of "speakers." However, when they arrived, the speakers looked nothing like the ones in the pictures. I immediately unpackaged them and removed the grilles to visually inspect them before hooking them up. The box did not appear damaged at all. But one speaker's bass driver was completely blown out and destroyed while the other's speaker terminal on the back showed signs of tampering with, as the terminal has been removed and flipped upside down before being glued back into the back with what appeared to be a hot glue gun. I hooked this speaker up, just to see if it even worked, and it sounds horrible, so I immediatly unplugged from my receiver. When I questioned the seller, she claimed that the damage must have happened during shipping or that I just hooked it up wrong and blew it myself. Neither can be the case, because the box was not damaged at all, the speakers were packaged securely, the grilles were on the speakers and not damaged or torn, meaning nothing could have gone through the grilles to damage the one blown driver. And there is no way that the other speaker's terminal could have been flipped completely upside down and glued back in during shipping. That is just absurd. The seller refused to refund my money, basically claiming that I was just attempting to scam her.

Pictures of the speakers that I received can be found here:
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010004.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010005.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010006.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010007.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010008.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010009.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010010.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010011.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010012.JPG
http://locker.uky.edu/~klburk5/P1010013.JPG

It is my beleif that this individual should be investigated, for she is not an honest eBay seller, and is most certainly not cooperative in refunding money to her buyers. She made the exact statement to myself in an email saying, "I don't do refunds."

I sent her payment of $71.60, via PayPal, and I received speakers that are absolutely useless.

She told me she would send me the "insurance" forms for me to attempt claiming insurance, but it is obvious this sort of damage could not have occurred during shipping, and I know the post office will see this as well. In fact, this eBay seller recently stated herself in an email that, "I find it difficult to imagine that the speakers were damaged during shipping...because the damage you are claiming would be virtually impossible."

It is also my beleif that the pictures she showed in describing the speakers originally are in fact not even the same two speakers she shipped me. They appear to be the same model speakers, although an entirely different pair all toegether.

I have asked this seller several times to refund my money or even partial payment, and she continually answers with nothing more than, "I don't do refunds."

[r3dline]

Does anyone know of any other measures I should take in attempting to get my money back?

From what I could find, PayPal doesn't cover it, eBay really can't do much, and Sqauretrade is probably useless (although I have filed complaints with both eBay and Sqauretrade. However, eBay's "Fraud Alert" can't be used until 30 days after the end of the auction.

Man...I used to swear by eBay, too. People like this make people weary of eBay.

[Studio B]

I feel for you, I see many a deals across E-Bay. Many I wonder if legit. Perhaps in this forum, we could create a list of E-bay dealers that are honest.

[Bryan]

What you can do is leave her negative feedback, warning others of her. Something along the lines of "Product not received as advertised. Shipping box perfect condition. Speakers useless." Or something to that effect. Do that immediately and bide your time on the fraud alert.

[Worf101]

I won an auction for a 1965 Vox AstroIV Beatle Bass. Not a great bass but I'd always wanted one from when I was a kid. I won the auction, paid paypal. One week later I asked for a tracking number.... no response... Two weeks later I sent a "nice" email... no respone. 3rd week later I threatened to call the law... then I got an email say in effect...

"Thanks for winning the auction but I got more money from a friend so I'm f**king you over. I already sent your money back".

Of course I'd not received my money at all. After I left bad feedback and sicced PayPal and Ebay one the guy he was TOSed and I got a full refund.... but I'm still pissed. If he'd a just talked to me like a man, sent my money back promptly and maybe sweetened the pot a little I'd have let it passed instead he was a creep. A pox on him and his house.

Da Worfster