Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Gettin on My Soapbox About eBay

I recently purchased on eBay a lampshade for Ava's room. I just got it in the mail yesterday. It is a pleated shade and not only were many of the pleats crushed but the metal frame is so bent on the bottom it is a oval instead of a circle. The lady I bought it from charged much more for shipping than it actually cost to ship it. So I expected it to be packaged very well. I wrote her yesterday and she said that since I did not purchase insurance she is not responsible. Well, she did not offer me insurance. I thought, oh well I can still dispute it with Paypal. No. When I went to do that, I found out that there is a $25 dispute resolution charge to use them to resolve a dispute. The lampshade was $17.50 with shipping, much more than it was new at Target. So, I went to dispute it on eBay, same thing, if you paid with Paypal, they send you to Paypal to dispute it. I am so mad because they offer no protection against things being damaged. How do I know that this was not damaged before she even sent it and when it was discovered by me, it's the post office's fault, you should have bought insurance. I think it is ridiculous, people could sell damaged things on there all day long and use this excuse and the buyer's hands are tied if it is under $25.00, or if they don't want to pay them $25.00 to help resolve it. Well, there you have it, my gripe of the day.

5 comments:

jewlover2 said...

Doh! What a crappy situation! Did you read her feedback? I'm always super concientious of feedback and shipping costs myself. I never buy anything that will not cost LESS than I would pay if I went to the story including shipping.

My one bad experience involved a watch I bought from Japan that promptly stopped working two weeks after I bought it. Since it was from overseas, the cost to return it would have cost way too much! @#%!*

Heather said...

I don't ever buy anything on there either that I can get at the store for less including shipping either. Thing is with this though, it is a discontinued item. I already bought one lampshade off of eBay for her room and paid less than $10 with shipping. I wound up needing another one because the lighting is so bad in that room, and I was having a really hard time finding one on eBay. What I did not mention is that the color on the shade is horrible as well. The other one that I got is very light polka dots, this one is dark dots. It's the same brand, same style, same name. If it wasn't such an awful color, I would probably be more inclined to just live with it. It looks like I'm going to have to do that anyway since the lady will not respond. Any suggestions on what I can do to make it lighter? Maybe a light coat of white paint?

She had good feedback and is a PowerSeller. She had one that was a neutral because of packaging. She leaves retaliation feedback though. So I know if I leave her negative she will do the same for me, even though I paid right after the auction closed with Paypal. I very much value my 307 positive feedbacks. And cringe at the 2 negative ones that were also retaliation ones. Those people make me so mad.

I have learned from this to never pay with anything other than a credit card on Paypal. I will never pay from my bank account again. If I had paid with my credit card I could dispute it with them and probably get my money back. I called the bank and there is nothing they can do either. What a rip. I also learned the reason that Paypal wants you to use them to resolve matters rather than going through your CC. They want to make $25. When I bought the stolen Disney Tickets on eBay that time they were very upset that I didn't give them the chance to help me. Now I know why, as if they aren't making enough money!

jewlover2 said...

wow, that is a load of bunk. I'm so sorry that happened. i'd say a light whitewash or something would work fine.

Heather said...

A little update.
The seller has decided that since the option of insurance was not showing up on the checkout page that she will refund me $10. I am happy with that, I had rather have a full refund but, oh well. $10 is better than nothing. She has yet to do it though, it only takes a couple of seconds to do a refund on Paypal, so who knows.

Anonymous said...

O My goodness! That's so flippin annoying! I'm sooo annoyed for you! Arrghhh! And the retaliation feedback??? Double Arrggghhhh!!!!!
You can't leave more than one feedback I don't guess but that would be convenient cuz then you could call those chumps out. I hate dishonesty. >:(