Are fruitcakes running rampant on eBay lately? Selling, buying, listing, feedback, etc...

[exciter1]

So last week I sold a used 7675 AT-TE on ebay to a buyer with 0 feedback for $80 plus shipping. It was BIN so payment was immediate. Shipped it out, checked the tracking yesterday and it showed delivered several days ago. So I get home late last night and there is a package on my porch. First thought it was a bricklink order, but then saw the name and recognized it as the AT-TE buyer. Open it up and nothing looks disturbed other than it was obviously my original shipping and that it had be opened. No note from the buyer, no messages recieved about a return. I have no returns accepted on used items. I realize if they really want to return something they can, but I would think they would send some kind of message. I'm going to have to contact the buyer to see whats up, but what are my options? Charge a restock fee since I need to open everything up and reverify the parts? I didnt say anything in the listing about a restock, but I also said no returns. Any other ideas?

I would definitely ask questions first to see if they intended to return it.  You won't be able to charge a restocking fee, unless you have the options selected in your listing.  They would also need to initiate the return on their end.  They haven't requested a refund?

[kfishe2]

No communication from them whatsoever. I would think if I changed my mind I would at least let the seller know the package was on the way back. Maybe they just dont know how ebay works?

[vexxet]

So last week I sold a used 7675 AT-TE on ebay to a buyer with 0 feedback for $80 plus shipping. It was BIN so payment was immediate. Shipped it out, checked the tracking yesterday and it showed delivered several days ago. So I get home late last night and there is a package on my porch. First thought it was a bricklink order, but then saw the name and recognized it as the AT-TE buyer. Open it up and nothing looks disturbed other than it was obviously my original shipping and that it had be opened. No note from the buyer, no messages recieved about a return. I have no returns accepted on used items. I realize if they really want to return something they can, but I would think they would send some kind of message. I'm going to have to contact the buyer to see whats up, but what are my options? Charge a restock fee since I need to open everything up and reverify the parts? I didnt say anything in the listing about a restock, but I also said no returns. Any other ideas?

let me know what happens please.  Ebay pretty much screwed me when I bought a Simpsons house on Ebay and i rejected the package at the point of delivery.  They let him keep my money and never made him send me a Simpsons house.  While on the phone with Ebay they claimed i didnt go through the correct process to return the package that was clearly NOT the size a simpsons house was suppose to be.

[hockeyweasel]

 

Some do that as placeholders or whatever while they are away though, to discourage any purchases. I guess they don't know how to use eBay's holiday function.

If you don't have a store, you don't have a holiday/vacation function.  Or else show me how, because I've looked all over for it.

[justapilgrim]

If you don't have a store, you don't have a holiday/vacation function.  Or else show me how, because I've looked all over for it.

Have to have a store

[kfishe2]

So last week I sold a used 7675 AT-TE on ebay to a buyer with 0 feedback for $80 plus shipping. It was BIN so payment was immediate. Shipped it out, checked the tracking yesterday and it showed delivered several days ago. So I get home late last night and there is a package on my porch. First thought it was a bricklink order, but then saw the name and recognized it as the AT-TE buyer. Open it up and nothing looks disturbed other than it was obviously my original shipping and that it had be opened. No note from the buyer, no messages recieved about a return. I have no returns accepted on used items. I realize if they really want to return something they can, but I would think they would send some kind of message. I'm going to have to contact the buyer to see whats up, but what are my options? Charge a restock fee since I need to open everything up and reverify the parts? I didnt say anything in the listing about a restock, but I also said no returns. Any other ideas?

After I contacted the buyer they said that it didn't have instructions (this was clearly stated in the listing) and so they were returning it. I dont want to keep someone's money who didnt get what they wanted, but at the same time now I have to go through and re-inventory the whole thing to resell it. Im going to call ebay and see what they advise to do.

[kfishe2]

So ebay said that since they didnt follow the return process that I should not do anything, and if they contact me I should refer them to ebay cs. I feel like they are telling me to just wait and hope that the buyer doesnt do anything and then keep everything, item and money. Am I going to anger the almighty ebay by contacting thr buyer and trying to work something else out?

[California92563]

So ebay said that since they didnt follow the return process that I should not do anything, and if they contact me I should refer them to ebay cs. I feel like they are telling me to just wait and hope that the buyer doesnt do anything and then keep everything, item and money. Am I going to anger the almighty ebay by contacting thr buyer and trying to work something else out?

personally I would just listen to eBay, like you said they're the "all mighty"  lol 

[justapilgrim]

Someone gave me offer for $8 for ToT today. I usually set auto decline but I forgot

[California92563]

Someone gave me offer for $8 for ToT today. I usually set auto decline but I forgot

I'll offer you $8.01 

[lodibricks]

Someone gave me offer for $8 for ToT today. I usually set auto decline but I forgot

Buyer: "Worst case, they'll say no, right?"
*Blocked*

[BrickLegacy]

I ended up passing on the $585 offer to sell a Town Hall.

The buyer was probably legit but I still think this set has upside from now until Christmas.

Tempting for sure but I'm hoping the patience pays off.

[Grynn]

So ebay said that since they didnt follow the return process that I should not do anything, and if they contact me I should refer them to ebay cs. I feel like they are telling me to just wait and hope that the buyer doesnt do anything and then keep everything, item and money. Am I going to anger the almighty ebay by contacting thr buyer and trying to work something else out?

This has clearly fallen into a moral dilemna situation for now. You can bet that if the buyer raises enough of a stink, eBay will likely stand behind them. But otherwise, they are seemingly suggesting you "screw" this buyer who didn't use the system responsibly to begin with. That doesn't sit well with me, but neither does just eating it. I'd try issuing a partial refund (subtract a fair fee for your time and hassle) and explain the reason for it to the buyer. You did nothing wrong, here...

I guess the main advice I can give is that eBay is very happy to have people work things out on their own and if no one ever calls CS they certainly aren't going to interfere in whatever mania takes place between us users.

[lodibricks]

I'd most likely partial refund, keeping at least the cost of shipping to them, more if anything is further damaged or missing.

[kfishe2]

I also saw it as more of a moral issue. It did seem as though ebay was telling me to keep both the money and the set and not say a word to the buyer. They have zero feedback, so maybe they just dont know how it works. Bottom line is I have my set back, and once I check that all the pieces are there, I dont see how any scamming could be involved. I dont want to keep someone's money. Seems like a good way for karma to catch up with me next time I buy something. I sent buyer a message with option to either send me additional shipping cost and I will send it back along with information about how to get the instructions from Lego (again), or give me a week to verify parts and then refund of the item price minus $15.

[vexxet]

This has clearly fallen into a moral dilemna situation for now. You can bet that if the buyer raises enough of a stink, eBay will likely stand behind them. But otherwise, they are seemingly suggesting you "screw" this buyer who didn't use the system responsibly to begin with. That doesn't sit well with me, but neither does just eating it. I'd try issuing a partial refund (subtract a fair fee for your time and hassle) and explain the reason for it to the buyer. You did nothing wrong, here...

I guess the main advice I can give is that eBay is very happy to have people work things out on their own and if no one ever calls CS they certainly aren't going to interfere in whatever mania takes place between us users.

i raised quite a stink and ebay essentially told me to F off.  I lost my 190$

[Fcbarcelona101]

Not sketchy at all:

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fire-Brigade-Lego-Modular-10197-Sealed-New-/281811924513?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255

[LegoEdison]

So ebay said that since they didnt follow the return process that I should not do anything, and if they contact me I should refer them to ebay cs. I feel like they are telling me to just wait and hope that the buyer doesnt do anything and then keep everything, item and money. Am I going to anger the almighty ebay by contacting thr buyer and trying to work something else out?

I will keep the money as a reserve for next time eBay screw me over.

 

 

Edited September 28, 2015 by LegoEdison

[asharerin]

So ebay said that since they didnt follow the return process that I should not do anything, and if they contact me I should refer them to ebay cs. I feel like they are telling me to just wait and hope that the buyer doesnt do anything and then keep everything, item and money. Am I going to anger the almighty ebay by contacting thr buyer and trying to work something else out?

My advice is to do the right thing and give your customer his money back since he returned the item. Obviously your buyer was new and did not understand the correct returns process but IMO that does not mean you get to screw them over regardless of what the hacks at ebay CS tell you. 

In these situations I like to spend no more than 5 mins thinking about what to do. All the time spent thinking about it, contacting ebay, trying to contact the seller, you are losing productivity, money, and also missing out on other opportunities. So many sellers on ebay make things personal and lose out on so much time and money because of it as well as adding to the perception that it is a bad marketplace. Treat it like a business and your results will improve exponentially. Sounds like you may be out $10 in shipping? I bet if you had thought it over for 5 mins and just refunded your customer you would have moved on to other deals or listed more items and be up a few hundred dollars overall by now.

Nobody likes returns but they are a part of doing business online and finding a way to get past them emotionally as well as allowing the correct margin to deal with them financially will lead to big money down the road.

Edited September 28, 2015 by asharerin

[edgecrusher]

Just had somebody offer me $185 on a 7965 MF open box listed at $215, with the note "you'll never sell an open box MF at this price, $185 is a fair offer." If you're on here, good luck selling your $1,500 UCS Slave-1 

[fuzzy_bricks]

Just had somebody offer me $185 on a 7965 MF open box listed at $215, with the note "you'll never sell an open box MF at this price, $185 is a fair offer." If you're on here, good luck selling your $1,500 UCS Slave-1 

I had someone do this to me on a Best Offer X-Wing I had listed.  They didn't tell me I'd never sell it, but they did say that their offer was the going rate.  I politely responded telling them this was the best I could do and I knocked $5 or $10 off.  My offer was accepted and I thought they may be difficult, but everything went well and I received prompt positive feedback.  It may be worth a shot to try and deal with that guy.

[HappyHawkeye]

related but different - a pet peeve of mine is Ebay sellers that include best offer on their listing and then refuse to negotiate within reason. I understand if you don't want to accept 10%-20% off - I tested the waters and couldnt match your floor. I'll move on and wish you luck. But if you're not willing to knock off 5% or even 2% of your asking price, maybe you shouldn't be using that feature. Maybe there's some secret psychology game going on here, but it seems to me like you're just cluttering up the landscape.

[edgecrusher]

I'll accept a few bucks off if I'm shipping to the mid-west (I'm in Cleveland) instead of the coast of California, where most of my offers seem to come from.

[Lego_Monsters]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-Black-Pearl-4184-W-32x32-Blue-Baseplate-Free-Shipp-/201439014980?

"My Wife and I bought this a while back and it sat in the box brand new, finally one night we decided to build it and then sell it. So this set is brand new we built it once basically for picturing for this listing then we took it apart and its been in its box ever since."

 

[KShine]

related but different - a pet peeve of mine is Ebay sellers that include best offer on their listing and then refuse to negotiate within reason. I understand if you don't want to accept 10%-20% off - I tested the waters and couldnt match your floor. I'll move on and wish you luck. But if you're not willing to knock off 5% or even 2% of your asking price, maybe you shouldn't be using that feature. Maybe there's some secret psychology game going on here, but it seems to me like you're just cluttering up the landscape.

There could be a number of reasonable explanations. I usually have 1,000 or so listings - and I would almost always consider a reasonable offer, but there are occasions that I wouldn't. I always offer free shipping - so an offer on an in demand, larger set to a buyer in CA would cost a lot more to ship it there (so I would likely decline, as I know someone closer will want it). I also sell some small items (w/ free shipping) that would only be worth selling at the full price (since it is sold w/ free shipping). But if an international buyer makes an offer on the same item (and is paying for shipping), I would then consider a lower offer. The seller could also be trying to gauge the value of the item.

Edited September 29, 2015 by KShine