So I have been doing this gig for a few months now and everything is going pretty well. However, I have ran into a few instances as I have sold more and more items, of people who just blatantly didn't read a listing, or somehow don't understand a minifigure doesn't come with a "box" (yeah I got neutral feedback for that one).

 

So in general, how do you all deal with this? How does Ebay?

 

I have a current one where someone bought the 4 headed dragon from 9450 from me. I have sold 9 without an issue. This person just sent me an email asking where the rest of the set was.

 

My listing's title says its the parts and instructions for the dragon only, nothing else included - the picture is of just the dragon, and obviously the price.

 

I can offer a return, but do I really have much else? Would Ebay rule in the other person's favor even if they didn't read the listing?

You are doing most things right with the title, photo, and listing, but I would change the opening line of your actual description, which now reads:

This listing is for a BRAND NEW Lego Ninjago Golden Dragon 70503 set.

 

You  then go on to say it has no minifigures, etc., but eBay people don't read, and you don't want to lead with a confusing sentence.

 

Beyond that, I don't see anything wrong with your listings. eBay would only rule in the buyer's favor if you refused to accept a return - provided your response is always "return for refund", you shouldn't have any trouble (other than having too many of these and having eBay limit your account).

 

Keep the descriptions super short and simple. Most of the boilerplate (you strive for 100% satisfaction, etc.) should be removed - it won't prevent bad buyers, it won't entice good ones. The shorter the description, the better chance you have they'll read it.

It all depends on the listing. If you have a no return policy with a clear listing stating what is included, and the buyer's complaint is something they should have read in the listing, you will win the case. Of course, the buyer is free to leave you negative feedback so there's that.

And this isn't my opinion of how things will go. I used to sell a lot of separated sets and ran into this a couple times. I won all the cases.

Justafrog should open a consulting agency for making the most of an ebay store :)

It all depends on the listing. If you have a no return policy with a clear listing stating what is included, and the buyer's complaint is something they should have read in the listing, you will win the case. Of course, the buyer is free to leave you negative feedback so there's that.

And this isn't my opinion of how things will go. I used to sell a lot of separated sets and ran into this a couple times. I won all the cases.

 

If you win a case now, they can't leave you a negative (and if they do, it will be removed).

If you win a case now, they can't leave you a negative (and if they do, it will be removed).

I like it. Saves some trouble.

I like it. Saves some trouble.

 

It's fantastic - part of the newest round of seller protection policies that are working very well in some cases at least. I recently got two neutrals (different buyers, my first two-non-positives in about 18 months) and both were removed because they complained of things the listing showed were nonsense.

Justafrog should open a consulting agency for making the most of an ebay store

 

 

Considering the enormous hunks o' knowledge I have gleaned from this site, the very least I can do is help out with eBay issues I'm familiar with. I should also probably write many of you large consulting checks and send fruit baskets. 

In situations like that I normally reply that the item was clearly and accurately described in the listing and that I do not accept returns. In 10 years I have had 3 neutrals and zero negs (yet) and roughly 800 sales per year. And I have never done a return. In one instance where a G1 Transformer was broken and I didn't notice it the buyer contacted me and I shipped a replacement at no charge. I don't know what your stated return policy is but I would try a polite, firm explanation of your listing first and if they still complain just offer a return and move on. I have only had eBay get involved once and they found in my favor ( it was a very obvious scam on the buyers part), but it is alway better to work things out without dealing with eBay if at all possible.

Since I love going off topic, is there a guide on the site for an ideal posting on eBay? There are so many things on my listings I don't even think of that are second nature to other people...

Jeff and I have bought many sets that haven't included minifigures and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.  People don't read the entire listing, this I know.

My favorite buyer issue happened about 3 weeks ago...A buyer with a feedback rating of 3 won my auction and once they got my invoice decided it cost to much. Now they have a feedback score of 3 and a non paying bidder flag.

That a different listing you are pointing to, but a good point. Its weird how you go 700 sales without an issue and then I have had 3 people in the last week.

 

I honestly don't think its gonna matter how you state it - people will still misread. lol

Seems like if you imply at any point a person might get more it can be interpreted as misleading.  The other advice offered by others seems sound.

As long as it states buyer pays return shipping and you give 14 or more days, you keep you "seller plus" rating. Let them return it if they like and you have nothing to lose. You will win your case as well. I always write in "READ EVERYTHING BEFORE PLACING BID/ORDER" in the description to avoid stupidity.

eBay should have the following in the condition category for example:

New/Retail - Item still in box with factory seals intact

New/Complete - Item in damaged box or no box

New/Incomplete - Parts removed eg. minifigs

Used/Complete - Item used and all parts placed back in box

Used/Incomplete - Item used and missing parts

I always read the small print thoroughly before getting excited about any eBay bargain. When I list an item, I always mention any shortcomings in large/bold font and say, "If in doubt, please ask BEFORE purchase." I hate misleading people.

So I responded to the buyer and explained why the set was what it was, very politely and asked how he would like to proceed.

 

He opened a not as described case... through paypal instead of Ebay. Not sure how this will affect things. Should I just hit the refund order button and have him return it?

 

He has zero feedback rating so clearly has no idea how Ebay works. I am going to get a negative out of this without even doing anything wrong. Its people like this that make Ebay way worse than it should be.

So I have been doing this gig for a few months now and everything is going pretty well. However, I have ran into a few instances as I have sold more and more items, of people who just blatantly didn't read a listing, or somehow don't understand a minifigure doesn't come with a "box" (yeah I got neutral feedback for that one).

 

So in general, how do you all deal with this? How does Ebay?

 

I have a current one where someone bought the 4 headed dragon from 9450 from me. I have sold 9 without an issue. This person just sent me an email asking where the rest of the set was.

 

My listing's title says its the parts and instructions for the dragon only, nothing else included - the picture is of just the dragon, and obviously the price.

 

I can offer a return, but do I really have much else? Would Ebay rule in the other person's favor even if they didn't read the listing?

ebay will not remove negative feedback left by idiots who do not know how to read. I run into this problem sometimes as well .. there is no cure for stupid .. lol just cross your fingers and hope someone who does not know how to read does not purchase your items. lol

It's fantastic - part of the newest round of seller protection policies that are working very well in some cases at least. I recently got two neutrals (different buyers, my first two-non-positives in about 18 months) and both were removed because they complained of things the listing showed were nonsense.

Did Ebay do that automatically, or did you have to open a case?

So I responded to the buyer and explained why the set was what it was, very politely and asked how he would like to proceed.

 

He opened a not as described case... through paypal instead of Ebay. Not sure how this will affect things. Should I just hit the refund order button and have him return it?

 

He has zero feedback rating so clearly has no idea how Ebay works. I am going to get a negative out of this without even doing anything wrong. Its people like this that make Ebay way worse than it should be.

That totally sucks.  I don't understand why Ebay has gotten so anti-seller in the past few (?) years.  I hate the fact that you can't leave negative feedback for buyers anymore.  (Yes, I know it's been like that for a while; just goes to show how often I sell on Ebay LOL).

Yeah I have had a bad week. Have gotten two neutrals from people not reading and then this. One of the neutrals, the feedback is literally ".". Thats it. I reported that one.

 

Other one said "I thought it would have come with a box" IT WAS A FRICKIN MINIFIGURE!

 

So now I evidently need to go back through all my listings and put "NO BOX" on all my minifigures.

 

THen this. First off the guy doesn't contact me through Ebay, he emails me - which is nonsense that Ebay gives that out but Paypal has to I guess. He asks where the rest of the set is. Of course first I check my listing to make sure it hasn't randomly changed to say "You will pay 50$ for a $120 retail set". It of course hasn't, so I email back, apologize, offer a refund and my phone number to contact me...

 

opens case, only through paypal, item not as described.

 

Ebay is irritating. I really need to calculate my profit since i have started. Might make me feel better.

Yeah I have had a bad week. Have gotten two neutrals from people not reading and then this. One of the neutrals, the feedback is literally ".". Thats it. I reported that one.

 

Other one said "I thought it would have come with a box" IT WAS A FRICKIN MINIFIGURE!

 

So now I evidently need to go back through all my listings and put "NO BOX" on all my minifigures.

 

THen this. First off the guy doesn't contact me through Ebay, he emails me - which is nonsense that Ebay gives that out but Paypal has to I guess. He asks where the rest of the set is. Of course first I check my listing to make sure it hasn't randomly changed to say "You will pay 50$ for a $120 retail set". It of course hasn't, so I email back, apologize, offer a refund and my phone number to contact me...

 

opens case, only through paypal, item not as described.

 

Ebay is irritating. I really need to calculate my profit since i have started. Might make me feel better.

 

lol one guy left me a negative because his 1 minifigure did not come with instructions .. you could look at my auction picture and even a 5 year old could figure out how it goes .. 

lol one guy left me a negative because his 1 minifigure did not come with instructions .. you could look at my auction picture and even a 5 year old could figure out how it goes .. 

 

Yeah I am planning to just go back through all my listings in the next few days and run them through the "Jessica Simpson" test.

ebay will not remove negative feedback left by idiots who do not know how to read.

 

Under the new seller protection feedback rules, sometimes they will. I have had two neutrals (and they would have removed them if they'd been negatives, too) removed in the past couple of weeks - one neutral was complaining about "not enough" color photos in a book. The listing said nothing about any photos, color or otherwise, and was removed because buyers can't complain about something not even offered in the listing; the second was a buyer complaining a book was ex library, and it was removed because I had clearly described it as same.

 

eBay won't remove "he said/she said" feedback. ("This Lego smells like dog farts!" when the seller hasn't mentioned any odors is something they can't verify - maybe it does and the seller should have said so, maybe it doesn't and the buyer is an idiot, but eBay won't mediate that, they just don't know.)

 

eBay WILL now remove neutrals and negatives that complain of things clearly stated in the listing ("This Lego smells like dog farts!" when the seller has clearly stated, "Lego seems to have encountered canine flatulence in the near past").

DNIIM sorry bout the holiday stupids.  looked at one of your listing.  seems straight forward to me.  If you have more problems try in your description "this lot includes a, b, c.  This does NOT include x, y, z.".  If they ask for anything else then you just refer them to the abc list.  not there. so sad to bad.

Ive had a seller buy only the set no minifigures ... he clearly knew he he was purchasing just the set with no minifigures .. once he got item and saw the manual he started asking where the minifigures were because they were pictured in the instruction booklet. And than he started saying he thought the minifigures were included all of a sudden when he purchased my item knowning it did not come with minifigures.