# Be very careful with Ebay



## turner505 (Apr 3, 2014)

THis is a lesson learned from a trusting fool.
I purchased a lathe on ebay, got a real good deal, I thought. Lathe arrives, no stands. I made note on shipping invoice and immediately notified the seller. He requested pictures which I furnished, got an email saying they would be in touch next day. A week or more goes by, another email and a phone call, no response. This went on for a few more weeks and I left another phone message saying I would contact ebay if I didn't hear from them. Well I contacted Ebay and low and behold they sent an email wanting to know why I'd opened a case and that they'd told me they had to order the stand and they had com/ in that day and were being shipped. Well I told him if they had bothered to inform me of all that in the beginning I would have had no reason to open a case. He told me if I'd çlose the case that day they would ship the stand the next day. Idiot me agreed and that was over a month ago and now they won't answer my emails and bay says there is nothing I can do since I closed the case.
Being a trusting idiot and him a seasoned seller, he knew if I closed the case he was home free.
Moral of the story is, if you open a case with Ebay make sure you have your goods before you close it.
Now I have to hire an attorney to see if I can get my stands or my $429.00.
I hope this will save some other trusting person from a stupid Ebay mistake. I'm totally on my own know.
Best,
Houston


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## furpo (Apr 3, 2014)

Always use a Good Credit Card to fund PayPal/EBay
Go to Credit Card and dispute the charge.
PayPal will boot you if you do it 3 times in one year!


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## Ray C (Apr 3, 2014)

Sorry to hear that Houston...  We've spoken on the phone and (like most of the folks here) you're nice to talk to and seem like an OK guy who doesn't deserve this hassle...

Anyhow, not knowing the details, it sounds like they showed a photo of the unit with a bench but forgot to put a price listing for the benches.  -Just a guess on my part...

Ray


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## LJP (Apr 3, 2014)

It would be good if you let the rest of us know who the Ebay seller is that is giving you a problem. 
Larry


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## stevecmo (Apr 3, 2014)

Post up the ebay seller info so we can all be aware.  

I don't believe there are any forum rules about doing this.  We all post good things about sellers and dealers, so the same should apply for the bad guys.  

I've never had any problems with ebay sellers so don't really know the rules there.  Can't you open a new case, or is there a time limit?

Steve


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## Dranreb (Apr 3, 2014)

Sorry to read about your problem Houston.
 Having an open case against a seller can have a bad effect on their business, it is a very powerful tool.
I once had a seller promising that he had just re-sent a non delivered item along with a very special free gift that I would be delighted with and would I please close the case, I said not until the goods arrived or I got a refund.
Well the original item arrived the next day (3 Wks late!) but the promised gift and re-sent item never has, so that was just a ploy although he had actually done nothing wrong!
Hope it all gets resolved for you somehow

Bernard


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Senna (Apr 3, 2014)

stevecmo said:


> Post up the ebay seller info so we can all be aware.
> 
> I don't believe there are any forum rules about doing this.  We all post good things about sellers and dealers, so the same should apply for the bad guys.
> 
> ...



IIRC you have 45 days to file a case.


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## Cactus Farmer (Apr 3, 2014)

I had a simular occurance. Promised a refund if I would close the case. I did so and never got squat. Once closed a case CAN NOT be reopened it appears. I know his address........he will get some nice suprizes and wonderful subscriptions to "free" items. 
Ittruely is buyer beware. "Caviat emptor" indeed!


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## Bill Gruby (Apr 3, 2014)

Yes, the time limit is 45 days but that matters not in this case. The case was closed before resolution. Once you do that you cannot re-open it for the same reason. A word to the wise, if you have to go to the ebay resolution center do not for any reason close the case till ebay, not the seller, notifies you that it has been resolved. The Resolution Center will then close the case as having been resolved. The will also notify you of the results and give you a date that the seller must respond to you by.

 "Billy G"


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## Inflight (Apr 3, 2014)

I sympathize with the original poster and anyone else who has been scammed on ebay.  I had a similar issue, the seller sent damaged and defective items although listed as New.  I opened a case with ebay and the seller responded a couple days later asking for me to close the case and contact the USPS to file a complaint.  He said there was nothing he could do.

Well, I had his address and I found his phone numbers so I posted a few hundred ads on Craigslist in the towns around his home, selling or giving away all sorts of crazy items.  They got so many phone calls and people showing up at his door that the next morning I got a full refund and an apology. I took down the CL ads and all is good with the world.


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## HMF (Apr 3, 2014)

turner505 said:


> THis is a lesson learned from a trusting fool.
> I purchased a lathe on ebay, got a real good deal, I thought. Lathe arrives, no stands. I made note on shipping invoice and immediately notified the seller. He requested pictures which I furnished, got an email saying they would be in touch next day. A week or more goes by, another email and a phone call, no response. This went on for a few more weeks and I left another phone message saying I would contact ebay if I didn't hear from them. Well I contacted Ebay and low and behold they sent an email wanting to know why I'd opened a case and that they'd told me they had to order the stand and they had com/ in that day and were being shipped. Well I told him if they had bothered to inform me of all that in the beginning I would have had no reason to open a case. He told me if I'd çlose the case that day they would ship the stand the next day. Idiot me agreed and that was over a month ago and now they won't answer my emails and bay says there is nothing I can do since I closed the case.
> Being a trusting idiot and him a seasoned seller, he knew if I closed the case he was home free.
> Moral of the story is, if you open a case with Ebay make sure you have your goods before you close it.
> ...




Call Ebay ON THE PHONE and explain it. They will sometimes help ON THE PHONE where they won't in email.

I don't use Ebay anymore after my last experience on there with a seller. I had to scratch and claw to get a refund after 2 appeals of Ebay's refusal to do anything for me. 

They have now bent things towards the sellers again, so the buyer doesn't get treated fairly. Buyers drive that place. If everyone boycots buying there, they will be dead.


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## TOOLMASTER (Apr 3, 2014)

As with any major purchase do your homework..i've been buying and selling for 16 years now...only two BAD transactions...(selling)..one guy sent me a box of junk and ppal refunded him...ppal really p'ed me on that one


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## JoeSixPack74 (Apr 4, 2014)

Anything major on eBay and I will see it in person before buying it.  Got burned on a 1979 CJ-7.  Said the frame was ok and the floor was good.  Get it to Florida and the frame had fist sized holes in it.  Take the carpet out and find plywood floorboards.  Long story short, had to replace the frame and I am still not done welding on the thing.  A $400 plane ticket would have saved me a lot of cash and time.


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## Steve M (Apr 4, 2014)

turner505 said:


> THis is a lesson learned from a trusting fool.I purchased a lathe on ebay, got a real good deal, I thought. Lathe arrives, no stands. I made note on shipping invoice and immediately notified the seller. He requested pictures which I furnished, got an email saying they would be in touch next day. A week or more goes by, another email and a phone call, no response. This went on for a few more weeks and I left another phone message saying I would contact ebay if I didn't hear from them. Well I contacted Ebay and low and behold they sent an email wanting to know why I'd opened a case and that they'd told me they had to order the stand and they had com/ in that day and were being shipped. Well I told him if they had bothered to inform me of all that in the beginning I would have had no reason to open a case. He told me if I'd çlose the case that day they would ship the stand the next day. Idiot me agreed and that was over a month ago and now they won't answer my emails and bay says there is nothing I can do since I closed the case.Being a trusting idiot and him a seasoned seller, he knew if I closed the case he was home free.Moral of the story is, if you open a case with Ebay make sure you have your goods before you close it.Now I have to hire an attorney to see if I can get my stands or my $429.00.I hope this will save some other trusting person from a stupid Ebay mistake. I'm totally on my own know.Best,Houston


Wow, sorry to hear about your continuing saga.  I fell for that closing the case trick once with a welder after getting two dead DOAs in a row.  Third one worked fine for 18 months and quit.  I wasn't able to get it repaired either due to lack of configuration control on the Chinese stuff. Seller continued to have a 99.9% satisfactory rating.   Had to lick my wounds and move on.  When I was looking at that lathe I had a buyer beware suspicion but would have gladly bid more on it had the Super Bowl not been on TV.     Steve


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## turner505 (Apr 4, 2014)

*Re: Be very careful with EbayW*

Well, I'm sorry that I'm not the first and only person to have this trouble. I appreciate all the comments.
I have no trouble sharing this seller. It's " tctjsales" They are located in NY state.
I have an appointment with an attorney Monday. I don't know if I can do anything nut for $429 it's worth a shot, maybe I can cause him a little stress in return.
Someone commented that I should contact Ebay on the phone, which I had done. They said they'd email him but basically said " that's to bad".
Best to all,
Houston


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## TOOLMASTER (Apr 5, 2014)

Looks like they are not a tools sales expert.. books and stuff...


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## AR1911 (Apr 5, 2014)

What if we all contact the seller through one of his listings and say something like "I was about to bid on/buy this item until I saw something online that you had screwed a buyer in Houston. Has that been resolved?"


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## turner505 (Apr 7, 2014)

AR1911,
LOL What a wonderful thought.
Well, I talked to my attorney today and the news was bad. Yes I could file a small claims case here and probably get a judgement. Then I'd have to file that in NY and try to get a lawyer to take the collection there and probably no one would o it for even half the value of the item which would only be about $200 for them. Basically, this guy gets away with stealing on ebay and there isn't a damn thing I can do and he knows it.
I hope my experience will save even one of you folks from making my mistake.
I like to take peopleat their word. I operated my business for 28 years on that principle and for the most part it served me well. Just makes me kinda sick when someone acts like this. It's a shame.
Be Well,
Houston


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## Steve M (Apr 8, 2014)

On the good side you have a decent lathe at a reasonable price.  Benches aren't too hard to build with a modicum of skills, My first one was put together from salvaged lumber and was a little wobbly but the PO made some good guns with it.  

Time to get on with makin' chips.  Let us know how things go with it.

Steve in Central TX

- - - Updated - - -

On the good side you have a decent lathe at a reasonable price.  Benches aren't too hard to build with a modicum of skills, My first one was put together from salvaged lumber and was a little wobbly but the PO made some good guns with it.  

Time to get on with makin' chips.  Let us know how things go with it.

Steve in Central TX

- - - Updated - - -

On the good side you have a decent lathe at a reasonable price.  Benches aren't too hard to build with a modicum of skills, My first one was put together from salvaged lumber and was a little wobbly but the PO made some good guns with it.  

Time to get on with makin' chips.  Let us know how things go with it.

Steve in Central TX


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## mwooten (Apr 13, 2014)

Sounds like we need to make this guy an offer he can't refuse!


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## rafe (Apr 13, 2014)

I checked out his auctions , he's got a LOT of sales, so it's not like he can spend much time on anyone.And it looks like he knows nothing about machines, You made rookie mistakes dealing with him as a buyer. You should have never of dropped that case.You folded with a winning hand .

 E-bay can be very rewarding at times and then you run into a wall....It has happened to me both as a buyer but mostly as a seller......mostly I try to avoid trouble so I refund or cut them a deal to go away, usually after they have broken or the carrier has trashed or they just have buyers remorse because they took it personal with another buyer and just HAD to outbid him and win...and I move on. 
I don't sell that much but I am honest and I can spend time with the people buying usually it's smooth and pleasant

Since I've been on only 2 were total head cases and there is nothing you can do but move on....I hope things work out for you but I don't forsee anything but frustration with trying to get any results. Looks like you may throw good money after bad! 

But remember (Don't ask how I learned this) It's not E-bay....E-bay is a tool only a tool....and sometimes a great one sometimes not so...but it's usually good if I follow some rules ...Rule #1 Protect yourself at all times they are not your  friends ....Rule #2 see rule #1


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## nickmckinney (Apr 14, 2014)

Ebay/Paypal charge outrageous fees for large sales, so if its new and "cheap" then something has to be lacking somewhere. A large complex item like a lathe/mill/surface grinder the item itself is one part of the cost, the support after the sale is just as important and has to be paid for somehow if (when) its needed.

One thing that is changing because of Ebay, the Chinese can now do direct sales to the USA and not even pay sales tax most times. I have bought a few things off Ebay and even a couple websites thinking they were stocking in the US only to see DHL arrive 3 days later with a direct from China shipment.


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## AR1911 (Apr 14, 2014)

Those ebay fees are bordering on larceny.

Last month I sold a small antique lathe.  Oddly enough, the buyer was a young Korean girl.

At any rate, the sale price was $1200 including shipping. Here is what it actually cost to make that sale:

Ebay final sale fee $120         10%!!
Shipping and Insurance $40.00
Paypal fee     $36.00

On top of that, the item arrived with a broken handle. Replacements are unavailable, repair is very difficult due to small size.  Still in negotiation on that.

So basically it has cost me $200 to sell this $1200 item.  
And the hassle continues.

I would have been better off to sell it locally for less money.
I'll work harder to avoid ebay in the future.


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