Ebay issue, how to handle bait and switch...

matthewsx said:
I apologize if you feel my remarks were unkind, that was not my intention.

I do think that most of us have had this type of situation before, if this is your first time dealing with it then perhaps a lesson learned? This situation is less a "bait & switch" and more of a seller just doesn't know what they have and probably doesn't care.

I was caught up in a cheap dividing head actual eBay scam a while back that went on for a long time with posts on here. The admins will definitely lock or delete a thread if people start getting nasty but I've rarely seen it here.

Cheers,

John
Click to expand...
Apology accepted.

For the most part, I've had very few problems with online transactions. Nonetheless, it is a lesson learned. I have contacted Ebay and they are responding, as has my bank. Hopefully this won't take too long to resolve. I've had 0 issues with AliExpress, and 2 with Ebay. Go figure. Both issues with Ebay were with Chinese suppliers. All of my AliExpress items have gone smoothly, to my surprise. (I really held my breath for my first order. But the order came in on time and was an unbeatable price.)
 
I had a similar thing happen a while ago with a protractor like this one:
www.ebay.com

0-320° Degree Precision Angle Measuring Finder Ruler Universal Bevel Protractor | eBay

1 Protractor. The zero position of the universal angle ruler is installed on both the angle ruler and the ruler. The scale is engraved by a precision machine. The product is compact, portable and suitable for outdoor operation.
www.ebay.com

When it came it was damaged. I contacted the seller and the first excuse was "things like that happen when they're shipped all the way from China". We exchanged a couple emails with each one being a different excuse. The final one offered a slight discount. I finally said I'd had enough and if I didn't see a new item within the next 48 hours I would lodge a complaint. It didn't take more than a couple hours and a new one was on the way.

Just be sure to act quickly there's a limited time to lodge a complaint. Some dealers try to string you along until the time to make a claim has passed then they just stop communicating.
 
@projectnut Sage advice. I'll keep at it. If I don't get any action from the vendor in the next day, or so, I'll tell the CC to go forward with fraud mitigation. Banks are pretty good about clawing back funds, even from big companies like Ebay. I'll let Ebay deal with the vendor.

I really hope it won't get to that point. The vendor has asked for some photos of the labels on the package, to see if they made a mistake. I supplied them. So far, they have responded. I'm giving them 2 days. Then it's time to escalate.
 
FWIW, I have been stung myself a number of times. My philosophy is that if I'm paying a ridiculously low price for an item, I accept the fact that it may just be a flash in the pan. Personally, I am amazed at what I get for what I pay most of the time. The few times that I have received an item that did not meet expectations, I just let it go.

I would charge the experience to learning and keep the end mills. Now you have a reason to get a mill.:D
 
I have lots of reasons to get a mill. Insufficient funds are stopping me. At least once a week I say to myself, darn, this would be a lot easier if only I had a mill. RJ, you done good, you are upholding the ideals of this forum - Enabler! If I had a ghost of a chance of affording a mill, I'd keep the end mills. Sad to say, it doesn't look like it for a very long time.

I'm being stubborn persistent about this on principle at this point. Just following it through, if for no other reason than to stand up for what's right.
 
I didn't have the cashflow to buy a mill so I decided to build my own. Time will tell if that was a good idea but so far I've enjoyed the learning experience.

Those tiny endmills are usually meant for cheap gantry type cnc mills/engravers that use a router motor to work wood, plastic or other soft materials. The kits are pretty cheap from China;)

John
 
When I go to eBay looking for something the first thing I do is scroll down the left column and check the box that says "US Only". I'm sure there are cases where I've paid a few bucks more for the same product that came from China. The big difference is that by being in this country they have to abide by our laws. They can't just ignore customers or change their name and continue to do business.

As an FYI the company I bought the protractor from was listed as being in California. It turned out to be nothing more than a store front for a Chinese company doing business under no less than a dozen names. Those companies are still listed as vendors, but they are now identified as being in China.
 
I totally understand and have been there done that WobblyHand but as usual the collective intelligence here nailed it. And theads like this are worth it for the others who might read it. It is really hard to understand the true motivation and situation with these eBay sellers out of China but like has been pointed out look at the stuff in their "store". Clothes, kids toys, applicance etc, etc. They have no clue whether it's a drill bit or a mill or if somebody is just being picky.

I fell into that pit when I wanted a Deckel tool grinder clone and it took months to straighten out. Luckily they had two warehouses, one in LA and one in SF where I could physically swap out my grinder because the way the thing was packaged it was going to get damaged if I tried to ship it again. Bottom line they will do anything not to have you leave a bad comment because nobody trusts they will actually get it for that much. We are dealing with a culture that has been bartering for 5,000yrs so it's in their DNA. It seems like going back and forth is just part of the deal where I just want to buy the thing and use it. I learned my lesson big time and as part of my already huge list of things to watch on eBay is the seller and what's in their store.
 
To be fair, I have had the same from US sellers. Do not tell me it works fine, if the batteries are so corroded that they have been dead for many years. If you do not know what it is, or how it works, state that and include lots of pics.
 
I think it's important to note that we are talking about some bad actors, or as someone said, perhaps clueless actors and not a whole country. Yes, the laws are different, and perhaps not well enforced when it comes to international trade. Of course, I'd say it's tough to get satisfaction with a seller that's done you wrong in any other country. Heck, it's not that easy to fix things when it's out of your state.

As everyone knows, we all have some sort of acceptable cost threshold before we jump into something. I've been willing to take a risk on occasion to get something for less. It doesn't always work out, but amazingly, it usually does go well. I'd say well over 99% of the time.

I posted this to foster some discussion. Can't say my situation was unique, but perhaps it offers some insight to others.
 
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