• Take 30 seconds to register your free account to access deals, post topics, and view exclusive content!

    Register Today

    Join the largest Oakley Forum on the web!

HELP! Need Advice On Ebay Sale

fretburner79

O-Educator
1,754
2,073
Here's the story.

I sold a pair of shoes on ebay in a fixed style listing. They went for $260. The guy that bought them has 0 feedback. In fact he created the account the morning of the sale. Paid through Paypal using express checkout, which means he's not a Paypal customer, but used a credit card. I had to wait 24 hours for his payment to clear, and this morning it did indeed clear. He DOES have a verified shipping address.

I just don't feel right about this transaction. I realize everyone must start with zero feedback, but to create an account the day of the sale AND making a purchase this large makes me wonder. Not to mention no affiliation with Paypal.

I've sent him 2 emails stating that I would like a response in order to proceed with the shipment. I also called the phone number listed in his personal details provided by ebay that i requested. No answer so I left a voicemail there. No response.

My concern is that this guy will get my sneakers and file a paypal claim saying that the shoes weren't as described , and then Paypal will side with the buyer as they so often do.

Does anyone here have any advice? Maybe an angle that I'm not seeing? It's hard for me to think outside of the circumstances when I'm so worried about the outcome. Any help would be appreciated. I know most of you all have been ebaying longer than me.

Thanks
 
It's a difficult one, but I think you are right to be cautious. I sold a pair of limited edition Radarlocks that I had the same problem with. My problem ended up being he said it was not as described (even though I was clear and specific) so I told him no problems send them back.

Problem starts with the fact I never received the glasses back at all and PayPal still sided with him and refunded him directly out of my linked PayPal account. There is nothing I can do and nobody seemed to care one bit at PayPal of eBay about this small fact that the item was never actually returned! The whole process was shambolic and is sometimes way, way over protective of the customer. I understand we need protection, but IMO there needs to be a scheme to earn protection or at least regulate it in a more proper manner. I'm sure the person who did this to me has done it before and will continue to do it again on new accounts, maybe sometimes they get away with it and maybe sometimes they won't, but it does happen an awful too much I'm afraid.

Maybe it's a completely innocent situation, but it's a reasonably big purchase for a first ever eBay transaction so that's a first flag right there potentially, two and three are no replies then to email or calls.
 
Great reply, that's what I'm looking for. I may just refund the money and take my chances on negative feedback. Certainly that will be better than losing out on that kind of cash. Thanks, bud.
 
I sell on eBay as little as possible, because I have been rubbed the wrong way too many times. The eBay / PayPal rules give the buyer all the power necessary to scam the seller. I might sell 5 items a year, and usually once a year I will get a claim out of the blue that the item was not as described and they want a partial refund (sometimes an official dispute, sometimes privately threatening with negative feedback). All they really want is some money back for no reason. My own personal practice is when I see ANY sign of something fishy, I immediately refund the buyer and cancel the transaction. I'm sure that is a violation of some ebay rule since the auction was completed and paid for, and you may get flagged if you do it often, but in my opinion you are better safe than sorry. Also when I sell, I set buyer requirements (feedback must be at least +3, no policy violations, etc).
 
Tough one and I have had this same thing happen to me as well. I went ahead and shipped with no issues but.. You might call customer service and ask them what they think about the transaction and see if they see any flags.
 
Good call. I did speak with Paypal yesterday but not ebay. Paypal rep said "don't worry you're covered."If he claims not as described we will match your listing pictures with the ones he must provide." Paypal guy said there is no way I would lose the claim battle if it ever came to that. My thought is, he's just a guy trying to make me feel better and ship the item, he could ultimately care less if I jacked for my shoes and money. Besides, if it went to claims, the representative would have no part in the matter.
 
Your call but to be honest I havent had many issues with PP. There have even been a couple instances over the years where PP refunded the buyer because they complained enough but didnt deduct the funds from my account because I called them up and offered a more clear picture of what really happened. In both cases it was a buyer trying to make unfounded claims.
 
Good call. I did speak with Paypal yesterday but not ebay. Paypal rep said "don't worry you're covered."If he claims not as described we will match your listing pictures with the ones he must provide." Paypal guy said there is no way I would lose the claim battle if it ever came to that. My thought is, he's just a guy trying to make me feel better and ship the item, he could ultimately care less if I jacked for my shoes and money. Besides, if it went to claims, the representative would have no part in the matter.

The problem for private sellers is that is eBay/PayPal don't care, they get a lot more business through private buyers purchasing than they do from private sellers selling, so ultimately that's why they side on the side of the buyer more often than not, it keeps the traffic coming through the website. Be careful of what you listen to, most of it is generic script and you barely ever will talk to anyone who holds any sway or decision making power in the process.

IMO this is probably a 50/50 shot that there is something fishy and you might end up with the claim/a load of hassle, for me at $260 I wouldn't be gambling that.
 
Interesting GRF, thanks. I never thought to deal directly with PayPal. I have only had experience going through the eBay dispute process.
 
Update. The buyers mom returned my message from yesterday and informed me that her son is on deployment in Iraq, and that's why he hasn't been able to respond. She said he will be home in a few months and she made the account and bought the shoes for him. Also she assured me that everything will go smoothly.

Either this is a really nice, innocent old lady and I have nothing to worry about, or an evil woman that is in on her sons scheme.
 

Latest Posts

Back
Top