Ebay seller beware

[KQQLCAT]

Beware of Classic_Specialties they will not work with you if the part is not as described. I bought a fuel sending unit seal kit decribed to fit a 61 Olds it wasn't for a 61 Olds. Seller makes it out to be your fault and is abusive in replies. Here's a link to the same part he is selling as a part to fit a 61 Olds. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Oldsm...mZ200198427001

Pat

[Olds64]

Thanks for the warning. Hopefully you used PayPal or a credit card and will be able to get at least some of your money back.

[Chumley]

Thanks for the tip, I think it's good to keep everyone informed on these kind of things. This happened several months ago to me, but is worth mentioning at this time. Ebay seller "Psycho Racing Products" sold me a new chrome clock adjustment knob for 70-72 Olds Cutlass. What I got was not even close. This guy was cut from the same cloth as the one in the above post. FINALLY got a refund after pulling teeth with the guy. So WHAT if he has over 3000 positive feedbacks. If they're a jerk they won't get my business again.
Chumley

[Oldsguy]

I sure have been lucky. I have only traded about three times with people on ebay. Perhaps they get so busy they forget to give personal attention to a problem that they should. Too bad.

[59-59-59]

What everybody dosent understand is this.. NOT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY HAVE..especially on Ebay. If you were uncertain, did you ask for measurements? Maybe a part number? The title says 1961 through 1981 Olds / Pontiac repair kit.. Wouldnt someone think this may be a universal kit and not a direct replacement?

[dar83501]

whenever I'm selling on ebay, I make it clear what my knowledge of the usage and application of my parts/whatever are for...it's the seller's job to make it clear what the buyer is getting, and how knowledgeable they are. I just sold a transmission on craigs list the other day, and I repeated that i wasn't sure if it worked or not like 5 times...the guy I got it from said it did, but that doesn't mean sh*t.

[2blu442]

I've bought and sold a lot on ebay as it's the largest market place for parts, new and used. I agree with Olds64 and use paypal as often as possible. Sure they charge a couple percent for a fee, but I understand they will refund something like 75% of what you paid if the guy turns out to be a flake. I also like having the payment transferred electronically rather than a money order sitting in my mailbox until I get home, or me driving to town to purchase and mail a money order.

Feedback isn't always a sure thing as Chumly says. A couple years ago I bought an aftermarket distributor from a dealer. It took a couple months, lots of emails, several phone calls, and once the wrong distributor shipped to me. After I finally got the right one they kept sending me emails asking I post feedback on them. So I did, I said the parts were nice, the price was great, but the service was poor. He then posted negative feedback on me! When I contacted ebay they said they didn't get involved in disputes over feedback!!! So either I post positive feedback or none at all... even on the 1 out of 100 transactions that go sour.

[malatu]

I bought a set of key blanks for 4.95. I paid for them within two minutes after the close of the auction. When paying with paypal they let you send a message with your payment. I thanked them and asked them not to forget to leave me positive feedback. I got a reply that stated they would not leave me feedback until I left feedback for them. When I responded that they're holding me hostage and it was inappropriate and shameful, I got a song and a dance that they were not holding me hostage but waiting until the entire process of the sale was completed. What a crock! The guy was an ass and simply wasn't going to leave me positive feedback until I left him positive feedback. Interestingly enough, if the 7 or 8 items I've purchased in the past month, only one vendor left me feedback before I left it for them. Seems this is a general practice.

Originally Posted by 2blu442

I've bought and sold a lot on ebay as it's the largest market place for parts, new and used. I agree with Olds64 and use paypal as often as possible. Sure they charge a couple percent for a fee, but I understand they will refund something like 75% of what you paid if the guy turns out to be a flake. I also like having the payment transferred electronically rather than a money order sitting in my mailbox until I get home, or me driving to town to purchase and mail a money order.

Feedback isn't always a sure thing as Chumly says. A couple years ago I bought an aftermarket distributor from a dealer. It took a couple months, lots of emails, several phone calls, and once the wrong distributor shipped to me. After I finally got the right one they kept sending me emails asking I post feedback on them. So I did, I said the parts were nice, the price was great, but the service was poor. He then posted negative feedback on me! When I contacted ebay they said they didn't get involved in disputes over feedback!!! So either I post positive feedback or none at all... even on the 1 out of 100 transactions that go sour.

[rrielley]

Maybe I am the odd man out here, but I've bought and sold dozens of things (including some old cars) on Ebay and never had a bad experience.

[Bosco1956]

I buy and sell on ebay and have had good luck doing so. However I will not leave feedback untill the deal is complete. If you want to call that holding someone hostage fine. But way to many things can go wrong that's not the fault of either the buyer or seller.

[malatu]

Originally Posted by Bosco1956

I buy and sell on ebay and have had good luck doing so. However I will not leave feedback untill the deal is complete. If you want to call that holding someone hostage fine. But way to many things can go wrong that's not the fault of either the buyer or seller.

Help my understand why a buyer who pays in full 2 minutes after the end of an auction doesn't deserve positive feedback. Your explanation is pretty much the exact same response I got from the "key guy". Exactly what constitutes a "complete deal"? In other words, as a seller, what does it take for you to leave positive feedback to a buyer who immediately paid for an item?

[redoldsman]

In my opinion, the buyers obligation is finished when they have made payment for an item. At that point they are entitled to positive feedback. It seems most sellers don't see it that way. They don't feel they should leave feedback until they have received it. I used to spend time sending emails asking for feedback. I finally decided that took too much of my time. If a seller leaves feedback without my asking, I always mention that in my feedback. Usually I just go ahead and leave feedback when I receive my item and in most cases the seller will follow through with their feedback.

[Lady72nRob71]

>>In my opinion, the buyers obligation is finished when they have made payment for an item


I agree. What many sellers do is leave the feeback open so if the item is crap or not even received, the buyer may not leave a negative in fear of getting a retaliation negative back from the seller. Once a seller posts a positive for the buyer, he cannot change it. This is why many sellers' feedback is much higher than it really should be.
My ex and I did a lot of "business" on that site and figured out how people are. Buying car parts seems to be the worst experience for me on there.
After 10 years on there, the last 3 years have been really turning sour.
I can't wait til the feedback rules are changed in May so buyers can HONESTLY leave appropriate feedback without retaliation fears.

The site has some really good members and neat stuff, but there are a few VERY bad apples in the bunch and it is sometimes VERY hard to forsee that before getting involved...

[malatu]

What are they changing in the Ebay feedback procedures?

[DennisG.]

As always there are two sides to every story. As a seller, I used to leave feedback after the customer recieved their item and let me know they were happy. This way, if there was a problem, it could be worked out and save both parties any grief. There are too many things that can go wrong between the time I ship an item and you recieve it. Just because you paid imediately does not mean that your side of the deal is complete. The transaction is not complete until the buyer recieves their item and they are happy with it. Plain and simple. Too many things can go wrong, like flakey customers who cannot be pleased no matter what. Maybe the customer is having a bad day, just got fired, caught his wife cheating, did`nt read all the description, who knows. Just way too many variables when dealing with human beings. It seems like most of responsibility is always put on the seller. If you the buyer, don`t know what you are buying or looking at, then it is up to you to ask questions. If something does`nt look or sound right to you then you need to choose, either buy it and gamble or move on. This is not to say that the seller is always right. I`m just trying to show the OTHER side of the coin. And because of ebays new feedback rules, I refuse to leave any feedback first. I don`t care what anyone thinks. I post it clearly in all my auctions now. The buyer has the right to skip my auction and move onto th next one. I`ve had too many flakey buyers threaten me with neg feedback if I did`nt do what they wanted. It has usually been shipping an item that is clearly marked no shipping or waiting for them to pay in person. I don`t usually have a problem with that, but when the winner openly tells me he will not pay if he don`t like the item, then I have a problem. You bid, you bought, you own it. Something to remember, as a buyer, you are only dealing with the one person you are buying from. As a seller, you are dealing with a whole bunch of different people with different personalitys, flakes, fruits and nuts included.

Ok, I`m stepping down off my box.

[malatu]

You make some very good and legitimate points. Most of my transactions on ebay (all 60 of them) have been as a seller. Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with any of the kind of folks you described.

[Bosco1956]

Originally Posted by DennisG.

As always there are two sides to every story. As a seller, I used to leave feedback after the customer recieved their item and let me know they were happy. This way, if there was a problem, it could be worked out and save both parties any grief. There are too many things that can go wrong between the time I ship an item and you recieve it. Just because you paid imediately does not mean that your side of the deal is complete. The transaction is not complete until the buyer recieves their item and they are happy with it. Plain and simple. Too many things can go wrong, like flakey customers who cannot be pleased no matter what. Maybe the customer is having a bad day, just got fired, caught his wife cheating, did`nt read all the description, who knows. Just way too many variables when dealing with human beings. It seems like most of responsibility is always put on the seller. If you the buyer, don`t know what you are buying or looking at, then it is up to you to ask questions. If something does`nt look or sound right to you then you need to choose, either buy it and gamble or move on. This is not to say that the seller is always right. I`m just trying to show the OTHER side of the coin. And because of ebays new feedback rules, I refuse to leave any feedback first. I don`t care what anyone thinks. I post it clearly in all my auctions now. The buyer has the right to skip my auction and move onto th next one. I`ve had too many flakey buyers threaten me with neg feedback if I did`nt do what they wanted. It has usually been shipping an item that is clearly marked no shipping or waiting for them to pay in person. I don`t usually have a problem with that, but when the winner openly tells me he will not pay if he don`t like the item, then I have a problem. You bid, you bought, you own it. Something to remember, as a buyer, you are only dealing with the one person you are buying from. As a seller, you are dealing with a whole bunch of different people with different personalitys, flakes, fruits and nuts included.

Ok, I`m stepping down off my box.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I have over 500 feedbacks Most everyone is a pleasure to deal with BUT there are a few flakes out there