Advice about an ebay dispute

[boycey42]

Hi,
I know that this may not be the best place for this post but it is to do with buying and selling Traveller goods.
Just recently had a little dispute with someone on ebay and wanted some advice about how to proceed.Ebay aren't particularly helpful unless you want to pay for third party advice!
I bought some goods at auction nearly 2 months ago.they were from a shop on ebay.anyway, 2months later and I've heard very little from the company.I sent a few e-mails warning that unless i heard back very soon I'd post negative feedback.
Anyway, they were given plenty time and so i posted feedback.unfortunately , the guy never gave feedback at the time i paid for the goods and chose to post negative feedback about me.Pure malice feedback in fact.Now i have a less than perfect record for making an honest complaint.
What really needles me is the guy wants to 'mutually' withdraw both our feedbacks.In effect he's 'blackmailng'me.
If anyone has been kind enough to read this and has some advice on the matter please get in touch.If you want the name of the shop on ebay I'll let you know that to and you can check out how bad his feedback is getting!
thanks for your time
Bryce

 

[Ben W Bell]

Firstly after the emails you should have tried phoning them directly, you can request those details from Ebay. I've had similar disputes involving them not sending items and usually ended up threatening to take them to the small claims court (which I actually did with one person over 4 JTAS issues, and won).

Why do I get the feeling that, if you are in the UK, this shop is a certain one who lists frequently and often at ridiculous postage and PayPal charges and has the initials CB.

 

[boycey42]

I think know who you mean but it's not them.this one is based in America so the calling thing and claims court seems a tad expensive.From the looks of their recent feedback, they're annoying quite a few customers.
By the way Ben thanks for your post, is that company you're implying in Kent by any chance?
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Bryce

 

[Ben W Bell]

No I believe the company I'm referring to is based in Essex, and is actually a sizable company that does some of their own publishing including a quarterly RPG mag.

I don't know what to suggest otherwise that can help you unfortunately. Ask for a refund from them. Did you happen to pay by credit card? If so you may be covered through your bank for lost funds.

 

[savage]

Was it paypal insured. This hasn't happened to me yet but if its covered start the complaint process.


Savage

 

[Ben W Bell]

Unfortunately the Pay Pal insurance is practically worthless. You need to start proceedings within a few weeks and prove you have done all you can to recover the goods or money. At this late date it is too late.

 

[savage]

Don't know how it works in the UK and I'm not a lawyer. Calling the person and getting your money
back or the product is a reasonable move. Follow up in writing...I assume you have certified mail.

Boycey42. If it was a US company you'd have 7 years to start filings. And these are the options
I know of...perhaps one will ring a bell.

1. File a complaint with Ebay anyhow. Even out of date its a legal record.
2. Is it a online company doing business on Ebay
in the US you can file with the Better Business Bureau. This is a good move since the BBB has many options.
3. In the US you can probably go to small claims. I think its $75 to file last time I checked. Since this is internet fraud. I don't know if such lawsuits could be done remotely.
4. If he complained about you and you've done nothing it would be libalous and slander...more money for that small claims court case (up to $5k in the US last time I checked).
5. Complain to the police department in "his" location. Once again internet fraud.

Last but not least! Get together with other cheated customers. Numbers help.

Sorry if I'm rambling I cannot stand internet crooks.

Savage

 

[boycey42]

Thanks for the advice folks.
I finally got the goods but I'm still miffed that he posted negative feedback about me when all i did was complain that my goods were 2 months late and i'd heard very little.Do many people wait until thet've had feedback before thet post theirs?i find it a little sly personally.as far as my transaction went , i'd paid for the goods, romptly and was awaiting delivery.
Anyway, at least i got the goods, just gotta do something about my feedback now!

 

[Ben W Bell]

When I buy goods I never leave the seller feedback until they have left it for me. For the Seller they have the first feedback responsibility as for them the transaction is completed first, the buyer has to wait longer to receive their goods.

 

[far-trader]

Yeah, in a perfect world the seller should leave positive feedback promptly upon payment and the buyer upon prompt receipt of goods as described.

And likewise a buyer who doesn't pay in good time should be tagged with negative feedback but that usually spawns vengence negative feedback without cause, or even worse the odd buyer will make the seller's life hell by bidding stupid amounts on all their current auctions.

And a seller who deserves negative feedback may be able to avoid it by effectively blackmailing the buyer by not posting feedback first.

Its not a perfect system and there are cranks and crooks on both sides. At least now with the ability to respond to feedback in line you have some measure of balance. That'd be my suggestion in this case. If you can't make your counterpoint in the single line I've seen more than a few "email me for details of this". Keep a copy of all emails between yourself and the other party until its all satisfactory.

Just as a few examples, of my latest purchases two of the sellers left positive feedback promptly upon my payment and the goods were shipped immediately.

The first one I got was exactly as described and so positive feedback was returned as it should be. The other one was not quite as described so I have to check it out and then parley with the seller. Their response will dictate the nature of my feedback at that time.

Two others have not left feedback, despite my paying promptly (even pre-paying in one case), and of them one has arrived and seems ok but I can't really tell until the other arrives and it is better than a week overdue now. I would be more worried if that seller's reputation was low and the emails weren't being positively returned.

I find a quick question to the seller or buyer a better gauge than the feedback ratings. If they don't answer promptly and friendly forget it, you're just looking for trouble. Also don't just check the persons feedback but also the feedback they leave, especially in response to negative feedback (check the dates too to see who hit first).

Anywho, just a few observations from this old far-trader's experiences

 

[J]

Originally posted by boycey42:
Anyway, at least i got the goods, just gotta do something about my feedback now!

Ebay does give you the option to respond to your feedback. My Ebay -> Feedback -> Review and Respond. You can put a comment in to explain why you were given the negative feedback.

Ebay will consider removing feedback, but only in some cases:
Ebay feedback removal page

J.