The eBay experience

[GasCat]

What do you think about selling and buying on eBay? Anything you want to relate to the rest of us?

Buying:
I have been sent DVDs instead of Blu-Ray discs twice. Sent discs without a blu-ray case or inner sleeve. Sent discs that had a hole punched through the cover. Both were not what I bargained for at all. At other times I have had great buying experiences for films I wanted to get.

Selling:
I have 100 percent positive feedback and been around a few years still people do not seem to want my discs at a decent "Buy it now" price. Most wait until the auction is about to end which is annoying as a seller. I have 4 in the mail and I keep hoping they will find their target and I don't have any problems.

I'm curious about others experiences either buying or selling there and what limits you set for yourself.

Please do not use your ebay name. This thread isn't meant to say you have a disc selling if someone is interested. I'll post my latest problem to kick off the thread.

[GasCat]

This started off as a good e-Bay experience:
I see this "Rescue-Me" Blu-Ray disc set. It is listed by a big seller who moves a lot of discs. I won it for something like 31 bucks shippedl. It was the lowest price of any that had sold at that time.

But then it went bad:
The package arrives 10 days later and he has sent me the DVD set. On the outside it says something like "Enhanced for high definition" but there is no Blu-Ray swirl logo only a DVD logo. I contact the guy and he says send it back immediatesly.

I send it back the next day and wait another week. Nothing. I check on the package and it is waiting at the post office. Apparently he didn't sign for it when delivered. The on-line post office message (which he can also read) says they are going to send it back to me if it is not picked up.

I contact the seller again and tell him to pick it up and just refund me. No response. If he doesn't pick it up then it will be the second time I have had to go to Paypal and dispute a transaction.

[Chris Gerhard]

Buying from reputable sellers is the only solution, I have been burned a few times when I take a chance with a seller that doesn't have a history of good feedback. File your PayPal complaint quickly.

Chris

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

Buying from reputable sellers is the only solution, I have been burned a few times when I take a chance with a seller that doesn't have a history of good feedback. File your PayPal complaint quickly.

+1. When buying, assume nothing and ask as many questions as you need in order to know what the seller is offering. If you don't get an answer, don't buy.

Been buying on eBay for 9 years now (collectible tools mostly) and I've learned that paranoia can be a good thing.

[movies3]

i buy and sell off ebay all the time! Been a member awhile now and i love it!

[GasCat]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

Buying from reputable sellers is the only solution, I have been burned a few times when I take a chance with a seller that doesn't have a history of good feedback. File your PayPal complaint quickly.

Chris

Smart advice. People shouldn't be afraid to buy things. My average purchase price is far under the retail price paid.

Look at the number of feedback.
Look at the percent of positive feedback.
Click on their feedback number to see what they have sold or bought.
Look for the Paypal green buyer protection box.
Look at the shipping charges. (5.00 seems to be the norm for Blu-Ray discs)
Pay for it using Paypal.
If you have a credit card link it to your Paypal account and you may be able to do an immediate chargeback of funds.
Do not give any feedback to the seller until after the transaction.

Some larger volume sellers don't care if they get a negative feedback. I like the idea about asking quesitons. The person I am dealing with would not have passed that test. Sometimes the deal is good though and if I see the green Paypal box I will go for it. Overall I have had excellent results with eBay sellers.

Paypal requires you file a claim within 45 days. I always look for the green box under their name saying they have a guarantee of payback. They have some restrictions but it will freeze the sellers account for withdraws of money. Only issue a claim as a last resort.

Here are some useful links:
eBay dispute console page:
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...rCreateDispute
You can dispute the item 10 to 60 days after the auction has ended. If you payed with Paypal, they will send you there.

Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described Process
http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/inr-snad-process.html

About Buyer Protection Programs
http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/isgw-b...ion-steps.html

Don't be afraid to try it out but know how to safeguard yourself.