Seller ratings mean nothing on EBay

So I finally left feedback for the seller on EBay for the disaster that was my AB 800 in-walls. That feedback was struck down in less than 5 minutes. All I did was call out the bad packing and that he told me to deal with FedEX because he was not going to loose money...

I called EBay and was told my feedback violated their rules because I did not open a dispute with them! This guy gets to keep his record unblemished despite handling this like a douchenozzle and I get screwed.

Done with EBAY!!!
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson

Comments

  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    Amen.

    I’ve had a couple buyers completely flake on me and not pay. Believe it or not, there is no way to leave negative feedback on the a-holes. You open a case, wait a week, and nothing.
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,950
    So were the speakers damaged when they arrived?
  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,438
    They dont want your negative feedback. That would possibly hurt future sale & Ebay would loose $$$
    ..
    ..
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    Randy/Maine
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    I normally reach out with a message to the seller if I have an issue.

    If I don't get a response, or a good vibe from the response, then I'll open up a case.

    John it sounds like there was a little back and forth with the seller previously. I found it to be advantageous to get all that documented through an opened case.

    And it compels the seller to respond. From what I understand if a cased is opened up, the seller has restrictions placed on them. To what extent I'm not exactly sure.

    In the end, if all's good, I'm happy to place positive feedback.

    Now in the case of my Hickok TV-7, the seller called me, and we worked it out. He refunded my money, paid for return shipping, all is good. No case was ever opened, but it worked out.
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Yea @verb’s experience mirrors mine. eBay works pretty well on the whole, but you do have to be willing to put up with some BS every now and then. I mean it is essentially an online auction/flea market, and that always come with some weird ****...or just skip it and buy new...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    kevhed72 wrote: »
    So were the speakers damaged when they arrived?
    Broken frames and frozen drivers...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    edited December 2019
    Yep been saying that for years now. Too many not so truthful buyers and absolutely no way for a seller to document that for others to see. eBay is far and away different from what it was in the beginning, sellers and buyers got the dreaded negative feedback if deserved. Now someone flakes on payment you're stuck to relisting. Sure you could open a non paying bidder but does that ever show on their feedback..nope. I recently had a seller sell me counterfeit SACD's sure I opened a case and got my money back BUT I should also have been able to tell folks his SACD's were counterfeit plain ol' CD'r with fancy laser printed labels and cheap copy paper jackets.
    He tried to get around it by making a disclaimer that "IF OPENED no refunds would be given" I tried to talk to him but got zip but circle talk and playing dumb. He deserved a negative yet I was unable to do it. Many on eBay now are nothing more than Amazon selling on ebay. They ship and pack horrible. Case in point ordered gunslick .22 cleaning rod. They shipped it in a 40x15x20 box it had to be bent to fit in the way too large box diagonal. Came in an Amazon box Amazon label the whole works. I flamed the seller, he tried to blame UPS. When I showed him pictures of the same rod in .30 cal held up to prove it could not go in the box without being bent at the point of packing. The label even showed a dimensional weight of 65lbs. he paid to ship a 15.00 rod not once but twice. Truly insanity at its finest. He sent a label to return twice and was irked that I shipped it back in the box that charged him 65lbs shipping cost to ship it back. I plainly told him he had paid this weight to ship it to me TWICE yet I'm supposed to go buy the proper package to ship it back. Idiots!

    I'm still waiting for my refund. Its been over a week, I'll give him until monday before I get eBay involved. I've got tons of pictures and emails.
    A simple stiff cardboard tube and this would not of ever happened. I loathe Amazon! A year ago I removed my account and all info after they suspended me for returning smashed and broken CD's they shipped in a plain paper envelope. My brother is a prime member and he told me in the last year they return 40% due to breakage from horrible packing.
  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    John, if you had opened a case you'd have been forced to return the speakers to the seller, right? Damn if you do , damned if you don't.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    DaveHo wrote: »
    John, if you had opened a case you'd have been forced to return the speakers to the seller, right? Damn if you do , damned if you don't.

    Yes most times, but not all.
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    John is a ****
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    Fvch! John is farkhole! Better vanilla?!
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited December 2019
    Shut up Russell, or I 'll have your wife take away your allowance.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,950
    edited December 2019
    I dunno....Ebay seems like the wild west at times. I always try to link bigger purchases to my CC via Paypal so I can dispute thru Mastercard if need be. On the other hand, Amazon doesnt seem to make returns very easy and their drivers act like it the wild wild west on the roads😂😐
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    edited December 2019
    Most days in our subdivision there is 10-12 Amazon delivery drivers at a time stopping in the middle of the street clogging traffic. Understand that most of the time they each have 1 or 2 packages. Seems like a gigantic waste of fuel instead of having designated drivers with designated areas of delivery. These guy's and gal's are the wild west pony express literally.
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    kevhed72 wrote: »
    I dunno....Ebay seems like the wild west at times. I always try to link bigger purchases to my CC via Paypal so I can dispute thru Mastercard if need be. On the other hand, Amazon doesnt seem to make returns very easy and their drivers act like it the wild wild west on the roads😂😐

    As a buyer eBay 💯 has your back. You just have to return the item if the seller won’t agree to a partial refund (but in my pretty extensive experience most will give a partial refund for damage because they know they’ll lose more trying to resell a damaged product). The only time I have felt a bit screwed as a buyer is when I let the 30 day period pass before lodging a complaint.

    It’s as a seller that you are on an island all alone: the buyer has ALL the power, including feedback privileges. That’s one of many reasons I would rather sell here even if I make less and it takes longer...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    I have about 500 eBay transactions in the books, all buying except for just a handful of things I've sold. It is always a risk as @rooftop59 alluded. Communication is key, especially when it comes to shipping anything that could easily be broken. In those potential problem situations, I contact the seller beforehand about my expectations on shipping before I bid or BIN. If they waffle at all, I don't purchase. I also look at other items they have sold, to see how familiar they might be with shipping items of a similar nature (e.g., audio gear). Sometimes they simply don't know, or don't have experience with it, so it pays to educate them.

    I was looking at a turntable on eBay last year where the seller only listed like $20 for shipping. It was clear to me that he was just cleaning out some closets...or something along those lines (i.e., he was clearly not a regular seller of audio gear). I contacted him to say I was interested, but I also mentioned he ought to increase his shipping price, which I would pay, but that I had some specifics on packing it. He replied that I was too picky, and that he didn't want to sell to me since he thought I would likely file a complaint regardless of how it arrived. I said, "Dude, I'm trying to help you out here, no matter WHO you sell to. I'm trying to help you avoid shipping damage and a return." We could never agree, but whadaya know, he increased the shipping price on his listing. That turntable is still for sale on eBay :)

    On the other hand, I recently returned some tubes that didn't match the description in the listing. I worked it out with the seller, shipped them back, got my refund, and just left him positive feedback.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • Some sellers are jerks on eBay; some buyers are worse than jerks on eBay.

    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"


    Harry / Marietta GA
  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,556
    The real key is learning the lingo.
    Untested means it's broke, but they still want $$$.
    There's a lot more key phrases, but this.one is pretty common.

    I wish I'd taken the picture of the receiver sent to me stuffed into
    A cardboard box that was too small. No packing.
    I got it for $15. And the seller made sure it wasn't worth
    $15. It looked like it was rolled to my front door.
    There wasn't a straight corner or edge left on it.
    It was advertised as not working. But somehow it did.
    So I let it slide. Welcome to ebay.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,230
    <snip>...my feedback violated their rules because I did not open a dispute with them! <snip>
    So, did you open a dispute with them after you were notified of this?

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    treitz3 wrote: »
    <snip>...my feedback violated their rules because I did not open a dispute with them! <snip>
    So, did you open a dispute with them after you were notified of this?

    Tom

    You cannot dispute once you’ve left feedback. That’s been the rule for a long time.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,230
    Ah, I have not bought anything on Flea Bay in years. Due to crap rules just like that. Thanks,

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~