My first eBay tangle - All good...item arrived

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 9:44AM

It looks like I have run into my first eBay fraudster.

Over this item

Today, I see a negative feedback appear. And also, today, another buyer contacts me with the same "no shipping" complaint for another item asking if I have gotten mine. Normally, I would not panic after 11 days of a no-show item, as I have experienced up to a 3 week delay.

However, this time, it looks worse than usual. PayPal complaint has been lodged. I'm hoping that if the seller doesn't respond, that PayPal will cover my $182.50 expenditure. I believe that is now 7 days out.

This is what happens when you push your luck on eBay. This seller did not conform to all of my checks for a good seller. I took a chance. Sometimes you lose. I certainly never would have bid without the little 'green safe looking thing' that says i'm covered by PayPal. Unfortunately, I will now see how that policy actually works.

Checking my records, I am annoyed to find that I paid this one with a Debit Card and not a Credit Card. So that money is gone and I will not be able to invoke Credit Card protections on this one.

I should stop buying coins altogether for a while. Starting 8-8-08...my luck has turned decidedly bad on many fronts.

It arrived today, September 4th. Yow!

Bochiman · August 13, 2008 9:55AM

Ummm...Adam, they are a 70% feedback seller.....and just one of those negatives was in the last 6+ months.
I would NEVER had tried to buy from them based on the feedback......

* Seller never shipped coin. Got pay long time ago. Avoid!!
* My gold bar nor my check has been recieved.GET ME MY CHECK NOW!
* item never received, email not answered... scam?

GrumpyEd · August 13, 2008 10:01AM

I thought if you used a debit card you can still get the funds back it's just that it's not in your account until then (since it gets instantly debited).

Contact the bank, maybe they can reverse it.

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 10:02AM

Well, the recent negative appeared just today. There were a few positive transactions; just enough to give me hope.

However, yes, bidding on any auction where the seller feedback is 80% is completely bat$#!t insane. I admit it. I was weak. Stupid world gold coin.

I bid on that item hoping that PayPal's protections would work for an under $200 item. We will see. I will wait the 7 day period for the PayPal complaint, and if I am not made whole with either the coin or cash, I will escalate the issue as I can.

doh · August 13, 2008 10:02AM

WHOA 70%!! I don't buy from sellers with under 98% positive and even then I worry a bit. I would have avoided this guy like the plague...at least you learned from your mistake.

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 10:04AM

<< at least you learned from your mistake >>

That remains to be seen.

I feel like the subject of a scientific experiment.

CB2597 · August 13, 2008 10:06AM

70% Feedback. No thanks.

coinman420 · August 13, 2008 10:12AM

"you pay for your education"

get it?

storm888 · August 13, 2008 10:26AM

"Today, I see a negative feedback appear. And also, today, another buyer contacts me with the same "no shipping" complaint for another item asking if I have gotten mine. Normally, I would not panic after 11 days of a no-show item, as I have experienced up to a 3 week delay..........

//////////////////////////////////

The guy who panicked you with the premature-NEG, appears to be
a NEG-happy newbie. He left a NEUT for a seller because he disagreed
with the TPG grade on the coin.

The PITA is on my BBL.

PITA

/////////////////////////////////////

All that said, the seller has 11 transactions in 12-months. Thus, under
the screwed-up FB scheme, his FB can be easily trashed by just ONE
psycho. His lifetime record is reliable.

He is a slow shipper. (I ship same/next day payment is made. MOST
sellers do NOT.)

Your coin will arrive safely. Or, PayPal will refund your money.

Patience is safe to have when you are not at any risk.

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 10:39AM

Well, the negative today is a concern, but I do realize that many of the negatives of this seller are from newbies. I gave those negative ratings less credit.

I had initially sent a simple message to the seller asking if there is an issue or delay. That is my usual tactic prior to the 3 week point.

What sent me over the edge into PayPal complaint territory is that another purchaser of an auction e-mailed me today out of the blue, complaining that this seller has not mailed the item and will not respond to their communications.

Because of the "will not respond" issue with another seller, I submitted the PayPal dispute today. 11 days after winning the auction. I am concerned that I may have jumped the gun, but there is no harm done if the package arrives...I can retract the dispute easily. If this seller truly does not communicate, then that PayPal dispute is very important!

I'm sure it will end okay. I have witnessed far scarier eBay stories on this forum. Some are still going on!

BBN · August 13, 2008 10:44AM

How in the hell do they even have that acct still with that rating? How are they even allowed to sell still? 70% with 240 feedbacks. wow

baddogss · August 13, 2008 10:45AM

I've never bought from a seller with less than 99% positive rating.

storm888 · August 13, 2008 10:52AM

"How in the hell do they even have that acct still with that rating? How are they even allowed to sell still? 70% with 240 feedbacks. wow "

/////////////////////////////

The 70% is based on 11 transactions. NOT on 240 transactions.

Two items got lost last XMAS and were found/refunded.

Yesterday, one PITA newbie panicked and NEGd him after 2-weeks.

It is VACATION season. The guy is a part-time seller.

The guy's "lifetime" FB is near perfect.

Good Seller: Killed By New FB Scheme

Walmann · August 13, 2008 10:57AM

Using your debit card you still have protection, call your bank, I had to do this once same protection if the card is VISA or Mastercard branded.

baddogss · August 13, 2008 11:02AM

<< "How in the hell do they even have that acct still with that rating? How are they even allowed to sell still? 70% with 240 feedbacks. wow "

/////////////////////////////

The 70% is based on 11 transactions. NOT on 240 transactions.

Two items got lost last XMAS and were found/refunded.

Yesterday, one PITA newbie panicked and NEGd him after 2-weeks.

It is VACATION season. The guy is a part-time seller.

The guy's "lifetime" FB is near perfect.

Good Seller: Killed By New FB Scheme >>

Storm888 has a valid point, as does Walmann.

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 11:04AM

Actually, it's not a debit card. It was a direct pull from my bank account. You know, what PayPal desires most.

Those transactions look very much like debit card transactions when examining my bank statements.

Ah, well.

Don't panic!

tmcsr69 · August 13, 2008 11:22AM

<< WHOA 70%!! I don't buy from sellers with under 98% positive and even then I worry a bit. I would have avoided this guy like the plague. >>

Same thoughts I have.

vplite · August 13, 2008 11:32AM

Ouch. I know better than to ask you what were you thinking....But what...

storm888 · August 13, 2008 11:42AM

JUst to be clear...............

The seller has 4 NEGs out of 240 FB left.

One NEG from a nervous-newbie PITA who leaves lots of bad FB.

Two from a batch of lost mail last December: Items found or refunded.

One from a worthless NPB who was NARUd long ago.

...............

Good Seller.

TERRIBLE FB system.

Walmann · August 13, 2008 1:18PM

Best to set up your debit card as one of your credit cards when using paypal. Have the funds taken from the card instead of directly from the account, it gives you the same result of a direct funds purchase with the protection of the card. I prefer having the additional recourse if a transaction goes bad.

robkool · August 13, 2008 1:51PM

I always pay with that credit card as extra protection against situations like this. I recently purchased a coin over $250 but never recieved it. The card company will investigate it, and will eventually refund the full amount.

SeaEagleCoins · August 13, 2008 1:58PM

Yes...you can do a "chargeback" with a direct pay from your bank. It is just a bit more complicated.

I had a bad deal where I used a direct payment. I called my bank...they sent out a form for me to fill out...they contacted PP and then reversed the charge. It did require me calling PP to get it done properly but all worked out.

1st though...you need to file with PP and they need to find in your favor...

So, I'd suggest an email to seller...ask for a tracking # and the date item was shipped...maybe even try to get their contact phone info thru ebay... then if it doesn't all add up...file w/ PP and take it from there...

Yeah...it's a hassle, to say the least...and doesn't just happen w/ ebay...my bad deal occured here on the BST...

(edited for spelling)

adamlaneus · August 13, 2008 3:23PM

Well, the seller did contact me today and said that the coin was shipped from Switzerland. It will take a little longer than usual.

Many dealers consign in this way, so I will be patient for it to arrive.

I will withhold final judgment until the coin is in my hand, but it may well be a case of eBay's new feedback policy making a seller look worse than they are.

seatedcoins · August 13, 2008 5:46PM

I was going to say this before I just saw your update. I wouldn't worry too much. 3 negs in 239 transactions is not great but not alarming.

YaHa · August 13, 2008 8:19PM

Are you kidding me, Swiss is where the coin has been shipped. First things first, that is a two party transaction, If I was you I would file a complaint against this person for selling something on ebay and stating the coin will be shipped within a certain time period from US mail. Then I would tell ebay the seller is saying to you the coin you won is in another country. I hope you get your coin, but what I hope mostly is the FBI doesn't knock on your door because the package you are receiving was full of dope and now it is your ball of wax to prove why the dope got at your front door.

I'm not crazy things have happen to me years ago before ebay came to play, I bought vitamins from over seas for my dogs because they had bladder cancer and got in trouble because something else was sent and I will not tell you what.

Again good luck, also check out this clowns BIN's on his auction right now. Laughing to the bank this guy is.

CertifiedGoldCoins · August 13, 2008 8:22PM

If you do a lot of buying on eBay, chances are you'll run into some things like I have: a seller who had a heart attack (his wife sent me an e-mail), another one caught up in the MidWest floods, etc. One of my best customers was a Hurricane Katrina victim. And in my case, my PC was kaput for several days until I could get it serviced.

As for FleaBay's new feedback "system," it stinks. It distorts anyone's record who has been a member for a long time, and make them look bad overnight. Under the old system, the seller in question would be at 98.3% not 70.0% And the reverse is true; sellers with no negatives and many repeat customers look better than before. In my case, I went from +900 to +1500.

If you missed it, and want to know their (ha ha) "reasoning" for upsetting the applecart, here's a LINK

SaorAlba · August 13, 2008 10:05PM

At least if people keep in communication or have a valid excuse for non contact. But there are airheads out there that bid on stuff and practically forget about it.

adamlaneus · August 19, 2008 7:50AM

Developments:

So far, three buyers have panicked and left this seller a negative. This sellers feedback hovers just over 50%. YIKES!!!

Not a time to continue selling. And the three BIN items this seller lists are very high dollar items.

To those negative strikes, the seller has replied that all items have been mailed and may be delayed in customs.

In my experience, it can easily take three and a half weeks for international mail.

The seller also sent me a communications with a tracking number for my parcel.

When I plug in this tracking number into a mail-tracking website for Switzerland...low and behold...my name comes up.
I don't think that could happen any other way than my package is actually in the system and in transit. The status is "posting", whetever the heck that means.

So, that is pretty strong evidence to me that the item is on its way and the seller is on the level.

I will continue to wait patiently.

I suspect that the folks that sent a negative to this seller will also get their packages and that those negatives will be retracted or changed.

This has got to be the most stressful eBay purchase I have ever done, but the fact that I have a tracking number...and that number actually says my name when I go to the swiss mail website...well, that goes a long way to making me feel better!

And no, i'm not following any links provided to me in an e-mail, so the tracking website appears to be correct.

Sheesh! I suspect the seller could have been a little more upfront with communcations and could have avoided some negatives. We will see.

derryb · August 19, 2008 8:20AM

Gotta be an ebay rule somewhere about selling items you don't have. Since he's brokering coins and serving as the middleman who never takes possession, I don't think it would even qualify as a "pre-sale." I believe ebay will shut him down once you let them know his MO. Good luck.

How many cats you got?

adamlaneus · August 19, 2008 8:22AM

<< How many cats? >>

I am owned by two cats

But I have pictures of far, far, far more.

ajaan · August 19, 2008 8:27AM

"posting" usually means mailing. That is, it is on its way.

SaorAlba · August 19, 2008 8:42AM

<< 

<< How many cats? >>

I am owned by two cats

But I have pictures of far, far, far more. >>

Nice pics of your Masters.

adamlaneus · August 27, 2008 10:33AM

Well, no item yet.

However, with my tracking number, I can see that it is progressing through the mail system.

Many buyers have left negatives for this seller so far.

Some buyers have started to receive their items, so some positives are now being left.

One of the folks that left a negative did leave a comment saying that the item finally came.

This has been a very troublesome buying experience but I expect that my coin from Switzerland will indeed come some time this week or next based on the tracking info.
Sometimes patience is the answer.

19Lyds · August 27, 2008 10:50AM

OK? Wud I miss and whats this about Geneva?

The auction says the item is in Cincinatti Ohio. Isn't that just a wee bit misleading?

SaorAlba · August 27, 2008 11:12AM

With a stellar 61.1% positive rating, this dipstick has an eBay store. Go figure. He says something in a response about his 5 year old going in for surgery, that may well be, but what was going on back in December when he got the other negatories?

adamlaneus · September 4, 2008 7:40AM

This particular seller did send me the product. It's a decent coin. (thankfully, I don't have to do a return...that would be icing on the cake)

This seller has managed to nuke their seller rating through very slow shipping.

Also, although a tracking number was provided, it was not clear _which_ international postal site to use to track any particular package. I was able to find mine in the swiss postal system. Other buyers may not have been able to find theirs, as a tracking number is not enough; you have to know where to type it in.

When I won the auction, the buyers feedback was at 80%. However, I judged that this was a statistical anomaly caused by a minor shipping issue.

Well, during my wait for shipping this feedback went almost as low as 50%. It is now back up close to 70%.

I will probably avoid such sellers in the future. If I see a shipping issue in a sellers past, I had better be ready for a shipping issue to occur if I win.

My first eBay tangle - All good...item arrived

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