I get the comment fairly often that this video doesn't address the scams that BUYERS face on eBay. And, they are correct, it doesn't. But I also made a video about that as its own topic. It just didn't get pushed out like this one did. I think it's still a really good video for resellers because there are things we can do to help protect buyers. ruclips.net/video/YiMIA9U31H8/видео.html
When you believe going to the post office and wasting are time about a package that wasn’t the right package when we just delivered it please stop coming from a postal worker
Well it's stuff I didn't know. It's a surprise the stuff people do but in the end all a scammer is doing is hurting themselves because they too are making a reputation & its one that will shut them out from buying online.
I have had a couple of buyers send me email an address wanting me to communicate that way. When I respond back " I'm sorry ALL communication MUST be through Ebay." It pretty well shuts them down.
UGh...I absolutely should have mentioned not communicating with people off of the platform. Complete oversight on my part. Do you mind if I pin this comment?
I keep having this issue. I accept an offer, they write me to say text me at this number, i say no i will answer any questions here in the app, they never respond and never pay. But my listing gets held up for a week. I wait until ebay says i can keep waiting for payment or cancel. Clearly i cancel but how can I tell if the user if a scammer? Are there any tells?
In my short experience as eBay seller, seems the biggest scam is the eBay official policies on returns! Buyer can use the item for 2-3 weeks, drop it, break it, whatever. Then just claim "Item not as described". Ebay decides in favor of buyer majority of time.
You're not wrong. They should have some built-in protections for sellers who have a long history of satisfied customers. If you've successfully completed a thousand sales, you shouldn't automatically lose to a buyer with a 1 day old account and no previous purchases.
That is very discouraging! I sold a beautiful item to a lady who lives in a house that sold for over $1,000,000 in 2015. I searched the address after she asked me for a refund on a beautiful Silverplate server, and claimed that what arrived in the box was different than what was described on my Ebay post. This first contact was a week after it was delivered. She had no fotos as evidence. She didn't keep the box or the packing materials. I made a claim based on the two fotos she sent 3 days after her initial request. I made a claim to USPS, and the claim will likely be denied because she won't take the damaged item to the counter at her Post Office, and she has no Original box, no label, no bubble wrap, nothing to prove that the item she is presenting is what was in the box that I shipped. Early on I contacted Ebay and the USPS, and talked with the Postal service director at her Zip Code. Still in the middle of settling, but I have not issued a refund. However Ebay has opened a case for me to protect me from her maligning comments. I may just report her and be done with it, but ebay has not advised me to do it. So very frustrating.
Scam #5 is not necessarily correct. I sold an item which performed and looked like new. The buyer gave me negative feedback, then demanded some money. I contacted the buyer and assured him the item was EXACTLY as described, and I showed photos of the item (used in the description). He said that a major part had been broken before I sent it. This was NOT the case, so I asked him to send photos of 'the broken part' and I would repair/replace/refund as necessary. He did not do this, so I asked ebay to intervene. They said they would/could not retract the negative feedback, or investigate. I can only conclude that they always side with the buyer, and as such, I have never sold on ebay since. Honest people get scammed and taken for granted, but in this case ebay has lost revenue and respect from me.
I totally understand why you would feel the way that you do. Completely understand. My experience has been different. I have actually had great support from eBay. If not, I'd use another platform. But, I completely understand why you would feel the way you do.
happened to me too very abusive will now seek legal advice as buyer in Australia was slanderous and saying "don't trust this seller" this person just sells a couple of washing machine parts. ebay useless and condescending ,saying "we see you have 15 yrs. with a 100% record but cant help!
That's not how it works from the buyer's point of view. I know I am paying more for the product and I expect you check your packaging and ensure it will withstand the rigors of transportation. True you may get some dishonest ones, but you also need to check their history and reviews before you conclude them to be dishonest. I continue shopping with eBay because they are on my side and gave me the confidence against shoddy vendors. As for photo evidence, how can that prove a product is not functioning as it should? I don't waste time with shonkey vendors. Give them a bad review, throw your product away, and move on. Ebay knows without buyers there will be no need for these online platforms.
josephyeo6966 You're right, eBay is on the buyers side, and that's the point. They always side with the buyer, and why they've lost a lot of sellers and revenue.
I buy and sell there some good part sellers on eBay. But I been a eBay seller since 2006. Done a few $200 plus sales but mostly. 99 cents stuff plus shipping.
@@Zoroislostagaian biggest piece of advice here is ship with tracking whenever possible (Canadian here) we don't have the option of tracking on white letter without it costing minimum of $8.10. When I sell an item, I always photograph and send a picture confirmation of the letter being stamped and accepted at the post office for the customer (while thanking them, of course!) and usually I get a ok, thanks for the update, thumbs up or some type of confirmation. Not always but I get a sneaking suspicion when I don't get any message back. Trading card singles go for as low as a dollar. Unfortunately there is no way to protect yourself as a seller if no tracking is being utilized. It makes it obvious to sell the card for the dollar, and send in white envelope for $1.60 and regular postage a new seller can have pitfalls with this. The buyer will report they haven't received their item, and you have 3 days to resolve the issue before eBay becomes involved. due to fear of negative feedback/retribution on the purchase, sellers will have no choice but to fully refund the order...shipping and all.... You lose out on the sale, the item, and postage. In the end, eBay will side with the customer, bc there was no way of confirming delivery. I've been pretty discouraged the last couple days due to certain people doing this to me. I just finished another one of your prior videos before watching this one, and you mentioned something that stuck; selling is tough, but you're tougher. I remind myself that those people are not my customer base, and that I have more positive interactions with people than not. The negative ones will be memorable, but try to do your best to remember to recognize the great customers. I always forgive, but I never forget. [Edit: for detail and finished a thought]
The one that got me when I started out was when the buyer sent a photo of a damaged book and I sent a refund. Afterwards, I realized that photo had been photo Shopped. Lesson learned. I always demand a return since then and this has saved me numerous times.
Even then you aren't safe. If a buyer opens a INAD or arrived broken, the ebay money back guarantee covers them so even if you were to deny it, ebay will collect and you get dinged for ebay having to step in. I had this happen so I gave the refund and never got the return. I know the item worked when I shipped but nothing I can do. They got a free item and I got nothing.
I've had someone tell me that they received an empty box one time. I stopped selling on ebay. If I sell again, I'm going to take a picture or video of packing their item. Thanks for the tips!
I hate that for you. Don't forget that you can also show the weight on the box. If you drop off the packages at the post office, you can get a receipt with the weights. Nothing is foolproof. But I rarely deal with scanners. I wouldn't want a few bad experiences to keep me from my ability to have this business.
As a buyer, I actually did receive an empty package once from Amazon and they sent me a replacement. It does happen. Sometimes people steal stuff. As a reseller, it has not happened to me.
The pictures and, or videos won't matter... unless you had an extended video of you packaging that item and then getting it to the post office on that same video without taking the shot off of the item the ENTIRE time.. it's a moot point. They could say you repackaged another item. Ebay sides with the buyer.. in almost every case.
Taking pics/video won't help. Best you can do is have USPS weigh it and get proof on the receipt. But even then, this is so uncommon of a scam. I had a buyer claim that parts were missing when I sent a fully complete item --- I sent them a couple of replacement parts but they are no longer allowed to buy from me again. Small cost of doing business, it's rare and it sucks when it happens, but if you can't handle it then maybe reselling isn't for you.
I appreciate these tips and solutions. I sold a few items on Ebay 15 years ago and never had an issue but I've been a buyer since then and looking to start selling again. I can tell you that as a buyer I had one problem and that was when I purchased a 16" cymbal for my drum set. It arrived at the post office in a locker and when I opened the locker there was an empty pizza box with dried pizza sauce. No cymbal. I was bent about that but I showed the postal employee and took pictures and Ebay promptly returned my money. Thanks again for sharing your experience and knowledge.
I made a follow-up video talking about the scams that buyers face, too. It just didn't get pushed out to the same degree that this one did. Sketchy sellers hurt other sellers as much or more than sketchy buyers, in my opinion.
As a new reseller few yrs back, I announced that I was new , trying to figure things out. Made mistakes but buyers were more than understanding except one who took advantage...bought item , I had zero cost into it....claimed it was not what he bought. "Liar" but I refunded his purchase amount and told him to keep it. Then asked me to refund the shipping. My response was you got it for free.....you want shipping back? Send it back. Lesson..don't announce yourself as new.
Great video. I’m a new seller and I’m being scammed by a professional one of all people. This toys and collectibles store from PA is claiming a figurine they received almost two weeks ago arrived damaged, and they’re asking for a discount. Since I’m selling my own beloved collection, and I package them extremely well, I got very nervous when they messaged me yesterday and didn’t look at the pictures they sent as thoroughly as I should have until later on in the day. These kinds of figurines are hand painted, and the one in their picture is clearly not the one that I sold them. I asked them for a picture showing both the store price tag underneath the figurine and the damage, and haven’t sent it yet. Hopefully, they’ll leave me alone but I do feel like I should warn others about this very prosperous seller of different platforms of the internet!
Hopefully the handpainting will be enough to get eBay to side with you. I can't imagine intentionally trying to scam someone. Whatever that is in their heads that allows them to do that, I don't have it. And I'm glad that I don't.
@@TheChaChingKing , the buyer hasn’t sent anything yet and I don’t think they will. I called EBay and was told to not give them a discount, the representative could also see a clear difference between the two figurines. Thanks so much for replying, I wasn’t expecting it at all, and it was a great surprise! 🙏
@@TheChaChingKing , I have an update to my case. The seller surprisingly messaged me asking if I had received the picture that I requested which I did not, and for a $25 discount. I politely told them they had to be mistaking me for another seller because the photos they submitted were from a different figurine and not the one I sold them. To prove this, I sent them a photo of both figurines side by side. They immediately apologized saying that they were a “mess” and that I was right and that they were indeed mistaking me for another seller. They then sent me a picture of their orders page which showed my figurine received on 2/20/24 and the other one received on 11/17/2023???. All of this for $25! 🤦🏼♀️
I sold a book described as like new (which it was). The buyer claimed the book I had sent was not the one in the photos or like new, but should be described as acceptable. They wanted a refund, I told them to return the book and as I had made a mark in the book, in a place I only knew, I would know if it was the correct book. The book was returned, but not the book I sold, same book, same title, etc, but certainly not the book I sent/sold. It was in poor condition and no identifying mark. I reported this to EBay, no refund was given, no loss to me and I sold the book I was send back for a few quid.
Been selling since 2009 and the Last month I have had 6 scammers! Never before, they are coming out of the woodwork lately, thanks for all the tips, especially for new sellers, these people are ruthless and could be intimidating for new sellers, great video thanks!
Good stuff Scot. I boil it down to this: Say no to anything complicated. If it requires more steps than my usual routine, I say no. Stops 99% of the problems that come my way, whether scams or just plain ol’ problem-customers. The last 1% is probably mistakes I made that I gotta fix. Easy: fix ‘em in the least complicated way possible.
SOOOO true. I could easily do a follow up to this video. I had a guy send me 5 different questions about a necktie. A NECKTIE. A zero feedback buyer with that many questions about a tie? WAY too complicated. lol
I watched this yesterday and number 3 happened to me for the first time ever this morning. Buyer is asking me to refund him because, although he admits usps shows his purchase as delivered, he can’t find it. First thing I did was review your video and then I followed your instructions. Now I wait. eBay says they are holding funds until resolved. I do wonder why they can’t see the tracking (I ship thru eBay) ‘automagically’ though and close the claim right away. Anywho… I thank you SO much for your videos. I feel very lucky to have you as a source of education as I navigate this world of selling! You rock! *tip of my hat*
Great info! I've been buying and selling on eBay for more than 20 years. I've had more scammers in the past 2 years than previously. Still not many, but I sure hate dealing with them. As sellers we must know how to protect ourselves.
That really hasn't been my experience. It's rare that I deal with one at all. And, outside of two times that I think they got it wrong, I've been supported. For me, it's literally 2 times out of 17,000 sales.
@@omegadroidzerothey do not. All they care about is fees and percebtage they can get their hands on. Im a top rated seller with hundreds of sales and ive had to fight tooth and nail to not be scammed by an address that has been documentwd as a scammer in the ebay community page since like 2013. Ive had 2 other blatantly obvious scam attempts and ebay fought me like crazy trying to protect the scammer. I deleted all my items for sale and will never sell on ebay again
Great info KaChing King. Even as an experienced ebay, I picked up something from this video. I have a two or three sales in the past where buyers had contacted me after the sale and asked me to edit the shipping address. I did it without even thinking about it. Fortunately, none of them were scammers, just good people who had recently moved and forgotten to update their ebay profile. But now I will know a better way to handle it next time. Also, on higher dollar items, I will usually require a signature upon delivery and spell that out right in the listing. Thanks again and may 2023 be your most prosperous year yet.
I'm exactly the same as you here. I have changed the address a few times. If the item isn't expensive and I can see that it was an account with some age in good standing, I'm willing to take the risk. But, it's still a risk. I truly appreciate the kind words
That's great advice. I'm a longtime ebay seller and I've encountered a few of those scams in my day. The best thing is to always have patience and common sense. Don't rush when a strange inquiry comes in...take your time to review and respond appropriately. I usually take my time and look at the buyer's ebay rating and other details before I send a response or take any action.
I am a new seller, the first 4 items I listed, I only got scammers!! So frustrating, they may make an offer, I accept, then they message me saying they have a few questions before making the payment. They leave a phone number and ask me to call or text them. I messaged them & inform them that I only communicate via eBay. Meanwhile my item is tied up in "Sold" mode for 3-4 days and they never pay. 😖
I had the same situation, and I almost bought a gift card they where asking me to send as a proof for them to send payment of the two things I sold to this seller and I got an email from “eBaycommunityus” saying the fake payment was on hold and need the proof of the gift card, and when I realized it was a scam I told the scammer that I don’t want to do it, the scammer told me they got debited and also said “do you want to deal with a military man” and at first told me it was a police officer, then I blocked him, I’m kind of scared bc they know my email and phone number, I immediately reported to EBay hopefully they will do something, and the worst thing is that this buyer has good feedback but is a scammer so how could that happen? I’m very new on selling :c
Block all scammer,and sell for high feedbacks persons only. Do videos before posting+ packaging,and note it in description too. Always check offerers feedbacks,if any doubt,decline and block them!
I live in an apartment complex, sometimes the mailman puts the package in the wrong mailbox it has happened to me a few time, I am lucky that the people here are honest, cause my neighbors here brought them to me.. All your information was good, thank you for sharing..
Sooo much value here. Thank you very much. I was reselling a few years ago and had one scammer. I was surprised how helpful Ebay was. I didn't expect them to handle it so well.
Wow! Excellent detailed advice on how to deal with these 5 scam scenarios. I didn't realize that the seller had so many safeguards built in with a sale. It sounds more like a "Buyer Beware" video! Scott, you keep hitting it out of the park, with such excellent advice, content, & your presentation is very easy to understand, you make everything sound so easy! Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge with us newbies!
I had a ZERO feedback crazy buy my perfume and pay. I shipped right away. TWO WEEKS later she decides that I should be "ashamed" for selling her a perfume that smells awful and leaves a long UNFAIR negative feedback . It was a LIE -- it smelled fine, Over and over scammers will buy my perfume, use it for two weeks, and then come back and pretend it did not smell good. Of course the micro-managers on eBay always take the scammer's side even though they have zero feedback, refuse to remove the lying feedback, and screw the seller. There are some brain-dead polices on Greedy-bay.
This worries me as I'm starting to sell with no seller feedback but plenty of Buyer feedback which I understand don't count,_I sold on eBay 26 yrs ago but they have deleted that account.Since then have been signed up as a Buyer since 2018 with 190. Buyer feedback 100 percent but I have to give it a chance, I have a lot of stuff from 25 yrs half are appraised with written APPRASIAL.
I am a very active buyer, I will absolutely return the item for my full refund (including shipping), I will send you back a broken box of dishes in the exact same box you sent it to me in, that the packing negligence caused the damage.
I have been on eBay for 27 years. Only ever gave one partial refund. Sold a piece of silver and listed the weight in grams. They wrote and said it was 4 or 5 grams less and asked for a $4 refund. They had lots of feedback, all positive so I decided they were not scammers and that $4 was not worth an argument. They left me a glowing feedback.
I had another seller pull a switcheroo. They were asking me several questions (where the answers were actually in the description) and after giving me bad gut feelings I blocked them. Then another account (oddly enough from the same small MN town) started asking me questions and sending lowball offers. I blocked them. Then a 3rd acct (from the same small MN town...hmmm) bought it full price. I had no Ebay legit reason to cancel so I shipped it. About a week after it was delivered they open a return. Item not as described (1. I offer free returns, 2. the reason they were returning was actually clearly pointed out in the pictures so not even an INAD). Got the package back and it was not even the same item. They had even cut out the return address on the label and replaced it with a different address and inside was a different shirt that said "sorry it didn't fit" So not only did they switch out the shirt, they modified the return label. I had recorded me getting the package from my po box and opening it so I only refunded 50%. They opened a case and Ebay gave them the other 50% and original shipping back (not from my funds but Ebay paid...which is still from us sellers but...). I would have actually pursued some kind of action against them but it was a week after my father passed so needless to say my priorities were somewhere else. Still irks me though
Scroll down to just below your daily sales $$ bar-chart/ graph look for the line item on the left center section it says “block bidders” & type in their exact eBay handle (account name), separated buy comma & space from the previous one. It’s good for that acct forever and can’t be reinstated by you for 90 days too bad so sad. They can still message you however or scam you w/ all their other existing and/ or future accounts (see example above).
It's amazing to me how unscrupulous some people can be. I can't help but wonder, how successful would they be if they put the same amount of effort into working within the rules?
I’m a eBay seller and have #3 happening to me. The item said it came damaged and added pictures. However, when I looked at the pictures it wasn’t the one I sent them, the item had inconsistencies. I even showed others who I didn’t point out what was wrong that saw the same inconsistencies. I’ve been trying to figure out how to deal with it. I’m not wanting them to send it back for a refund because it’s not the item I had sent them. I can’t reject the return but I never had returns available so I’m not sure how they have sent the request. I also can’t find a phone number for eBay to talk to a person to get help for this issue and it’s quite frustrating. I’m not a business selling, I’m just someone selling off their own collections.
Oh gosh, I hate that. Here's what you need to know and what you need to do. First, if a customer claims that an item is "not as described," eBay will approve a return whether you had returns on or not. So, that's why you're dealing with this. Here's what I would do. I would send the customer a nice note and let them know you're sorry that the item they sent you picture of is broken. Follow that up by asking them if there is any chance that they purchased more than one. Because, the item they've sent you pictures of is not the same item that you've sent. Point out the differences between the one they've sent pictures of and the one you sent them. Show the photos that you have from your listing that highlight the differences. Hopefully there's something obvious that can't be denied. Also, the best way to get help from eBay is on Facebook. Look up "eBay For Business." Send them a message right away and let them know that you are in the process of a buyer trying to bait and switch you. At a minimum, you want it on that customer's account record that this is something they do to get free stuff. But contact eBay for Business on Facebook right away. I've found them to be understanding and helpful. They can't always do what I want, but I've always been treated nicely and have felt like they listened. If you get the item back and it isn't the one you've sent, there is a report button on the return claim. Report them. Don't let it slide. If you don't get your item back, it's really important that their account is reported. eBay won't let them do it forever. They will eventually remove their account and all associated accounts. I really am sorry this is happening to you.
All the items I sell are from my personal video game collection and they are always $200+ so when I write my description, I always say that I only sell to people with 10+ positive feedback and no negative feedback. I also say that I will not change the address once purchased. Once they purchase the item, I take pictures of every step of me packing it and send them to them. I also always use signature confirmation required upon delivery and let the buyer know that I keep close track of the tracking number. I also send them a copy of the receipt from the PO. I think this has warded off scammers as they can see that I’m diligent in preventing them from even bothering to try to scam me. Great video
I totally agree that you are making yourself far less attractive to any potential scammer. I read an analogy one time from a burglar about picking a potential target. The interviewer asked him if a dog, thorny bushes and exterior lights made it impossible to burglarize a place. His answer was a very simple, "No, it doesn't make it impossible." But he went on to say, "But I'm going to pick and easier place."
@@TheChaChingKing Great analogy. That’s my exact sentiment. Anyone can be scammed but if they see you won’t be an easy mark, they’ll move on to something or someone easier. Thanks for the reply.
I've experience the 3rd scam on your list once before, and concerned it happened again recently. Glad to know I have a simple way to fix this. Thank you!
I have been scammed in 3 ways you describe in my early days. I learn't straight away how to solve it. The main one for me was 'buyer did not receive item'. If you are going to send outsiude of eay... make sure you have the item posted with tracking (and insured). Yes it costs a little more, but if it is not tracked, you have no way of prooving it. If it is insured and it actually does go missing... you will get a full refund from the shipping company. If you are sending abroad ALWAYS use eBay's Global Shipping programme. You just need to send your parcel to your local eBay office. They charge the buyer shipping, import tax, etc. that you don't have to worry about. Once eBay tell you they have the package, all is done on your side. Any problems after eBay get it, is under eBay's control, so if something goes missing, they will refund the buyer and you as the seller will not have to refund anything.
Great advice Scott. I agree. Scammers are almost always bullies, so it's important to be polite and professional, but not a doormat. It's important to speak up and follow ebay rules.
Many years ago we suffered from double refund scammers. How it worked was you sent the goods, they charged back to CC company and/or PayPal but got a refund from you prior to that because of non delivery. So they got the goods and twice their money back. It was a serious problem at one time.
@@TheChaChingKing It was high value items and before Ebay really accepted tracking info. Plus the buyer had PayPal on side. Ebay forced a refund for non delivery, then they charged back to Paypal or card company (usually card company). So they got the goods, a refund and the same amount of money again on top.
These are the reason I stopped selling on ebay, always had 100% pos feedback. I was dealing more with the scammers than what it was worth. Only one time I refund the scammer it was for a $5.00 item with $2.50 shipping just was not worth my time. I may get back into it. Thanks for helping NEW ebay sellers.
If eBay says that he hasn't, then he hasn't. Be professional and reply something to the effect, "I appreciate the information. As soon as eBay notifies me that the funds are available, I'll get this shipped out. Until eBay shows it as paid, we are not permitted to ship it out. Thanks so much!"
I just sold a magazine on ebay, and sent it through media mail. The magazine had no ads in it so it qualified for this type of shipment The item I shipped out was returned to me because the buyer had a change of address and the post office didn't foward it to him. I contacted the buyer and he gave me his new address. I sent it to his new address. He did pay me for the magazine. This would be an exception to the change of address fraud. A helpful video.
Here is what I have used in the past regarding changing address after the sale, which is apart of my store policies: Regarding changing the shipping address after the sale. Per eBay policy, once the payment is made the shipping address CAN-NOT be changed in the system. We can only ship to the address you gave at checkout, if that address is not correct we will need to cancel the transaction, you can then make the necessary changes to your address on eBay and purchase this item again" We apologize for any inconvenience over this transaction.
Thanks again! Also, I won't respond to the message on eBay. Because I'm on RUclips and it comes up a lot, I REALLY have to be careful having a conversation that looks like it might take place off of the eBay platform. :-)
Great video...May I ask...are we allowed to add a note in our listings that we will be opening returns at the post office and mail fraud will be reported
Yes...but I word it differently to make it seem less...accusatory...if that word works. I say something like this when I list items that I think might be prone to scamming, "To insure the buyer will get the exact item listed and shown in the photos here, the entire packing and shipping process will be recorded for their protection. In the event of a return, the unpacking of the item will be recorded without the package ever leaving the post office. I want the buyer to be completely secure throughout the entire process." Something like that. That's a rough draft I would clean up before using it. While it still says that I will be recording everything, it says that I'm doing it to protect the buyer. Hope that helps!
I'm a new Ebay seller and just had this happen to me. Was not sure what to do, how to process a return, or if it was a scam. This video hit the mark... I had a buyer send me an email that item was not as described/broken, and literally said he gave me two options. Return and negative feedback or 50% refund and positive feedback. Thank you for this information!!
I had number 3 happen to me. They were trying to get it for free, I think. Long story short, I ended up accidentally refunding the whole amount even though it was worn and ruined when I got it back. They left me a horrible feedback but I was able to get it removed ONLY because the reason why they wanted a refund was different then what they complained about. I could get more into detail about how criminal this person was but I’ll spare you the time. Lol. Anyway, thanks for the heads up on other scams. I appreciate you and your knowledge! Thanks for sharing it with me 💕
I have come to the conclusion that in the 21st Century, the whole of mankind has become a bunch of scammy, illiterate, numbskulls. I've encountered some really 💩sellers, too! A couple got reported.
Honestly, that's never been a problem for me. Most of the time they are having you ship it to a third party shipper because it's cheaper for them. You are only responsible for getting it to the address on your shipping label. And, whatever your return policy states...that clock starts ticking when it gets to the shipper, not when it gets overseas. For me, it hasn't been an issue at all.
Scott, you always do such a great job on your videos pertaining to selling on eBay and I can relate to Scam #3. Just last year, a customer purchased a shirt from me and claimed that it had a "bad odor" when they received it. I know that it was a brand-new shirt and it did not smell when I sent it to the customer, but when I told them to return the shirt to me for a full refund, they claimed to have thrown the shirt in the trash. I decided to just give them a full refund becasue I didn't want them to give me a bad feedback rating for not refunding their money. Maybe I shouldn't have done what I did, but it just seemed easier to give them a refund.
Keep in mind whenever you watch one of these "how-to" videos of mine that they are only suggestions. In the end, you have to do what works for you and your business. And, just because it's the way I do things, that doesn't automatically make me right. Always do what makes it work for you. :-) Sometimes your time is worth more than dealing with someone even if you aren't sure they are legit.
Thank you for this valuable information ! Being new (this is my first month) I was targeted already 3 times. I read the rules from eBay and also watched some podcasts on this topic and if you stay within the eBay rules you will be protected. I had two buyers offering to pay directly to which I responded that any transaction I would only do through the eBay system ( these were from out of the country ) . The third one e Bay cancelled the transaction to protect me since the buyer was using someone else's account. (Note : These items were higher price items). Eventually I sold one of the items to a legit buyer. eBay has systems in place to protect the sellers however this only works if you follow eBay's rules. Again , thank you very much for you guidance.
First Class packages that are shipped through eBay DO have tracking. USPS has two different types of "First Class." Why they names them exactly the same thing, I'll never know. There's First Class Mail, which has no tracking number. AND, there's First Class Packages, which do. I'm thinking of creating a whole video for USPS First class shipping and another for USPS Priority. Judging from my own confusion when I started eBay, I reckon others have questions.
I don't let these people discourage me any more. I just hate that they might make someone new to this discouraged enough to quit. If I can do anything to help with that, I want to.
If you are buying your label through eBay, at the time you are getting ready to purchase your label, it is towards the bottom of the screen. You may have to SHOW MORE or scroll down. You can add insurance up to the total sale price.
My main fear of selling super high value items is the buyer simply saying that the item they received was different to the listing and requesting a return/refund and sending you back a 'switch-a-roo' (as such) but they are sending you back the incorrect item they said you sent them. As far as I can tell, there is simply no protection whatsoever against this (which is basically someone just lying, which more ane more people would be willing to do the larger the golden carrot is dangling in front of them). Any advice on this?
I usually put in my description that the entire packing and shipping process will be recorded to protect the buyer and ensure they get exactly what is in the listing. Obviously, it protects me, too. I also include that any return will be opened in the presence of a postal employee before it leaves the post office. It's not perfect, but I can imagine it makes it an easy item to steal. The good news is that I personally have far fewer issues with expensive items than I do cheap ones.
@@TheChaChingKing Thanks. The later part about opening those returns is pretty key and requires having a post box which most small resellers won't, but it's good information none-the-less. Also worth nothing that I think the inclusion of such text on the listing probably causes any potential 'scammers' to target someone else (who they perceive as an easier/more naive target) instead of you
Helo, I'm very new to Ebay with one item sold and no reviews but my question is, do you have a video about (and how do I find it) "what to do when you sell a high ticket item like $200+?" like do you buy insurance and how and for how much? do you buy for them to sign when they recieve and how to get it and everything to cover yourself and also the buyer too if anything and anything else to secure your item from scammers, thank you.
A problem with returns....You get the package back which you sign for. Only the item is not in the package [maybe something of a similar weight] The postman will not wait while you open the package which is probably really well taped up so you cant easily get into it. You have signed for it so as far as Ebay are concered you have it back. Buyer still has the item and the seller is scammed.
Very true. It's not ideal. I'm very fortunate that I have a relationship with my post office that I can open my stuff with them there. I have had to tell ebay that I didn't get the item back in the same condition once. I was allowed to refund half and didn't get ugly feedback out of it
No, I am the reseller and got this message from a buyer this morning saying the item was broken. I packed it VERY WELL. The part I was suspicious about was that they ordered as a guest. If I am correct their message came from NY and I shipped it to Georgia. I am new and just want to make sure this isn’t a scam. I will gladly refund their money if that’s the correct thing to do. Not that much anyway. Thanks again!
OH! I completely misunderstood. Gotcha. It could very well be a scam. Do not make a partial refund. That's usually what they are seeking. They want to keep the money and get to keep the item. So, just let them know to request a refund through eBay's system. When you get the item back, you will refund the item and shipping both ways. Make sure that's in your message. It helps protects you from negative feedback. Be polite and professional and assure them that you're sorry that it arrived in a condition that was unsatisfactory to them despite your efforts to package it with care. You may never even hear back form them. If they do return it, you'll need to make a full refund.
UGH! I am SO thankful for my local post office. They've never failed to scan an item and they've never shipped it off late. A few times I've had to drive a package into Waco and it is REALLY hit and miss.
Sold an item (brand new) on ebay, after a week buyer says item not working properly. Starts the return and i get it back, BROKEN. Ebay sided with buyer, made me refund £200 and i couldnt resell as they had broken it. I had pictures of packing, which proved was good when sent, it even came back in same box, box not damaged at all. Many calls with ebay, no help, refund made. Have never sold on ebay since, heard many reports they always side with the buyer. I only buy now.
You got the short end of the stick, no doubt. I'm sorry that happened. They probably lost a good seller. I honestly haven't had that experience. I've had really good support. There are two times I think they genuinely got it wrong for me. One of them was just a really, really wrong decision. But that is out of 17,000+ sales. Still, I completely understand where you stand.
Someone tried to scam me on Poshmark with the item not as described. I accepted the return (after telling them about themselves) and blocked them. I felt it was suspicious but didn’t realize this was a scam until this video.
I have been with eBay for over 20 years and mainly been a buyer not a seller. Some sellers have a habit of describing 14 + year old goods as "brand new"and when opened you find the goods are no use. Sometimes if they use a courier the driver is lazy and simply dumps the parcel claiming it's been delivered. One courier threw a tv into a neigbour's garden in the pouring rain and then had the cheek to say it had been correctly delivered. I have to say thought that i would estimate in my experience 99% of transactions are without issue and most sellers happy to do their best to make things right. My main gripe is with so-called dropshippers -they never admit that's what they are and goods either take ages to arrive or usually do not arrive at all.
A lot of dropshippers have absolutely no interest in taking care of the customer. Not all, but a lot. They aren't invested in the product, the shipping, or the buyer. I'm sure there are some good ones out there who help get needed products in front of the right buyers, but it isn't a given.
Do you mean as a buyer? As a seller, I don't like to cancel a sale. Obviously. But, if I haven't shipped it yet, it shouldn't be an issue. But if it isn't shipped, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if eBay allowed the buyer to do it from their end.
Made my first sale on ebay and THANKS TO YOUR VIDEO I was prepared on how to respond to what may have been a scam attempt (or a very irrational customer) accusing me of shipping a damaged item and blurring photos (damage had been disclosed and price adjusted accordingly, the item was either further damaged in transit or by the buyer). I offered to make things right and accept a return but buyer chose not to respond and left untrue negative feedback so now I'm working with ebay on that. Went through a day of ebay isn't worth bothering with but I'm going to continue listing. I created a new account as a seller - do you recommend that or staying with your buyer account (where I have excellent ratings)??
I'd stay with the buyer account. eBay doesn't make any distinction between buyer and seller feedback in the rating system. You older account will have history and feedback that will keep a lot of the scammers away. You might be able to get that feedback removed. You offered to make them whole and they didn't respond. If you haven't done so yet, try eBay for Business on Facebook. I've had tremendous luck with them.
I just don't get that many for it to be a big issue. Unless it something obvious that I can take care of, I have all of the INAD returned to me for a full refund. I've only had one charge back and eBay took care of it and I got to keep my money.
A buyer who bought something on Good Friday and send me 4 messages the next morning saying that if I didn't ship it that day to cancel his order. I have a 2 day shipping and handling time on my listings. When I read the messages on Monday, I sent him a message saying I was canceling the order and giving him a refund. He gave me a negative feedback anyway. I tried to get eBay to erase the feedback and they said that it didn't matter that he violated my selling policy, he didn't violate any of eBays policies so they rejected my request. Any suggestions?
Did you contact eBay through the Ebay For Business on Facebook? If not, contact them there. I've had MUCH better luck on there than by calling. That shouldn't stick.
Hello, I have a buyer that said the zipper wasn't working when I tested it and it was when I shipped. It was an expesnive jacket. They sent me a message that they want full refund last Friday and I responded I would and they would need to send back. I already received another message on Monday saying where is my full refund and where is label. What is best way to get a return label to them? They are clear across the east coast from me. Does USPS print these and I mail it to them? This is First time I had to do a return. Thank you! I can't get through on eBay and I researched but can't find anything. Thank you!
Good morning Sir! I wanted to say thank you for explaining how to create a business on eBay. I watched several of your videos this morning and learned a lot. One question that I couldn't find the answer to is... Is there a way to pause listings when you go out of town and are unable to fulfill orders for an extended period of time? Thank you! James
Thanks for watching! Yes, you can set Time Away. Go to your Seller Hub. Find the section called Selling Tools. The last link in that section is called, "Time Away."
Thanks again, Scott, for your insight and wisdom. Most of these should be common sense issues. Don't Knee-jerk respond to a complaint. Think about it before you respond. I didn't think about opening a return at the PO, but if I ever get one, I'll set up a video recording me opening it up. Didn't know eBay took feedback threats so seriously. Good to know!!! As always, great help from you!!
I have a weird situation. Sent a package to someone who has a physical home address and PO Box. I’ve shipped it to this person twice now and it keeps coming back. They say it’s the right address. Buyer also confirmed address. Also usps says it’s a real address. So if I can’t get the package to this person how do I refund him. The second time I shipped it usps gave me a notice it was available for pick up, then two hours later it was being returned to me the sender. What the heck 🤔.
Does is show that same nonsense in the tracking information? What a strange situation. At some point, you have to cancel it and move on. Very weird indeed.
Thank you for another invaluable video! So helpful!! One question if you have time: on the #4 Switch-a-roo scam you mention to make sure you take photos that show any distinguishable marks or numbers (etc) that could separate the product from any others. What if there are no such marks on the product? Do you somehow add anything to it that could make it distinguishable? For example, do you maybe write your own number or small marking with a sharpie on the tag or UPC code? Or would that be a bad idea since it would possibly affect the quality of the item? Thanks!!
No, I've never found that necessary. For the most part, every item has something. And, on the few occasions where there isn't a crease in the tags, or a button at a different angle, there's probably also not a scammer waiting to buy it. The time I would spend trying to mark items would be better spent listing the next item. :-)
@@TheChaChingKing Ah! Gotcha!! 😊 Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and for all you do to help us new (and not so new) resellers out!!🙏🏻
I got scammed, too. Guy buys a lighter that was NIB and claimed that it didn't work. Showed pictures of it opened cause it had a leak. He requested a refund and a return shipping. Somehow, I accidentally gave the refund and paid for the return shipping. He never returned the item 😢
Dear ChaChingKing, i am watching tens of videos daily for various purposes. I have to say that your video and presentation is very very nice smooth, and clear. Congrats for a great video, even though it helped me in actual terms, it was a pleasure to see it anyway. Have a nice day and keep up the good work. Constandinos
A couple months ago I had a person message me that he bought an item of mine and would like it shipped right away. Told him the same thing. I ship when eBay tells me to.
Got a customer right now that potentially doesn’t have their full addresses listed. On eBay it says “Vis” and should be Vista. Could this come back on me if I ship it as is?
If you have a message from the customer that states it is incorrect, you will probably be ok anyway. If the zip code is correct it will probably get there.
Solid advice! I NEVER give a partial refund. Here's a question, do you offer returns? Most of my items are in the $10-25 range and I feel like offering returns opens the door for "Amazon Mentality" or in other words, uncommitted buyers who will return on a whim... which kills all profits in shipping. However, friends tell me I'm losing out on hundreds of sales because of my policy. What are your thoughts?
Hi Lisa, I can’t answer for Scot, but I will speak from our experience… we’ve always offered returns, starting w/ 30 day buyer pay. I was convinced, about this time last year, listening to Tech (Tech-n-Sports during a Daily Refinement podcast) to switch our business model to 60 day “free” returns in order to “up our game” - and partake of all the benefits engendered by doing so… AND w/o all the phantom downsides. We started July 1 and wouldn’t go back. The number of sales we’ve made because of it is literally incalculable but I’m sure it’s helped… never brought the avalanche my wife thought it might, and hasn’t really hurt us…many other experienced resellers w/ RUclips channels also sing the praises of the 60/ free. PS you don’t pay for both way shipping, they have to eat the original postage. Just relist it and maybe you can even RAISE the price 5-10 sometimes if it’s a really in-demand item to “break even” on the disappointing situation!!
I think you are probably right...and wrong. I have far fewer problems with more expensive items than I do inexpensive items. Melody and I rarely list anything under $20 for that very reason. You will get more returns in that price range, I think. That said, you are most likely leaving a lot of sales on the table from people that are honest and wouldn't have many returns.
One of the pluses of returns is that the buyer doesn't even have to talk to you if they are unhappy with the item. But if we have no returns, they will. And it might not be nice ... They may even lie or leave a bad review. This one has me almost convinced to start accepting returns...
I got scammed with the first example. What can I do? The buyer is no where to be found. I have proof I send the item. Is there a way I can have my payment back?
Reach out to eBay on Facebook. Send them a message. Your tracking should show that it was received. I've always found them to be incredibly responsive.
I only ship sold eBay items via Pirate Ship, due to their USPS discount being a few cents cheaper than eBay's USPS discount. And, yes, I always inform the buyer of the USPS tracking number provided by Pirate Ship... this works well for me.
I've shipped a little through Pirate Ship. But, for the most part, it hasn't saved me anything. I'm in Texas. I wonder if that matters. What part of the country are you in?
Gotta give a heads up on # 4- the switch a roo. Just had that happen. I always take pics at packaging and send to customer. Customer received the autograph card. Complained to E Bay and showed a picture of a worthless card and said that’s what I sent. I showed E Bay ALL photos with correspondence from the customer acknowledging the card was on the way. Guess what - E Bay sent the customer paid postage to return the worthless card to me. E Bay took the $103.00 out of my account and gave a full refund DESPITE all my evidence. I filed a appeal but it was a done deal. E Bay does lean more toward the buyer. The scammer won that day!
That's terrible. Really terrible. I love eBay. I do. But it's biggest fault is not backing up it's sellers (and buyers) who have a long history of positive transactions. The longer you've been on eBay buying and selling, it should become obvious to eBay that you are not the problem. They don't adjust for that...and that's a mistake on their part. I'm sorry that happened to you.
Similar case here. I send a message to the costumer informing are 9 pieces of a particular product. I gave the customer a $20 dollar discount for that reason and explain if he accept it and pay is because he is agree. He accepted. Everything runs smooth! and...ta-raaaan..."you sent to me 9 pieces"... I'm like yeeeees. I have all the conversation evidence and eBay but ebay went in favor of the client, they gave their refund. Good thing I got my package back.
I’m dealing with a scammer right now. Trying to cheat me out of $500 for a phone. He is wanting to return it saying I sent the wrong phone that was destined
If ebay is going to side with the buyer in every case regardless, then no amount of taking the time to video the process and document, correspond, whatever, is going to do anything but waste your time - in my humble opinion. The scammer knows they're scamming - they're not going to call off the jig and admit guilt no matter what you do. And they'll already have your item in hand, forever. Got what they wanted. See ya.
I've been both a buyer and a seller for almost 20 years on eBay.. I have over 8,000 positive I've only had a handful of problems. I have never once had eBay side with me on the seller side. NOT ONCE granted never had any major issues, but the handful of times that I have had and have been scammed by buyers I LOST! 😠
I once had a German buyer who was also a dealer that was able to change the Ebay provided delivery address with the carrier and then claimed he did not get it. He lost his case as it all showed in the tracking.
I'm glad that worked out like it should have. If some of the people trying to skirt the rule would work as hard at staying within the lines, they would have a lot more long-term success.
I just posted my first item this afternoon and within 5 minutes had to offer replies. This seemed suspicious to me. Both buyers don’t have many reviews. Is this normal? Am I being weird?
Not weird, just cautious. I would be cautious if yours is a new account. Either wait for a full price purchase or for someone with history and great feedback.
I appreciate this video so much. I am a new seller and I sent a brand new expensive lipstick to a seller. I took a video with my phone of the untouched lipstick, but the quality was quality so so. She is now tried it on and sent a picture to eBay with her lip print on itand trying to scam me for all of those reasons you mentioned. What is my recourse now? This lady was rude to me when I didn’t respond immediately to the sale closing so there is a history in the messages.
I would reach out to eBay for Business on Facebook Marketplace. They are, by far, the most responsive help I've had. I hope it works out well for you. If not, don't let one sour person spoil it for you. You can do this!
I went to the post office to have them track an item the buyer said they did not receive. The postal worker told me it was a scam where a scammer had the item ship to them.
I sell lots of items for around £3. But to compete on price i can only afford the cheapest postage with royal mail for 75p. So i cannot afford to pay for a tracked letter. And im having a few people say item not delivered when it provably has. The problem is the postmen tend to not scan the small letters so i never have proof of delivery. What would you donin this situation? Also if the message for a refund, do i just regund them or ask them to open up a request for a refund?? Thanks Margaret
Without it being tracked, you'll end up refunding it. So, I'd just do it. I don't ship anything without tracking. We've chosen to slowly raise our average sale price. I don't know how to make it work at that price point.
Thanks for the reply. Luckily out of every 100 items u end up refunding about 2, so I will just have to take the hit as if I took my prices up I wouldn't even sell a quarter of thr amount. A bit of a predicament
7:53 Man, the buyer swap the item inside the package and in the picture he sent me there's even the package of the item he took to swap ahahah, and he says i did not send him the correct one... ( i knew it was a possibility and i did record all the packaging process before shipping it, at home and the same packaging inside the postal shipping building) But what know? He did ask a refund and says until 22 may i have to respond
I would let him know that you accept returns. I would also let him know that you recorded the packing and shipping process to protect the buyer. You might ask him/her if they are sure that yours is the package with the mistake and that you can double check the video if that helps. It let's then know what's up without sounding accusatory.
@@TheChaChingKing This is called fraud, i am from Europe, i have reported it already to the authorities provinding all documentations , i've already said to the person i have the video of the packaging . if this person has other criminal records its something .. He sent me the exact picture of that package opened with another thing inside , first he said " Maybe the postal service stole it " then he saw that the package was anti-thief then he said in the return screen that package didn't looked opened when he took it, and I know i am in the right , i will not accept any return cause this dishonest person wants to send me the fake one of course. This would be being in the wrong accepting the return, and the he swap with that audacity has a fair amount of value.
Keep any of those notices that you have. Send the buyer a nice note that the item was/is available for pickup. If they choose not to pick it up, let them know you'll refund the purchase price once it gets shipped back to you.
@@TheChaChingKing Thank you for the reply! I was nice to the buyer, they were rude to me and tried some other things… but eBay sided with me after they saw I used the correct address, shipped with eBay, and the buyer didn't pick up the item. I'll mention to buyers what you said next time. But I suspect this one was pressuring me to refund and wanted to pick up the item for free after the refund. Your videos helped!
That is great news! For all the negative press, I've always had really good responses from eBay when I've done what I'm supposed to do. They aren't perfect, but I feel genuinely supported. @@jlarrify
So what if the buyer just says the package was empty, you might have packaging pictures, but that that does not prove the package was actually shipped that way, I ask because this the one scenario holding me back from selling. thanks
It's possible. The weight at the post office would be off, though. And, keep in mind, I've made over 16,000 sales on eBay. And what you're describing has literally never happened to me. I'm aware it's happened to other people. I'm aware it's possible that it'll happen to me. It just never has. I don't let it keep me up at night.
When someone tells you that an item arrived damaged, ask them for a lot of photos for insurance purposes. You would be surprised how many buyers drop the case at this point. If they send you photos of a damaged item ,even if its probably not your item. Rather than pay to have a damaged item sent to you. You may as well just refund it. 10 times out of 9 ebay will side with the buyer on this one...
I agree. Unless there is something in their photo that clearly points to it being a different item. It's another reason I post as many photos as I do. It just makes it harder for them to swap something else out.
I get the comment fairly often that this video doesn't address the scams that BUYERS face on eBay. And, they are correct, it doesn't. But I also made a video about that as its own topic. It just didn't get pushed out like this one did. I think it's still a really good video for resellers because there are things we can do to help protect buyers. ruclips.net/video/YiMIA9U31H8/видео.html
When you believe going to the post office and wasting are time about a package that wasn’t the right package when we just delivered it please stop coming from a postal worker
Well it's stuff I didn't know. It's a surprise the stuff people do but in the end all a scammer is doing is hurting themselves because they too are making a reputation & its one that will shut them out from buying online.
@@catacocamping874 Oh yeah, you have no control over that. Understandable.
@@ClaraPeder424 Agreed
I have had a couple of buyers send me email an address wanting me to communicate that way. When I respond back " I'm sorry ALL communication MUST be through Ebay." It pretty well shuts them down.
UGh...I absolutely should have mentioned not communicating with people off of the platform. Complete oversight on my part. Do you mind if I pin this comment?
@@TheChaChingKing Please Do!
@@billhartman150 Thank you, Bill!
I keep having this issue. I accept an offer, they write me to say text me at this number, i say no i will answer any questions here in the app, they never respond and never pay. But my listing gets held up for a week. I wait until ebay says i can keep waiting for payment or cancel. Clearly i cancel but how can I tell if the user if a scammer? Are there any tells?
@@MeganClarke-ll4qe Honest customers will not send you messages wanting you to contact them off of Ebay.
In my short experience as eBay seller, seems the biggest scam is the eBay official policies on returns! Buyer can use the item for 2-3 weeks, drop it, break it, whatever. Then just claim "Item not as described". Ebay decides in favor of buyer majority of time.
You're not wrong. They should have some built-in protections for sellers who have a long history of satisfied customers. If you've successfully completed a thousand sales, you shouldn't automatically lose to a buyer with a 1 day old account and no previous purchases.
eBay learned that from Amazon.
That is very discouraging! I sold a beautiful item to a lady who lives in a house that sold for over $1,000,000 in 2015. I searched the address after she asked me for a refund on a beautiful Silverplate server, and claimed that what arrived in the box was different than what was described on my Ebay post. This first contact was a week after it was delivered. She had no fotos as evidence. She didn't keep the box or the packing materials. I made a claim based on the two fotos she sent 3 days after her initial request.
I made a claim to USPS, and the claim will likely be denied because she won't take the damaged item to the counter at her Post Office, and she has no Original box, no label, no bubble wrap, nothing to prove that the item she is presenting is what was in the box that I shipped.
Early on I contacted Ebay and the USPS, and talked with the Postal service director at her Zip Code.
Still in the middle of settling, but I have not issued a refund. However Ebay has opened a case for me to protect me from her maligning comments. I may just report her and be done with it, but ebay has not advised me to do it. So very frustrating.
@@jamesers99eBay always had that implemented hasn’t it?
Scam #5 is not necessarily correct. I sold an item which performed and looked like new. The buyer gave me negative feedback, then demanded some money. I contacted the buyer and assured him the item was EXACTLY as described, and I showed photos of the item (used in the description). He said that a major part had been broken before I sent it. This was NOT the case, so I asked him to send photos of 'the broken part' and I would repair/replace/refund as necessary. He did not do this, so I asked ebay to intervene. They said they would/could not retract the negative feedback, or investigate. I can only conclude that they always side with the buyer, and as such, I have never sold on ebay since. Honest people get scammed and taken for granted, but in this case ebay has lost revenue and respect from me.
I totally understand why you would feel the way that you do. Completely understand. My experience has been different. I have actually had great support from eBay. If not, I'd use another platform. But, I completely understand why you would feel the way you do.
happened to me too very abusive will now seek legal advice as buyer in Australia was slanderous and saying "don't trust this seller" this person just sells a couple of washing machine parts. ebay useless and condescending ,saying "we see you have 15 yrs. with a 100% record but cant help!
That's not how it works from the buyer's point of view. I know I am paying more for the product and I expect you check your packaging and ensure it will withstand the rigors of transportation.
True you may get some dishonest ones, but you also need to check their history and reviews before you conclude them to be dishonest.
I continue shopping with eBay because they are on my side and gave me the confidence against shoddy vendors.
As for photo evidence, how can that prove a product is not functioning as it should? I don't waste time with shonkey vendors. Give them a bad review, throw your product away, and move on. Ebay knows without buyers there will be no need for these online platforms.
josephyeo6966 You're right, eBay is on the buyers side, and that's the point. They always side with the buyer, and why they've lost a lot of sellers and revenue.
@@Sarasdad91 They only lost bad sellers. I still shop with Ebay and my shopping dollar runs into five digits a year.
I think new sellers should basically stick to selling cheaper items between $5 - 10 . Scammers are unlikely to bother with items like that.
That's not bad advice.
I’m a new seller and I haven’t sold anything over 50 bucks yet. It’s good advice I’m just trying to learn the process and get my feet wet . Thanks !
Yeah, I'm mostly a buyer though
I buy and sell there some good part sellers on eBay. But I been a eBay seller since 2006. Done a few $200 plus sales but mostly. 99 cents stuff plus shipping.
@@Zoroislostagaian biggest piece of advice here is ship with tracking whenever possible (Canadian here) we don't have the option of tracking on white letter without it costing minimum of $8.10.
When I sell an item, I always photograph and send a picture confirmation of the letter being stamped and accepted at the post office for the customer (while thanking them, of course!) and usually I get a ok, thanks for the update, thumbs up or some type of confirmation. Not always but I get a sneaking suspicion when I don't get any message back.
Trading card singles go for as low as a dollar. Unfortunately there is no way to protect yourself as a seller if no tracking is being utilized. It makes it obvious to sell the card for the dollar, and send in white envelope for $1.60 and regular postage a new seller can have pitfalls with this. The buyer will report they haven't received their item, and you have 3 days to resolve the issue before eBay becomes involved. due to fear of negative feedback/retribution on the purchase, sellers will have no choice but to fully refund the order...shipping and all.... You lose out on the sale, the item, and postage.
In the end, eBay will side with the customer, bc there was no way of confirming delivery.
I've been pretty discouraged the last couple days due to certain people doing this to me.
I just finished another one of your prior videos before watching this one, and you mentioned something that stuck; selling is tough, but you're tougher.
I remind myself that those people are not my customer base, and that I have more positive interactions with people than not. The negative ones will be memorable, but try to do your best to remember to recognize the great customers. I always forgive, but I never forget.
[Edit: for detail and finished a thought]
The one that got me when I started out was when the buyer sent a photo of a damaged book and I sent a refund. Afterwards, I realized that photo had been photo Shopped. Lesson learned. I always demand a return since then and this has saved me numerous times.
I hate that that happened to you. I've made my share of mistakes, too. I'm much more aware now.
Even then you aren't safe. If a buyer opens a INAD or arrived broken, the ebay money back guarantee covers them so even if you were to deny it, ebay will collect and you get dinged for ebay having to step in. I had this happen so I gave the refund and never got the return. I know the item worked when I shipped but nothing I can do. They got a free item and I got nothing.
I've had someone tell me that they received an empty box one time. I stopped selling on ebay. If I sell again, I'm going to take a picture or video of packing their item. Thanks for the tips!
I hate that for you. Don't forget that you can also show the weight on the box. If you drop off the packages at the post office, you can get a receipt with the weights. Nothing is foolproof. But I rarely deal with scanners. I wouldn't want a few bad experiences to keep me from my ability to have this business.
As a buyer, I actually did receive an empty package once from Amazon and they sent me a replacement. It does happen. Sometimes people steal stuff. As a reseller, it has not happened to me.
The pictures and, or videos won't matter... unless you had an extended video of you packaging that item and then getting it to the post office on that same video without taking the shot off of the item the ENTIRE time.. it's a moot point. They could say you repackaged another item. Ebay sides with the buyer.. in almost every case.
Is it possible the box was emptied by somebody with a badge of authority?During transit?
Taking pics/video won't help. Best you can do is have USPS weigh it and get proof on the receipt. But even then, this is so uncommon of a scam. I had a buyer claim that parts were missing when I sent a fully complete item --- I sent them a couple of replacement parts but they are no longer allowed to buy from me again. Small cost of doing business, it's rare and it sucks when it happens, but if you can't handle it then maybe reselling isn't for you.
I appreciate these tips and solutions. I sold a few items on Ebay 15 years ago and never had an issue but I've been a buyer since then and looking to start selling again. I can tell you that as a buyer I had one problem and that was when I purchased a 16" cymbal for my drum set. It arrived at the post office in a locker and when I opened the locker there was an empty pizza box with dried pizza sauce. No cymbal. I was bent about that but I showed the postal employee and took pictures and Ebay promptly returned my money. Thanks again for sharing your experience and knowledge.
I made a follow-up video talking about the scams that buyers face, too. It just didn't get pushed out to the same degree that this one did. Sketchy sellers hurt other sellers as much or more than sketchy buyers, in my opinion.
As a new reseller few yrs back, I announced that I was new , trying to figure things out. Made mistakes but buyers were more than understanding except one who took advantage...bought item , I had zero cost into it....claimed it was not what he bought. "Liar" but I refunded his purchase amount and told him to keep it. Then asked me to refund the shipping. My response was you got it for free.....you want shipping back? Send it back. Lesson..don't announce yourself as new.
I agree. The more that you can blend in with experienced sellers, the less likely you are to be targeted by scammers.
Great video. I’m a new seller and I’m being scammed by a professional one of all people. This toys and collectibles store from PA is claiming a figurine they received almost two weeks ago arrived damaged, and they’re asking for a discount. Since I’m selling my own beloved collection, and I package them extremely well, I got very nervous when they messaged me yesterday and didn’t look at the pictures they sent as thoroughly as I should have until later on in the day. These kinds of figurines are hand painted, and the one in their picture is clearly not the one that I sold them. I asked them for a picture showing both the store price tag underneath the figurine and the damage, and haven’t sent it yet. Hopefully, they’ll leave me alone but I do feel like I should warn others about this very prosperous seller of different platforms of the internet!
Hopefully the handpainting will be enough to get eBay to side with you.
I can't imagine intentionally trying to scam someone. Whatever that is in their heads that allows them to do that, I don't have it. And I'm glad that I don't.
@@TheChaChingKing , the buyer hasn’t sent anything yet and I don’t think they will. I called EBay and was told to not give them a discount, the representative could also see a clear difference between the two figurines. Thanks so much for replying, I wasn’t expecting it at all, and it was a great surprise! 🙏
@@TheChaChingKing , I have an update to my case. The seller surprisingly messaged me asking if I had received the picture that I requested which I did not, and for a $25 discount. I politely told them they had to be mistaking me for another seller because the photos they submitted were from a different figurine and not the one I sold them. To prove this, I sent them a photo of both figurines side by side. They immediately apologized saying that they were a “mess” and that I was right and that they were indeed mistaking me for another seller. They then sent me a picture of their orders page which showed my figurine received on 2/20/24 and the other one received on 11/17/2023???. All of this for $25! 🤦🏼♀️
I sold a book described as like new (which it was). The buyer claimed the book I had sent was not the one in the photos or like new, but should be described as acceptable. They wanted a refund, I told them to return the book and as I had made a mark in the book, in a place I only knew, I would know if it was the correct book. The book was returned, but not the book I sold, same book, same title, etc, but certainly not the book I sent/sold. It was in poor condition and no identifying mark. I reported this to EBay, no refund was given, no loss to me and I sold the book I was send back for a few quid.
If the people trying to game the system worked as hard to be productive as they do to get around it...there's no telling what they could accomplish.
Been selling since 2009 and the Last month I have had 6 scammers! Never before, they are coming out of the woodwork lately, thanks for all the tips, especially for new sellers, these people are ruthless and could be intimidating for new sellers, great video thanks!
My hope is that the video just prepares sellers. The more we know, the less subject we are to people who color outside of the lines.
Good stuff Scot. I boil it down to this: Say no to anything complicated. If it requires more steps than my usual routine, I say no. Stops 99% of the problems that come my way, whether scams or just plain ol’ problem-customers. The last 1% is probably mistakes I made that I gotta fix. Easy: fix ‘em in the least complicated way possible.
Brilliantly said! "Stops 99% of the problems that come my way, whether scams or just plain ol’ problem-customers."
SOOOO true. I could easily do a follow up to this video. I had a guy send me 5 different questions about a necktie. A NECKTIE. A zero feedback buyer with that many questions about a tie? WAY too complicated. lol
100% well-said.
About the NECKTIE, do you have to answer all the questions? Do you ignore the questions?
@@MeMyselfAndUs903 he blocked them if he's smart! You don't have to sell to wackos!
I watched this yesterday and number 3 happened to me for the first time ever this morning. Buyer is asking me to refund him because, although he admits usps shows his purchase as delivered, he can’t find it.
First thing I did was review your video and then I followed your instructions. Now I wait. eBay says they are holding funds until resolved. I do wonder why they can’t see the tracking (I ship thru eBay) ‘automagically’ though and close the claim right away.
Anywho…
I thank you SO much for your videos. I feel very lucky to have you as a source of education as I navigate this world of selling! You rock! *tip of my hat*
If you uploaded the tracking that shows it as delivered, you shouldn't have any problem.
Probably a porch pirate.
Thanks!
WHOA!!! Totally unexpected. Thank you so much!
Great info! I've been buying and selling on eBay for more than 20 years. I've had more scammers in the past 2 years than previously. Still not many, but I sure hate dealing with them. As sellers we must know how to protect ourselves.
I hate the scammers, in part, because they scare off what would be honest sellers who are just getting started.
It’s absolutely horrendous how eBay goes out of its way to protect scammers
That really hasn't been my experience. It's rare that I deal with one at all. And, outside of two times that I think they got it wrong, I've been supported. For me, it's literally 2 times out of 17,000 sales.
They actually protect sellers if you are established and have an upstanding account.
@@omegadroidzerothey do not. All they care about is fees and percebtage they can get their hands on. Im a top rated seller with hundreds of sales and ive had to fight tooth and nail to not be scammed by an address that has been documentwd as a scammer in the ebay community page since like 2013. Ive had 2 other blatantly obvious scam attempts and ebay fought me like crazy trying to protect the scammer. I deleted all my items for sale and will never sell on ebay again
Great info KaChing King. Even as an experienced ebay, I picked up something from this video. I have a two or three sales in the past where buyers had contacted me after the sale and asked me to edit the shipping address. I did it without even thinking about it. Fortunately, none of them were scammers, just good people who had recently moved and forgotten to update their ebay profile. But now I will know a better way to handle it next time. Also, on higher dollar items, I will usually require a signature upon delivery and spell that out right in the listing. Thanks again and may 2023 be your most prosperous year yet.
I'm exactly the same as you here. I have changed the address a few times. If the item isn't expensive and I can see that it was an account with some age in good standing, I'm willing to take the risk. But, it's still a risk.
I truly appreciate the kind words
That's great advice. I'm a longtime ebay seller and I've encountered a few of those scams in my day. The best thing is to always have patience and common sense. Don't rush when a strange inquiry comes in...take your time to review and respond appropriately. I usually take my time and look at the buyer's ebay rating and other details before I send a response or take any action.
100% great advice.
I am a new seller, the first 4 items I listed, I only got scammers!! So frustrating, they may make an offer, I accept, then they message me saying they have a few questions before making the payment. They leave a phone number and ask me to call or text them. I messaged them & inform them that I only communicate via eBay. Meanwhile my item is tied up in "Sold" mode for 3-4 days and they never pay. 😖
It is one of the biggest issues eBay needs to address for its new sellers.
I had the same situation, and I almost bought a gift card they where asking me to send as a proof for them to send payment of the two things I sold to this seller and I got an email from “eBaycommunityus” saying the fake payment was on hold and need the proof of the gift card, and when I realized it was a scam I told the scammer that I don’t want to do it, the scammer told me they got debited and also said “do you want to deal with a military man” and at first told me it was a police officer, then I blocked him, I’m kind of scared bc they know my email and phone number, I immediately reported to EBay hopefully they will do something, and the worst thing is that this buyer has good feedback but is a scammer so how could that happen? I’m very new on selling :c
Block all scammer,and sell for high feedbacks persons only. Do videos before posting+ packaging,and note it in description too. Always check offerers feedbacks,if any doubt,decline and block them!
I thought you could require instant payment on best offers in the settings?
I live in an apartment complex, sometimes the mailman puts the package in the wrong mailbox it has happened to me a few time, I am lucky that the people here are honest, cause my neighbors here brought them to me..
All your information was good, thank you for sharing..
You know, I hadn't considered apartments and shared mailbox situations when making this video. That's a really good point.
Sooo much value here. Thank you very much. I was reselling a few years ago and had one scammer. I was surprised how helpful Ebay was. I didn't expect them to handle it so well.
I wish there weren't any at all. But, for me, it's honestly gone really well.
Wow! Excellent detailed advice on how to deal with these 5 scam scenarios. I didn't realize that the seller had so many safeguards built in with a sale. It sounds more like a "Buyer Beware" video! Scott, you keep hitting it out of the park, with such excellent advice, content, & your presentation is very easy to understand, you make everything sound so easy! Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge with us newbies!
I am so thankful for you, Vicki. I really appreciate you watching and commenting.
You mean seller beware
And they still don't protect us sellers enough
I love that you made this video! So many times we think we are savvy, but we are all susceptible to this! Great advice, thanks Scot.
Thank you, Christy!
Super helpful topic for new sellers. I'm not new but when I was, getting scammed was a real concern. Thanks for putting this out there.
I really appreciate you watching. I really do.
Worst is when your 7 day auction ends and a person with just 1 feedback wins. You know they are not going to pay.
LOL...or you get nit-picky questions from the winning buyer AFTER the auction.
I had a ZERO feedback crazy buy my perfume and pay. I shipped right away. TWO WEEKS later she decides that I should be "ashamed" for selling her a perfume that smells awful and leaves a long UNFAIR negative feedback . It was a LIE -- it smelled fine, Over and over scammers will buy my perfume, use it for two weeks, and then come back and pretend it did not smell good. Of course the micro-managers on eBay always take the scammer's side even though they have zero feedback, refuse to remove the lying feedback, and screw the seller. There are some brain-dead polices on Greedy-bay.
This worries me as I'm starting to sell with no seller feedback but plenty of Buyer feedback which I understand don't count,_I sold on eBay 26 yrs ago but they have deleted that account.Since then have been signed up as a Buyer since 2018 with 190. Buyer feedback 100 percent but I have to give it a chance, I have a lot of stuff from 25 yrs half are appraised with written APPRASIAL.
That happened to me once. Annoying.
you can set that number so a 1 cannot bid..think mine is set to 10 or less you cannot bid
I have been selling on ebay for 10 years. I have never offered a partial refund. He is correct, most people will drop the case rather than return it.
LOL...your user name is awesome.
I am a very active buyer, I will absolutely return the item for my full refund (including shipping), I will send you back a broken box of dishes in the exact same box you sent it to me in, that the packing negligence caused the damage.
I have been on eBay for 27 years. Only ever gave one partial refund. Sold a piece of silver and listed the weight in grams. They wrote and said it was 4 or 5 grams less and asked for a $4 refund. They had lots of feedback, all positive so I decided they were not scammers and that $4 was not worth an argument. They left me a glowing feedback.
I like how this is straightforward and factual. No spazzing out like so many YT channels these days.
I appreciate that. Thank you. 😊
I had another seller pull a switcheroo. They were asking me several questions (where the answers were actually in the description) and after giving me bad gut feelings I blocked them. Then another account (oddly enough from the same small MN town) started asking me questions and sending lowball offers. I blocked them. Then a 3rd acct (from the same small MN town...hmmm) bought it full price. I had no Ebay legit reason to cancel so I shipped it. About a week after it was delivered they open a return. Item not as described (1. I offer free returns, 2. the reason they were returning was actually clearly pointed out in the pictures so not even an INAD). Got the package back and it was not even the same item. They had even cut out the return address on the label and replaced it with a different address and inside was a different shirt that said "sorry it didn't fit" So not only did they switch out the shirt, they modified the return label. I had recorded me getting the package from my po box and opening it so I only refunded 50%. They opened a case and Ebay gave them the other 50% and original shipping back (not from my funds but Ebay paid...which is still from us sellers but...). I would have actually pursued some kind of action against them but it was a week after my father passed so needless to say my priorities were somewhere else. Still irks me though
Please share: How do you "block" an undesirable buyer?
Scroll down to just below your daily sales $$ bar-chart/ graph look for the line item on the left center section it says “block bidders” & type in their exact eBay handle (account name), separated buy comma & space from the previous one. It’s good for that acct forever and can’t be reinstated by you for 90 days too bad so sad. They can still message you however or scam you w/ all their other existing and/ or future accounts (see example above).
It's amazing to me how unscrupulous some people can be. I can't help but wonder, how successful would they be if they put the same amount of effort into working within the rules?
Couldn’t you have blocked the third offer, just because of suspicion?
@@pkzenk2158I've had bad transactions with sellers and asked them to block me so I don't accidentally bid on one of their auctions again LOL
I’m a eBay seller and have #3 happening to me.
The item said it came damaged and added pictures. However, when I looked at the pictures it wasn’t the one I sent them, the item had inconsistencies.
I even showed others who I didn’t point out what was wrong that saw the same inconsistencies.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to deal with it. I’m not wanting them to send it back for a refund because it’s not the item I had sent them.
I can’t reject the return but I never had returns available so I’m not sure how they have sent the request. I also can’t find a phone number for eBay to talk to a person to get help for this issue and it’s quite frustrating.
I’m not a business selling, I’m just someone selling off their own collections.
Oh gosh, I hate that. Here's what you need to know and what you need to do. First, if a customer claims that an item is "not as described," eBay will approve a return whether you had returns on or not. So, that's why you're dealing with this. Here's what I would do. I would send the customer a nice note and let them know you're sorry that the item they sent you picture of is broken. Follow that up by asking them if there is any chance that they purchased more than one. Because, the item they've sent you pictures of is not the same item that you've sent. Point out the differences between the one they've sent pictures of and the one you sent them. Show the photos that you have from your listing that highlight the differences. Hopefully there's something obvious that can't be denied. Also, the best way to get help from eBay is on Facebook. Look up "eBay For Business." Send them a message right away and let them know that you are in the process of a buyer trying to bait and switch you. At a minimum, you want it on that customer's account record that this is something they do to get free stuff. But contact eBay for Business on Facebook right away. I've found them to be understanding and helpful. They can't always do what I want, but I've always been treated nicely and have felt like they listened. If you get the item back and it isn't the one you've sent, there is a report button on the return claim. Report them. Don't let it slide. If you don't get your item back, it's really important that their account is reported. eBay won't let them do it forever. They will eventually remove their account and all associated accounts.
I really am sorry this is happening to you.
@@TheChaChingKing Thank you so much for the advice! 🤗🤗
All the items I sell are from my personal video game collection and they are always $200+ so when I write my description, I always say that I only sell to people with 10+ positive feedback and no negative feedback. I also say that I will not change the address once purchased. Once they purchase the item, I take pictures of every step of me packing it and send them to them. I also always use signature confirmation required upon delivery and let the buyer know that I keep close track of the tracking number. I also send them a copy of the receipt from the PO. I think this has warded off scammers as they can see that I’m diligent in preventing them from even bothering to try to scam me. Great video
I totally agree that you are making yourself far less attractive to any potential scammer. I read an analogy one time from a burglar about picking a potential target. The interviewer asked him if a dog, thorny bushes and exterior lights made it impossible to burglarize a place. His answer was a very simple, "No, it doesn't make it impossible." But he went on to say, "But I'm going to pick and easier place."
@@TheChaChingKing Great analogy. That’s my exact sentiment. Anyone can be scammed but if they see you won’t be an easy mark, they’ll move on to something or someone easier. Thanks for the reply.
I've experience the 3rd scam on your list once before, and concerned it happened again recently. Glad to know I have a simple way to fix this. Thank you!
I hope this is helpful
I have been scammed in 3 ways you describe in my early days. I learn't straight away how to solve it. The main one for me was 'buyer did not receive item'. If you are going to send outsiude of eay... make sure you have the item posted with tracking (and insured). Yes it costs a little more, but if it is not tracked, you have no way of prooving it. If it is insured and it actually does go missing... you will get a full refund from the shipping company. If you are sending abroad ALWAYS use eBay's Global Shipping programme. You just need to send your parcel to your local eBay office. They charge the buyer shipping, import tax, etc. that you don't have to worry about. Once eBay tell you they have the package, all is done on your side. Any problems after eBay get it, is under eBay's control, so if something goes missing, they will refund the buyer and you as the seller will not have to refund anything.
Terrific advice. We all lose when these people get away with this stuff.
Great advice Scott. I agree. Scammers are almost always bullies, so it's important to be polite and professional, but not a doormat. It's important to speak up and follow ebay rules.
100%. I had so much great advice in the comments that I just overlooked that I might make a follow-up video.
Many years ago we suffered from double refund scammers. How it worked was you sent the goods, they charged back to CC company and/or PayPal but got a refund from you prior to that because of non delivery. So they got the goods and twice their money back. It was a serious problem at one time.
Oh wow!!! I had honestly not heard that, but I can picture it.
@@TheChaChingKing It was high value items and before Ebay really accepted tracking info. Plus the buyer had PayPal on side. Ebay forced a refund for non delivery, then they charged back to Paypal or card company (usually card company). So they got the goods, a refund and the same amount of money again on top.
These are the reason I stopped selling on ebay, always had 100% pos feedback. I was dealing more with the scammers than what it was worth. Only one time I refund the scammer it was for a $5.00 item with $2.50 shipping just was not worth my time. I may get back into it. Thanks for helping NEW ebay sellers.
I can't tell you that it will never come up. But it isn't something I deal with on a daily basis.
One of the best videos I've seen on avoiding scammers when selling on Ebay. I wish I had known this before.
I really appreciate that. Thank you!
Thank you so much. I'm new to eBay and I have a guy who keeps telling me he has paid for the goods. Ebay says no he hasn't.
If eBay says that he hasn't, then he hasn't. Be professional and reply something to the effect, "I appreciate the information. As soon as eBay notifies me that the funds are available, I'll get this shipped out. Until eBay shows it as paid, we are not permitted to ship it out. Thanks so much!"
I just sold a magazine on ebay, and sent it through media mail. The magazine had no ads in it so it qualified for this type of shipment The item I shipped out was returned to me because the buyer had a change of address and the post office didn't foward it to him. I contacted the buyer and he gave me his new address. I sent it to his new address. He did pay me for the magazine. This would be an exception to the change of address fraud.
A helpful video.
Absolutely. It isn't always a scam. It's just that a seller needs to be careful. But you are 100% correct in that there are obviously exceptions.
Here is what I have used in the past regarding changing address after the sale, which is apart of my store policies: Regarding changing the shipping address after the sale. Per eBay policy, once the payment is made the shipping address CAN-NOT be changed in the system. We can only ship to the address you gave at checkout, if that address is not correct we will need to cancel the transaction, you can then make the necessary changes to your address on eBay and purchase this item again" We apologize for any inconvenience over this transaction.
Thanks again! Also, I won't respond to the message on eBay. Because I'm on RUclips and it comes up a lot, I REALLY have to be careful having a conversation that looks like it might take place off of the eBay platform. :-)
@@TheChaChingKing But what if someone else buys the item before the original buyer buys it again?
Great video...May I ask...are we allowed to add a note in our listings that we will be opening returns at the post office and mail fraud will be reported
Yes...but I word it differently to make it seem less...accusatory...if that word works.
I say something like this when I list items that I think might be prone to scamming, "To insure the buyer will get the exact item listed and shown in the photos here, the entire packing and shipping process will be recorded for their protection. In the event of a return, the unpacking of the item will be recorded without the package ever leaving the post office. I want the buyer to be completely secure throughout the entire process."
Something like that. That's a rough draft I would clean up before using it. While it still says that I will be recording everything, it says that I'm doing it to protect the buyer.
Hope that helps!
@@TheChaChingKing yes it does
I agree with you. We must make it look like it's for their protection
I'm a new Ebay seller and just had this happen to me. Was not sure what to do, how to process a return, or if it was a scam. This video hit the mark... I had a buyer send me an email that item was not as described/broken, and literally said he gave me two options. Return and negative feedback or 50% refund and positive feedback. Thank you for this information!!
Lol...force the return. 100% you win if he threatened your feedback. I'd report them, too. Ebay doesn't tolerate feedback extortion at all.
So did u give him a return or 50%
Do I need a postal scale , to use eBay shipping labels ?
The scale I have is awesome, and it's around $20. You don't have to have something specific to the post office. Just something accurate.
Fantastic - thank you for your generosity in sharing your wisdom. You're like a Fairy Godfather with good advice for rookie eBayers.
I have never, not once, been referred to as a Fairy Godfather. I will take this and appreciate it! LOL Thank you SOOOO much.
Thank you, what do you do when you post an item and immediately someone contacts you and ask you for your phone number?
I tell them that I keep all of my communication on the ebay platform.
I had number 3 happen to me. They were trying to get it for free, I think. Long story short, I ended up accidentally refunding the whole amount even though it was worn and ruined when I got it back. They left me a horrible feedback but I was able to get it removed ONLY because the reason why they wanted a refund was different then what they complained about. I could get more into detail about how criminal this person was but I’ll spare you the time. Lol. Anyway, thanks for the heads up on other scams. I appreciate you and your knowledge! Thanks for sharing it with me 💕
I'm glad it worked out...but some people are just awful.
I have come to the conclusion that in the 21st Century, the whole of mankind has become a bunch of scammy, illiterate, numbskulls. I've encountered some really 💩sellers, too! A couple got reported.
I've had packages misdelivered (tracking says they delivered it, but not to me). Maybe a day or two later it gets redelivered properly.
Very true. Just because it was scanned, it wasn't always delivered properly.
What about buys that give an address in the U.S., but they are in some other country? This one comes up a lot for me.
Honestly, that's never been a problem for me. Most of the time they are having you ship it to a third party shipper because it's cheaper for them. You are only responsible for getting it to the address on your shipping label. And, whatever your return policy states...that clock starts ticking when it gets to the shipper, not when it gets overseas. For me, it hasn't been an issue at all.
This is a wonderful video. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Great video. Hope it helps even one person not lose their hard work and money. Thank you.
Me too. Just one person and the whole video is worth it.
Scott, you always do such a great job on your videos pertaining to selling on eBay and I can relate to Scam #3. Just last year, a customer purchased a shirt from me and claimed that it had a "bad odor" when they received it. I know that it was a brand-new shirt and it did not smell when I sent it to the customer, but when I told them to return the shirt to me for a full refund, they claimed to have thrown the shirt in the trash. I decided to just give them a full refund becasue I didn't want them to give me a bad feedback rating for not refunding their money. Maybe I shouldn't have done what I did, but it just seemed easier to give them a refund.
Keep in mind whenever you watch one of these "how-to" videos of mine that they are only suggestions. In the end, you have to do what works for you and your business. And, just because it's the way I do things, that doesn't automatically make me right. Always do what makes it work for you. :-) Sometimes your time is worth more than dealing with someone even if you aren't sure they are legit.
Thank you for this valuable information !
Being new (this is my first month) I was targeted already 3 times. I read the rules from eBay and also watched some podcasts on this topic and if you stay within the eBay rules you will be protected. I had two buyers offering to pay directly to which I responded that any transaction I would only do through the eBay system ( these were from out of the country ) . The third one e Bay cancelled the transaction to protect me since the buyer was using someone else's account. (Note : These items were higher price items). Eventually I sold one of the items to a legit buyer. eBay has systems in place to protect the sellers however this only works if you follow eBay's rules. Again , thank you very much for you guidance.
I can't believe I missed reminding people not to communicate with buyers off the platform. I just missed it.
Be sure to BLOCK those users via eBay seller hub.
@@MamiesMarketplace Great suggestion. Thank you !
First class mail as far as I can see has no tracking is this correct?
First Class packages that are shipped through eBay DO have tracking. USPS has two different types of "First Class." Why they names them exactly the same thing, I'll never know. There's First Class Mail, which has no tracking number. AND, there's First Class Packages, which do. I'm thinking of creating a whole video for USPS First class shipping and another for USPS Priority. Judging from my own confusion when I started eBay, I reckon others have questions.
Great advice! I had a couple of these happen to me, but luckily I was able to avoid losing. Thank you.
I don't let these people discourage me any more. I just hate that they might make someone new to this discouraged enough to quit. If I can do anything to help with that, I want to.
If I am selling a high priced item where buyer pays shipping, how do I add my own insurance after they purchase the item and shipping?
If you are buying your label through eBay, at the time you are getting ready to purchase your label, it is towards the bottom of the screen. You may have to SHOW MORE or scroll down. You can add insurance up to the total sale price.
My main fear of selling super high value items is the buyer simply saying that the item they received was different to the listing and requesting a return/refund and sending you back a 'switch-a-roo' (as such) but they are sending you back the incorrect item they said you sent them. As far as I can tell, there is simply no protection whatsoever against this (which is basically someone just lying, which more ane more people would be willing to do the larger the golden carrot is dangling in front of them). Any advice on this?
I usually put in my description that the entire packing and shipping process will be recorded to protect the buyer and ensure they get exactly what is in the listing. Obviously, it protects me, too. I also include that any return will be opened in the presence of a postal employee before it leaves the post office. It's not perfect, but I can imagine it makes it an easy item to steal.
The good news is that I personally have far fewer issues with expensive items than I do cheap ones.
@@TheChaChingKing Thanks. The later part about opening those returns is pretty key and requires having a post box which most small resellers won't, but it's good information none-the-less. Also worth nothing that I think the inclusion of such text on the listing probably causes any potential 'scammers' to target someone else (who they perceive as an easier/more naive target) instead of you
@@TheChaChingKingwhen it leaves the post office in the sellers possession?
@@TheChaChingKing if the items are sealed is that fine ?
Agreed. The most important part is quite possibly the language in the description. They often just move on to an easier target.
@@WiseWombat
Helo, I'm very new to Ebay with one item sold and no reviews but my question is, do you have a video about (and how do I find it) "what to do when you sell a high ticket item like $200+?" like do you buy insurance and how and for how much? do you buy for them to sign when they recieve and how to get it and everything to cover yourself and also the buyer too if anything and anything else to secure your item from scammers, thank you.
I don't have a video specifically for that scenario, but I LOVE the idea. I need to do one like that.
@@TheChaChingKing YES!! thank you so much.
A problem with returns....You get the package back which you sign for. Only the item is not in the package [maybe something of a similar weight] The postman will not wait while you open the package which is probably really well taped up so you cant easily get into it. You have signed for it so as far as Ebay are concered you have it back. Buyer still has the item and the seller is scammed.
Very true. It's not ideal. I'm very fortunate that I have a relationship with my post office that I can open my stuff with them there.
I have had to tell ebay that I didn't get the item back in the same condition once. I was allowed to refund half and didn't get ugly feedback out of it
No, I am the reseller and got this message from a buyer this morning saying the item was broken. I packed it VERY WELL. The part I was suspicious about was that they ordered as a guest. If I am correct their message came from NY and I shipped it to Georgia. I am new and just want to make sure this isn’t a scam. I will gladly refund their money if that’s the correct thing to do. Not that much anyway. Thanks again!
OH! I completely misunderstood. Gotcha. It could very well be a scam. Do not make a partial refund. That's usually what they are seeking. They want to keep the money and get to keep the item. So, just let them know to request a refund through eBay's system. When you get the item back, you will refund the item and shipping both ways. Make sure that's in your message. It helps protects you from negative feedback. Be polite and professional and assure them that you're sorry that it arrived in a condition that was unsatisfactory to them despite your efforts to package it with care. You may never even hear back form them. If they do return it, you'll need to make a full refund.
Thanks Scott, I responded exactly the way you told me to. Thanks so much for all your help!!!
I had a item get lost after dropping it off at the local post office and it was never scanned
UGH! I am SO thankful for my local post office. They've never failed to scan an item and they've never shipped it off late. A few times I've had to drive a package into Waco and it is REALLY hit and miss.
Thanks for this I have had the partial one at marketplace for a small electronic device
Sold an item (brand new) on ebay, after a week buyer says item not working properly. Starts the return and i get it back, BROKEN. Ebay sided with buyer, made me refund £200 and i couldnt resell as they had broken it. I had pictures of packing, which proved was good when sent, it even came back in same box, box not damaged at all. Many calls with ebay, no help, refund made. Have never sold on ebay since, heard many reports they always side with the buyer. I only buy now.
You got the short end of the stick, no doubt. I'm sorry that happened. They probably lost a good seller.
I honestly haven't had that experience. I've had really good support. There are two times I think they genuinely got it wrong for me. One of them was just a really, really wrong decision. But that is out of 17,000+ sales.
Still, I completely understand where you stand.
U r SO right. Ab 7 yrs ago, selling was enjoyable bc some of these scams were practically non-existent. 🥺 I just found u a video ago.
Someone tried to scam me on Poshmark with the item not as described. I accepted the return (after telling them about themselves) and blocked them. I felt it was suspicious but didn’t realize this was a scam until this video.
I hope you won't deal with too much of that stuff. It really does diminish as your account gains some history.
I have been with eBay for over 20 years and mainly been a buyer not a seller. Some sellers have a habit of describing 14 + year old goods as "brand new"and when opened you find the goods are no use. Sometimes if they use a courier the driver is lazy and simply dumps the parcel claiming it's been delivered. One courier threw a tv into a neigbour's garden in the pouring rain and then had the cheek to say it had been correctly delivered. I have to say thought that i would estimate in my experience 99% of transactions are without issue and most sellers happy to do their best to make things right. My main gripe is with so-called dropshippers -they never admit that's what they are and goods either take ages to arrive or usually do not arrive at all.
A lot of dropshippers have absolutely no interest in taking care of the customer. Not all, but a lot. They aren't invested in the product, the shipping, or the buyer. I'm sure there are some good ones out there who help get needed products in front of the right buyers, but it isn't a given.
What I don't like about it is how if you want to cancel an order. Is up to the seller if they want to or not depending the status of the order.
Do you mean as a buyer? As a seller, I don't like to cancel a sale. Obviously. But, if I haven't shipped it yet, it shouldn't be an issue. But if it isn't shipped, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if eBay allowed the buyer to do it from their end.
Made my first sale on ebay and THANKS TO YOUR VIDEO I was prepared on how to respond to what may have been a scam attempt (or a very irrational customer) accusing me of shipping a damaged item and blurring photos (damage had been disclosed and price adjusted accordingly, the item was either further damaged in transit or by the buyer). I offered to make things right and accept a return but buyer chose not to respond and left untrue negative feedback so now I'm working with ebay on that. Went through a day of ebay isn't worth bothering with but I'm going to continue listing. I created a new account as a seller - do you recommend that or staying with your buyer account (where I have excellent ratings)??
I'd stay with the buyer account. eBay doesn't make any distinction between buyer and seller feedback in the rating system. You older account will have history and feedback that will keep a lot of the scammers away.
You might be able to get that feedback removed. You offered to make them whole and they didn't respond. If you haven't done so yet, try eBay for Business on Facebook. I've had tremendous luck with them.
Ebays full of scammers.
I've dealt with very, very few.
Nothing compared to Facebook Marketplace
@@hemtet5500gumtree even worse
How do you deal with INAD, and charge backs on credit cards?
I just don't get that many for it to be a big issue. Unless it something obvious that I can take care of, I have all of the INAD returned to me for a full refund. I've only had one charge back and eBay took care of it and I got to keep my money.
A buyer who bought something on Good Friday and send me 4 messages the next morning saying that if I didn't ship it that day to cancel his order. I have a 2 day shipping and handling time on my listings. When I read the messages on Monday, I sent him a message saying I was canceling the order and giving him a refund. He gave me a negative feedback anyway. I tried to get eBay to erase the feedback and they said that it didn't matter that he violated my selling policy, he didn't violate any of eBays policies so they rejected my request. Any suggestions?
Did you contact eBay through the Ebay For Business on Facebook? If not, contact them there. I've had MUCH better luck on there than by calling. That shouldn't stick.
@@TheChaChingKing Thanks for replying so quickly. I haven't been on facebook for years, but I'll try it. Thanks again.
Hello, I have a buyer that said the zipper wasn't working when I tested it and it was when I shipped. It was an expesnive jacket. They sent me a message that they want full refund last Friday and I responded I would and they would need to send back. I already received another message on Monday saying where is my full refund and where is label. What is best way to get a return label to them? They are clear across the east coast from me. Does USPS print these and I mail it to them? This is First time I had to do a return. Thank you! I can't get through on eBay and I researched but can't find anything. Thank you!
Did they request a return through eBay? Not just send you a message. They have to request a return. When they do, they will get a label.
Good morning Sir! I wanted to say thank you for explaining how to create a business on eBay. I watched several of your videos this morning and learned a lot.
One question that I couldn't find the answer to is... Is there a way to pause listings when you go out of town and are unable to fulfill orders for an extended period of time?
Thank you!
James
Thanks for watching! Yes, you can set Time Away. Go to your Seller Hub. Find the section called Selling Tools. The last link in that section is called, "Time Away."
This information really brings me peace of mind. I’m glad for people like you for putting out videos like this. Thank you!
I hope you never need any of this information. :-) The VAST majority of buyers are legit. But it just takes one bad actor to cause issues.
Thanks again, Scott, for your insight and wisdom. Most of these should be common sense issues. Don't Knee-jerk respond to a complaint. Think about it before you respond.
I didn't think about opening a return at the PO, but if I ever get one, I'll set up a video recording me opening it up. Didn't know eBay took feedback threats so seriously. Good to know!!! As always, great help from you!!
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate the kind and positive words.
Should I set up a P.O. Box before I start selling?
Thank you so much. As a new seller this information is so valuable to me. I appreciate it.
Glad it was helpful!
I have a weird situation. Sent a package to someone who has a physical home address and PO Box. I’ve shipped it to this person twice now and it keeps coming back. They say it’s the right address. Buyer also confirmed address. Also usps says it’s a real address. So if I can’t get the package to this person how do I refund him. The second time I shipped it usps gave me a notice it was available for pick up, then two hours later it was being returned to me the sender. What the heck 🤔.
Does is show that same nonsense in the tracking information? What a strange situation. At some point, you have to cancel it and move on. Very weird indeed.
Scammer coruiers
Thank you for another invaluable video! So helpful!! One question if you have time: on the #4 Switch-a-roo scam you mention to make sure you take photos that show any distinguishable marks or numbers (etc) that could separate the product from any others. What if there are no such marks on the product? Do you somehow add anything to it that could make it distinguishable? For example, do you maybe write your own number or small marking with a sharpie on the tag or UPC code? Or would that be a bad idea since it would possibly affect the quality of the item? Thanks!!
No, I've never found that necessary. For the most part, every item has something. And, on the few occasions where there isn't a crease in the tags, or a button at a different angle, there's probably also not a scammer waiting to buy it. The time I would spend trying to mark items would be better spent listing the next item. :-)
@@TheChaChingKing Ah! Gotcha!! 😊 Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and for all you do to help us new (and not so new) resellers out!!🙏🏻
I got scammed, too. Guy buys a lighter that was NIB and claimed that it didn't work. Showed pictures of it opened cause it had a leak. He requested a refund and a return shipping. Somehow, I accidentally gave the refund and paid for the return shipping. He never returned the item 😢
Oh wow....that's awful. He got his money AND your lighter. :-(
Dear ChaChingKing, i am watching tens of videos daily for various purposes. I have to say that your video and presentation is very very nice smooth, and clear. Congrats for a great video, even though it helped me in actual terms, it was a pleasure to see it anyway. Have a nice day and keep up the good work. Constandinos
Very kind feedback. Thank you. 😀
A couple months ago I had a person message me that he bought an item of mine and would like it shipped right away. Told him the same thing. I ship when eBay tells me to.
100%. If they want you to ship before eBay tells you to, something is off.
Do you know if there is a resale market for wood mounted rubber stamps? Found large #at estate ssle
Some people buy them, but there's a TON of them for sale. So, it's a buyer's market and the prices are very, very low.
Thanks
This is a fantastic video, I love how you keep it real and offer solutions to the scams. Thank you!
I really appreciate that.
Got a customer right now that potentially doesn’t have their full addresses listed. On eBay it says “Vis” and should be Vista. Could this come back on me if I ship it as is?
If you have a message from the customer that states it is incorrect, you will probably be ok anyway. If the zip code is correct it will probably get there.
Solid advice! I NEVER give a partial refund.
Here's a question, do you offer returns? Most of my items are in the $10-25 range and I feel like offering returns opens the door for "Amazon Mentality" or in other words, uncommitted buyers who will return on a whim... which kills all profits in shipping. However, friends tell me I'm losing out on hundreds of sales because of my policy. What are your thoughts?
I wonder the same thing. Same situation.
Hi Lisa, I can’t answer for Scot, but I will speak from our experience… we’ve always offered returns, starting w/ 30 day buyer pay.
I was convinced, about this time last year, listening to Tech (Tech-n-Sports during a Daily Refinement podcast) to switch our business model to 60 day “free” returns in order to “up our game” - and partake of all the benefits engendered by doing so… AND w/o all the phantom downsides.
We started July 1 and wouldn’t go back. The number of sales we’ve made because of it is literally incalculable but I’m sure it’s helped… never brought the avalanche my wife thought it might, and hasn’t really hurt us…many other experienced resellers w/ RUclips channels also sing the praises of the 60/ free.
PS you don’t pay for both way shipping, they have to eat the original postage. Just relist it and maybe you can even RAISE the price 5-10 sometimes if it’s a really in-demand item to “break even” on the disappointing situation!!
I think you are probably right...and wrong. I have far fewer problems with more expensive items than I do inexpensive items. Melody and I rarely list anything under $20 for that very reason. You will get more returns in that price range, I think. That said, you are most likely leaving a lot of sales on the table from people that are honest and wouldn't have many returns.
I think the response from PK is probably accurate. I've kicked around the idea of free returns but just haven't tried it.
One of the pluses of returns is that the buyer doesn't even have to talk to you if they are unhappy with the item. But if we have no returns, they will. And it might not be nice ... They may even lie or leave a bad review. This one has me almost convinced to start accepting returns...
I got scammed with the first example. What can I do? The buyer is no where to be found. I have proof I send the item. Is there a way I can have my payment back?
Reach out to eBay on Facebook. Send them a message. Your tracking should show that it was received. I've always found them to be incredibly responsive.
I only ship sold eBay items via Pirate Ship, due to their USPS discount being a few cents cheaper than eBay's USPS discount. And, yes, I always inform the buyer of the USPS tracking number provided by Pirate Ship... this works well for me.
I've shipped a little through Pirate Ship. But, for the most part, it hasn't saved me anything. I'm in Texas. I wonder if that matters. What part of the country are you in?
Hey I just got a sale yesterday from an international buyer and the very next day they messaged me to cancel. What should I do?
If you haven't shipped it, I would cancel. If you've already shipped it, you can't cancel it.
@@TheChaChingKing ok thanks so much much for the timely reply! I’m just concerned about it have a negative impact on my account
Gotta give a heads up on # 4- the switch a roo. Just had that happen. I always take pics at packaging and send to customer. Customer received the autograph card. Complained to E Bay and showed a picture of a worthless card and said that’s what I sent. I showed E Bay ALL photos with correspondence from the customer acknowledging the card was on the way. Guess what - E Bay sent the customer paid postage to return the worthless card to me. E Bay took the $103.00 out of my account and gave a full refund DESPITE all my evidence. I filed a appeal but it was a done deal. E Bay does lean more toward the buyer. The scammer won that day!
That's terrible. Really terrible. I love eBay. I do. But it's biggest fault is not backing up it's sellers (and buyers) who have a long history of positive transactions. The longer you've been on eBay buying and selling, it should become obvious to eBay that you are not the problem. They don't adjust for that...and that's a mistake on their part. I'm sorry that happened to you.
Similar case here. I send a message to the costumer informing are 9 pieces of a particular product. I gave the customer a $20 dollar discount for that reason and explain if he accept it and pay is because he is agree. He accepted. Everything runs smooth! and...ta-raaaan..."you sent to me 9 pieces"... I'm like yeeeees. I have all the conversation evidence and eBay but ebay went in favor of the client, they gave their refund. Good thing I got my package back.
I’m dealing with a scammer right now. Trying to cheat me out of $500 for a phone. He is wanting to return it saying I sent the wrong phone that was destined
If ebay is going to side with the buyer in every case regardless, then no amount of taking the time to video the process and document, correspond, whatever, is going to do anything but waste your time - in my humble opinion. The scammer knows they're scamming - they're not going to call off the jig and admit guilt no matter what you do. And they'll already have your item in hand, forever. Got what they wanted. See ya.
I've been both a buyer and a seller for almost 20 years on eBay.. I have over 8,000 positive I've only had a handful of problems. I have never once had eBay side with me on the seller side. NOT ONCE granted never had any major issues, but the handful of times that I have had and have been scammed by buyers I LOST! 😠
I once had a German buyer who was also a dealer that was able to change the Ebay provided delivery address with the carrier and then claimed he did not get it. He lost his case as it all showed in the tracking.
I'm glad that worked out like it should have. If some of the people trying to skirt the rule would work as hard at staying within the lines, they would have a lot more long-term success.
I just posted my first item this afternoon and within 5 minutes had to offer replies. This seemed suspicious to me. Both buyers don’t have many reviews. Is this normal? Am I being weird?
Not weird, just cautious. I would be cautious if yours is a new account. Either wait for a full price purchase or for someone with history and great feedback.
I appreciate this video so much. I am a new seller and I sent a brand new expensive lipstick to a seller. I took a video with my phone of the untouched lipstick, but the quality was quality so so. She is now tried it on and sent a picture to eBay with her lip print on itand trying to scam me for all of those reasons you mentioned. What is my recourse now? This lady was rude to me when I didn’t respond immediately to the sale closing so there is a history in the messages.
I would reach out to eBay for Business on Facebook Marketplace. They are, by far, the most responsive help I've had. I hope it works out well for you. If not, don't let one sour person spoil it for you. You can do this!
@@TheChaChingKing thank you 🙏🏻
I went to the post office to have them track an item the buyer said they did not receive. The postal worker told me it was a scam where a scammer had the item ship to them.
You should be able to show that to eBay and get your money refunded.
Evri ,for one often mark "item delivered" but most times it`s marked deliverd proir to delivery! other times delivered to wrong address,
Great info for old and new sellers
Absolutely!!
LOL I'm always afraid that I haven't added anything of value...for anyone...at any level. So, I appreciate this comment.
I sell lots of items for around £3. But to compete on price i can only afford the cheapest postage with royal mail for 75p. So i cannot afford to pay for a tracked letter. And im having a few people say item not delivered when it provably has. The problem is the postmen tend to not scan the small letters so i never have proof of delivery. What would you donin this situation? Also if the message for a refund, do i just regund them or ask them to open up a request for a refund?? Thanks
Margaret
Without it being tracked, you'll end up refunding it. So, I'd just do it. I don't ship anything without tracking. We've chosen to slowly raise our average sale price. I don't know how to make it work at that price point.
Thanks for the reply. Luckily out of every 100 items u end up refunding about 2, so I will just have to take the hit as if I took my prices up I wouldn't even sell a quarter of thr amount. A bit of a predicament
7:53 Man, the buyer swap the item inside the package and in the picture he sent me there's even the package of the item he took to swap ahahah, and he says i did not send him the correct one... ( i knew it was a possibility and i did record all the packaging process before shipping it, at home and the same packaging inside the postal shipping building) But what know? He did ask a refund and says until 22 may i have to respond
I would let him know that you accept returns. I would also let him know that you recorded the packing and shipping process to protect the buyer. You might ask him/her if they are sure that yours is the package with the mistake and that you can double check the video if that helps. It let's then know what's up without sounding accusatory.
@@TheChaChingKing This is called
fraud, i am from Europe, i have reported it already to the authorities provinding all documentations , i've already said to the person i have the video of the packaging . if this person has other criminal records its something .. He sent me the exact picture of that package opened with another thing inside , first he said " Maybe the postal service stole it " then he saw that the package was anti-thief then he said in the return screen that package didn't looked opened when he took it, and I know i am in the right , i will not accept any return cause this
dishonest person wants to send me the fake one of course. This would be being in the wrong accepting the return, and the he swap with that audacity has a fair amount of value.
Your video is great! What if USPS left I notice and the buyer won't pick it up or says USPS did not leave a notice… and they want their money back?
Keep any of those notices that you have. Send the buyer a nice note that the item was/is available for pickup. If they choose not to pick it up, let them know you'll refund the purchase price once it gets shipped back to you.
@@TheChaChingKing Thank you for the reply! I was nice to the buyer, they were rude to me and tried some other things… but eBay sided with me after they saw I used the correct address, shipped with eBay, and the buyer didn't pick up the item. I'll mention to buyers what you said next time. But I suspect this one was pressuring me to refund and wanted to pick up the item for free after the refund. Your videos helped!
That is great news! For all the negative press, I've always had really good responses from eBay when I've done what I'm supposed to do. They aren't perfect, but I feel genuinely supported.
@@jlarrify
So what if the buyer just says the package was empty, you might have packaging pictures, but that that does not prove the package was actually shipped that way, I ask because this the one scenario holding me back from selling. thanks
It's possible. The weight at the post office would be off, though.
And, keep in mind, I've made over 16,000 sales on eBay. And what you're describing has literally never happened to me. I'm aware it's happened to other people. I'm aware it's possible that it'll happen to me. It just never has. I don't let it keep me up at night.
@@TheChaChingKing thanks, I appreciate it.
When someone tells you that an item arrived damaged, ask them for a lot of photos for insurance purposes. You would be surprised how many buyers drop the case at this point. If they send you photos of a damaged item ,even if its probably not your item. Rather than pay to have a damaged item sent to you. You may as well just refund it. 10 times out of 9 ebay will side with the buyer on this one...
I agree. Unless there is something in their photo that clearly points to it being a different item. It's another reason I post as many photos as I do. It just makes it harder for them to swap something else out.
what if the tracking shows it was delivered to where you work, but it went to the wrong department?
OH NO! Hopefully you work in a place they will get it to you.