Ebay and chinese sellers

[Mr D]

If a product is bought from china and sold by an english company its the english company that has the issue if there is a problem with the product. They are undercutting english businesses prices just so that they get a sale. They are advertising it as uk stock with a uk address. Does this look like a uk address and fake vat number.
NING BO BAO SHUI QU GUAN ZHI DIAN ZI SHANG WU YOU XIAN GONG SI
和鑫 石
77,HINTON ROAD NORTHAMPTON NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
315000 宁波, 浙江省
中國
Email:[email protected]
VAT number:
GB 286361772


You say avoid them, but its not a simple as that as for instance make a purchase on your smart phone its very difficult to find the business address to check that they are chinese.

Mr D, you say you buy in bulk to get cheaper prices. List me a product you sell and see if the same product is being sold on ebay cheaper by the chinese. Either your chinese yourself or your not understanding what i mean. They are taking business away from you and the british economy.

List you a product I sell?
Want me to reduce profitability and encourage hundreds of competitors? On your bike.

I know for certain there are Chinese selling the same product cheaper on ebay. I'm one of the more expensive sellers in certain items.
Are you one of those sellers who targets customers who insist on buying only the cheapest product? I'm not one of you. I target different customers.

There is money to be made. If there are a thousand sellers of a product then some will sell.
Taking business away? I think you mean 'attracting customers to buy from them' - hey isn't that what business should be doing????

I don't own customers. I don't control customers.
If they want to pay £1.20 for an item I'm selling at £3.50 then so be it. I'm perfectly fine with them setting whatever price they feel comfortable with - I'm selling out of the £3.50 item regularly. And making more than £1.20 in net profit per sale.
They can work hard to get the sale and send it. I work smart and don't fancy working quite so hard as them for a tiny profit.


You know what else I do? Sell internationally.
I have sales all over the world, its about 15% of total sales - including Chinese buyers.

That 15% makes quite a difference. Oh wait, you will claim its taking business away from other sellers.
Got news for you - every sale my business makes takes business away from other sellers. And I'm perfectly fine with that.
You'll also be annoyed that I'm not paying foreign taxes while selling in foreign. Certainly HMRC don't have a problem taxing my business on its profit from sales across the planet.

 

[Mr D]

Buy a unsafe product from Tesco and you get injured by it, and you can sue Tesco. Buy a product from Amazon or eBay and get injured and Amazon and eBay will say take it up with the seller it's nothing to do with us.

On Amazon it is often not clear what products Amazon sells and which are sold by third parties, but it is not good enough for either to have no responsibility or liability for the goods sold through them.

Its pretty clear when looking at a product page.
I have never been able to purchase a product there that did not show the seller I was buying from - and yes I do buy from amazon themselves as a retailer too.

 

[alan1302]

Buy a unsafe product from Tesco and you get injured by it, and you can sue Tesco. Buy a product from Amazon or eBay and get injured and Amazon and eBay will say take it up with the seller it's nothing to do with us.

On Amazon it is often not clear what products Amazon sells and which are sold by third parties, but it is not good enough for either to have no responsibility or liability for the goods sold through them.

If you go to Meadowhall shopping centre (ebay) and buy something from a shop (Currys) and there is a problem with the item. Who is at fault? Meadowhall or Currys?

 

[Mr D]

If you go to Meadowhall shopping centre (ebay) and buy something from a shop (Currys) and there is a problem with the item. Who is at fault? Meadowhall or Currys?

Perhaps those wanting sites to test products before they are put for sale should also be getting business landlords to test products before allowing the renter to sell it.

 

[wispafish]

Mr D you seem to very much suggest that what they are doing is right. I dont quite get it. Effecting british business and non of the money staying in the country. They sell poor quality goods with some being very dangerous knowing that the consumer doesnt stand a chance to take them to court should something go worng with it. I dont have a problem with british sellers undercutting other british sellers, that compitition, i have an issue with the chinese doing it and dropshippping it from our country. I dont have a problem with selling internationally, i have a problem with the way all the listings at the start are chinese businesses that are paying to get there productrs listed above the british businesses and its not one or two businesses, its 100's that are doing it.

 

[Mr D]

Mr D you seem to very much suggest that what they are doing is right. I dont quite get it. Effecting british business and non of the money staying in the country. They sell poor quality goods with some being very dangerous knowing that the consumer doesnt stand a chance to take them to court should something go worng with it. I dont have a problem with british sellers undercutting other british sellers, that compitition, i have an issue with the chinese doing it and dropshippping it from our country. I dont have a problem with selling internationally, i have a problem with the way all the listings at the start are chinese businesses that are paying to get there productrs listed above the british businesses and its not one or two businesses, its 100's that are doing it.

No, I am suggesting that what they are doing is business.

Compete with them. They'll certainly compete with you.


None of the money staying in the country? Sorry, is that a reason why they should not be selling?
Try selling international, that way you can claw money from other countries to the UK to make up for money other people spend with overseas sellers.
You are aware we live in an island group and import a LOT of things, sending money out of the country to do it. Even food is often imported.

Poor quality goods is down to the individual businesses. You as a business owner can choose to buy better quality goods - you presumably won't have any trouble getting sales from people let down by poor quality goods.

Going to court? Perhaps something parliament should look at when they have time from Brexit and Covid.

If Chinese sellers are dropshipping from our country then they are spending money in our country to buy from other sellers - perhaps even those based in this country! Not sure why you have a problem with stuff being sold in this country by sellers.

Oh you have a problem with Chinese sellers paying to have their listings above British sellers?
And you cannot pay to have your listings above theirs or is there something that blocks you from 'advertising'? Come to think of it, who are they paying? Money going out from China to somewhere else...?

Still need to convince ebay that consumers should not be allowed to buy from a particular group of foreign sellers. How is that going?

 

[wispafish]

Im not a business, im the customer. If chinese sellers are drop shipping how are they spending money in the country. They send parcels to there son/daughter whos a student over here so dont pay import tax. Son/doughter then sends out item when they get an order.
Who are they paying to get higher in ads....EBAY, its called sponsered listings. They are making out they are british businesses and they are not. This is fooling too many people incuding my parents into thinking its a uk business. They then send out a dangerous product like for instance the dash cam i bought or the pond uv light that wasnt ce tested.

 

[Mr D]

Im not a business, im the customer. If chinese sellers are drop shipping how are they spending money in the country. They send parcels to there son/daughter whos a student over here so dont pay import tax. Son/doughter then sends out item when they get an order.
Who are they paying to get higher in ads....EBAY, its called sponsered listings. They are making out they are british businesses and they are not. This is fooling too many people incuding my parents into thinking its a uk business. They then send out a dangerous product like for instance the dash cam i bought or the pond uv light that wasnt ce tested.

So don't buy from the Chinese sellers then.

Dropshipping is when you as a customer buy something from a seller. The seller doesn't have the item, they then use part of the money you have paid and buy the product from someone else, giving your address as the address to send to.
For example you buy a toaster for £20, the seller you purchase from then buys that model toaster from another seller for £12 and has it sent to you. You pay £20, the owner of the toaster gets the price they set - which is £12 - and the seller you purchase from makes £8 less whatever costs.


Sending parcels to people in the UK so not paying import tax? That's what the government want, hence import taxes only kick in at a certain point rather than for every parcel.

Paying ebay to get higher in ads? Open to every business trading on ebay. Its called promoted listing - paying a percentage of the sale as an ad fee. Set too high and lose all profit.

The ones you don't like, don't buy from. Plenty of other decent businesses around, both in the UK and overseas.
Even British sellers on ebay selling to Chinese buyers.

The business sending dangerous product is simply a business sending a dangerous product. Does not mean all businesses send dangerous products. Most of what you see for sale on ebay may well have parts from China or be made in China. The device you are using to access this site - Chinese or Chinese components?

The world of business has sellers competing worldwide in many fields. Your dislike of Chinese is not a reason to prevent people running a business.

Perhaps you need to take your issues to a consumer site rather than a business site.

 

[wispafish]

I dont dislike the chinese, i just think it has to stop. Its misleading and there is no one to ensure that there products re safe to use and therefore shouldnt be sold in the uk. If a uk business purchases a product from china then its that uk business that must make sure it is fit for sale. Who makes sure a product that is dropshiped from china is safe?????

 

[SillyBill]

There is no reason why a UK sold product and a Chinese seller sold product that is the exact same item should be somehow inferior simply because someone is racist about the seller.

Your business model is your business model, though calling out "racist" sellers is a little bit "glass house" on the ethics side IMO; I would think dealing with china to that extent you do must have to involve an element of "turning a blind eye" to the human cost of a dirt cheap product in a country with very questionable human rights and labour practices. I would never say inferior either (some of what they produce is very good at a high price point), it is what it is, if people pay cheap, expect to get cheap. I accept I am in a minority to think this way given the trends of consumer behaviour hence my original post expecting nothing to change. I buy free range eggs while others buy caged, such is life...as long as the choice exists the customer is king.

 

[Mr D]

I dont dislike the chinese, i just think it has to stop. Its misleading and there is no one to ensure that there products re safe to use and therefore shouldnt be sold in the uk. If a uk business purchases a product from china then its that uk business that must make sure it is fit for sale. Who makes sure a product that is dropshiped from china is safe?????

Try trading standards.
Try the border people who seize unsafe goods before you get it.
There are people keeping you safe in spite of you buying stuff.

Your problem is not with the Chinese it's with bad businesses.

 

[Mr D]

Your business model is your business model, though calling out "racist" sellers is a little bit "glass house" on the ethics side IMO; I would think dealing with china to that extent you do must have to involve an element of "turning a blind eye" to the human cost of a dirt cheap product in a country with very questionable human rights and labour practices. I would never say inferior either (some of what they produce is very good at a high price point), it is what it is, if people pay cheap, expect to get cheap. I accept I am in a minority to think this way given the trends of consumer behaviour hence my original post expecting nothing to change. I buy free range eggs while others buy caged, such is life...as long as the choice exists the customer is king.

Back in the days of the empire we could have a say in how a subject country ran it's affairs.
These days you can choose to buy from businesses that meet whatever ideology you insist on for your own conscience. Or not buy from them.
What you cannot do is force other countries to act as you want them to. So no social security, no ten pounds an hour minimum wage, no 40 hour week, no hour long lunch breaks being imposed. Each country can run its own affairs. Much to the annoyance of those colonialists still wanting Johnny foreigner to do what is required.

There are thousands of British businesses operating on websites providing good quality product and good service. They market themselves to buyers.
Some buyers prefer the cheap stuff - you will not change that in others.

I deal with China - as most businesses do either direct or through buying from suppliers who buy direct. The device you use to read this post - Chinese made or just Chinese components?
It's an interlinked world now, sellers can operate on 5 continents. And Chinese products are found everywhere.
Bit hard to avoid them really.

Businesses buy from China because the production facilities can provide the goods at an attractive price.
You are richer than you would otherwise be because so much that you buy has been produced cheaply.

 

[alan1302]

The device you use to read this post - Chinese made or just Chinese components?

Even if you didn't want a device made with Chinese components I expect it is impossible to get anything.

 

[Alpha Helica Peptides]

Do not prefer to buy products from Ebay, Only Amazon.

 

[alan1302]

Do not prefer to buy products from Ebay, Only Amazon.

Amazon themselves or Amazon 3rd party as well?

 

[gpietersz]

So don't buy from the Chinese sellers then.

The problem is that ebay allows sellers to mislead buyers about their location.

Iust yesterday when I looked at a product that came up in a UK only search the long description at the bottom of the page said its shipped from Hong Kong.

I almost always buy from UK sellers because returns are fast and cheap, a real UK seller is more likely to stick to UK safety standards, etc.

Do not prefer to buy products from Ebay, Only Amazon.

I do not us Amazon much myself, but I have heard of similar problem there.

 

[MOIC]

a real UK seller is more likely to stick to UK safety standards, etc.

You would like to think so.

eBay buyers in the main buy on price.

eBay sellers in the main buy on price from their suppliers.

eBay, more often than not is a race to the bottom for many products.

IMHO

 

[Mr D]

You would like to think so.

eBay buyers in the main buy on price.

eBay sellers in the main buy on price from their suppliers.

eBay, more often than not is a race to the bottom for many products.

IMHO

There are considerable variations in buyers.

And price does tend to matter to business owners who want to remain business owners. No matter where they sell.

 

[alan1302]

You would like to think so.

eBay buyers in the main buy on price.

eBay sellers in the main buy on price from their suppliers.

eBay, more often than not is a race to the bottom for many products.

IMHO

Think you can say that for a lot of places - not just on eBay

 

[MOIC]

Think you can say that for a lot of places - not just on eBay

This thread is about eBay.

Amazon have their own 'special techniques' to get your listing away from where it wants, if you break their many rules and regulations.

Not worth discussing other platforms.

 

[Alpha Helica Peptides]

Amazon themselves or Amazon 3rd party as well?

Amazon a best shopping portal then others, so we prefer it.

 

[Alpha Helica Peptides]

The problem is that ebay allows sellers to mislead buyers about their location.

Iust yesterday when I looked at a product that came up in a UK only search the long description at the bottom of the page said its shipped from Hong Kong.

I almost always buy from UK sellers because returns are fast and cheap, a real UK seller is more likely to stick to UK safety standards, etc.




I do not us Amazon much myself, but I have heard of similar problem there.

Amazon is much better than eBay. Amazon has its algorithms and product quality is the good and main thing is that delivery is on time, So we prefer Amazon. I bought the product, that reaches timely with good quality.

 

[Mr D]

Amazon is much better than eBay. Amazon has its algorithms and product quality is the good and main thing is that delivery is on time, So we prefer Amazon. I bought the product, that reaches timely with good quality.

A lot of the exact same items are for sale on Amazon and eBay.
Some of us use FBA so even the delivery of our goods is the same on both sites!

As a consumer I use both sites. As a seller eBay outsells Amazon and I do not have to wait better part of a month to receive the money.

Plus eBay item disputes are less than 1 percent of Amazon's. So less time on admin and on trying to claw money back that has been given to buyer in error.

 

[MOIC]

@Alpha Helica Peptides

Are you Bezos's new gf?

 

[Alpha Helica Peptides]

@Alpha Helica Peptides

Are you Bezos's new gf?

LOL! There are many things to buy not only GF's items.