eBay encouraging scams?

[Worzel]

I often feel this way, every time I login or do some buying, I constantly see massive banners with some numpty looking bloke called Tony saying "Get your money back guaranteed" kind of thing.

Just had an email about the new returns setup and clocked this:

Offer refunds: You specify the return shipping address, and whether or not you want the original item back

If I want my stock back? Of course I want my flipping stock back. Is this not encouraging people to scam more than they already are? I get so annoyed with INR cases (out of all my INR, I have never had a single item returned by Royal Mail) - now all buyers are scammers, but there is a growing amount that is worrying, and eBay seem to be making it easier for these scums to get freebies.



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[Hunting Solutions]

Ebay is rapidly becoming an expensive joke for sellers.

 

[Chris34]

Ebay is rapidly becoming an expensive joke for sellers.

I'd say it's the opposite. Ebay is growing into a professional outfit, it used to be a joke but much less so these days. It's very much customer focused and it's because of this that it's becoming a serious market place that you can ill afford to miss out on.

I think the scammers are not that bad. The ones trying it on only get away with it for so long and then they get their account blocked and suspended. Only the most determined scammer will attempt to get back on there as it's nearly impossible to open a new account. The professional scammers will turn their attention to other niche websites market places and scam the people selling their stuff there as it's a much more rewarding and easier scam to pull off. The INR cases on Ebay is small scale, it's tiny compared to the scamming and risks involved on other websites marketplaces. Even comparing it to owning your own shop it's small scale compared to the amount of shoplifting you would have.

If you really are having a serious amount of INR cases then I'd look at moving sectors. In my sector I get less than 1 in 400 and it used to be 1 in around 300 so I think it's improving.

It is annoying from a moral point of view, but it's just part of the parcel. Any business you are in will have somebody trying to scam something off you.



Chris.

 

[Worzel]

I disagree, people often compare this to having your own brick and mortar store and dealing with scammers but if you have your own shop, you can do something about it. Catch them on CCTV etc. On eBay you just have to deal with it.

It is very easy for a buyer so make a new account, there is even paid systems to do this (which eBay never take any action against) also there is forum threads of people discussing how to master the scams, it's shocking.

I think it is a massive issue that will only get worse. I think eBay attracts these scummys, I don't have the issue on amazon or websites, only eBay.

They are thieves and should be treated as such.

It is so, so SO easy to protect sellers from this. A simple option in the buyer requirements to block buyers who have claimed INR more than once, I'd love to see this. I personally don't care if they are stealing, the postman is blind of whatever the reason.. I simply don't want them buying my stuff if they are known to open INR cases.

Or expand the option that INR claiming buyers HAVE to select the tracked postage service in order to buy from this seller, or choose another seller.

 

[fisicx]

We use ebay all the time - never had a problem buying or selling.

However we aren't using it to run a business. If you want to use ebay for your business you take the risks. Nobody is forcing you to use ebay. You could always set up your own site, invest in SEO and spend a packet on PPC, install your own payment portal and pay for the necessary insurances and so on...

 

[Worzel]

However we aren't using it to run a business.

I think it changes when using as a business. I will always use eBay, it has many plus points but I think implementing an option to block buyers who continually claim INR or IND would solve so many issues, this is the biggest issue on there. I see many, many threads from huge sellers complaining about this, and the search changes.

 

[Chris34]

I think it changes when using as a business. I will always use eBay, it has many plus points but I think implementing an option to block buyers who continually claim INR or IND would solve so many issues, this is the biggest issue on there. I see many, many threads from huge sellers complaining about this, and the search changes.

I think that would be a good idea to have an option to block INR claimants. I regularly block people, even for returning the item, if I think it's an unreasonable return request then they get their refund and then promptly get blocked on both of my selling accounts.

I disagree with you regarding the search changes though. Probably the best thing that could have happened in years. If you do your homework then you win, those that lose and don't use their brains are the ones that lose, suits me fine. It gets rid of all the idiots featuring high up on best match selling things for peanuts and not making profit or worse still the hobbyists who do it for the fun of it.



Chris.

 

[Worzel]

I think that would be a good idea to have an option to block INR claimants. I regularly block people, even for returning the item, if I think it's an unreasonable return request then they get their refund and then promptly get blocked on both of my selling accounts.

I disagree with you regarding the search changes though. Probably the best thing that could have happened in years. If you do your homework then you win, those that lose and don't use their brains are the ones that lose, suits me fine. It gets rid of all the idiots featuring high up on best match selling things for peanuts and not making profit or worse still the hobbyists who do it for the fun of it.



Chris.

I have a huge blocked list too, I do exactly the same thing. Regarding the search, I don't have an opinion on it.. just stating a lot of people complain about it.

 

[toastking]

eBay is horrific as a buyer. The buyer protection is about as useful as a chocolate fire guard.

I have only once gotten money back from sellers on eBay/paypal causing issues and that was becuase it was big enough to get the fraud office involved (100 pound).

Sellers know the rules and con people using them. I hear it happens a lot the other way round too. Those who disagree have probably not experienced the bad side of it and until they do, of course they are going to believe its a brilliant system as its working for them.

 

[Worzel]

eBay is horrific as a buyer. The buyer protection is about as useful as a chocolate fire guard.

I have only once gotten money back from sellers on eBay/paypal causing issues and that was becuase it was big enough to get the fraud office involved (100 pound).

Sellers know the rules and con people using them. I hear it happens a lot the other way round too. Those who disagree have probably not experienced the bad side of it and until they do, of course they are going to believe its a brilliant system as its working for them.

:|:|:|:|

Buyers will win 99% of any opened cases

 

[Chris34]

A friend of mine sent an item back to a seller for a refund. The seller agreed to the return request and specifically said to have it sent via recorded delivery, which is what he did. The seller then refused to answer the door and accept the parcel meaning that the parcel had to be returned to him and he couldn't get a refund. Seller just stated that the parcel never arrived. I'm sure this is just one of many tricks that some less than legit sellers do.

I personally don't do any buying off the Internet at all, not even Ebay so I can't comment from a buyers point of view but I have heard of the scams involved. I don't think any system can be perfect, the same thing can happen if you buy off a website. The only thing you can do is make all necessary checks before you buy and if you do get good service add the seller to your favourites list so you don't forget them.


Chris.

 

[Worzel]

A friend of mine sent an item back to a seller for a refund. The seller agreed to the return request and specifically said to have it sent via recorded delivery, which is what he did. The seller then refused to answer the door and accept the parcel meaning that the parcel had to be returned to him and he couldn't get a refund. Seller just stated that the parcel never arrived. I'm sure this is just one of many tricks that some less than legit sellers do.

I personally don't do any buying off the Internet at all, not even Ebay so I can't comment from a buyers point of view but I have heard of the scams involved. I don't think any system can be perfect, the same thing can happen if you buy off a website. The only thing you can do is make all necessary checks before you buy and if you do get good service add the seller to your favourites list so you don't forget them.


Chris.

You are telling me this went in the sellers favor? This would 100% end in the buyers favor, the tracking would show not called or failed delivery. Did you know the buyer doesn't even need to return something? Only make it available for collection (this is more of the hardcore buyer scammers)

The story doesn't even make sense, why would the buyer insist on track if he was planning on ignoring the door? he would just have it sent normally and claim it never arrived. The tracking will show that it wasn't called for/ failed delivery (AKA NOT the buyers problem)

 

[Chris34]

You are telling me this went in the sellers favor? This would 100% end in the buyers favor, the tracking would show not called or failed delivery. Did you know the buyer doesn't even need to return something? Only make it available for collection (this is more of the hardcore buyer scammers)

The story doesn't even make sense, why would the buyer insist on track if he was planning on ignoring the door? he would just have it sent normally and claim it never arrived. The tracking will show that it wasn't called for/ failed delivery (AKA NOT the buyers problem)

As I say it was a friend of mine so I can only go off what he states, so it's 50/50 whether it's fact or more something to it, more than likely there is more something to it but it would not surprise me if it was ruled in the sellers favour.

I had a INR put against me via Paypal last month. The buyer looked suspect as they were new and had only made less than 20 purchases so I decided I had nothing to lose (item sent via RM not recorded) and I just ignored the INR to see what would happen. I kept getting requests for tracking information but I just ignored them expecting Paypal to rule in the buyers favour, then to my surprise when Paypal reviewed the case and they ruled in my favour, even though I hadn't replied to any requests.

So all is not so straight forward on the INR cases, at the end of the day you are dealing with robots and people acting like robots so it's anyones guess as to what's really happening.



Chris.

 

[Worzel]

I kept getting requests for tracking information but I just ignored them expecting Paypal to rule in the buyers favour, then to my surprise when Paypal reviewed the case and they ruled in my favour, even though I hadn't replied to any requests.

.... Bull$h1t.

 

[Chris34]

Seriously, it surprised me too but that's the way it went. I'd like to think it's because my account was in good standing and I have had very little in the way of cases put against me (I sell in a sector that you don't get many scammers) and that they thought it was highly unlikely that I did not send the product but it's anyones guess Maybe they took your idea and saw that the person had made several INR requests and did not believe their word against my account profile?



Chris.

 

[toastking]

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Buyers will win 99% of any opened cases

Not true - I am having to wage a campaign of complaints as I've literally never won! Its something like 8-1 against me that I;ve actually appealed, and the 1 got sorted by the fraud office - eBay and Paypal awarded the seller the win and said there was nothing they could do.

 

[Shop_Lover]

I think this is something Ebay should look at to sustain their reputation... In other online shops esp Chinese online shops, there are independent review sites that gives an avenue for shoppers to air out their opinion or reviews about a particular product or shop.. Start Buying in China is one. Visit (startbuyinginchina dot com)