Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 20:17:49 EDT
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: Beware EBAY LVC was: Re: eBay Professor for Vanagon parts ...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Agreed, Beware of Vanagon parts and VW stuff on Ebay as a general rule. eBay
is a haven for scheisters, and eBay corporate policy encourages consumer rip
offs.
And I realize there are honest sellers on eBay and I would encourage those
honest eBayers, both buyers and sellers, to encourage eBay to adjust it's system
that benefits dishonest sellers. I realize it won't happen, but I'm just
saying...
I occasionally use eBay, and only in dollar amounts I can afford to lose, and
often do.
On a total of 20 purchases over about 6 years I have been cheated on 3 items,
maybe 4. You will find Ebay has no interest and no means to help in these
situations.
In one case I bought some Genuine VW videotapes featuring sales tips for the
Vanagon. They never arrived. I never heard from the seller. I was out about
$25. eBay told me they could do nothing, but I could contact the FBI since I had
made a payment through the US Mail, and the FBI would likely investigate
since Mail Fraud is a Federal Offense. eBay also suggested I use one of their PAY
arbitration and mediation sites-- for about $25 these firms will look into
your problem with no guarantee of resolution.
I hate to be old fashioned. But really, am I gonna call in the FBI on $25 on
ebay?
Without going into all the details the other bad situations where similar and
included Genuine VW parts that were not Genuine VW. Another guy had a brand
new "H" connector for off the expansion tank on the 1.9L which was clearly old
and used when it arrive. He took a return of the product. He was "sure" it was
new. I lost out on shipping costs.
eBay considers someone misrepresenting a product and taking it back on
return, with the shipping cost the responsibility of the bilked buyer, a "positive
experience". This because the seller refunded the cost minus shipping two ways
for a misrepresented item. The short is, lying is encouraged as such. It cost
the lying buyer nothing but the time and he could now relist the item for some
other sucker.
My most recent transaction was with a seller with over 3000 sales on ebay and
99% positive feedback. When he sent me a repro VW part not as advertised and
in fact unusable I left him negative feedback. He had also had some shady
payment practices and was a real jerk to deal with. I lost $25 on this transaction.
So I leave the negative feedback which was simply and honest: "low quality
ill-fitting repro part". I now have just learned about what is casually referred
to as "revenge feedback". After leaving him the appropriate negative
feedback, the seller left me feedback which was "Illiterate moron. left negative
feedback on perfect item. Beware when dealing with this guy." or something close to
that.
I don't sell on ebay, but I do know that the threat that a buyer or seller is
brave enough to leave negative feedback is a very negative concept for those
who rely on their feedback ratings to lure in buyers or sellers.
So after this false negative feedback (well, you could argue I AM a moron)
the seller applies for a mediation which is an agreement with the buyer and
seller to mutually withdraw each persons feedback to the other. I've just found by
a google search this is common practice on eBay. And it keeps unscrupulous
sellers from having ANY negative feedback. I don't want the negative feedback he
left me so I'm inclined to agree to the "mediation" and mutual withdrawal.
The Seller would then still have his 99% positive feedback rating and no
negative marks.
eBay also refuses to get involved in feedback issues, unless both parties are
willing to withdraw their feedback. eBay has no policy about what feedback
may include with the exception of a person's name, address, or profane language.
So any personal insults or untruths are completely tolerated and I would
argue promoted since there is no consequence.
It's a sellers market. If you notice almost ALL sellers on ebay have above a
90% positive feedback rating and most in the high 90s%. In what amateur mail
order world is it likely that so many people are constantly satisfied and
overjoyed with the used crap they receive?
And high 90s is certainly a good enough reason to do business with a seller
if the rating were in any way based in reality. But with honest ebayers in fear
of losing their positive feedback ratings through untrue revenge feedback,
I'm sure they opt not to leave negative feedback for anyone in many cases.
And yes, my bad for dealing with eBay at all. I send this to share one key
reason the eBay deck is stacked against an honest person. Ebay makes money on
the sales whether dishonest or not, so has no want to curb the dishonest--except
for conscience. And I did mention it's an American corporation, didn't I. So
conscience isn't really a player.
Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA, CA
In a message dated 6/24/2007 1:36:16 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
samcvt@COMCAST.NET writes:
that there are a fairly large group of "sellers" on Ebay, whose ethics and
sense of values are not particularly credible.
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