This is why I will never sell on Ebay again...

[jdwykrent]

I sold a Carverwright woodworking system on ebay recently. The listing was actuate. It was listed as being used in a high school setting and in working condition. I never once said perfect condition or like new condition. I also had a "no return policy". Before sending the machine I made test cuts and packaged it in original packaging according to manufacture's recommendations.

Buyer had the machine for 9 days. Today I received a return request because he is stating the machine is defective (Flex shaft broke, plastic on the motor was cracked, and some of the plastic tabs on the cover are cracked).

Even though I had a "no return" policy that was clearly stated on the listing, ebay is allowing the buyer to file a complaint against me and return the item.

Now I have to prove the machine is not in the same condition as when I sent it in order to not be out $1000. How do I do that?

My guess is the buyer didn't install the flex shaft correctly after unpacking it. He ran a part and it damaged the machine... I can only wait see.

Lesson learned. Never selling on ebay again.

[harryball]

Video, Video, Video then Video again. I had a similar situation with an item I sold some time ago. After about a week they guy wanted a return, defective etc... I sent him a link to a 10 minute video on YouTube of me showing the item, testing it, showing his printed invoice where he won the bidding, showed me unplugging it and packing it in the box and sealing it with the label on the front etc... I was careful to show the SN on the unit too. I did all this because what happened to you happened to me.

Upon seeing the video he withdrew his request. It was about $800 in the balance. As well as being idiots that break stuff, I think some of these guys try and get stuff free too.

Sorry to hear about your trouble, hope it works out the best it possibly can.

/RB

[Burkhardt]

Before I built my current machine, I had a CNC-Shark. Not too bad to learn the ropes but also not really usable for meaningful work. I sold it on Craigslist. Buyer negotiated a bit by email, and showed up. I was prepared to give a demo but no interest, so I got the cash in hand that was negotiated and never heard about it again. That said, this is Southern California with a huge market for everything. Probably not that easy in a rural area. I know some crimes have been committed in the context of a Craigslist transaction but given the millions of deals I think the risk is very very small if somebody is careful.

[Xray]

Probably best to sell something like that via craigslist, though you are likely not to get as much as with ebay.
Ebay long ago decided to totally cater to buyers at the expense of sellers, I guess the rational is the sellers are hooked and will just swallow anything ebay throws at them, so make the buyers happy by all means.
I think there are for more unscrupulous buyers than sellers, and ebays anti seller policies has really drawn them out of the woodwork every since ebay took away a sellers ability to leave anything other than glowing, + feedback for buyers.
Probably not much you can do, just state your case via mail then phone and expect the worse.

[tri4sale]

Same just happened to me last month, but I am only out $100. Digital Cable TV Tuner card, tested and pulled out of a working system. Not the easiest thing to get working, buyer claimed he emailed tech support and they told him it was bad. I requested a copy of those emails at which point the buyer stopped communicating. He filed a complaint with eBay, I disputed it, eBay basically said they believe the buyer, not the seller when there is a dispute. And to top it off, they make seller pay for return shipping from buyer to seller! I will not be selling on eBay again. It was bad enough with the fees you end up paying to eBay and PayPal. I think even if you had a video of it working fine when you pack it up, eBay would still side with the buyer. They also said that labeling an auction/sale in eBay "as-is" or "no returns" doesn't matter because of their buyer guarantee and the terms you agree to when you sell with them.

[David Iannone]

Harry has it exactly right on this one.

Documentation......CYA

In 2006 I moved from DE to GA. And before then I had to sell off a fair amount of equipment for some cash as I was partners with my father. I sold off a 36" HP inkjet printer, 38" seal laminator, among a ton of smaller items all on eBay. We crated everything up as they sold, got paid, and the customer was happy. Ahh, but maybe I was just lucky.

In the last few years, I have started to sell enough "cheap" dime a dozen signs per month on ebay to cover my shop rent.

eBay does protect the buyer......BUT I am here to tell ya they protect the seller too. There has been 2 times in the last year I won my cases just because of simple CYA. eBay sided with me, and eBay paid the buyer their money back (not me) just "to make everyone happy". In these cases lately the dollar amount was small, but to me it is not about how much is on the line, but who is right and wrong. Stand up for yourself and make a phone call if necessary.

eBay fees and Paypal fees......really? Didn't you calculate that up front? It is no different than accepting a credit card at your front counter.

PS. Sorry about your bad fortune with the carverwright system. I sure hope you have a Shopbot now.


Dave

[Xray]

I had an unbelievable experience on ebay.
I sold, what was it, ,,, It was a dollar bill but a pure silver one, pretty neat. Buyer loved it, left + feedback, and we started a dialog that started to drift into other areas where apparently he thought he was an expert and I am no slouch either, honestly forgot exactly what it was about. In these back and forth messages that started off as friendly and went on about 10 days, he started to get progressively overbearing and condescending and he didn't even know half of what he was talking about. I had enough and said listen, if I really need your advice I'll ask for it. I don't, so lets just end this dialog right now.
That really lit him on fire, he said you know what mr know it all ? That silver dollar I bought from you ,, I just sold it and made a profit, apparently insinuating that I was dumb for letting it go so cheap. I said well good for you, welcome to my ignore list, I don't have time for this ****. Next thing I know he files a not as described dispute and demands a refund. I pointed out to ebay that he left me + feedback saying "great item, great seller!" and gave them copies of the messages including the one where he said he sold it - All of these messages were through ebay message system and I authorized them to look at them all.
Didn't matter, they locked my paypal account until he was refunded. Of course he shipped me a literal box with a rock in it, once he supplied the tracking # that was it, they automatically refunded him. So I was out about $50, thought about the "I'll never sell here again" thing but in the end decided it wouldn't matter.
Until there is a union of bay sellers numbering in the 10,000's they are free to step on sellers as they please.

[Ger21]

You can CYA all you want, and it won't matter one bit to Ebay. The buyer is 100% right, 100% of the time.
Don't sell anything of value on Ebay. Between the risk, and the high fees, it's just not worth it.
But I'll buy from there all the time.