My PayPal / eBay Rant

Ok, so I've been an eBay member since 1996, and I've been doing PayPal since 2000. I'm an early adopter. My feedback? 100% positive. Never had a problem, until recently. Oh, sure, sometimes I'd buy something that was 'not as described' to put it mildly. Usually, it was described as 'mint' and looked like a truck ran it over. You know what I did about it? Not much. I see eBay as a risk/reward system, not a market. You can't go and squeeze the merchandise, so to speak. You can't see it in person, just a fuzzy photo and a narrative. You pays yer money and you takes yer chances. Frankly, I didn't have much trouble with that system, even when I got the short end of the stick, because sometimes, I came out ahead - way ahead. Great items at a fraction of what they were worth - maybe even a fraction of what I'd have paid for the item myself.

Recently, I sold a couple of camera things on eBay. Listed Paypal as a payment option. No problems for a few weeks, then one guy got into a bidding war with some other buyer and ended up paying quite a bit ($300+) for an item of mine. A pretty rare camera accessory whatzit, made in the 1970s. I knew it was missing a set-screw, so I described that, but I said it was "all that kept it from being perfect" in my listing. I felt that was a truthful statement, it was in mighty good shape in my opinion. I also included a bunch of high-rez photos (sharp and in-focus, not like some sellers). I also said "AS-IS, NO REFUND UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, LET THAT INFORMATION GUIDE YOUR BIDDING." Big letters.

The buyer paid promptly, and I packed and shipped the unit. I thought that was the end of it. Hah!

Buyer got the unit and immediately wrote to me to let me know it was not as described. He had a whole list of things that were wrong with it - from it being badly designed to having dust and pet hair on it, and everything in-between. He wanted his money back.

OK, so I'm mad. But, I offer him his money back. I tell him I don't agree with his assessment of the unit, but I want him to be happy, so I'll return his money if he'll return the unit.

Two weeks go by, and I hear nothing.

Then, he writes again. He once again tells me everything that's wrong with it. He then adds that he wants me to refund his shipping as well as the purchase price. I'm not happy, but I'm inclined to do so anyway. This guy is trouble, you can tell by the tenor of his emails.

Oh, wait. He throws this in at the end of the second email - he'll consider keeping the unit if I'll refund half or so of the purchase price.

OK, now I know what this is - it's a shakedown - an extortion attempt. And a clumsy one at that. Lousy so-and-so.

I tell him that I don't like extortion, and I won't play. I hereby revoke my offer of a refund and tell him to go pound sand.

He writes back and begs me to reconsider, but then in the same email he threatens me with legal action if I don't reconsider giving him half off his purchase price. I ignore him.

He then files a complaint with PayPal - Item Not as Described. They immediately freeze my account and suck all the money he paid me out of the account, leaving me with a negative balance. They ask me my side of the issue (I have four lines of text to respond) and then tell me that they'll make a decision and let me know in 7 to 14 days.

Two months go by.

At the end of month one, I call PayPal. I get a cranky bitch who tells me that if I were not dishonest, I would not have these problems. She tells me that PayPal has already decided to refund the guy's money, they're just waiting on his statement from a camera dealer telling them that the unit is not repairable, then I'll be sent back the unit and that will be that. I can't believe I've just been called a crook, I'm in shock. I talk to a manager, he apologizes for what the woman called me, but tells me the same thing - buyer wins, I lose, and eventually that's how things will shake out.

It takes ANOTHER MONTH to have this all happen. Then, one fine day, the buyer send me the unit back and gives a Fedex tracking number. It arrives, and it is damaged - not from me, either. The lens hood has taken a knock and it is bent severely. I cannot find any other damage - certainly not the damage the buyer described to me. In fact, I mount a spare lens to it and commence to taking photos - it works fine. Sounds like a serious case of buyer's remose to me - or maybe he really was trying to extort me. Damned crook.

I file an appeal with PayPal. They take my information about the damage, and several days later, I get this in my email:

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Complaint Details
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Transaction Date: Aug. 20, 2004
Transaction Amount: -$315.20 USD
Case Number: PP-????
Buyer's Name: Oxxx Mxxxxx
Buyer's Email: xxxx@xxxxxx.xxx

You can not appeal a claim for the same reason that the case was granted. The lense was not in good condition when received by the buyer. Your appeal has been denied. Please work directly with the buyer if you wish to seek further resolution Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Jenny
Protection Services Department

Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address will not be received and therefore, not answered. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the "Help" link in the footer of any page. If your inquiry is regarding a claim, log in to your PayPal account and click the pink Service Center link.

So, using this logic, the buyer could have run over the item with a truck, stuffed the pieces in a box, and sent them back to me, and I'm just hosed. It can't BE further damaged, because it already IS damaged. What kind of stupid-ass logic is that?

Well, I'm at the end of my rope. My PayPal account has been locked up with a negative balance since August 20, and won't be unlocked until tomorrow, when I have a balance transfer taking place to zero out my account. At that time, I will call PayPal and close my account and say some very naughty words to the hapless moron who answers the phone.

And eBay? Well, since my PayPal account has been locked up, I've been paying for auctions with US Postal Service Money Orders. I won a camera thingy and sent the seller a MO for $8.00 - the total cost with shipping. He's sent me a couple more invoices since then. I've tried to reply, but my email to him gets bounced back - his ISP thinks my email address is a 'known spam' domain. Whatever.

But he apparently has not received the MO yet. So he filed an 'Official Non-Payment Complaint' with eBay. They notified me tonight that I have seven days to provide them with proof that I sent a Money Order, or they will close my eBay account.

100% positive feedback - since 1996. And I'm gonna stiff some guy for $8. Right.

eBay can now officially kiss my rosy red ass as well. In fact, they can line up and kiss the groove, baby.

I'm pissed off.

Thanks for listening to my rant...

Best,

Wiggy