I have been an Ebayer for almost 14 years. In all those years, I’ve had very few problems with sellers and next to none with those that have purchased from me. Last night, nearing on 11:00 PM EDT, I receive an e-mail and a complaint registered against me for selling fraudulent goods. I just about flipped my lid. Well known for my fiery, passionate temper, I had to dial myself down and remind myself to be professional.
While I don’t doubt that plenty of people are selling fraudulent goods all over the Internet, I hold myself to a higher standard (much like Hebrew National Hot Dogs. If you’ve seen the commercial, you’ll get the joke). The things I sell are mostly on the health & beauty front. If I receive a set of items (anyone who’s ever bought Bare Minerals, Smashbox, Tarte, Mally, Josie Maran, etc. knows that the sets are often the most cost effective way to get the items you want for a lot less money than if you just buy one item.) and I only want to keep half of it, I turn around and sell the items that are too dark in color, or things I simply know I will never use. Lets say a set has foundation in it, but I already use a different brand, so I’d more than likely sell the foundation, or the blush, etc. By now you get the drift. I’m honest about it.
Sometimes I find myself in a pinch or I have buyer’s remorse on a purchase I have made, but have either lost the receipt or have gone past the return date on something. On occasion this happens to all women, and on occasion I have sold a purse or a piece of jewelry, something I’d held on to for a while, but eventually knew was taking up room, so I inevitably decided to put it up on Ebay and make back the money, sometimes taking a bit of a loss, and occasionally making a few extra dollars. It’s an honest way of doing things, yes?
So here I am, accused of selling a “fake ring” because the buyer clearly has some kind of buyer’s remorse and is blaming it on an article she read on the Internet, claiming the silver is not real, or some such nonsense. After leaving me stellar positive feedback where she raves about how the ring is beautiful and exactly as described, she now comes to me almost a month later and is making accusations, and of course Ebay is going to stand by the buyer, even if the buyer is lying. For the record, the one time I had an issue with a seller back in 2009, Ebay ruled in the seller’s favor. I had to go to my credit card company to get my money back.
The accuser sent me a message, claiming she had a question for me, and opened the complaint “by accident”. Anyone that’s been buying on Ebay for more than a year knows that you don’t open a case “by accident”, not when you’re accusing someone of something heinous.
I explained where she can find the marking inside the band that lets you know it’s the real deal. I don’t buy garbage, why would I sell something that isn’t real?! She e-mails be back saying I am 100% right, that she sees the correct markings, but the case remains open.
I am being given 3 days to work this out with her before Ebay automatically refunds her, which basically means she’s not only lying, but she’s also stealing a ring, and slightly under $80 from me.
Ebay needs to step up their Seller Protection policy. A seller with 100% feedback who has never had an unresolved issue with anyone should be given a little more respect, especially if you look and see that the buyer immediately left me feedback and was tickled with her purchase, and is now saying otherwise.
If this goes South, Ebay won’t be happy with me because I have a mouth and I’m not afraid to use it. I think it’s important to make sure the items you get are authentic, but I also think it’s important to have a brain and learn how to properly communicate with a person before you go around making false accusations against someone who has always been in good standing, simply because you read something on the Internet. If we all believed everything we read on-line, we would be a world full of nothing, but idiots.
Use your brain. Think for yourself, and be careful who you accuse of something, because this cheetah bites back.
And The Moon Sees All 
That is ridiculous! I’m sorry you have to go through this due to the mistake of an ignorant buyer.
When I used to sell some of my things, I went the Bonanza route. The seller fees are lower but the traffic is also lower than Ebay’s.
It has since been resolved, she finally closed the case, but I’m still fuming and will absolutely never sell to this person again.
I went ballistic when I read the accusations against me in the actual complaint, which was nothing, but a series of lies. When you don’t know a person, you don’t accuse them of certain things, especially not the way she worded it. Her excuses and reasoning behind what she did are lame at best, and there was absolutely no apology whatsoever.
I’ve sold on Ebay on & off for years, but lately its more on. They’ve increased their final value fees exponentially, but have started offering sellers 50 free 30 day auctions per month and a decrease in the fees so long as you maintain 100% 5 star feedback, which I have done. I estimate I’m paying about 10% less than some people in fees, but it’s still a big enough chunk that you can’t negotiate with every single person who sends you a lowball offer on an expensive item. I’d never insult someone so much as to offer them $5 on an item being sold for $40, or more. People act like it’s a flea market!
I’ve never heard of Bonanza. I’ll have to check it out.
Talk to you soon.
I would definitely never sell to this buyer again. Her actions are total bull. I would still be going ballistic!
Unfortunately after some news I got yesterday, I’ve got bigger fish to fry, but I definitely won’t ever sell to her again. I’ve had people e-mail me a question or ask me something in all genuineness, but no one has ever filed a complaint against me and made accusations of such a magnitude. I’m still blown away by that. I feel like I’ve got a “Kick Me While I’m Down” sign on me.