Buying from China on ebay

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KARsten
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Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:43 am
Location: Frankfurt, Germany

Buying from China on ebay

Post by KARsten » Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:32 am

Hi there,

I would like to share a nasty buyer experience on ebay with you:

Some of you may remember my review on the Ford Mondeo which I bought in back in August. Then you may have noticed what was wrong with the driver´s seat. I complained about that to the seller, asked him what he can do about it and let him know, that I needed a perfect model because I was going to review the model online. (As a seller you may think it wise that your model comes across in prestine condition, so that you might sell more). He only offered a ridiculous 6$ refund if I keep it, told me to alternatively send it back or offered to send a new seat, so that I could repair the model myself. He assured me, repairing it would be "very easy, only need 1 minutes". So I accepted that because sending it back would have left me with a 40$ hole in my pocket and NO model.

When that did not arrive with me for some time, I opened a case on Paypal in order to insure myself against a total loss of all my money. To that he reacted extremely irritated and I quote: " my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why you open the case!!! why you don't contact to me before open the case??? i had ship the seat to you! you open a case, ebay will give me a alarm!!!"

What I finally received was the TOP part of a seat, which only solved half of the problem. God knows why he did not send the complete seat, though both parts were visible in the photos he sent me to demonstrate how "easy" it all was. I then thanked him, but told him that I´d need the other part, too.

Next, I received a message (and I bless myself lucky that he HADN´T sent the complete seat) that reveals that repairing it was obviously NOT as easy as he had said: "when i want dismantle the bottom part of the seat, i find i must dismantle the car base , but the base can't be open, when i dismantle the base, the front wheel is break off, but model car base no backout! i am very disappointed! because model factory a error, i lossing a new model car. now, i find i can't sent the seat bottom part seat to you, i hope solve the problem, i have two suggest: 1.if you agree keep my model, i can refund 10$ to you as a compensation. 2.if you don't agree keep my model, please return it back to me(incluce the top part seat),when i receive my model, i will refund all money to you." God knows where he had the first seat from whose upper part he had sent me. And only the Almighty knows what happened to the lower part that I had seen in the pictures. He could have sent that without trying to dismantle an intact model.
F
Well, again, not a great solution! I quickly checked whether he was still offering the model on ebay, which he did (and still does). So I offered to keep the first without any refunds AND pay the full price for a second model if he pays for shipping costs. He lamented the big discount that would be, but accepted it. At the same time he asked me, to close the case on ebay - and, lucky me, I did not, because I wanted to be sure to receive an intact model this time!

I paid for the second model and demanded the tracking number for the parcel. The automatic closure of the Paypal case was only two weeks away. Time enough for the model to arrive: The first model had been delivered to my doorstep within a week. After 10 days, he sent me a tracking number. He let me know that he was sending it only now because he had been out of stock (!!!) (that is: WHILE offering 5 of them on ebay for the past weeks!).

I told him that I would feel the need to apply for Buyer Protection if the second model did not arrive before the case was closed automatically: "As I told you, I cannot wait longer than 20 Oct or I lose Paypal Protection. So, if there is no chance that the model arrives with me on time, I will now apply for Buyer Protection, send back the first model + seat and buy the model from someone else. You can stop the shipment of the second model." While I was doing the application for Buyer protection on Paypal, he kept reacting reacting very nervously:

14.10.2014 12:30 MESZ - Seller: "now, we need discuss how to solve the problem, isn't my stock!if you don't want wait the second model, no problem. i have suggest:1.you return my the first model, i refund to you.2.you keep my the first model, i refund 10$ to you.about the second model , i will call yanwen , ask they stop shipping !"
seven minutes later: 14.10.2014 12:37 MESZ - Seller: "ok!if you agree keep the first model, i agree refund 20$! you can think over!if you return my model,i hope you can protect my model as same as i do for you!" (Err, was there anyone desperate to avoid a return of the model and having to refund me? Or why the increasing refund offers at literally the last minute combined with what could be understood as a warning to protect the model well if I did choose to return it?)

It goes without saying, that it was too late by then to make any further offers to me. I was fed up and was already filling in the application form on Paypal to seek buyer protection. Of course, I have wrapped the parcel extremely well, better than he did (you will have noticed the damages to the model´s box in the photos of my review) to avoid any further trouble. I have taken photos of everything to be able and provide evidence that I did everything I possibly could within my responsibility. I have taken the parcel to the post office this morning ... and that´s the end of the story.

Now, the whole behavior of the seller was not very helpful: Either he is not the brightest candle or a rather shady character. Instead of doing his utmost to satisfy his customer, he tried to get away as cheaply as he could at any given moment. So, if you buy from overseas, DO use Paypal and DO NOT hesitate to seek their assistance. I´m glad, I did from an early point to secure my interests.

Anyone else who has similar experiences?

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StratosWRC
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Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by StratosWRC » Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:51 am

Never bought from China and don't intend to. Usually their feedback reflects their practices.

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[KRAFTIG]
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Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:13 am

I've ordered a few models from China with success but I have had a few challenges with sellers in the past. I'm not the biggest fan of PayPal, but they do come through most times, patience is always key!

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Makinen
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Location: Mono, Ontario

Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by Makinen » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:32 am

I had a very bad experience buying from someone in France off eBay. I made a thread about it since I needed some advice for the forum members here. Link to thread: http://www.diecastsociety.com/forums/vi ... f=8&t=3178" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyhow, the latest with my case is that it still hasn't been resolved yet. PayPal contacted me a couple of weeks ago since I was going through a claim and said I need to prove that I sent the parcel back to him with evidence of paperwork or something. All I had was the receipt from the post office with the Tracking number on it. I sent the parcel by service land which means it will get there by boat which of course means it will take a lot longer. Just sending it back cost me $50. So anyhow, PayPal were not happy with just a copy of the receipt and since the package still had not been delivered, they decided to close my case which means I am out 112 Euros for the car and out $50 extra shipping charges.

BUT - as per PayPal's policy, each member of the transaction may only have one - either the money, or the item. In my case, the seller got both back. So I called PayPal back and a lady helped me out by giving the package an extra week to get there and to call back once it did reach France and was delivered. So that happened yesterday and I called PayPal last night and they confirmed too on their end that the package was delivered and that now the seller has both; the money and the item. So now they have opened the claim again and told me to give them 24 to 48 hours in which they will settle with me.

PayPal are great at providing assistance and I honestly am so thankful I paid using PayPal. It this was through my credit card, who know's where this issue may have ended.

Now my next battle is the seller is threatening to sue me for defamation. SMH. Honestly... I don't even know how far this crap will get but let's see.

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StratosWRC
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Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by StratosWRC » Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:46 am

Haha "sue you". Right...

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Makinen
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Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by Makinen » Wed Oct 15, 2014 3:21 pm

StratosWRC wrote:Haha "sue you". Right...
Yeah man.... he started to tell the PayPal rep too lol. It's all in the claim notes.

This guy went ape sh*t on me!

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the1
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Re: Buying from China on ebay

Post by the1 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:52 pm

Don't worry. You will most probably get your money back. I went through a similar issue with a German seller and Paypal fully refunded my expenses.

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