alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Yesterday, I contacted a seller to ask if I could pick up an item and pay cash. he responded that, yes, I could, but he would sTILL expect the £10 P&P as he uses it as "a sort of reserve". In other words, he's inflating his P&P to get more for his item.

Since I recently received a message from ebay forbidding anyone to do this, I tried to report him.

Here is the result, via the chatline:

1150jeff
Hi, I spoke to Ryan Madison this morning, he was referring me to a dedicated team, but my chat session just closed itself. is that right?
Jason Dalton
Welcome to eBay Live Help, my name is Jason. One moment please while I verify your account details.
Jason Dalton
May I have your concern pleasse so that I can transfer your chat to them
1150jeff
OK, as I told Ryan, I contacted a memeber asking if, if I won an item, I could pick it up for cash.
1150jeff
He responded that he would still expect the £10 P&P as "I use it as a sort of reserve"
1150jeff
Hello?
Jason Dalton
Yes I am connected
Jason Dalton
I would like to infomr you that if you sare willing to collect the item then you have to ask the seller which you have done.
Jason Dalton
But then there is no need to pay the postage cost.
Jason Dalton
If you pay the postage cost then ask the seller to post the item.
1150jeff
Obviously, it's against ebay rules to use P&P as any sort of reserve/cushion/extra.
1150jeff
But this guy is doing it.
1150jeff
he is breaking ebay rules
Jason Dalton
In these case I can transfer your chat and you can report the seller
1150jeff
yes please. It's what Ryan was supposed to have done, but it just ended my session.
Jason Dalton
Sure, Let me transfer the chat
1150jeff
What should happen? I watched it for an age but nothing happened before.
Jason Dalton
Has transferred you to:Jasmine Brennan
Jasmine Brennan
Welcome to eBay Live Help, my name is Jasmine. How can I help you today?
1150jeff
I contacted a memeber asking if, should I win his item, I could pick it up and pay cash.
1150jeff
He responded that I could, but that he would still expect me to pay the £10 P&P as "I use it as a sort of reserve". Isn't this against ebay regulations?
Jasmine Brennan
Hello Jeff. I'll be happy to look into this for you. While I'm reviewing your account, are there any additional concerns you would like me to address for you today?
1150jeff
Not unless you can get them to add another section for "Tinplate" in the collectables>trains and railways> Ogauge, section, no.
Jasmine Brennan
Alright. Please bear with me for a few moments while I investigate this for you.
1150jeff
Thankyou, I'll be here.
Jasmine Brennan
Thank you for patiently waiting Jeff. It is your discretion if you want to pay for the £10 P&P.
Jasmine Brennan
Please be informed that it is not included in our ebay buyer protection policy.
1150jeff
Not really what I asked. Is he committing an offence? Can he ask me to pay if I pick up? What are my chances of him handing over the item for the sale amount if I won't pay the P&P, having picked up for cash?
Jasmine Brennan
Ive checked the listing and I can see that the seller has clearly stated GBP 10.00 for P&P.
Jasmine Brennan
Since you would like to pay cash on collection, I would encourage you to try and work this out with the seller. Usually these situations can be amicably resolved.
Jasmine Brennan
Before bidding on a listing, bidders should contact the seller about any questions they might still have that are not directly answered in the listing's description.

Jasmine Brennan
Jeff, please be advised that when a bid is placed, the bidder is entering into an agreement with the seller to purchase the item, which most often means incurring postage charges that may also include packaging fees.


1150jeff
Here: this is a reply I got from him, after I asked if I could pay cash on collectionear 1150jeff,

Hi yes you can pick up and pay with cash. I will however still require the £10 postage cost as i use this as a sort of a reserve.

- craig20789
1150jeff
Is this, or is this not, against ebay rules?
Jasmine Brennan
No it is not against eBay rules, as the seller clearly stated that the P&P is GBP 10.00
Jasmine Brennan
eBay encourages sellers to clearly describe the item and terms of postage in their listings to avoid possible confusion.
1150jeff
So he can charge me £10 whether the item is SENT, or if I pick it up?
1150jeff
Seriously?
Jasmine Brennan
Yes.
1150jeff
OK, time I started inflating MY P&P charges then.
1150jeff
and charhing people to pick up
1150jeff
or better still, close ouit my account, since you no longer seem to want to protect buyers from whgat is, in effect, theft.
Jasmine Brennan
Based on the listing the seller did not state pick up or cash on collection.
1150jeff
No.........but he offered it me, so long as I paid extra. Dishonest.
Jasmine Brennan
Im sorry to hear that you would like to close your account.
1150jeff
When did you people STOP protecting the buyer?
1150jeff
What he is doing is patently dishonest, byt you sday it's OK? Seriously?
1150jeff
SO........can I inflate my P&P charges for a sort of reserve?
Jasmine Brennan
Please be reminded that our site is a venue where anyone can offer, sell and buy just about anything, at anytime, from anywhere, in a variety of formats. At no point do we have possession of anything listed or sold through the site.


1150jeff
What does that have to do with ANYTHING we have discussed here?
1150jeff
CAN I inflate my P&P charges to act as a sort of reserve? yes or no?
Jasmine Brennan
Jeff, once again as the selelr has stated GBP 10.00 P&P it is their discretion to charge it to the winning buyer if they want the item to be picked-up.
Jasmine Brennan
If we find enough evidence that the seller has breached our Fee avoidance policy, we will take appropriate action against them. However in this case, the seller hasn't breached eBay's policy.
1150jeff
OK, he's in the clear.
1150jeff
I must now review whether I buy or sell via your site in future.



Unbelievable. They have basically said that he CAN ask for P&P even though he didn't send the item. So given the green light for people to inflate P&P charges, or even put them on when items are picked up.

I think ebay is to be avoided, tbh, from now on.
A shame, as it was a great rersource before they got greedy.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

I had a similar episode happen recently. Short of it is, don't use Ebay if you can help it. I will never sell an item on there again.

NOSSY_89

It looks like its going down hill mate. Ebay need to sort themselves out quick.

millsy3

iTrader: (1)

sounds like your dealing with a bunch of monkeys there mate, they make no sense what so ever, how can anybody even have the cheek to charge postage when your picking the item up.

Funkii Munkii

"Usually these situations can be amicably resolved"

The usual bullsh*t from e-bay

It reads like an Indian call centre to me.

I sold a centre speaker last month which was in excellent condition, the buyer found a hole the size of the tip of a lead pencil in the fabric and went ape sh*t, I hopnestly couldn't see it so I had to enlarge my original picture to 400% for it to appear !! Kept sending me e-mails with religious quotes at the bottom of each one, reported me to E-bay the full works, you'd have thought I'd killed his dog or something. E-bay were of no use whatsoever.

I just couldn't be arsed with the whole issue and gave him a £10 discount which he snapped up, dropped him an e-mail told him I was an aethist who believed in Karma and to keep an eye out as you never know when you're going to need that tenner

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

The whole thing amazes me. They don't give straight answers to questions, they go off topic......they are definitely trying to duck it.

jonc

Is it me or does that "chat" seem a little "automated", like a set of standard responses based on the words you type in......

hodgy0_2

yes

in most cases the chat responses are generated by a remote computer


try asking what the terminal velocity of a sparrow is

hopefully is will pass you to a human

Ant

Just tell him to stick his item up his f**king ****.

Is it a rare item?

Leslie

I think that is an incredible action,and grossly dishonest. I don't know how much you want the item but I would not expect much of a friendly feedback if you do buy it!

Ebay are acting like a bunch of useless prats!

Les

GC8

Pay by PayPal and then collect. After a fortnight you can make a PP claim and he wont have proof of delivery, so he will lose. When you get your money back you can send him what you owe him.

Thatll learn him.

GC8

*nods*

I doubt that you spoke to an actual person there.

Ant

Do this , them he'll get stung with PayPal charges. Youre saving him money by paying cash

EddScott

Now thats a good one.

I had a big problem with someone over £300 of rare Transformers figures. Dispute open and all that and he finally posted them - the dispute was all set to fall in my favour (this was when you could contact the other bidders). He didn't use any proof of postage. Had I gone to claim, I'd have had the figures and the £300.

Just say I'll pay the auction price but I'm not paying for postage. At least he can't leave you -Ve feedback anymore and you leave him -Ve feedback for asking for P&P even on collection.

scoobydog63

iTrader: (4)

What gets me on ebay is you have the right to refuse to buy the item. He is offering it for a price, so if you dont like it, don't buy it.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I think its more the agents lack of understanding and high levels of copy and paste abilities .. Indian agents suck .. (not for being Indian, but for not being English)

flame_on

iTrader: (2)

ERM..

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

that aimed at me ?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It's bad enough on their site even FINDING how to contact them, it's all hidden behind question after question, none of which solves your problem.
Hopeless.
I should have rung and spoken to them, I suppose.