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In 2014 I purchased my first phone, via eBay. Its GPS unit was basically nonfunctional (twice I left it trying to get a fix in near-optimal conditions for more

In 2014 I purchased my first phone, via eBay. Its GPS unit was basically nonfunctional (twice I left it trying to get a fix in near-optimal conditions for more than half an hour, and the best it managed was observing two satellites), which was important for me at the time (I had resisted getting a phone for years and was only finally getting one because I was going to be out in unfamiliar wilds for a few weeks). I returned the phone. The seller denied receiving it. PayPal’s vaunted Buyer Protection rejected my claim. So I ended up $150 out of pocket. (Yes, this is somewhat irrelevant here. But I haven’t ever grumbled about this incident and this brought it to mind, as another case of the powerlessness of the individual against a Machine.)

JohnFen 4y ago
eBay's "Buyer Protection" failed me recently too, causing me to lose about the same amount of money. I'm no longer using eBay as a result.
guestbest 4y ago
I’ve never had a failed return/refund which is the only reason I use eBay over Amazon or Walmart(Shopify). eBay will even refund return shipping from the seller’s account if you use the eBay return shipping label service. I don’t use eBay to sell anymore even though for electronics it used to be a really nice way to get some money back from older purchases.
fer 4y ago
Next back do a chargeback. You'll lose your PayPal/eBay account but you keep the money.
crazygringo 4y ago
If you returned it with a tracking number that showed it as delivered, it shouldn't have mattered if the seller denied receiving it. eBay basically always sides with the buyer in that case, that's their policy. And if they didn't, you should have been able to escalate by phone to get it fixed. (I've had to do that three times over many years, and ultimately got it fixed every time I showed the tracking number proof of delivery -- I'd had to phone because the scam seller had put a fake different tracking number.) On the other hand, if you didn't use a service with a tracking number, or didn't put the tracking number into your return, then that was your mistake. Live and learn. :(
- JohnFen 4y ago
  Or -- as happened to me recently with FedEx -- the shipping company simply lied about delivering the item, you're hosed. It's extremely common for shipping companies to mark items as delivered when they put them on the truck rather than when they're actually delivered. I've been informed that items were "delivered" two days before the delivery happened before.
  - crazygringo 4y ago
    That used to happen to me frequently in the past with LaserShip, when Amazon used to use them in my neighborhood. The delivery drivers were frequently given too many items to realistically deliver (I assume), and around 8:30 pm if it wasn't delivered it would still be marked as delivered. Then it would actually be delivered some time the next day or even the day after. I always assumed LaserShip was being paid for on-time delivery so this would have been a policy passed down from management. Thankfully, Amazon finally rolled out its own Amazon delivery vans, and the service is now way better than anything even UPS, USPS, or FedEx has ever provided.
urbandw311er 4y ago
I love that you grudgingly admit your comment isn’t that relevant but let’s be honest it felt bloody good to get it off your chest didn’t it! Goddamn eBay.

JohnFen 4y ago

eBay's "Buyer Protection" failed me recently too, causing me to lose about the same amount of money. I'm no longer using eBay as a result.

guestbest 4y ago

I’ve never had a failed return/refund which is the only reason I use eBay over Amazon or Walmart(Shopify). eBay will even refund return shipping from the seller’s account if you use the eBay return shipping label service. I don’t use eBay to sell anymore even though for electronics it used to be a really nice way to get some money back from older purchases.

fer 4y ago

Next back do a chargeback. You'll lose your PayPal/eBay account but you keep the money.

crazygringo 4y ago

If you returned it with a tracking number that showed it as delivered, it shouldn't have mattered if the seller denied receiving it. eBay basically always sides with the buyer in that case, that's their policy. And if they didn't, you should have been able to escalate by phone to get it fixed. (I've had to do that three times over many years, and ultimately got it fixed every time I showed the tracking number proof of delivery -- I'd had to phone because the scam seller had put a fake different tracking number.) On the other hand, if you didn't use a service with a tracking number, or didn't put the tracking number into your return, then that was your mistake. Live and learn. :(

JohnFen 4y ago
Or -- as happened to me recently with FedEx -- the shipping company simply lied about delivering the item, you're hosed. It's extremely common for shipping companies to mark items as delivered when they put them on the truck rather than when they're actually delivered. I've been informed that items were "delivered" two days before the delivery happened before.
- crazygringo 4y ago
  That used to happen to me frequently in the past with LaserShip, when Amazon used to use them in my neighborhood. The delivery drivers were frequently given too many items to realistically deliver (I assume), and around 8:30 pm if it wasn't delivered it would still be marked as delivered. Then it would actually be delivered some time the next day or even the day after. I always assumed LaserShip was being paid for on-time delivery so this would have been a policy passed down from management. Thankfully, Amazon finally rolled out its own Amazon delivery vans, and the service is now way better than anything even UPS, USPS, or FedEx has ever provided.

urbandw311er 4y ago

I love that you grudgingly admit your comment isn’t that relevant but let’s be honest it felt bloody good to get it off your chest didn’t it! Goddamn eBay.