Ebay customer Service Stinks

[ASBOB]

On November 19 I ordered some Cinese knives from a Hong Kong dealer off of Ebay.

Still haven't received anything. Haven't heard anything from the seller either.

Emailed seller a few days ago. He relied, "It's late".

To add insult to injury, I ordered some other knives from Exduct, the major HK dealer, on 12/31/11 and they got here today. Less than two weeks, from the same location.

I went to the Ebay site to file a claim. Almost impossible to wind your way through their system; it is quite circular--when you click on the next step, you usually go back to the start.

Also, after you figure where you submit the complaint, when you put in the item numbers, it goes back to the same page, not accepting the item as a dispute.

Finally figured out how to find a phone number to call.

Called. Person I spoke to confirmed that no dispute had been filed. Took down the item numbers, but said he did not handle disputes. Instead, I had to call their subsidiary, the Global Law Enforcement Office (sounds like the U.N.C.L.E.). He gave me the number.

When I called them, I got a recording. This provided emails for lawyers. For everyone else, contact Ebay. Huh?! No capacity to talk to a person, or even leave a message. Explicitly stated that if you tried to do so, nothing from lthis line is recorded.

Has anyone actually accomplished posting a dispute? If so, I would appreciate any advice.

I posted a negative rating for the seller, but beyond that, doubt there's much I can do.

I suspect I'm out the price of two knives plus shipping.

 

[Lone_Wolfe]

Try filing the claim through paypal instead if you paid that way. Good with it, ebay's system can be worse than useless.

 

[Thachman]

I have filed 2 disputes with EBay in the past and received satisfaction both times. It's been quite some time ago and I do recall having some difficulty navigating their tangled web of links, but nothing to the extent you've described. Did you pay with credit card? If so, contact your credit card company and explain the situation. Chances are they will be able to offer some assistance as well.

 

[ASBOB]

I just found this from an online site called Customer Service Scoreboard. This is their report on Ebay:

eBay customer service is ranked #473 out of the 502 companies that have a CustomerServiceScoreboard.com rating with an overall score of 19.77 out of a possible 200 based upon 772 ratings. This score rates eBay customer service and customer support as Terrible.

Website is: http://www.customerservicescoreboard.com/eBay

 

[SharpByCoop]

Try filing the claim through paypal instead if you paid that way. Good with it, ebay's system can be worse than useless.

^^ This. Paypal would be my first call, not eBay. Sounds VERY frustrating. How did you pay?

Jim

 

[ASBOB]

I paid by Paypal. Just tried to file a claim, for the second time. Both times, once I put in the transaction number, Paypal replied:

This transaction cannot be disputed. Please go to the eBay Resolution Center to review the program details for information on what to do next.

Quite a little setup they've got.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Yikes. No rationale, just go elsewhere.

I wish you well on this.

Best,

Jim

 

[lava_lamp]

Ebay and PayPal are hit-or-miss on resolving an issue. I have been on the ripped-off side as both a buyer and a seller and I have had the processes work to resolve things for me as a buyer, but it only seems to work if the seller really wants to resolve the issue. The "protection" policies are toothless and Ebay and PayPal really try to avoid getting involved. Good luck.

 

[Lone_Wolfe]

I paid by Paypal. Just tried to file a claim, for the second time. Both times, once I put in the transaction number, Paypal replied:

This transaction cannot be disputed. Please go to the eBay Resolution Center to review the program details for information on what to do next.

Quite a little setup they've got.

Did you pay with your credit card? Try a chargeback.

 

[ac700wildcat]

I think you only have 45 days to file a dispute with Paypal. Looks like you are over that limit, so you probably won't have any luck there. I'd take advice from others and file a dispute with your cc company if you used one.

 

[UffDa]

I think you only have 45 days to file a dispute with Paypal. Looks like you are over that limit, so you probably won't have any luck there. I'd take advice from others and file a dispute with your cc company if you used one.

That's your problem. You waited too long. I have had a few (very few) disputes with eBay sellers. In every case, I got my money back from PayPal.

What is the sellers feedback score? Do they have a lot of negative ratings?

I too have purchase items from HK vendors and never had a problem.

 

[rycen]

Try your Credit card company.

 

[ASBOB]

Paid for on Paypal. I suspect that ac700wildcat is right; that's what I get for being a good guy, giving the seller the benefit of the doubt, and waiting.

Seller has mostly favorable ratings, so maybe I'll get lucky. Eventually.

Even in that case, I still fault him for wildly inaccurate extimates of arrival, and lack of communication.

 

[Lee Bray]

If you have need of a man on the ground in HK, I could help.

 

[dericdesmond]

I was on hold with ebay for nearly 2 hours once, took a screenshot with my iphone that shows the time right before my battery died. I love ebay but yeah, trying to find answers on that site is a pita.

 

[themandylion]

I concur on filing the chargeback with your credit card or debit card issuer (yes, you can dispute debit card transactions, but it's not always as successful). You should win the dispute if the seller cannot provide proof of delivery (not shipment). The delay in filing, while eBay / PayPal does not care, will be understandable to the credit/debit card issuer (you tried in good faith to work it out, i.e., wait, by yourself).

Rule of thumb: file a dispute / claim on eBay on day 40, to avoid automatic loss of a claim. You can always close it if things work out, and then give positive feedback if the seller wasn't at fault.

 

[themandylion]

I paid by Paypal. Just tried to file a claim, for the second time. Both times, once I put in the transaction number, Paypal replied:

This transaction cannot be disputed. Please go to the eBay Resolution Center to review the program details for information on what to do next.

Quite a little setup they've got.

In the recent past, PayPal payments for eBay transactions began to no longer offer a dispute option. All such disputes are now consolidated at the eBay "Resolution Center." Unfortunately, you found out already that they have a 45 days since payment made time limit (ridiculous for international transactions, since 30 days delivery from shipment is not unusual at all).

More details:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/resolving-problems.html

(I'm both a buyer & frequent seller at eBay, so I've learned a lot about their "system" - as an honest seller, you've got to know, since you can get screwed more readily than buyers)

 

[FLymon]

I was on hold with ebay for nearly 2 hours once, took a screenshot with my iphone that shows the time right before my battery died. I love ebay but yeah, trying to find answers on that site is a pita.

Long wait times are to be expected these days.

I sell allot on eBay, and until about a year ago I had a single person contact for any issues with my account, selling etc.. ANY problem I had, I called my rep and she would handle it for me. Made me feel like a valued customer.
They did away with that program and now I have to go through a series of "help" screens to get a code and a phone number to call so I can speak with some dimwit who knows nothing about eBay and who's first language is something other than English (not a racist comment, I do business in America, and I like to talk to people who can relate to me when I have an issue).

eBay customer service is all but non existent anymore. I wish there was a viable alternative.

 

[dericdesmond]

now I have to go through a series of "help" screens to get a code and a phone number to call so I can speak with some dimwit who knows nothing about eBay and who's first language is something other than English (not a racist comment, I do business in America, and I like to talk to people who can relate to me when I have an issue).

AHHHH, FLASHBACKS!!!!! And I completely agree with the English remark though I think that applies to MANY customer service depts these days. Nothing like trying to figure something out with someone you cant understand Same with colleges that hire instructors who barely speak the native tongue, wtf?

 

[CWL]

Paid for on Paypal. I suspect that ac700wildcat is right; that's what I get for being a good guy, giving the seller the benefit of the doubt, and waiting.

Seller has mostly favorable ratings, so maybe I'll get lucky. Eventually.

Even in that case, I still fault him for wildly inaccurate extimates of arrival, and lack of communication.

Just consider it a lesson learned if you are 60-days past the transaction (credit card time limit)

I was scammed once, by an eBay Seller who told me to wait until the 45 day limit had passed, then he/she disappeared.

Nowadays I always file a claim within 30-40 days of not receiving my purchase. This gets the Seller's attention, and I can always close my complaint if I get my product or a refund. Haven't had any problems since I started doing that.