Mark Hutchinson / 06 August 2024 / Categories: Internet, Online Retail, Websites, Web Companies

Creepy Ebay

Don’t worry about the seller they told me

As a long time seller on EBay, with not too many problems to be fair, just to top up, like many,

an ever dwindling income and no real reason to contact customer service I was absolutely horrified by the way the customer service person I spoke to handled my call just a few days ago.

So much so I cannot stop thinking about it,

In this instance I was unusually the buyer (not the seller) had bought a jacket from a charity in Ireland for my wife. It was a designer one and as we weren’t sure if it was the real thing I felt better the money going to charity, even if it was a fake.

The first strange thing that happened was when I offered 100 euros for the jacket, I was somehow charged 120 euros, something no one at EBay was able to explain and then because it was international VAT and shipping was added so I ended up paying way more than we had planned but she did really want the jacket.

The down side of EBay if the seller ignores you. There is absolutely nothing you can do except contact EBay customer service.

It did take me a while to find out how to speak to someone. You have to send a message to a chat box and then request someone call which they did very promptly. This was where the fun began.

The first part of the call was a fake thank you for being an amazing Ebayer for however long. Made me think what you after?

(Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery.)

Fyodor Dostoevsky springs to mind.

I explained what had happened but instead of the representative accepting the fault lay with EBay (it looked like their technical glitch to me) she explained how I might ensure getting to keep the jacket and getting my money back as well.

When she said this so I as really shocked, I explained it was a charity and I didn’t want to keep the jacket and get all my money back, I wanted to find out how I could have offered one amount and been charged a different amount.

I could not believe how little regard she had for the EBay seller, a charity and it made me think about all the commissions I had paid over the years and made me question how EBay were speaking to and advising my customers.

I am sure just a customer would have been reassured whatever happened EBay were on their side and they will always side with the buyer regardless of the circumstances but it seems to me this way of doing things stops EBay having to take any responsibility for their platform when things go wrong.

The charity weren’t able to refund part of the transaction so they did suggest sending a prepaid envelope for me to send the item back to Ireland for a full refund but then Suzy didn’t get her jacket, the Charity lost the sale and it cost them money and EBay get off Scott Free.

I sucked it up, paid the extra, felt good the money had gone to charity and moved my side hustle to Vinted who I am sure don’t care about their sellers anymore than EBay but I’ve yet to find that out.