eBay problems, resolutions, shenanigans, questions and info (not bike finds)

Is the package insured?

If it's been tracked it will probably return, just not in 30 days.last time it happened to me it too about 6weeks.

Buyer sounds fine though-I'd probably just offer a refund now as a gesture of good will and ask that he lets you know if it arrives.

I posted the item via La Poste (French national postal service), 15€, registered post, with tracking.

Obviously La Poste are not Royal Mail but we post a lot to America with Royal Mail's Tracked and Signed International service and have had parcels undeliverable for whatever reason (address not found, no answer at the address etc) and we have gotten the parcel back after a couple months.

I think when a parcel comes back then it comes back via the slowest/cheapest route possible.

Thanks for the replies, that's quite reassuring at least, that it should eventually come back.
As for insured, tbh, and stupid as it sounds, I'm not really sure, haven't analysed all the small print in French on the postal document, will have to check.
I'll wait to see if any news within the 30 days reply limit first, then see what the buyer wants to do.

Hi Phil,
If you took an insurance, you could be refund. If you don't, package are insured 23€/kg standard.
You "only" lost 40€. Refunding buyer would be the right solution as package seems to return to you.
La Poste insurance is 1€ each 100€. For me, it is not an option when shipping overseas.

Bought a cycling jacket, turned up smelling of sweat and with used tissues in the pocket... tempted to return it just because I find this incredibly rude/gross.

That’s pretty rank!! I’ve never understood adverts where people say “could do with a wash”; my immediate reaction is ‘well fucking wash it then’!
Unless it’s rare or a massive bargain I would return it.
I’ve sold a few items of cycling clothing on ebay and always advertised them as freshly laundered.
This isn’t difficult because the first thing I do after a sweaty ride is chuck everything in the washing machine. I do drag a few days out of my commuter gear but would be ashamed and embarrassed to sell something without washing it...

Yeah I’ve often wondered this. There are few situations where it wouldn’t be possible to wash/clean an item before selling it.

I did have a frame turn up reeking of fags once. I thought that was actually quite impressive. Imagine smoking so much that your bike stinks.

It’s an OG rapha classic soft shell, immaculate condition (if you exclude the stench) for 70 quid so a fairly good deal. Could keep it and neg feedback him which may make him think twice before sending clothing out in this state again.

Edit - actually I’m going to return it, won’t be hard to find another one.

Oh man!! I felt sick just reading that 😖

Some people pay extra for unwashed.

Or so I hear.

ha. I bought shorts off here that arrived covered in cat hair and mud. went back immediately on point of principle, it's just fucking rude.

I once bought a shimano mtb chainset off ebay (still using it actually), it came rather crudely packaged in cardboard that had originally been a box for cans of dog food and it stank of cheap dog food and shite. I was surprised they'd taken it at the post office it was that bad.

Coming at it from the other end though, another chainset bought from ebay, before I'd even fitted it I decided to use something else so relisted it. Put up lots of photos, explained that I'd bought it, not used it etc. Anyway, I got neg feedback because the chainrings were not cleaned to the buyer's satisfaction!

Bit out of order if it was in both pics and description...

Seller of smelly jacket accepted the return with no apology or message. My housemate has just finished with this perfectly sized box so it’s packed and ready to go back.

1 Attachment

Savage ^

Top level trolling!

#rep

Haaaaah

Outstanding !

Listed a Surly New hub laced to a disc specific Halo rim, which was built up for a fixed MTB.

Despite saying in the description that the hub only has a fixed/free thread either side, the buyer in the US (shipped through GSP) wants to return the wheel on the basis he can’t mount a brake - and has opened a case stating that parts are missing!?

Annoyingly - (to me) this is common sense based on the images and description, and he bought without asking any questions.

Now he’s gonna have to fork out a fortune to ship it back (unsure if this is also handled by GSP) but I’m half tempted to wait and see what eBay say as I don’t feel at fault for him basically not realising this before buying.

A friend of mine had a jacket on eBay listed as an XS (extra small) and a guy purchased it and is now refusing to pay on the basis he thought it was an XL?

Sigh eBay

I would be extremely careful with this one and would say your first port of call is going to be to give ebay a call and see if they can advise you. This is exactly why I don't use the GSP!
I had a similar incident a while ago but I was the buyer (UK) and the seller was in the US. Once I'd raised the case, the onus was on the seller to provide me with a pre-paid shipping label to get the item back. The ebay system wouldn't actually allow this due to me being in a different country so the seller kept saying they would talk to ebay. Eventually after seven days with no shipping label the ebay system refunded me the price of the item (which I still had) and my postage!
The seller was seriously out of pocket; in my case they were a total dick about it so I didn't lose any sleep.
I would imagine the cost for the buyer to get a wheel back to you is going to be a fairly large chunk of the value of the item in which case the best thing would be if you can persuade them to keep it.
The GSP is a bit shit to be honest and doesn't accommodate international returns at all well.
At least if you can get ebay to shoulder some of the problem they may be able to help determine the best way to proceed.

Regarding the jacket the buyers obviously a twat but best thing is to cancel the transaction (specify reason as 'requested by buyer') relist and move on. Block the buyer also. If you still have the item there's never a good outcome trying to force a sale. Even if you got them to take the item; they could just say 'not as described' or damage it themselves, claim damage and ask you to pay for the return!!

Yeah quite frustrating, the buyer seems fine to ship it back at his expense as he has asked for a return shipping address and then he’ll obviously receive his purchase price plus the GSP charges back as a refund.

However the wheel was only £25 and probably another £25 in shipping charges, I only charged him the fee to get it to eBay (£7) so seems almost not worth the hassle for the sake of £30 when it’ll probably cost him around the same to return it.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll contact eBay and see what they say, hoping a partial refund will satisfy him to drop it and sell it on if he wants to

Will you be liable for customs charges for the return as well?

God knows, probably.

The saga deepens ...

Sold something to a serial complainer who nerged me because I refused to issue a partial refund outside of eBay. For some reason opening a request for a partial refund inside eBay was too much for them. Yeah fuck you. So few fucks given.

Anyway, I look at the feedback they've left others. See a load of negative stuff at the top about a mysterious 'glass item' being the wrong size. Click on the seller... NSFW!