EBay...never again

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Full disclosure: I ordered the wrong part. That’s on me.

Paid $85 (EBay uses PayPal) with free shipping for a new grille. Needed to return it. EBay gave me two choices: print a return label through PayPal/USPS for $33 or return it with another carrier. What? That’s a lot of money, especially since it was shipped for free. OK, I’ll submit that a return fee due to my error might be in order but at over 1/3 the price of the item...? I try UPS...they want $55 to ship my “oversized” item. Ugh...back to PayPal.

PayPal won’t print the receipt because of a problem with my account. #1, I don’t have an “account” with them (I used them as a one-off transaction) and #2, can’t figure out what the problem is so that I can fix it. Contact EBay and PayPal...neither of them helpful, just somebody with limited English reading off the company policy.

Finally, finally, figure out the problem: I need to read and confirm their changes in use policies. Register a credit card with them (didn’t want to do that) and then print off a return label...for $33. Take the box to our local post office where the counter lady chuckles. Apparently they see this all the time and do quite a brisk business with EBay returns.

Key learning points:
*Read the fine print. Down in the description it stated that the buyer pays for return shipping. I got lazy...guess I’m used to Amazon and free returns. We don’t return often but when we do, Amazon makes it extremely easy.
*Don't expect much help from EBay or PayPal. It took me the better part of the morning trying to find a solution through the help screens and I’m not even sure how I found a phone number to call. And yes, I’m from that generation that much prefers a voice to a help page.
*Although we’ve had good luck with Amazon, this episode reminds me why I much prefer local brick & mortar and why I always try to shop them first.

Rant off. YMMV...anybody else have online horror stories?

p.s. As soon as I see a credit on my credit card I’ll cancel both the EBay and PayPal “accounts”. I’m stubborn that way.

 

[roverjohn]

I sell a lot of stuff on ebay so I could regale you endlessly about bad customers that I now view as a cost of business. I'm definitely not saying you are one so please don't view this post that way.

Freight is never free even if it's listed that way or if Amazon tells you it is. Someone is paying it and that cost eventually makes it's way to the next customer one way or another. Ebay now charges the sellers their sales commission on the freight charges so you see more 'free' freight on ebay Luckily they have negotiated discounts with USPS and other to take most of the sting out.

I hear ebay is cutting ties with paypal soon and will be bringing in a new partner to handle monetary transactions so I guess we'll see...

Just out of curiosity what would your new grill have cost from a brick and mortar store?

 

[Happyjax]

I have a credit card registered with Paypal. I don't allow access to any bank accounts but by using PP instead of putting my number up every time I want to buy something I limit the number of times my card # is floating around....I guess. Anyway that was my reasoning.

I have had them for 3 or 4 years I think and have not found a fake charge or had any issue. They will charge you to send money to a friend but I rarely use that transaction.

Amazon does make returning things easier but I prefer to buy from directly from stores I know like B&H Photo, Newegg and others. Many of them accept PP so it makes it easier for me.

Sorry you had such a bad transaction. Just my thoughts on it

 

[PaulT]

I'm with Happyjax on Paypal for the same reasoning. Don't have to worry about the vendor exposing my card number, if the vendor gets hacked. Paypal is big enough to have good security and their motivation is good. Their business would crash and burn overnight if they had a security breach. Bigness isn't enough. Home Depot and Target were breached but they have a business other than transaction security and convenience.

Paul

 

[Advmoto18]

I've been using EBay since 1999 and PayPal a long time as well.

Never once had an issue.

Yes, you must read the fine print for each and every item you intend to buy or bid on.

I have never had my credit card compromised with PayPal.

But, I use 2 step authentication on each and every site that allows such and I purchase product through.

I used to have a business and shipped via FedEx. As Rover mentioned, shipping is never, ever free. A buyer/customer is paying for shipping through a price markup or through some other scheme (legal of course).

You pay a premium for product offered by Amazon, especially Prime (even after paying the membership fee). Compare Amazon prices with WalMart and many other online vendors and you might be astonished at the Amazon premium. Jeff Bezos isn't a 100+ billionaire (before divorce) because of free shipping or because he offered product at deep discounted prices. He offers the convenience of shopping from your home computer. And the peace of mind you can return unwanted product with ease. But, those elements of his business model will cost you a few bucks up front compared to other vendors.

EBay offers deeply discounted prices on many products. But you must be absolutely sure you are buying the product you desire before completing the purchase.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Valid points all. As stated, the return was due to my error and yes, the fine print did mention that return shipping was on me. I was just shocked that a less than 5# plastic grille would cost $33 to ship USPS, which is marginally better than the $55 via “Brown”. But as I stated, once I finished banging my head against the wall for not reading more thoroughly, I accepted that I would have to cough up for return shipping. My big gripe...not getting an answer on how to generate a return shipping label. Nobody and no help screen at either company could help me and I was frustrated being caught in a Catch 22. It was by luck only that I figured out the problem. That’s one of the reasons I tend to shop locally and in person first before going online. Price is always a consideration but absolutely not the only consideration. In fact, it is often the 2nd or 3rd consideration. As to what the grille would have cost at my local dealer? This wasn’t a stock item so not sure.

Glad to hear you’ve all had good luck with both companies, but I’m out. Customer service will always be #1 with me and in this case, it just didn’t happen. I’m stubborn like that. Haven’t eaten veal since the 70s and boy o’ boy, I sure do like veal.

 

[Advmoto18]

Valid points all. As stated, the return was due to my error and yes, the fine print did mention that return shipping was on me. I was just shocked that a less than 5# plastic grille would cost $33 to ship USPS, which is marginally better than the $55 via “Brown”. But as I stated, once I finished banging my head against the wall for not reading more thoroughly, I accepted that I would have to cough up for return shipping. My big gripe...not getting an answer on how to generate a return shipping label. Nobody and no help screen at either company could help me and I was frustrated being caught in a Catch 22. It was by luck only that I figured out the problem. That’s one of the reasons I tend to shop locally and in person first before going online. Price is always a consideration but absolutely not the only consideration. In fact, it is often the 2nd or 3rd consideration. As to what the grille would have cost at my local dealer? This wasn’t a stock item so not sure.

Glad to hear you’ve all had good luck with both companies, but I’m out. Customer service will always be #1 with me and in this case, it just didn’t happen. I’m stubborn like that. Haven’t eaten veal since the 70s and boy o’ boy, I sure do like veal.

Certainly nothing wrong with opting out in the future!

We vote with our dollars.

I'm huge on customer service as well. And I certainly do not hesitate to pay a premium for product when I think I might need customer service attention.

I have used EBay for farkle purchases when low pricing almost seems too good to be true. I've had about 75% success with such purchases. I buy with no intention of returning the product if it doesn't work out simply because the fine print usually states the seller will bleed you for dollars returning such. I deem those vendors/product worthy of a honest 1 star review when the product is misrepresented by words or image.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I did notice lots of bike goodies not normally available in stores. I once bought a lowering link directly from a manufacturer and probably used PayPal. I can see its value for smaller companies. My wife usually gives me a couple of days to cool off and stop seeing red.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

In the interest of fairness: received notice from both EBay and PayPal that the $87 purchase price had been credited to my card.

 

[Bill D]

I’m used to Amazon and free returns. We don’t return often but when we do, Amazon makes it extremely easy.

From what I read on Amazon, they only do free return shipping if the product they shipped you was defective or they shipped you the wrong product in error, otherwise the consumer pays return shipping to Amazon.

Have you experienced otherwise?

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Yes, I have. Super simple and accommodating. My main gripe was the lack of customer service...answers on how to generate a return label...that started my rant. All in the past and moving on.