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Just Got Ripped Off on eBay
- Thread starter D Bopp
- Start date
Hope it all works out for you.
I typically buy higher dollar items from ebay sellers if they are in the local area AND I can see the item before bidding. I have bought several basses and even a 69 Impala from ebay sellers without issue by doing this. I have met sellers at their home, fast food parking lots, Wal-mart, etc.
The only issue that I encountered doing this is that when meeting a seller to checkout the bass, sometimes they will offer to cancel the auction and sell the instrument to you outside of ebay to avoid shipping hastles, paypal fees, etc.
I typically buy higher dollar items from ebay sellers if they are in the local area AND I can see the item before bidding. I have bought several basses and even a 69 Impala from ebay sellers without issue by doing this. I have met sellers at their home, fast food parking lots, Wal-mart, etc.
The only issue that I encountered doing this is that when meeting a seller to checkout the bass, sometimes they will offer to cancel the auction and sell the instrument to you outside of ebay to avoid shipping hastles, paypal fees, etc.
Ok, the seller has been in contact with me. He said he is very sorry for the mess up. He bought the bass from a place called Dave's Guitars. He said he can send me the receipt if I want.
He should be refunding me the $600 shortly. I believe him and think he's probably just an older guy that plays every now and then. The Custom Shop logo does look pretty real so I could see how he thought it was if he didn't know Custom Shops were only made in the USA.
I gave him the serial number and he called Fender to verify that it was in fact a CIJ Fender. So all is good here. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. And if you want I can still put up some pics of the bass.
I'll probably be selling it soon anyways because I don't really need it.
Thanks
He should be refunding me the $600 shortly. I believe him and think he's probably just an older guy that plays every now and then. The Custom Shop logo does look pretty real so I could see how he thought it was if he didn't know Custom Shops were only made in the USA.
I gave him the serial number and he called Fender to verify that it was in fact a CIJ Fender. So all is good here. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. And if you want I can still put up some pics of the bass.
I'll probably be selling it soon anyways because I don't really need it.
Thanks
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
Quad, I'll see you a 95% and raise you a nickel! I sold a Fender Jazz V to some tool on eBay (1823Keith, to be specific), and he musta decided to get something else during the shipping process, because when he got it, he said it was unplayable, despite me having had it set up two weeks before by a Fender tech to Fender spec. I had paperwork to prove it. He said it buzzed and was "out-of-tune". When I explained to him that I de-tuned it a step for shipping (like you're supposed to), he said "f/u, I want my money back!" I told him the bass was tip-top and that the auction clearly stated "no returns accepted".
Next, he came at me with the "significantly not as described", but never told me (or PayPal) how the bass differed from the description/photos. I told him if he wanted to file a dispute, he was welcome to, knowing I was in the right. Well, he did just that and without so much as requesting an email chain of correspondence between us, they ordered me to refund his money. Actually, they just pulled the dough out of my account and told him all he had to do was return the bass. When I got it back, it looked as if he hadn't even unpacked it, as all my bubble wrap was still intact. I took it back to my Fender tech, and he said it looked like it hadn't been touched since he set it up.
Long story short...you can buy anything on eBay and pay with PayPal, you can check it out for 10 days, then tell the seller you want your money and you get it back and you get your money back. So rest easy...your cabbage is on it's way back...
Boy, this has been quite a lesson in paranoia!
This is why you should never post about an active dispute before you give it half a chance to get resolved. Look at you people! Ready to cut this guy's head off before you even informed him of the problem! He's obviously a nice guy who made a mistake, yet some of you were calling him a con artist and were ready to call the cops on him. Sheesh!
OK, EVERYBODY JUST CALM DOWN!!!
D, had you threatened me with filing a dispute in your initial complaint as you did with this guy, I wouldn't have moved nearly as quick as this guy did to resolve your issue. And had I found out that you posted about it on Talkbass before you contacted me, I would have been hopping mad about it and sent you a very nasty reply, maybe even a phone call if I had your number. I would also have looked it over very carefully for signs of libel and taken action as appropriate. You don't do stuff like that if you're looking for a civil resolution when you have a dispute. Very bad form, dude.
Here's a news flash for everyone...people make mistakes. I have, you have, everyone has. Yet so many people in this thread were really quick to call him a crook. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't...but the quick resolution kind of indicates to me that he isn't. But you didn't even give the guy a chance to prove what he is. Not everyone on Ebay is looking to rip people off. You have to keep your guard up and definitely don't let yourself get bullied into getting ripped off, but you should always give people a chance to do the right thing before you start rebel rousing on a huge website like Talkbass. This was just handled completely wrong all around. Definitely not humanity's finest hour.
This is why you should never post about an active dispute before you give it half a chance to get resolved. Look at you people! Ready to cut this guy's head off before you even informed him of the problem! He's obviously a nice guy who made a mistake, yet some of you were calling him a con artist and were ready to call the cops on him. Sheesh!
OK, EVERYBODY JUST CALM DOWN!!!
D, had you threatened me with filing a dispute in your initial complaint as you did with this guy, I wouldn't have moved nearly as quick as this guy did to resolve your issue. And had I found out that you posted about it on Talkbass before you contacted me, I would have been hopping mad about it and sent you a very nasty reply, maybe even a phone call if I had your number. I would also have looked it over very carefully for signs of libel and taken action as appropriate. You don't do stuff like that if you're looking for a civil resolution when you have a dispute. Very bad form, dude.
Here's a news flash for everyone...people make mistakes. I have, you have, everyone has. Yet so many people in this thread were really quick to call him a crook. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't...but the quick resolution kind of indicates to me that he isn't. But you didn't even give the guy a chance to prove what he is. Not everyone on Ebay is looking to rip people off. You have to keep your guard up and definitely don't let yourself get bullied into getting ripped off, but you should always give people a chance to do the right thing before you start rebel rousing on a huge website like Talkbass. This was just handled completely wrong all around. Definitely not humanity's finest hour.
JimmyM, seems like you are getting more worked up over the people on this thread then we were over the situation.
I can see Jimmy's point, and I think he's generally correct. OTOH is ALSO bad form to make such an obvious mistake when selling something, when the result is measured in hundreds of dollars. A tiny, tiny amount of extra homework on the seller's part would have avoided this whole mess.
Anyway maybe it's time to change the title of the thread to 'I was sold an incorrect item on Ebay.'
Anyway maybe it's time to change the title of the thread to 'I was sold an incorrect item on Ebay.'
I'd say you nailed it, Jim. I can't imagine how miserable it must be to go through life thinking the world is out to "rip you off".
I love how this thread will end up. The first four pages are suggestions and discussion on how to handle a situation. The next four pages will be on how d Bopp and everyone else jumped down this poor innocent guys throat and how to morally handle the situation.
Look. I never attacked the guy verbally. I explained the situation and let him know that he needs to take the bass back, or I will take further action.
I have tippy toed around with too many Ebay people and the situation always gets strung out. I just got to the point and we reached a conclusion pretty quick.
In the meantime, I'm sure a lot of people on TB have had similar situations and want to hear other peoples stories.
So jimmyb, if you sell me a counterfeit bass, which I know you wouldn't, you bet I would start a TB thread. It doesn't matter if you would get upset at me because in the real world, a person is guilty until proven innocent. That's just how it is. Now message boards go viral and it looks like a much bigger deal than it actually is.
Look. I never attacked the guy verbally. I explained the situation and let him know that he needs to take the bass back, or I will take further action.
I have tippy toed around with too many Ebay people and the situation always gets strung out. I just got to the point and we reached a conclusion pretty quick.
In the meantime, I'm sure a lot of people on TB have had similar situations and want to hear other peoples stories.
So jimmyb, if you sell me a counterfeit bass, which I know you wouldn't, you bet I would start a TB thread. It doesn't matter if you would get upset at me because in the real world, a person is guilty until proven innocent. That's just how it is. Now message boards go viral and it looks like a much bigger deal than it actually is.
I've seen guitars labeled incorrectly right in the store - if one isn't careful or doesn't know what they want, its pretty easy to buy the wrong thing. Caveat emptor applies to the seller's original purchase too. There's a "brand new" MIA jazz on the wall of my local store that when checked, is actually a 2005 model. It is brand new though, as its never been sold before, but the sales dork was clear that he'd just recently taken it out of the box and hung it up...
I can't see any problems with how d bopp handled it. I can see where a few people in the thread jumped the gun... and I think the reason is that word 'ebay' otherwise known as evilbay. Their is a lot of distrust on ebay nowadays and that just brought up emotional responses from people that had been affected by the distrust. I have made mistakes on ebay and took stuff back (though not in a long while.) I am almost sure I took something back on talkbass too but I can't remember. Everybody makes mistakes, and if it is shown without a reasonable doubt to me, I will be more than fair to correct it. There still are some sellers on ebay that are like this... you never know what's on the other end until you get a few responses. DBopp did a great job of balancing tactfulness and assertiveness... this is not just an ebay skill but a life skill. Hope you like the bass DBopp.
As for me I try to be as discriminating as possible on ebay because of the distrust. I can only do so much (both as a buyer and seller) but I do my best. Personally I won't sell much on ebay anymore (especially without trying here first) because for the amount of fees they charge they don't offer enough protection. This is all just personal opinion but if they want to protect the buyer so much then the buyer should pay the fees, or atleast some of the fees. For all of you non tb subscribers, it's really worth the $20/ year to be on here!
As for me I try to be as discriminating as possible on ebay because of the distrust. I can only do so much (both as a buyer and seller) but I do my best. Personally I won't sell much on ebay anymore (especially without trying here first) because for the amount of fees they charge they don't offer enough protection. This is all just personal opinion but if they want to protect the buyer so much then the buyer should pay the fees, or atleast some of the fees. For all of you non tb subscribers, it's really worth the $20/ year to be on here!
Looks like we've reached the peak of the thread. I'm closing it. PM me if you want to discuss anything further.
