I've been an ebay user (both buyer and seller) for over 15 years now, but I think my buying habits are about to change.
Over the past year or so I have noticed a rise in what appear to be sellers that claim to sell items, but only so they can take your payment and float it until eBay takes action.
For example:
- Seller is offering Item for $50.00 with free shipping, buy it now only. Delivery estimate on item is about 10 days out.
- Buyer purchases Item, sends immediate Paypal payment.
- Seller waits a day or two and then provides a tracking number.
- Tracking number exists in USPS, but never actually updates with status.
- Buyer must wait until the 10th day after making purchase to request eBay intervention.
- Once eBay intervenes, seller has 6 business days to respond. And if you cross a weekend or a holiday period, this could be 8+ days.
- If seller responds at this point, they can offer a refund or I suppose they could "ship it out again" if the buyer were naive. (and the cycle would start all over)
So the time from the date of transaction to when eBay forces a refund could be around 20+ days.
My guess is that these unscrupulous sellers are using this 20 day period to possibly fund prior transactions or to do something unethical with the money.
I've bought from sellers with negative feedback before with no issues, but you'll have to check their last 12 months of negative feedback to see if any of them state that the buyer was not responsive or never shipped the item.
Just an FYI.
Over the past year or so I have noticed a rise in what appear to be sellers that claim to sell items, but only so they can take your payment and float it until eBay takes action.
For example:
- Seller is offering Item for $50.00 with free shipping, buy it now only. Delivery estimate on item is about 10 days out.
- Buyer purchases Item, sends immediate Paypal payment.
- Seller waits a day or two and then provides a tracking number.
- Tracking number exists in USPS, but never actually updates with status.
- Buyer must wait until the 10th day after making purchase to request eBay intervention.
- Once eBay intervenes, seller has 6 business days to respond. And if you cross a weekend or a holiday period, this could be 8+ days.
- If seller responds at this point, they can offer a refund or I suppose they could "ship it out again" if the buyer were naive. (and the cycle would start all over)
So the time from the date of transaction to when eBay forces a refund could be around 20+ days.
My guess is that these unscrupulous sellers are using this 20 day period to possibly fund prior transactions or to do something unethical with the money.
I've bought from sellers with negative feedback before with no issues, but you'll have to check their last 12 months of negative feedback to see if any of them state that the buyer was not responsive or never shipped the item.
Just an FYI.