eBay, Not Allowed to Inspect Items Prior to Buying?

LAdosHouse on 25/10/2017 - 18:04
Last edited 25/10/2017 - 19:21 by 1 other user

So I'm selling a fridge on eBay, today someone sent me an eBay message asking me if they could inspect it. I thought that was very fair for a large appliance so I sent them a reply message with my available times. Got a reply saying tomorrow afternoon is great can I please have the address. So I tried to reply with the address and a phone number so they can let me know when they are on their way, and so I can let them in (its in a storage facility). Next thing I am banned from sending messages for 7 days.

So I call up eBay and ask what the hell, apparently you are not allowed to send phone numbers OR addresses until the item has been purchased. That is for every category except cars. From what I understand the eBay rep was saying, this is a relatively new practice. I knew the phone numbers has been around, but no addresses?

So can't inspect an expensive computer, furniture, whitegoods, or anything. How stupid is that? I've just started buying from Facebook Marketplace, and that free as opposed to eBay's stupid 10-11% cut.

Another separate rant, is for the month of September I had a "promo", list 40 items with no insertion fees, and halfway through September I got another promo for 10 listings with no insertion or Final Value Fees. So I waited for the first promo to end at the end of September, and listed a few expensive appliances and stuff at the start or October so I wouldn't have to pay the expensive fees. Just after I listed them I noticed that eBay had automatically given me a new promo which was the same as the September 40 free insertions, but just for October, and all of my new listing had been placed in that promo. There was no way for me to use the 10 free listing promo. WTF.

Rant over, discuss.

General Discussion

Comments

  • dcep on 25/10/2017 - 18:08
    +6

    not about inspecting, real reason is ebay don't want you to bypass ebay FVF

    • AdosHouse on 25/10/2017 - 19:13

      I understand the reason, but for large or expensive second-hand items I would want to inspect it first.

      • BertieBrown on 26/10/2017 - 16:04

        I agree with you, I think though eBay would come back and suggest that their seller/buyer protection policies make that unnecessary. Ultimately though if you know a little about something like a fridge then you could potentially have a look at it and know that it's going to die in the soonish future, which might not be visible in photos but more visible in person. I mean, you don't get any warranties with eBay stuff. I definitely agree with phunkydude's assessment that it's to stop people from just selling their gear privately and avoiding eBay fees and charges.

  • Quantumcat on 25/10/2017 - 18:16

    Post the same item on Gumtree and ask the buyer to message you through there

    • AdosHouse on 25/10/2017 - 19:14

      Can't contact the buyer at all. It's a random username, and also I am banned from sending ANY messages in eBay for 7 days now, unless its for an item that has sold.

      • Quantumcat on 26/10/2017 - 01:16

        That’s a very annoying punishment, oh well, maybe for next time (I don't imagine you sell fridges all that often though so not so useful for you).

  • AdamFury on 25/10/2017 - 18:16

    Yep. Phunkydude is right.

    I sold a few items on eBay recently and their final value fees are ridiculous.

    Long story short. Share or get a phone number and what you do then is none of eBay's business.

  • altomic on 25/10/2017 - 18:56

    be creative providing your phone number - use capital "o" and "i" and "s" for 0,1,5 —etc

    or spell it out for the potential buyer - zero, four, six, eight, etc.

    and then talk by text

    stupid ebay is stupid.

    • AdosHouse on 25/10/2017 - 19:16
      +1

      Problem is, if you get caught, they close your account. Which doesn't sound like a bad idea these days.

      Hurry up Amazon. Also I hope Facebook Marketplace really takes off.

      • MorriJ on 25/10/2017 - 21:17
        +7

        Just send another photo of the item with your number in it. That's what everyone seems to do. Ensure the phone number is in the photo and not digitally added.

        EG: Selling desk, hold sign with your mobile number on it in front of the item, take photo, send to person.

        Doesnt help now you are comms restricted for 7 days though.

    • CheapskateQueen on 25/10/2017 - 23:50

      Ive tried spelling out my phone number and it still picked it up and blocked me for 7 days.

      Their system is very sensitive now.

      In prior times i could try email addresses with a bunch of combinations "name88 …at…h00ttmmmaailll". The message would be stopped a few times but eventually it would get thru.

      Now, at least when i tried the phone number, first strike got me 7 day ban

    • AdosHouse on 25/10/2017 - 23:22
      +1

      The thing is, I made NO offer to sell outside eBay. eBay has limited my account on the POSSIBILITY that I MIGHT sell outside eBay. How is that fair? If I had used eBay messages to actually sell outside eBay, than I can understand, but not just guessing I might.

  • Diji1 on 25/10/2017 - 19:34

    It allows scammer to operate easily.

    And indeed they're everywhere on high value items. I keep an eye on computer parts. Just check the sold listings and all the too good to be true prices are scams (identified by 0 scores or negative feedback - some of the low positives rating users are likely scammers as well).

  • Mattycee on 25/10/2017 - 20:22
    +3

    Write the number down and take a photo of it, then attach the photo to the message. Should get through that way.

    The filter is far too broad, I was looking at a Nokia 6 for my Mum and needed to check what model number it was, as many don't list it and I wanted to get the International Model and not the Chinese one. It blocked me asking if it was TA-1000 or TA-1003!

  • foxmulder on 25/10/2017 - 20:54

    Similar recent case happen to this eBay US seller on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZkqX7Ji1hw&feature=em-uploa…

    Apparently your active products are still avaiable for sale, but you can't create new listings.

  • msmhw on 26/10/2017 - 01:18
    +1

    it happened to me 2 months ago over $3 item, they suspended my account (~3 years old store account) and deleted all my listings. Some of them were on the first page of the search. Now I am starting and I don't think I will continue with eBay anymore. Bad service and they don't really care about the seller as much as the buyer. Even if they made a mistake on the bills it will take ages to get your money back.

  • andy2 on 26/10/2017 - 15:15

    Hey OP, if are listed within the promo period and you are charge regardless of the listing under the new 40 lisiting or the promo, u can msg them to get final fee back. Again from experience

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