eBay's New Policies

[lonewolf]

Well, after 548 positive feedbacks without a blemish, i finally got a negative.

I sold a mint condition PRS KL1812 korina. I shipped it in a PRS factory box. The guitar played perfectly before I packed it. I loosened the strings for shipping and put packing foam under the neck as is recommended all over the web.

When he received it, he emailed that it wasn't "ready to play" out of the case, so i told him to tune the guitar. He emailed back and said that the strings were fretting, so i gave him a link to the PRS site to adjust the bridge height.

I get another email saying that didn't fix the problem, but he lived near the PRS plant and could take it over there.

I instructed him to call UPS so an inspector could appraise the "damage" and then send me a quote from the PRS shop and we could take it from there.

I got no reply.
3 days later, I emailed a reminder. No reply.
2 weeks later I emailed stating that since I hadn't heard from him, I must consider the transaction completed to his satisfaction. Still no reply.

Then, almost 2 months from the auction date, i get an email stating that he had to have the truss adjusted, but never gave me a dollar amount or even asked for a partial refund. effing DUH! Of course, he never got the UPS inspector to look at it, so filing a UPS claim was no longer an option.

I replied that I didn't know what he wanted me to do without a quote. I got no reply.

When I looked at my feedback today, I had my 1st negative. I finally found out what the truss rod adjustment cost...FROM THE COMMENT!

Unfortunately, sellers can no longer give negative feedback or even respond to a negative feedback. I gave him a positive feedback just so I could put a BEWARE warning to prospective sellers.

I have only ever given out one negative feedback in the 12 years I have been registered with eBay, but had I been able to, I definitely would have given one here.

When you have to deal with anal idiots, these policies along with their confiscatory ebay and paypal fees, it hardly seems worth it anymore.

[tornandfrayed]

Between Ebay and Payscam it seems like it was a great idea but then people got involved..

Oh well!

[Craven Sound]

Don't get me started on Paypal's "Bill Me Later", I highly recommend NOT EVER SIGNING UP! It's too easy to accidentally use, I did it twice in one month. I figured I would pay the balance off when it was due from my checking account to avoid any interest.

I signed in on the due date to pay and guess what, they have to verify your checking account and that takes TWO BUSINESS DAYS! I would think I could use my bank account since it's already linked to my Paypal account, but NO! So now, I'm late on the payment (which really pisses me off) so I'll have to pay a late fee as well as the interest accrued.

I've pretty much decided to only sell stuff that I can't sell locally (some wireless networking gear that no one around here uses) and anything that I can sell locally, I will. It's just another big company screwing over the little guy.

[ToonaRockGuy]

I only buy on EBay, but before I bid, I always email the seller and ask if they will accept a money order instead of PayPal. Never had a no to that question, lol. Just easier all around, especially when you send it via registered mail.

[bassist_25]

I don't know where you shipped this, Jeff, but anyone who purchases a guitar to be shipped through potentially different climates without realizing that the neck might shift in transit isn't ready to be touching something like a Paul Reed Smith. I feel for the Ebay sellers, because both Ebay and Paypal overprotect buyers while underprotecting sellers. My father still uses Ebay, but I honestly can't remember the last time I've bought anything off there. I just felt that it became too much of a hassle.

[lonewolf]

It was shipped to Maryland. I could have driven it there myself quicker than UPS.

I can only figure UPS was playing football with it.