Help?! Bad customer service
Summary: kimk_2013 reported an issue with a car accessory sale on eBay, where the buyer claimed the product was defective, leading eBay to freeze their account and funds. Despite assurances from an eBay customer service representative that this would be resolved, the issue persisted. perfect-sally suggested that the listing implied the part was original, which could have caused buyer confusion. samantha@ebay explained the decision was based on buyer protection policies, though the negative review was removed. kimk_2013 insisted the listing was clear and accused eBay of unfair practices.
Good day,
I’m hoping for more experiences and maybe some solutions too. The problem is as follows:
I sold a new car accessory part on eBay. This part was, as mentioned, new and in its original packaging. Since this was a private sale, of course we excluded warranty, guarantee, and returns.
Shortly after shipping, the buyer complained about the part and claimed it was cheap Chinese junk and broken. Again… it was a new part and unused. Now, after a long back-and-forth, eBay allowed the buyer to return it and froze my account and money. Of course I called eBay right away and explained the situation in detail. An Erik from customer service reassured me and said I was right. He assured me that the negative review would be deleted and the money would be released. Unfortunately, that never happened. Instead, I got my sold part back. It is also clearly and plainly visible here that the supposed defect was only an excuse from the buyer, because otherwise he would have had no chance of returning it. It’s an ignition coil that, at the factory, is greased on the spark plug connector for new parts. Naturally, that grease smears off directly after the first installation. But that is not the case here! Apparently eBay doesn’t care. Account still blocked and money gone! What options do you still have?
kimk_2013
OP1 month agoI guess I have to write in what kind of car the part is intended for… otherwise there’s no way to know…
kimk_2013
OP1 month agoAh ok. And if that’s the case…. What is the word original for then? And why do people take pictures where it’s clearly recognizable? And even more important… why would I then intentionally not specify a manufacturer in the ad or only unknown? So honestly
perfect-sally
·1 month agoThat “deliberately no manufacturer” already suggests quite a lot here!
You have to be careful that it doesn’t suddenly get interpreted as intent.
And as I said, eBay can’t verify the item and has to rely on the statements of the seller and the buyer. And since buyer protection takes priority, that’s how it was decided.
kimk_2013
OP1 month agoThat is exactly why you apparently do not understand your job or the legal situation. Please check the listing! Where does it say anything about an original part? The word does not appear in the listing. Please also check which manufacturer I specified! Please also check whether it was a new part! And please check whether I explicitly excluded returns! As is my right as a private individual! We are not talking about fraud here, and the part is also not defective as the buyer claimed! This is fraud by eBay!
samantha@ebay
·1 month agoHello @kimk_2013
The way it is, we are rejecting the objection and you can file a complaint against the buyer through the platform. This complaint does not change the fact that we will refund the buyer's purchase price if this does not happen on his side. It's simply about putting the buyer in his place appropriately if he keeps coming up repeatedly.
The buyer has reported a problem and we have to follow up on that in accordance with buyer protection. The item is back with you and you can offer it for sale again after you have clarified whether it is an original part.
I was able to remove the rating, as it is inappropriate.
Thanks for your tag @perfect-sally
Best regards
Samantha
kimk_2013
OP1 month agoSo I also declared it as an accessory part and not as an original. Of course, no manufacturer was stated either. I declared everything 100% honestly and openly in the listing. I think it’s outrageous why you’d then be rated like this and in this case! And then even be cheated as a seller. I got the supposedly defective part back. I’d be happy to send pictures here of the UNsmudged mentioned paste or spark plug grease. This part was never installed by the buyer and is definitely fine! Money gone, account blocked, and all that despite a private sale. And again…. a NEW part… what are the odds that a new part is actually defective at all. Especially since this was installed again by the buyer. He probably didn’t read the listing properly and was annoyed that he accidentally bought it and that it is not an original Mercedes Benz part
perfect-sally
·1 month agoYou’re lucky if the rating does get removed / was removed, but I took a look at your ad and in the headline you suggest "Ignition coil for Mercedes Benz AMG"
that it may be an original part. Some buyers will think that too, and it wasn’t clearly and plainly stated whether it is actually original or not.
In the item description, you’d need to say more and not just "never installed" and then immediately follow it with your supposedly valid legal texts.
perfect-sally
·1 month agoFirst off, the phone jokers are quite happy to tell people what they want to hear.
Ebay doesn’t know the condition and can’t check whether it’s actually a counterfeit product.
And if someone knows their stuff, they don’t have to install the part first to see that it isn’t original.
I suspect the rating won’t be deleted, but I’ll pass it on to an Ebay employee. She’ll get back to you here. And if you didn’t refund voluntarily, then Ebay also gave the account a defect. But I don’t understand why the account should be blocked.
@samantha@ebay could you take a look at this please? Many thanks