Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[noob in 89]

You should absolutely report him to eBay.

As soon as they get back?

 

[carreragt7]

Do you guys have any tricks to get eBay/PayPal to stop messing with your account via holds?

I’m a rather small time hobbyist level seller, but it’s ridiculous how much they nanny my account. I had an international item never reach its destination (only worth $150 including the shipping) so I refunded the guy when he opened the claim, wasn’t worth my time to fight it and can’t find the shipping paperwork. I need to get better at storing intl tracking info.

Then I had that asshat who forced a not authentic claim on those Oakley’s.

Since then, I’ve only sold 3 items, and all 3 transactions have had holds placed on them. Two of the three were delivered and I had to chat with PayPal to get the holds released. Both Transactions amounted to about a grand, same buyer. The third transaction ($550) PayPal claims eBay had a hold on but eBay states my account is in good standing with no holds.

It’s been a 3 day long drawn-out chat with PayPal at this point and I’m just tired of the runaround. I’ve requested a supervisor multiple times but it appears they haven’t figured out how or don’t care to get me a supervisor...

Not big ticket/High fraud categories as far as I’m aware (exotic boots and the current hold is on a bicycle). My account on eBay is above average. Both accounts have been opened for about 20 years.

Thoughts?

 

[jts287]

Do you guys have any tricks to get eBay/PayPal to stop messing with your account via holds?

I’m a rather small time hobbyist level seller, but it’s ridiculous how much they nanny my account. I had an international item never reach its destination (only worth $150 including the shipping) so I refunded the guy when he opened the claim, wasn’t worth my time to fight it and can’t find the shipping paperwork. I need to get better at storing intl tracking info.

Then I had that asshat who forced a not authentic claim on those Oakley’s.

Since then, I’ve only sold 3 items, and all 3 transactions have had holds placed on them. Two of the three were delivered and I had to chat with PayPal to get the holds released. Both Transactions amounted to about a grand, same buyer. The third transaction ($550) PayPal claims eBay had a hold on but eBay states my account is in good standing with no holds.

It’s been a 3 day long drawn-out chat with PayPal at this point and I’m just tired of the runaround. I’ve requested a supervisor multiple times but it appears they haven’t figured out how or don’t care to get me a supervisor...

Not big ticket/High fraud categories as far as I’m aware (exotic boots and the current hold is on a bicycle). My account on eBay is above average. Both accounts have been opened for about 20 years.

Thoughts?

This'll be in no way helpful, but the same thing happened to me 2 yrs ago. I've had my account since 2003, and had been selling irregularly since then; generally video games I'd finished.

Sold ten or so, and payments were held up on each, and had messages not to ship until the payments were released, which led me to believe the issue was with the buyers, rather than me. Fast forward a few days later, 3-5 hours worth of phone calls and chats with both eBay and PayPal (as each blamed the other) and I ended up shipping, then refunding (and profusely apologizing to the buyers), then cancelling my PayPal account.

My opinion was/is that neither corporation cares much about small sellers, and I couldn't think of a reason I needed PayPal, since I could switch my payment method to cc and be more protected anyway, and that I'd never sell on the platform again.

My guess for you (and me)? eBay, PayPal (or both) is protecting itself against any chance of fraud, and don't really care about you or your buyers.

 

[Betta]

So I've slowly started to learn about ebay purchases and SF for suits and jackets. As a noob. These prices look highly inflated with an amazing discount:
https://www.styleforum.net/buyandsell/3875-d’avenza-jacket.21395/ from $3875 to $409.

And on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-2995-D...:FBEAAOSwmo5ZpOHU:sc:USPSPriority!97008!US!-1



How does this go from $2995 to $221. its almost to good to be true? Is there anyway to know they are not rip-offs? or what other precautions should be considered?

 

[SomethingsFishy]

Some people!

Them: "I can't afford your full asking price on this suit, are you willing to discount to X?"
Me: "Sure, I'll give you a deal"
Them: "I want these shoes as well, will you significantly discount them, provide free shipping and free returns?"

God damn it, I thought you can't afford the suit, now you magically have money for shoes? Times are tough for you, so you want me to eat a huge discount, shipping, and almost a guaranteed return? Piss off

By extension, this is why I've started insta-blocking anyone who messages me asking for my "best price" on items. All of my listings are OBO, so anyone skipping over the Best Offer function is either incapable of reading, dumb, or think they're more important than everyone else. Customers who haggle in bizarre, entitled manners tend to be extremely problematic even after items are shipped to them.

Even limited English comprehension doesn't grant buyers a pass here. Anyone who knows that they don't have an especially good understanding of the language an item description is written in should already know that they need to make an extra effort to understand their transactions.

(And generally, they do. As I've mentioned, my international customers tend to be *far* better than domestics!)

 

[madeinbogota]

So I've slowly started to learn about ebay purchases and SF for suits and jackets. As a noob. These prices look highly inflated with an amazing discount:
https://www.styleforum.net/buyandsell/3875-d’avenza-jacket.21395/ from $3875 to $409.

And on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-2995-D...:FBEAAOSwmo5ZpOHU:sc:USPSPriority!97008!US!-1



How does this go from $2995 to $221. its almost to good to be true? Is there anyway to know they are not rip-offs? or what other precautions should be considered?

It's all about demand. You can be the highest-quality menswear brand in the world, but if no one knows it, J Crew Ludlow suits will still sell for better prices than your stuff. D'avenza is respected in menswear circles but definitely not a coveted brand by people outside of the SF bubble. Thus, it won't command a price near the more well-known brands of similar quality.

 

[kbadgley84]

It’s a striped orphan

 

[madeinbogota]

It’s a striped orphan

Didn't even see that part ?‍♂️ about as uncoveted as you can get, unless you're selling to rockstars.

 

[drlivingston]

It's all about demand. You can be the highest-quality menswear brand in the world, but if no one knows it, J Crew Ludlow suits will still sell for better prices than your stuff. D'avenza is respected in menswear circles but definitely not a coveted brand by people outside of the SF bubble. Thus, it won't command a price near the more well-known brands of similar quality.

The bottom fell out of the Ludlow market (thanks TJMaxx).

 

[goatamous II]

So I've slowly started to learn about ebay purchases and SF for suits and jackets. As a noob. These prices look highly inflated with an amazing discount:
https://www.styleforum.net/buyandsell/3875-d’avenza-jacket.21395/ from $3875 to $409.

And on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-2995-D...:FBEAAOSwmo5ZpOHU:sc:USPSPriority!97008!US!-1



How does this go from $2995 to $221. its almost to good to be true? Is there anyway to know they are not rip-offs? or what other precautions should be considered?

Adding that my last two d'avenza suits were sold for under $200 CAD (albeit not NWT). My last one has been sitting for a while
Some brands, while gorgeous with incredible construction, don't have the resell value

 

[Steve Smith]

I don't want to make light of what we do, but the majority of the things we sell are not exactly essentials. If times are tough, buying a suit from a luxury brand isn't something one would do. Don't give me a story of tough times, while trying to buy luxury. If I was selling groceries and you mention hard times, I'd be far more willing to work with you.

Exactly. Last week a buyer asked for a huge discount because her money is tight, COVID listed as the reason. My thought is that if money is so tight she shouldn't be buying Thom Browne.

I didn't respond to the message.

 

[noob in 89]

Didn't even see that part ?‍♂️ about as uncoveted as you can get, unless you're selling to rockstars.

Haha. I was going to say Steven Tyler used to wear striped orphan jackets over his rock star clothes, and as early as ten years ago, I remember actors doing this as well. I always wondered if was the work of a stylist or — since they’re mega rich — they just have a wad of million dollar suits laying around that they really do just throw on over a hoodie for that bagel run because they think it looks cool.

 

[Betta]

Didn't even see that part ?‍♂️ about as uncoveted as you can get, unless you're selling to rockstars.

Lol the sad part is I liked the stripes, but have thanks to SF, learned thats not meant for wearing as a jacket.

 

[Betta]

Adding that my last two d'avenza suits were sold for under $200 CAD (albeit not NWT). My last one has been sitting for a while
Some brands, while gorgeous with incredible construction, don't have the resell value

Ah that is good to know! I figured it was some weird scam due to the huge discount.

 

[rhz5001]

Anyone have advice for international shipping? I have used GSP which was great, but many complaints from buyers.

I ship USPS priority and have been having crazy delays. I know it's mostly due to the virus, but the buyers keep stating they are getting other ebay items from the US sellers way faster than mine. So... USPS? Fedex? UPS? eBay international? GSP?