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Modeling in General: Advice on...
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Help!!!!! I got took on eBay!!!!!
RottenFuhrer
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Texas, United States
Member Since: February 02, 2005
entire network: 284 Posts
KitMaker Network: 80 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 10:55 AM UTC
What I thought I was buying was Tamiya Challenger 2 from a guy in Hong Kong. He sent me an invoice through their system and Paypal and I paid him promptly. Now it says that his User ID is invalid and all of the original "automated" emails he sent me contain programming "crap" or machine language jibberish. When I clik on My eBay that purchase shows not only did he change his User ID but the new one is Invalid as well!! I can't find a Phone no. for eBay to report this and this guy still has stuff listed on their site!! I try to use the automated complaint systems that ebay has but none of them work because they say the item no. and User ID's are all invalid. What to do guys??
thedutchie
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Ontario, Canada
Member Since: February 01, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 11:14 AM UTC
I know the feeling of being rooked on Ebay. I got hosed for $500 CAD. Contact Ebay using any email that you can find. Contact Paypal. They guarentee all payments made through them.

Good luck. And if you catch the guy, give me a kick in the teeth for me too

Brian
jazza
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Singapore / 新加坡
Member Since: August 03, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 11:24 AM UTC
Yes i personally find buying models from ebayers with low or no rating dodgy and avoid them like the plague.

I always wondered why you guys dont try purchasing models from NZ sites. Our currency is weaker and you get more value for each US dollar. Im sure with shipping cost, it wouldnt be too much more after conversion.

Im not affiliated with these sites im about to mention so i dont get commission or anything but reliable online sites in NZ are:

1) http://www.acornmodels.co.nz/

2) http://www.hobbycity.co.nz/Soldat/Default.aspx

Acorn tends to be cheaper in most cases.
thedutchie
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Ontario, Canada
Member Since: February 01, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 11:54 AM UTC
Word of advice to all Ebayers... Make sure the Seller takes Paypal. If the seller takes that, it is much harder for him to screw you. Paypal guarentees their transaction plus if you use your credit card, you can always get your money back threw them. Dont ever deal with cash or money orders(I got screwed with Post Office checks)


Good luck

Brian

slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Member Since: February 22, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 12:50 PM UTC
No fun I'm sorry you go the shaft. I have a few critical things I look for in an auction - positives (the more the better a good % in recent months), US only (can't aford overseas shipping), paypal is a big bonus,
lastly - never bid more than you're willing to loose. It's a garage sale gamble never 100% sure of what you're going to get or if you're going to get it.
jazza
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Singapore / 新加坡
Member Since: August 03, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 12:54 PM UTC

Quoted Text




I have found that countries with lower or high currency adjust their prices to roughly equal what you'd pay for the same item in your country.



if i ever purchased online, i would buy a few kits to make it worth it because the shipping cost does come down overall if its spread over a few models.
wingsntreads
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Minnesota, United States
Member Since: August 09, 2005
entire network: 174 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 01:19 PM UTC
I've been a buyer and seller on eBay after getting screwd on auctions for products that I sold and finally after having a dispute with a buyer and having eBay just suspend both accounts rather than sort the problem out I will not go back. eBay dosen't care if you (buyer or seller) gets screwed . All they care for is the selling fees that they charge. I tried to get the problem resolved and got tied up in the automated system with no answer. Then they double charged me on selling fees for an acount that has not been active during the time they claim the charges were made. So I will not deal with ebay at all. There are a numbger of other auction sites that are better but they just don't have the number of people that eBay has to get a good selection.
sourkraut
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Indiana, United States
Member Since: May 11, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 01:42 PM UTC
Well, the only thing you can do is learn from it.
A few years ago I used to shop ebay quite a bit with no problem.Now it seems like there or more and more scammers useing ebay and nothing can be done about it.
I actually got to the point that I was afraid to use ebay,and now I dont use it at all.
The system just makes it too easy to create a fake account and then to change your ID at the drop of a hat.
Sabot
Member Since: December 18, 2001
entire network: 12,596 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 02:38 PM UTC
I've been on eBay since 1996-97 and haven't been taken yet. I did recently have my first problem with a seller just this month.

I had won an Eduard PE set at the end of July, paid for the item, received it and exchanged feedback with the seller. Shipping was a reasonable $2.98, although the PE set came in an envelope with 60¢ postage on it. No real problems so I assume he is a good seller (3000+ feedback).

I then see the same seller with several more sets in August. The seller combines shipping so I bid and win three PE sets totalling about $17 before shipping. Pretty good deal for three older Eduard sets.

I ask for a total including shipping. The seller sends me an invoice through eBay. The invoice includes the total for the three sets I just won plus the one set I won in July (already paid for/received it). The "combined" shipping quoted is $6.50. I think he's basing the shipping on four sets versus three so I send him a message requesting a new invoice that deducts the double charged item and a new "combined" shipping rate for three sets.

He e-mails me back stating that it "should be $2.98." I send a money order for $20 (17+3 s/h). I then get a message telling me I need to send $4 more.

I get into an arguement with him about why did he tell me $2.98 and now wants $4 more bringing the total shipping to $6.98 for 3 small PE sets. He argues that he has to buy the envelope to mail the set to me. I tell him that for under $4 he can toss the three sets into a small USPS priority mail envelope (they are free) and why does he need $7 for shipping.

I make the mistake of sending good money after bad and send the additional $4 certified mail. I have yet to receive the items, and if I don't by the end of the week, I'll post a bad seller alert all over the web. I've already told him that I will never buy from him again.
muca
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Pavia, Italy
Member Since: January 08, 2004
entire network: 88 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 10:11 PM UTC
I'm an old time Ebayer and I think I was lucky and never lost money with it.
I've more then 1700 positive feedbacks (mostly as a seller) and it just takes a little bit to learn useful tricks.
I can give you a couple of advices....
Use Paypal when possible, Paypal gives you 30 days to complain if a transaction is not ended in the right way and you will have full refund (Paypal insirance covers max $500).
Wait 29 days and then start contacting Paypal and ask refund.
Buy, when possible, always from the same selected sellers...often you can start a "friendly" relationship with better service and lower prices.
I noticed that, very often, seller with an high feebdack rate are not giving the best service...they probably have too many customers and they are having an hard time in making all of them happy.
When receiving mails from "Ebay" asking to renew or check id, password NEVER, NEVER & NEVER click on link...it's scam, it's the easiest way to get your password and id and stole your account.
Again NEVER accept a second chance offer form a different seller or an "off ebay" offer if you weren't the winning bidder on an expensive item.
Tips for sellers: never accept Western Union payments and never accept escrow services from weird escrow online company (avoid escrow web address with too many dashes in and with too freshly done web pages!)
I hope this will help a little bit!

Forgive me for my poor english



Luca - Italy
muca on ebay
LemonJello
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North Carolina, United States
Member Since: January 29, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 03:38 AM UTC
I've never used e-bay. My dad does some business through them, he'll look for OOP kits for me usually, but I've just never really had a "warm fuzzy" about them. I guess it comes down to I'd rather go to a brick and mortar store first, then hit the reputable online stores. If I can't find it there, then it's just not that big a deal, and I move on.

Still, its a raw deal to lose money when you're dealing with someone in good faith. The anonymity of the web is a good cover for scam artists and other criminals.
muca
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Pavia, Italy
Member Since: January 08, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 04:28 AM UTC
yea, true....online anonimity helps scammers, but you can still find good people out there, believe me!
I have met sellers/buyers that have become good friends and that are regularly sending me gifts for X-mas or birthday!!

I'm from Italy and, believe me, on Ebay, you can find really good deals, even now that Euro is stronger then USD, prices are much lower then italian street stores.

take care!
Luca
GSPatton
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California, United States
Member Since: September 04, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 07:12 AM UTC
If the seller has less than 100 responses and of those 99% or more are possitive, I will deal with them. The Hong Kong sellers may have low prices, but usually get you in the shorts with shipping - and then of course they are in Hong Kong and you are in your home country and the cost of plane fare being what it is there is VERY little chance of you coming after them.

Leaving bad feedback and reporting them to E-Bay is a mixed bag since the SOB can log in under a new alias - So with E-Bay it truly is cavet emptor (Let the buyer beware)
EasyOff
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Massachusetts, United States
Member Since: January 20, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 09:14 AM UTC
I just find it PATHETIC that people won't stop abusing, using, screwing, and hurting each other.
powerlogik
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Western Australia, Australia
Member Since: March 31, 2002
entire network: 216 Posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 01:06 PM UTC
I purchased a bunch of kits from Japan once. The ebay seller was quite genuine and even phone me up to have a chat and be sure we were happy with the trade. I know I can't say who he is publically but if anyone sends me a pm i'd happily pass on the info.

I did get taken for a ride from an ebayer from Malaysia once. He was selling things that he didn't have in stock. Plus his email account was full so any emails I sent were bounced back to me. I reported him to ebay and eventualy got my kits after finding out he had an online store besides his ebay store.
blaster76
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Texas, United States
Member Since: September 15, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 01:38 PM UTC
Andy:

Go through Paypal. I had problem with a guy back in June. I filed with Paypal and though it took a month, I got a full refund. No point leaving bad feedback though, the SOB will just retaliate. He's been getting bad write-ups more and more lately so the word is getting out he is selling burned copies instead of good DVD's. ONly one I've ad trouble with other than the one last year that decided after I won and paid for the item they ddn't want to sell it and didn't have the courtesy to talk to me frst. My first idication was a notice of a refund to my paypal account. Every one of my other transactions has gone perfect.
LonCray
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Virginia, United States
Member Since: August 24, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 08:24 AM UTC
Maybe I've been lucky, but I've only once had trouble on EBay - and I got my merchandise even in that instance. Keep an eye on those Feedback numbers, don't buy from folks with low (or no) Feedback, and report anything hinky to EBay.
RottenFuhrer
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Texas, United States
Member Since: February 02, 2005
entire network: 284 Posts
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Posted: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 02:58 PM UTC
Not to worry guys. With some greif I was able to get Paypal to credit my account. Thanks for all of the advice and input.
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