Why are you still selling on eBay?

Someone just asked that today.  With all the potential problems why are you selling on eBay when you can do so much better on your own website.  Im not so sure.


The other day I about this buyer breaking an item, want return money and claiming cancer. It annoys me to no end when I get these complaints, because of the 'cancer' but you can be on any platform and get these complaints.  Im sure you can relate, someone in your family has dealt with cancer and we manage to move on.  If I went around telling people I have a nerve issue in my elbows and I can not carry your item to the post office I would have been kicked off eBay a long time ago for not delivering!   I still manage and I dont go using it as an excuse, how do I know this person is telling the truth?  We had a gal in the area claim cancer and she received tons of donations for a dream wedding a few years ago. She was just convicted of fraud and has to pay back over 13K cause she lied!

As for still selling on eBay, Ive been an eBay member since 1999 and selling since 2002 selling anything that wasn't bolted to the floor.  I only recently started doing it seriously as a business, I am power seller, I have the top seller badge and all that jazz, Im at 99.7% feedback, and I know EVERY negative Ive gotten, while they do fall off after a year.   I sell on eBay cause - when you tell someone you sell online they automatically think eBay. Every time I need something I look on eBay first and then Amazon, I rarely purchase from a personal website.  With all the potential scams out there its scary to me, yes you can be scammed by someone on eBay but I believe the chances are lower then from some random website.  Not only that the number of websites selling the same product is enormous, with no reviews sometimes how can you be sure? How do you choose one website over the other? 

I sell on eBay, on Amazon, on my website AND I have a physical brick and mortar store.  I also recently opened an etsy store and I am looking for more places to sell. Ive also sold on craigslist a number of time. You have to really put yourself out there in a number of locations to get the business you really want. Imagine how much you sales could increase by adding eBay as one of your selling locations.  I sell NEW retail items at retail and stick to my prices. My sales have increased over time which is great!  I know from years of selling there are different kinds of buyers on eBay and very different kind of buyers on Amazon.  I had an Amazon buyer actually call me saying she purchased this stamp that the ink spilled all over her and she wanted me to pay her dry cleaning!  I refunded her money for the item, sent her replacement stamp AND gave her money for dry cleaning! Maybe it was a little overboard but I was a nervous wreck and just did it, thinking about it now I wonder how the heck did she get ink on her shirt? Beside the ink would never have come out anyway, but she may have tried to get me to buy her a new shirt! 

They all have their positives and negatives and we have had various experiences.  But I wouldn't stop selling on eBay or Amazon because of threats, whiny buyers and complainers, I actually blog about them! LOL. I had my sister help me write a letter to this person that I wrote about, I have also reported that buyer to eBay and he has since left positive feedback for me, so I thought that was a little strange.  I have had eBay remove feedback when a buyer makes threats and Ive heard a few. I stand my ground every time.  I have not had many cases open against me but Ive stood my ground on those too.  Sometimes eBay and Amazon have refunded a buyer to appease them but never charged me for them. I think its a shame they do that but a credit card company would do that for you if you complained about a charge. 

A few weeks ago I had this buyer come into my store and ask me for a discount of this item cause she wanted 6 and the prices varied, she also wanted them put into gift boxes.  So I gave them all to her for the same price.  She calls me about a week later to accuse me of removing some parts of the item to 'devalue' them! I was shocked to say the least.  Lucky for me I had images of the items before she purchased them since they were listed in my eBay store and I could prove she was mistaken, these 'parts' did not exist and I never did that. She backed off but it still catches you off guard. You can have all kinds of notes, return policies posted, you break it you buy it message, and people still will accuse you of all kinds of things!  I have signs that say 'smile your on camera' and things have still been stolen from me in my store.

Its retail life. 

Buyers strange cancer excuses.

Well it never fails to happen I get a complaint this week.  It say the item they have is cracked and not usable. It was Bamboo incense burner.  Very lightweight and intricate in design a beautiful piece.

The buyer first tells me its cracked so Im thinking manufacture defect right.  I ask for photos to verify, have them return it and Ill contact the vendor. Days go by and no photo in my inbox.  So I email again.  He claims to have been busy but adds if I dont refund him by Monday he will open a case. He also says again how beautiful the piece is and he put the incense stick in it when it cracked. Now it sounds like he broke it. No? Then he says I have to put $11 into his paypal account to return it!

Now I was livid because yea its just business, but now you state you broke it and you want money to return it? What the heck!

I told the buyer since it looks like he broke it you cant expect a refund and ebay states it is the responsibility of the buyer to return the item.

Surprised by the reply he says I do not go to the USPS as I have cancer! Argh now I am disgusted.  He would only ship if back UPS cause he cant stand in the post office. Then he gives me a story that has nothing to do with this issue.  Then the kicker - I dont want to be the 7th person to leave you feedback! Really?  Oh and I didnt inform him it was a fragile item!   Which I believe falls under Feedback extortion so I reported it.

When are people going to take responsibility for their actions?

Is this buyer lying? I dunno, Im not going to assume anything but am I supposed to feel sorry because you may or may no have this disease? Now I have to reply delicately but get my point across.

Do you go into a store, buy something and break it then tell the store they cant have it back and if they do they have to pay for it then demand they have to refund your money?  No? Im sure there are many dishonest people that break things and return them for the money.  But how often with online sales do people expect to keep the product and get a refund! All of them! It annoys me to no end. We will see if I will blog about this guy in the next few days with the correspondence.

If I mess up I will try and fix it.  I have paid for return shipping. I have gone above and beyond for my buyers but when you do something like that I am not helping you!