eBay shenanigans - how would you deal with this?

[stratjakt]

Ok, I need some advice, since this is my first eBay transaction that's really pissed me off..

I bought this http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6204162363&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1, a marquee for the Donkey Kong cab I'm restoring..  So you see the description, "In good shape, some minor scatches that are hard to notice".. 

I recieved it yesterday, and not only is it scratched all to hell (useless in a cab), but it's been trimmed, about an inch off the right, and it literally looks like it was cut with a butter knife and a hammer.  It's all broken and jagged, like big chunks were chiseled off of it.

Basically, this is garbage, it's not even good enough to just hang on the wall with my other "classic" marquees.

I paid 27.76 incl shipping, expecting something in decent shape (usable).  The seller did say "look at picture closely", and now that I've told you how crappy the right side is, if you really squint, you can kind of see what I'm talking about.  It's much, much, worse in person.

So what would you folks do?  I never left a negative feedback before.

I guess I should contact the seller first and see if he'll give my my money back, I'm pretty sure he'll give me the "as-is" answer in return..

I'm steamed cuz 30 bucks could have bought me a repro, or something much much better than this..  Hell, I got a pac-man marquee for 10 bucks that was near mint..

Advice?

[paigeoliver]

Demand a complete refund, if he doesn't comply then leave negative feedback and institute a charge back.

[USSEnterprise]

If you paid via PayPal, they can help you get your money back

[the3eyedblindman]

It doesnt look to be in very bad condition from that picture, just the right side where you said it was cut.

[nostrebor]

The description is misleading. See Paige's reply for my exact advice.

[Crazy Cooter]

I just bought one that was described as "RARE TO FIND IN THIS CONDITION. TOTALLY MINT".  Guess what... I'm in the same boat.  ~ 20 scratches and a gouge.  Only mine came when I was in the hospital and now it's been too long to do anything.  I just hope it looks ok when backlit.

I'd contact the seller asap.

[Stingray]

Contact the seller first. He knew it was crap when he sent it and he's hoping you'll just eat it. Chances are that he'll give you your money back if you ask. If he doesn't then you're left with the unpleasantness of negative FB & chargebacks.

-S

[ChadTower]

Unless he bought purchase protection, Paypal won't help.  They only charge back when the item never arrives.  All the seller will have to do is provide a tracking number to prove that they sent something.

[Stingray]

Oh, well that's convinient if you happen to be very dishonest. What's to stop every scumbag on ebay from mailing an empty envelope with a tracking number?

-S

[TheOtherBob]

Seller has 100% feedback.... they might be willing to work with you.  You might have to eat the shipping....

Just be prepared that they might undeservedly neg you back if you neg them.

I always request better/higher detailed pics when the seller uses the tiny free pic that ebay gives them.  If they can't provide a better pic via email I think twice before bidding....

Good luck.... I hope things work out for you....

[RayB]

I second all the advice here EXCEPT doing a chargeback. You HAVE the item. Doing a chargeback and keeping the item would be theft, no matter how crappy the condition was.

So contact him. Don't take "the listing said to look at the photo closely" excuses. That's a completely BS tactic. I see sellers do that, then provide a small blurry photo. It's dishonest.

[ChadTower]

Oh, well that's convinient if you happen to be very dishonest. What's to stop every scumbag on ebay from mailing an empty envelope with a tracking number?

Nothing.  It is also not Paypal's responsibility to police the transactions that occur via its service.  It is a money transfer service and nothing else.  I'm surprised they try to police it at all.

[Stingray]

Well they are owned by ebay now aren't they? One would think that they would have at least a marginal interest in seeing that ebay buyers don't get screwed over.

-S

[ChadTower]

Why is it Ebay's responsibility? 

[Stingray]

Because I said so.

-S

[ChadTower]

Needy.

[Stingray]

Can you spare a quarter?

-S

[stratjakt]

The guy was cool about it, gave me a refund, I sent back the marquee.

This was just my first crap eBay deal.  Well, ok, my first buy (before I knew about the S&H scams everyone seems to run) I payed 10 bucks to ship and handle a TG16 hucard I bought for 75 cents..  It arrived in an envelope with a regular 35 cent stamp.

I like to think the seller "handled" the hell out of it.  I imagine him juggling it and balancing it on his head and spinning it on his fingers and behind-the-back harlem globetrotter style.

So I learned to always check the s&h policy before bidding.  Frankly, 75 cents was about 74.9 cents more than Keith Courage is worth, but I needed any old hucard to test that part of my TurboDuo.