EBAY, nasty sellers to avoid.

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

I searched for this threat for guidance with a current eBay transaction.

I bought a lens listed as Mint in the original box, from a seller claiming to be a photographer who purchased the lens from a famous professional photographer.

I paid a premium price thru Buy it Now.

I received the lens and realized the aperture ring was frozen. This was a preset lens, and the focusing aperture ring works, but the aperture set ring is frozen. So, no great expertise was exhibited to back up the seller's lens description. Clearly, he may have made an honest mistake, but it wasn't based on expertise.

I went to the original transaction and tried to send a message to the seller. I said I received the lens and it was a beauty, but it had a problem. I proposed that I get a repair estimate and we split the expense, as I liked the lens. As an alternate, I'd return the lens for a refund.

1st response from seller offered no apology but immediately castigated me for opening a case, which would hurt his rating, if he issued a refund. He asked me to close the case and he'd "work" with me. He lectured me on eBay etiquette.

I responded that I wasn't intending to hurt his rating, and didn't appreciate being accused of bad intentions when his item was the problem, and I had made, what I thought, was a generous solution.

I then offered to just keep the lens, repair it myself, and just rate the transaction. That's 3 suggested solutions from me - zero from the seller.

2nd response from seller, said he would work with me, as long as I remained civil.

I responded that his definition of civil was strange, as he was again attacking me. Said my offer to split repair costs, with no demand for full refund was more than civil.

To this point, seller has offered no solution - only accusations over concern for his seller's rating.

Sorry to vent, but sellers like this need to be avoided.

I'll update this with a final conclusion.

Texsport

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

Never open a case immediately. This is not a good thing to do as he may have made an honest mistake. Opening a case takes your payment back off him. No wonder he was miffed.

You don't say the name of the seller, it is useful and un-googleable in this forum so what you say is private to this community.

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

EBay opened a file automatically when I sent a message to the seller, answering the questions posed by eBay. Could be because he has some previous negative feedback. I simply went to the sale and hit the Contact The Seller button.

I did not do that intentionally, and eBay doesn't open an arbitration until the seller has a chance to respond.

BTW - a pretty serious mistake - a ring on the lens is frozen - hard to miss if you even looked.

Additionally, I have no responsibility to protect his rating when he sends out falsely advertised goods after demanding a premium price - and particularly when additionally insulted behind the barrier of anonymity offered by the internet.

Texsport

Gardener · Joined: 22 Sep 2013 Posts: 950 Location: USA

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

What lens is it? Some preset lenses have mechanisms which aren't always easy to fathom, for instance Pentacon 135.
Maybe we can help.

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

I think soon we will require a list of nasty buyers. I understand Ebay cannot deal with every case individually but there should be lower limit to extortion attempts.

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

If you want to contact the seller and avoid opening a case, view the original listing and 'ask the seller a question' or do a search for his ebay name and PM him.

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

I had the lens fixed myself. Cost was $88.85.

Dropped the case I didn't open.

Will not rate the transaction except in self defense.

Life's too short to deal with these kind of people unnecessarily!

Nearly 1,000 eBay transactions with no cases filed or a single problem until this for me. Seller has two really nasty negative reports, which I wont add to - but probably should!

Texsport

texsport · Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 53

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I had also more trouble with sellers than buyers , I purchase and sell lot of items after test. Sad to hear your story , important to keep Ebay safe to both party buyers and sellers.

caledonia84 · Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 203 Location: Glasgow

Having a bit of trouble on ebay with this seller Rubivantis http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/rubivantis?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 . A new seller with only 3 positive feedback transactions. He was selling a Helios 40 and Jupiter 9, knowing the Helios would rise out of my price range I focused on the Jupiter 9 which I won. He stated delivery would be 1st class signed for posted 1 day after payment. well 1 week later I still don't have the lens (internal uk delivery) I've contacted the seller 4 times with no reply.

the Helios sold also and I now notice he has recieved negative feedback, he has turned all feedback to private so I cant see what the other buyers issue was. Doing a bit more research the images he was using for both lenses are taken from the internet and not his own.

I still want the lens, so opened up a case due to having no comms from the seller telling him if the lens is not here by Monday I'll expect a full refund.

I suspect he'll just close this account make a new one and do this again.

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

I had exactly the same problem, same 2 or 3 rating. Same no reply and same negs piling up. Ebay refunded me no problem.

caledonia84 · Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 203 Location: Glasgow

was that recently mate? I wonder if the same person is just recycling accounts, I managed to get his name and email address from the paypal transaction, it was henri vartiainen and the delivery was from woking surrey, I cant find him anywhere online so I'm assuming a false ID?

Marek · Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 8:43 pm Post subject:

espunkt89, pretty sleazy cheater for a German, sold as used, reality was wreck, no communication, no good Ebay support whatsoever, ended up with my nasty feedback to seller, ended up robbed

I recommend to avoid the guy/madam for miles

Sent the item back before opening the case by mistake, the seller rejected the item but Ebay support claimed the tracking number is not trackable any more and recommended to re-send the item back to my sneaky dumb "business partner" once again which I couldnt fulfill because the case deadline ended before the item returned back to me

So if any of you know how to get my damn money back even after this shitty case progress, I will warmly invite a PM on this theme

H deWitt · Joined: 02 Sep 2015 Posts: 1

After all this time it seems that the above person - now trading as letmeihelpyou on eBay is still a nasty thief.

Recently he bought a camera and lens off me. I posted it off but next day realised I had sent off the wrong camera and lens, one I was going to sell next.

I made the mistake of contacting him beforehand to warn him that I had sent out the wrong one and asked politely if he would send it back to me and I would of course re-imburse or pay up front for the postage etc.

He told me in no uncertain terms that I was stupid, illiterate and a con man and accused me of giving him an incorrect tracking number because there was no information on it??? It hadn't even been yet delivered !!! All this just for me being honest with the person.

Anyway, after this disgusting reply, I stood my ground and told him that as per eBay rules, he would now have to receive the package and take out an incorrect item received case against me, send the wrong one back and I would refund him.

WELL - what he actually did was, managed to get the camera I had sent him, keep it - and then take out an item not received case against me!!! Of course Paypal refunded his money. So now he gets twice what he originally bargained for. Somehow he managed to get the parcel without signing for it. Royal Mail are investigating but I don't hold out much hope.

I would urge you all not to do business with this person. He is arrogant, rude, unfeeling and downright positively evil with no moral scruples whatsoever. He will do absolutely anything to make quick buck. And to put it mildly, he can't even understand basic English and actually accused me of being racist! Same old.

Knock knock!
Who's there?
It's me Darius Gollypour

Marek · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 2:46 pm Post subject:

surfcity25

Based in Germany.

Has feedback around 100% after hundreds of deals but absolutely lacks customer support if anything happens. Packs heavy items like an idiot.

This seller is like an overgrown child, not having a clue what selling responsibilities are.

Sells many lenses, definitely NOT recommended. And communication with him sucks.

themoleman342 · Expire: 2013-01-24

Had an interesting interaction with "photosniper" from ebay.

They stole a picture I posted here on mflenses taken with a Jupiter 11A and Sony a850 for the "samples" section in their Jupiter 11 listing. Not even the same lens Rolling Eyes

I asked them to remove it and they responded by demanding proof that it was mine (asking me to send the RAW to their email...yeah, right) and asking why they should? I basically said if they had asked my permission beforehand and credited me I would have no issue with them using it but since they had done neither I would like it taken down. Again they demanded proof and said they didn't steal it, they downloaded it from "yandex" which is just a Russian search engine so it doesn't really absolve them. I felt it was unreasonable to need to prove it's my work to them but I would happily prove it to VeRo. Why would I really care otherwise? So I said that and they called me a "crazy man" and that "yo[u] need to go to doctor." A little time past and they said they removed my picture and asked if I'm satisfied. I thanked them and said, that's all I wanted from the beginning. I guess I should have checked cause they didn't remove it at all. That was just a lie.

I finally called ebay. VeRO is garbage. They do nothing. Ebay was more interested in the crazy man comment (which honestly, who cares?) but I let that happen. I doubt they'll get more than a message about inappropriate communications though.

The seller uses a lot of sample images in their listings. I have to assume a lot of them are being used without the photographer's consent. Anyways, I would probably avoid them. And if you recognize any of the sample photos they're using I encourage you to contact the original photographer.

rjm007 · Joined: 01 Nov 2015 Posts: 5

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

Marek · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 8:20 pm Post subject:

I just updated my blacklist full of various fucks from all corners of the world. Thanks guys Like 1 small

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

I have bought an item (which I really need) from a seller in the UK - actually I think he is in HongKong - but in the item description he states that he sends from the UK. Old trick, I know. But since he is the only one who sells that item on EBAY, I didn't have another choice.

I ordered and paid on Nov 25 (paypal). In the description he promised to deliver until Dec 2.
Two days before deadline he apologized for the delay and guranteed that it will be with me on Dec 9.

His tracking number for Royal Mail doesn't work.

The item still hasn't arrived yet. (Dec 11)

Three days ago he blamed everything on Royal Mail and asked if I wanted a refund (well, at least an offer!) or another copy.

Since I need the item, I asked for another copy and if he could send in in some kind of express way.

So far he only agreed to send another copy, but I do not have a new tracking number yet.

I do not (yet) publish the name here, because I still want to wait if the "second" attempt turns out to be fine.

If the 2nd item doesn't arrive either, he will receive a bad feedback and I will publish my experiences with him online, including a warning here!

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong