# eBay problem...what should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225 "2006-01-23T06:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/21 "2006-02-03T02:24:06Z")
You may still be able to save your feedback by offering him a refund and mutually withdrawing the bad feedback. Probably worth the lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/22 "2006-03-18T04:57:30Z")
Just as a follow-up to this in case people are interested to see how this turned out… For quite some weeks, nothing had occurred after the buyer left me negative feedback. The USPS was not able to do anything because the package was not insured. I had actually forgotten about the whole thing until last week, when I got home from work, I noticed a rather crumpled package at my door. Hmm, I thought, I didn’t order anything recently. I then realized it was the missing package finally sent back to me by the USPS! After more than two months in transit! :mad: Anyways, I immediately contacted the buyer and re-sent the package back to him (this time with Delivery Confirmation ;)). He received the package, and we both withdrew our feedback, so my feedback rating is back to 100%. 🙂 Silly Post Office. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/23 "2006-03-18T05:36:53Z")
> [@habs](#): > > Just as a follow-up to this in case people are interested to see how this turned out… > > For quite some weeks, nothing had occurred after the buyer left me negative feedback. The USPS was not able to do anything because the package was not insured. I had actually forgotten about the whole thing until last week, when I got home from work, I noticed a rather crumpled package at my door. Hmm, I thought, I didn’t order anything recently. I then realized it was the missing package finally sent back to me by the USPS! After more than two months in transit! :mad: Anyways, I immediately contacted the buyer and re-sent the package back to him (this time with Delivery Confirmation ;)). He received the package, and we both withdrew our feedback, so my feedback rating is back to 100%. 🙂 > > Silly Post Office. :rolleyes: A happy ending!!! 🙂 Just remember: Delivery Confirmation is your friend!! (So is buying insurance…you can make it required on your listings, which I always do if it’s something over $20.00) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/24 "2006-03-18T14:21:48Z")
Buy your postage through Paypal and delivery confirmation is 14¢. Include a package sent by first class mail or priority delivery and the post office will pick up all packages from your home for free, you schedule the pickup online at [USPS.com](http://USPS.com). I ship out 8 to 10 packages a week and rarely have to visit my local post office. My customers like the delivery confirmation, many have commented about it in their feedback. Paypal sends the buyer the link so they can track their package. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/25 "2006-03-18T15:54:29Z")
Even delivery confirmation has limitations, because “delivery” could mean something like “left on the doorstep”. I tried to track down an envelope sent to a P.O. Box, and the USPS person I talked to said that they just scan it when it comes in–and that is considered “delivered”, whether or not the addressee even picks it up. You’d have to get signature confirmation or a return receipt if you really need proof that someone at the other end actually got the item. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/26 "2006-03-18T17:32:12Z")
That is hilarious. It sort of restores some of my faith in people–I would have assumed the buyer was trying to pull something. I am glad it all worked out it the end. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/27 "2006-03-18T18:12:16Z")
**Habs** , the same thing happened to me, but I was the buyer. A full two months after the packet was supposed to be delivered to me, it finally arrived. It looked like an pregnant elephant had sat on it, but the contents were still okay. A week after it should have arrived, I e-mailed the seller, but I believed him when he said he had sent it. The item was worth 15 bucks, so what would have been the point for him lying about it? Also, I figured it was my own fault: 15 bucks didn’t seem worth the insurance money. I never threatened to leave negative feedback. In fact, I didn’t leave feedback at all, because the option to leave feedback closes after a month or so. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/28 "2006-03-18T21:48:43Z")
> [@DrMemory](#): > > Since you guys seemed to have answered the OP’s question, and since we have an Ebay question open, may I have a thread derail? > > Here’s my problem. Last week, I set up a new (My first) Ebay account. I set it up, and posted my first sale. The item up for bid was a Ukulele. All went well, and item was set up. Within 12 hours, I had two bidders. Within 18 hours my Auction was shut down, My account frozen, a letter from Ebay saying I am banned for life. > This all happened on Weds. I used no bad language. The pictures I took were my own, as well as the description. I e-mailed them back (now several times) for an explanation and have heard nothing. They say they usually respond in 24-48 hours, but nothing has come so far. This has been driving me nuts since then. Any ideas why I was so fiercely squashed? Well, now that **Habs** problem has been resolved, what’s the deal with this one?? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/29 "2006-03-18T22:39:16Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Well, now that **Habs** problem has been resolved, what’s the deal with this one?? I was rather curious about that one as well. It sounds very… Mysterious Men in the Black Van-ish ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225/30 "2006-03-19T03:03:33Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Well, now that **Habs** problem has been resolved, what’s the deal with this one?? Sometimes you think you used no bad language, but it’s possible that they have some robotic program misinterpreting something you wrote as “bad.” Example: When half dot com used to allow trading cards to be sold, I listed a set of Dick Tracy cards. You guessed it: they stopped me because I had typed the word “Dick” and they said it was obscene. I had to change the item title to “D. Tracy.” :rolleyes: Is it possible that something like this might have happened with the ukulele? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebay-problem-what-should-i-do/341225.md?page=1)