Ebay noob problem

[natas2000]

I started buying some items on Ebay after like 15 years and a lot has changed, which I knew.
I noticed that many pictures seem to have a filter to lightly blur to hide damage. Because people who are honest have clear pictures. My work computer is almost to clear and really shows what seems to go on.
But anyway I bought bunch of stuff and it piled up because I was getting sick from medicine for about 4-5 weeks.
So I was going through them and one seemed to be different from what I bought.
It was a "new old stock" Stanley Torx driver 4 pack for 1987. Carded package.
It was in fairly good condition. It had a bend by the hook hole and one driver poked through the package, and some wear. I knew this.
But when it came it was wrapped in plastic wrap because it was it worse condition than the photos showed. Maybe the photos were older? But it was different.
Then when I was looking at the sizes which should be T15 T20 T25 T30 I noticed the T15 had been replaced by an old in good condition T25. Which looks like it had a price tag on it at one time because of a dirty old glue square. So it was swapped to look like it was all original and its not.
I wanted to display this and that's why I bought this and paid a premium like most NOS stock .
The seller said he didn't do that which I agreed he might not of. He wanted to give me $8 to buy another T15 but that's not the point. I was willing to work it out but he was kinda pissy about it and when I sent back an answer it just auto refunded me my cost with no shipping. I guess hid did it not Ebay. I has no shipping or anything about returning it. I don't know what to do really. I guess I keep it?

 

[Pontiac787]

Yes. If there was no shipping label he just sent you a refund and you keep the item.

 

[four.cycle]

Short answer: it's yours if you've received a full refund for the item.

Try sending the seller a private message and see if it will go through. He may have added you to his "Blocked Buyers" list, in which case you will not be able to communicate with him, bid on any of his items, or buy anything from him again. (I have done this with several ebay buyers who caused me grief.)

But anyway I bought bunch of stuff and it piled up because I was getting sick from medicine for about 4-5 weeks.

Just a wild guess, but this is probably the reason for the seller being "kinda pissy". If you receive an item and it is "Not As Described" (ebay's term), you need to report that to the seller immediately.
If a buyer of one of my items told me several weeks later he had an issue with an item he'd purchased from me, I'd tell him to piss off.

Bottom line: because of shipping costs, and ebay's "feedback" system, and their tendency to always side with the buyer, it's to the seller's advantage to simply issue a full refund rather than deal with ebay's idiotic "Customer Service" people and then (additionally) be stuck with the shipping costs to return the item (and additionally have the proverbial Sword of Damocles hanging above in the form of your "Negative Feedback" - something you will not be able to do now that the refund has been issued on the item.)

Currently I have 8 names on my own "blocked buyers" list. Also a 100% feedback rating. My ebay listings. And yes, my ebay prices are higher than hell, in part for exactly this sort of thing. (GarageJournal.com members in good standing may be eligible for promotional discounts on selected items. )

 

[KnurledNut]

I’ve dealt with a few bad sellers. One apparently knew how to work the system. He offered a partial refund if I changed my negative feedback. Once feedback is changed it can’t be reversed again. Upon doing so, he wouldn’t issue the refund and I think he blocked me. I opened an eBay case which initially seemed promising as they could review our messages and could see he clearly didnt keep his word, but in the end they wouldn’t do anything. I ended up eating that expense and learned to never trust eBay sellers OR eBay customer service to make things right. Caveat emptor.

 

[zendriver]

Sounds like the seller was a “noob” as well, knot nowing that buyers usually not put up with that kind ofcrap

 

[bwringer]

It's quite likely that the seller had several of these to sell, probably leftover stock from some defunct hardware store. So the package in the picture may not have been the actual one you received. I think this is at least slightly shady, but it is common, and isn't quite a scam, although the seller really should disclose this.

Probably the best way to look at this is that you thought you were buying something like a collectible, the seller thought he was just selling tools. Unless the seller explicitly said these were collectible tools in original sealed packaging, the difference between your expectation and what you received is at least partially, and perhaps wholly, on you.

In any case, it could not have been that much money, you were refunded, and so you have no further reason to complain. It wasn't worth the seller's time and risk to fart around with a dispute or debate or get the tools back. Take them out of the package and put them to use.

In the future, if that sort of thing is important to you, look for eBay ads that tell you the photo is the actual item, or ask before bidding.

 

[mikedodge]

Right off you know there's an issue if the T15 is missing. Unless it's obvious from other listing that they are selling multiple items most people assume the picture us what you're getting. If im after something old but new and its not obvious from the pictures or the listing doesn't say anything I ask or move on.

The really shady sellers know there will be problems and they use a low item price and high shipping price so they don't loose as much.

 

[atikovi]

I noticed that many pictures seem to have a filter to lightly blur to hide damage.

HUH? I don't think I have noticed this after 25 years on Ebay. Either ask the seller for a better picture or move on to another seller.

 

[natas2000]

I noticed on here and other sites that people are 50/50 on Ebay. Either they hate sellers or hate buyers. I used what Ebay offered me in the time they allow. I never accused him really of doing anything wrong. He admitted some of it like packing like a, I wont say it. But he caused more damage. He probably

 

[3baygarage]

HUH? I don't think I have noticed this after 25 years on Ebay. Either ask the seller for a better picture or move on to another seller.

I think the issue is people used to own quality digital cameras and upload to PC, and nowadays any old cheap camera phone does the trick. No one seems concerned with quality, flashy listings anymore, which Ebay themselves used to drive. It used to mean more money for the seller. Things have changed.

 

[Beerhippie]

I think the issue is people used to own quality digital cameras and upload to PC, and nowadays any old cheap camera phone does the trick. No one seems concerned with quality, flashy listings anymore, which Ebay themselves used to drive. It used to mean more money for the seller. Things have changed.

And phone camera have a metric ship ton of digital filters they can add, including "smoothing".

 

[natas2000]

Well I think I can still get the picture of a group of screwdrivers I bought. They looked like they had white paint on the handle where the thumb rest is. Or white residue. I looked for a while at them and other groups like it and thought well I can clean that off. The picture was not super clear like most so I see a trend myself. When I got them, the white stuff on some was carvings. Which wasn't mentioned. Can I get them out? Probably not. But I will try. I'll look tomorrow for the pictures and get pictures of the actual ones I got.