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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,577 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
I recently had ebay cease a number of listings of mine and they failed to refund the listing fees associated with these auctions. When ebay finally charged my credit card for the fees I requested a chargeback under the grounds they did not provide a service I paid for. Several months later I received a letter from my bank stating that due to the evidence provided by ebay and myself that ebay were in clear breach of Australian Consumer Law by charging for a service they did not supply and therefore under the buyer protect scheme offered by VISA the amount would be charged back to my card. This was subsequently done. Now ebay have credited the amount of the chargeback to my ebay account. ebay just do not get it...they have had an independant company tell they they have done the wrong thing yet they still want to bill me for a service they did not provide. They have even threatened my with blocking my account to the amount is paid. Anyone with any true legal expertise wish to put ebay in their place I would be happy to talk to you and this matter could cause me grief and ebay need to be taught a lesson!!! Lately, both ebay and paypal have caused me undue grief. The ebay group has to be one of the most unethical companies in existance. Over the last 12 months they have caused me actual financial loss of over $1200 through unethical and illegal behavour. The problem I have is the cost of fighting them in court will be more than the amount they owe me so what is the point!!!! The big problem in my situation is I need to use their services for the continued success of my business. They do not need me for the continued success of their business and by the way the treat sellers they know they have the power. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
Bigfella, is ebay communicating with you directly and personally with these dictums or are they just sending the usual impersonal computer-generated messages? And are you dealing with ebay Australia or ebay USA or a combination/extrapolation of both? It has been my experience that one well-written letter (not email) by an attorney can have an effect on even a large corporation, especially if bad publicity through the media is casually mentioned. It's well worth the cost. Fred |
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
853 Posts |
I have asked repeatedly for ebay to phone me but they keep telling me the most effecient form of communication is by email...even though it has resulted in an email tennis match that is getting nowhere. I am dealing with the ebay Australia site but as we all know it is answered by people in Canada who pump out ebay one answer fits all rubbish. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4870 Posts |
From ebay: ***Coming Soon: PayPal Dispute Resolution Chargeback Coverage*** Hi everyone, I'm Larry Friedberg with PayPal Trust & Safety. During Tuesday's keynote address at ebay Live!, Meg Whitman announced an important change that will benefit PayPal sellers. Beginning later this summer, PayPal will be offering chargeback coverage for sellers who use PayPal Dispute Resolution. This protection eliminates the "double jeopardy" situation that can happen when a sellers is involved in a transaction dispute. Chargeback coverage will apply in two situations: if a PayPal seller resolves a dispute amicably with the buyer through PayPal Dispute Resolution, or if the dispute is escalated to a claim and PayPal finds in the seller's favor. In either case, if the buyer then files a chargeback with their credit card company for that transaction, PayPal will fully protect the seller from a chargeback. (Please note that if the dispute or claim hasn't been resolved prior to the chargeback being filed, the seller will not be covered against the chargeback.) |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
This coverage is basically useless. All the Paypal chargebacks I have had is where the dispute has not been resolved. It also does not cover the seller when the paypal system falls over and paypal will not take responsibility for fraudulent transactions. It also does not help in situations like what this thread is about when ebay fail to allow a listing to complete and still charge the fee for it!!! The coverage they are offering to sellers is buyer protection without actually offering anything. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
The drama continues....
I have asked repeatedly why they will not accept my card with no answer to the question. I have tried repeatedly to pay the amount I owe (my full bill less an amount for fees on services they did not supply) using my card and they refuse to accept payment. They have now suspended my account for not paying my bill.
I wonder what the next part of the story will be!!!!
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
2078 Posts |
I think you either pay everything or quit ebay under that name I have seen no evidence anywhere that talking to real people has happened |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
I have counted up the emails I have sent...it totals 14 emails to ebay request the reason they will not accept my credit card as payment. So far 13 replies from ebay with not one email answering the question. The thing that gets me with ebay is when it comes to what payment types a seller can accept they must be "secure and safe" to protect the buyer. When it comes to a seller paying his bill it must be unsecure to protect ebay!!!! |
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Valued Member
Australia
205 Posts |
Bigfella, I really feel for you. I despise when honest dealers as yourself are punished unfairly and indiscriminately, when "dodgy" dealers often get away with near murder as long as they continue proving ebay with their money. I have become increasingly unsatisfied with ebay as a seller and barely list any items there any more. Do you think it is possible to speak to someone at ebay in person? ebay Australia is registered in Australia thus must have a registered office. You should be able to look it up, their ABN is on the home page. Don't mean to sound pessimistic, but litigation is probably not the answer unless you have a lot of funds to use. Imagine taking them to court, getting an order in your favour, then finding they successfully appeal to a higher and more expensive court which requires more expensive lawyers. Not to mention that at this point, you will be 1-2 years in the future... But... I agree with MorganFred with the solicitor letter idea. It will definitely get passed to their legal team and catch their attention. It probably won't be too costly either. Best of luck, I will read up on any updates you post. Regards, Peter |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
The saga continues....ebay have now unblocked my account and recovered the alleged debt. This include $400 in ebay fees wrongly charged on cancelled auctions (the one I waqs fighting in the first place include $116.00 already charged back by my credit card) plus $400 in fees already paid. This means they owe me $800.00. At least now I can start selling but it looks like I have to request $800.00 in fees as another chargeback on my credit card. |
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Valued Member
Australia
205 Posts |
Hi Bigfella, On what grounds did they cease your ebay auctions originally (if you don't mind me asking)? Not that matter, they still have to refund you according to their own policy. I'm surprised at your situtation, it's as though they don't realise or haven't stopped to think about what's happened and keep trying to charge you...it shouldn't be happening. --Peter |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
Originally they ceased all auctions (and refunded fees) because of links to my website. These were deleted except for an oversight in one of my auction shells. They the found the problem in one auction and ceased them all saying I was a repeat offender...no refund in fees. The second and third time was for breaching ebays ser agreement but when I asked what the breach was they have not provided an answer. All I get from them is the "cut and paste" response.
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Valued Member
Australia
205 Posts |
The cancelling for the links the first time I can understand, but applying their policy in an inflexible manner the second time (because of a minor oversight) is ridiculous. The 3rd time, they don't even tell you what you did wrong, now that's absurd!
I don't understand why you are being punished when you are an honest seller and there are sellers out there like Bidancient offload thousands of dollars a week of fake items to unsuspecting buyers.
I hope you get back on track with your selling...
--Peter
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
853 Posts |
The continuing sage...they credite my account with $400 they wrongly added to my account as a result of a credit card chargeback. They have now hit me with a late payment fee and they still owe me $400.00 in wrongly charge fees. Letter of demand sent today.
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Valued Member
Australia
205 Posts |
Bigfella, I contacted the ACCC and made a formal complaint about Paypal Australia and chargebacks generally. For those oustide of Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Comission is the government body responsible for ensuring consumer and antitrust law are complied with. Complaint concerned Paypal Australia because they are incorporated in Australia thus within jurisdiction. A representative from the ACCC rang me today at work telling me that he found merit in my claims of Paypal Australia acting in a misleading and/or deceptive manner (per s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth)). He even went as far as to read the page on http://www.worldwidedvds.com/ (see my other paypal post) that I referred him too. He has since entered the information into their database so that Paypal's conduct can be reviewed. Whilst this doesn't necessarily mean anything will happen, I am hopeful that someone at least will contact paypal aust asking them to remove their "safe for sellers" and "protection against chargeback" claims. I hope this will force Paypal Australia to review their policy regarding chargebacks. Regards, Peter A. Piliouras |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1262 Posts |
Good for you Peter, had not thought of that one.
Lets see what happens now. Just maybe (and its a long shot) but maybe PayPal will clean up there act.
I know I have high hopes.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,577 |
Posted 06/16/2006 03:22 am
