The Ebay/Gamestop/Craiglist/Amazon/Goodwill/etc rant thread

[Tabonga | 2,317]

Life has been fun as of late - my chromebook fatally crashed about 10 days ago.   I resurrected the late Mrs. Tabonga's chromebook and had to log in as a guest since I don't know her password to google and they won't tell me even though she is deceased.

So I have been hobbling along - after recovering my password to yahoo mail (which was a nightmare in its own right) - since I can't access my google account on her chromebook (google only recognizes one account per computer) I had to reset passwords for things as I used them.

My brother ordered a new chromebook for me and it arrived.  After much ghashing of teeth and hair pulling he was able to get into the wifi network and reset that.  (Mrs. Tabonga was the tech half and had all the passwords) and I did remember my google password so he was able to set up my new chromebook.  

Fast forward to a new round of changing passwords since google doesn't recognize the changed password as they were done on guest mode.

I go to order some things on ebay and it asks me for my password - which of course I have forgotten.  

I order some books and lo and behold I have a new account and the old one with almost 7000 positive feedbacks has vanished.  Along with the shipping info on about 20 books I have arriving.

After more gnashing of teeth  and hair pulling I discover that nowhere on ebay do they provide any direct contact information for strange problems.

After some false leads I found a chat contact where the helper person actually helped.  She thought it was strange that the old account had disappeared (at least to me) and sent me a link to assign yet another password to my old account.  She thought the problem was because google inserted my gmail account which they gave me way back when without my knowledge.  And I almost never use that account.  

Anyway things are back on track - it is a good thing my hair is already white/grey since all this fun would have turned it that way!

 

Edited February 27, 2023 by Tabonga

[A_Feisty_Pickle | 244]

This was 6 years ago and it occasionally pops back into my mind and I get mad all over again. It is STILL sticky. Looking back I could have tried using a hair dryer, but I was pissed and just wanted it off. 

[Tanooki | 4,933]

Wow, yeah I'm a fan obviously, but that just pisses me off seeing that.  I'd try and remove the sticky even now in case something did get stuck that could mess up the box further.  Maybe some windex on a paper towel would help rub it away, could try alcohol somewhere just to see if it messes with the ink (if not, use it, it'll eat the glue.)  That's one piece I don't have, console box, have the rental case instead.

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

@A_Feisty_Pickle have you tried a polymer eraser on the left over adhesive? Thats my go-to For left over stickers. 
 

Edited March 24, 2023 by MrWunderful

[Tabonga | 2,317]

Mercari sucks.   I have ordered things in the past from them with no trouble.  I saw something today I wanted and when I tried to order it I was told my payment had to be verified.  Which involves them sending two very minor payments to my card and asking me what the amounts were. 

Except they didn't send out any email on what these payment amounts were.  I contacted their "support" link and was later told that if I didn't receive any info I needed to contact my bank. WTF.  I did look at the two credit cards I tried and they didn't show any charges.  Apparently at one time they did have a help phone line and a chat option but those no longer work.  How the f do places like this stay in business???

Update - I did get another message saying that if the charges did not show up on the credit cards that I had to call my bank,  More serious WTF - my bank did not issue either card so how is this going to help??  And I know from past experiences that if I call the credit cards I am going to be shuttled off to east Snovakia and will have to wade through barely understandable language and try to explain things.

Mercari did say that the problem was that I had tried to order something that was more than $200.  Of course I could have ordered say 10 separate items at $50 and there would have been no problem.  Go figure.

I simply said that the easiest way for me to deal with this was not to use mercari in the future and that this was ridiculous.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Tabonga

[Jynx | 140]

This is my third broken Zapper! I'm going back to the store today and I'm going to insist they let me do some tests to find out if my cartridge, the TV, or the gun is the problem. (Yes, I have a CRT) The nicer employees are working there today, so they should let me. The other guy that works there is a complete jerk, and has sold me all three of these. I'm going to try and get them all exchanged too if they're the issue.

[rondy | 14]

Has anyone ever run into a seller this rude? First time for me in 17 years haha. Surprised they're from Japan.

I asked the seller if they could send more pictures of the box before reading the description, after that I saw in the description that it is a reproduction box.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166244170644

I guess I didn't get to have a happy shopping.

Funny they are expecting kindness and understanding.

[Mega Tank | 960]

5 hours ago, rondy said:

Has anyone ever run into a seller this rude? First time for me in 17 years haha.

Unreal. I messaged someone on Offer Up selling what looked like some high quality looking items. They had some cool bookcases for sale. They had a tape measure pictured, but only showed the final measurement and it was unclear how tall the legs were. I asked for some clarification to know tall the shelves themselves were, the build type and the maker of the shelves if possible. They were unique looking shelves, but they didn't state a brand nor have any identifying features. They replied asking if I am buying or not, they are too busy to do my homework. I didn't want to buy some cheap compressed wood bookcases and I also didn't want to buy something over retail. I didn't occur to me before, but I did a reverse image search on the clearest picture and it returned as Walmart shelves.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

Thank you unknown USPS customer.  I got a book in the mail today  and the lower half of the package had been soaked in something.  Not sure what it is but is slightly tacky and when I opened it the cardboard of the package had absorbed much of it - with a kinda oily residue which is only on the cover of the book and not on the pages.  Hopefully some lighter fluid will remove it.  Nothing valuable about the book but it is annoying.

My guess is some numbnuts mailed a bottle of something that broke during shipping and soaked whatever was immediately below it. 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Tabonga

[austin532 | 467]

Is it just me or is ebay pretty much dead now? It seems if you want something to sell, you practically have to give it away. Taking lots of pictures, having detailed descriptions, and sending offers doesn't seem to matter anymore. People watch but nobody bites.

I'm wondering if anyone else here is having this experience? If so, I kind of wonder if something was changed. I know ebay runs on an algorithm now, if not, it sure seems like so. When I was a Power Seller it seems I sold more so maybe non Power Sellers get lost in the shuffle somehow?

I also realize that the economy is in a recession and credit card dept is at an all time high so I get it, people don't have money to spend.

Just my thoughts/rant.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

12 hours ago, austin532 said:

Is it just me or is ebay pretty much dead now? It seems if you want something to sell, you practically have to give it away. Taking lots of pictures, having detailed descriptions, and sending offers doesn't seem to matter anymore. People watch but nobody bites.

I'm wondering if anyone else here is having this experience? If so, I kind of wonder if something was changed. I know ebay runs on an algorithm now, if not, it sure seems like so. When I was a Power Seller it seems I sold more so maybe non Power Sellers get lost in the shuffle somehow?

I also realize that the economy is in a recession and credit card dept is at an all time high so I get it, people don't have money to spend.

Just my thoughts/rant.

Well I can only offer a perspective as a buyer, as I stopped selling on there almost a decade ago now. I watch listings all the time and they sit in my watchlist for weeks/months. I do this because I get bored and search for some stuff and sometimes find something I want but can’t get right now. So I “save” it.

 

You might be wondering why not just search later instead of adding it to a watch list. Well besides the fact it’s easier to just have a list of things I know I was interested in, it also allows me to compare prices and conditions of multiple listings for the same item.

But more importantly ebays search function sucks! I get different results whether Im on my phone or desktop and they absolutely tinker with the results (algorithms like you said). There are things currently available in my watch list that I have not been able to make re-appear in a standard search. It’s ridiculous. 

So those items will live in my watchlist until I buy one and remove the remaining from my list, or the listing is sold and I miss my chance. 

It may be frustrating to sellers to see items always watched but never sold but Im going to guess Im not the only buyer that does this method

 

[Tanooki | 4,933]

I can't speak to ebay much anymore, low cap, just get it over with at the top of the year.   But I did notice on marketplace things are slowing progressively more on what sells.  You get your A or B group.  The A group are the local scalpers and they'll either treat you like an unknowing sucker, or they'll take whatever you want and won't do more than 1/2 even if it's already notably under ebay paid -- and some have the balls to say well you bring it to me, and they're like 30+minutes away.  ummm.no.  The others are the collectors or casual buyers and they just ask questions, then stop talking, or they will want another 20-25% off what you ask, again, even if it's already easily seen to be about that off ebay.

They are treating marketplace now like a 2000-2009 era garage sale/flea market where you got to hand them a freebie like they're doing you the favor getting rid of it, so give it away cheap since you're putting them out having to come n' get it.

I've got around 1300 in a 3DS(n2dsxl) nearly unsued 10 game +9ds game, +r4 w/neo geo library, and a couple cases and other pieces up there, asking $800, so far best one was $600 and that was snark and arm twisting.  At that rate I'll let it sit.

[austin532 | 467]

5 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

Well I can only offer a perspective as a buyer, as I stopped selling on there almost a decade ago now. I watch listings all the time and they sit in my watchlist for weeks/months. I do this because I get bored and search for some stuff and sometimes find something I want but can’t get right now. So I “save” it.

 

You might be wondering why not just search later instead of adding it to a watch list. Well besides the fact it’s easier to just have a list of things I know I was interested in, it also allows me to compare prices and conditions of multiple listings for the same item.

But more importantly ebays search function sucks! I get different results whether Im on my phone or desktop and they absolutely tinker with the results (algorithms like you said). There are things currently available in my watch list that I have not been able to make re-appear in a standard search. It’s ridiculous. 

So those items will live in my watchlist until I buy one and remove the remaining from my list, or the listing is sold and I miss my chance. 

It may be frustrating to sellers to see items always watched but never sold but Im going to guess Im not the only buyer that does this method

 

Exactly, people watch stuff that they plan to buy later but because they can't right now, it sits for months and then I think they forget about it.

Yeah I get different results as well when searching on a phone so there is definitely some kind of algorithm system going on.

Yes, it's very frustrating when multiple people watch an item, you send them an offer, and no one responds. Like, not even a reply about going lower on the price, declining the price, or that they are interested but need more funds. Just straight up no response. How lazy can you get.

Where are some other places you sell your stuff? If you still do.

[austin532 | 467]

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I can't speak to ebay much anymore, low cap, just get it over with at the top of the year.   But I did notice on marketplace things are slowing progressively more on what sells.  You get your A or B group.  The A group are the local scalpers and they'll either treat you like an unknowing sucker, or they'll take whatever you want and won't do more than 1/2 even if it's already notably under ebay paid -- and some have the balls to say well you bring it to me, and they're like 30+minutes away.  ummm.no.  The others are the collectors or casual buyers and they just ask questions, then stop talking, or they will want another 20-25% off what you ask, again, even if it's already easily seen to be about that off ebay.

They are treating marketplace now like a 2000-2009 era garage sale/flea market where you got to hand them a freebie like they're doing you the favor getting rid of it, so give it away cheap since you're putting them out having to come n' get it.

I've got around 1300 in a 3DS(n2dsxl) nearly unsued 10 game +9ds game, +r4 w/neo geo library, and a couple cases and other pieces up there, asking $800, so far best one was $600 and that was snark and arm twisting.  At that rate I'll let it sit.

By marketplace I assume you mean Facebook Marketplace? I've heard mixed results about that. It seems like alot of people get scammed.

I don't sell stuff scalpers want. Mostly stuff the average buyer wants. Occasionally collector stuff.

[Tanooki | 4,933]

2 hours ago, austin532 said:

By marketplace I assume you mean Facebook Marketplace? I've heard mixed results about that. It seems like alot of people get scammed.

I don't sell stuff scalpers want. Mostly stuff the average buyer wants. Occasionally collector stuff.

They do, when the ship.  I'm cash only, local only.  I don't open it up to scams.  You show up, or if enough $ is under it I'll drive a bit and meet...at a public well camera'd up place.  So unless they bring counterfeit $20s I'm not concerned.

[Mega Tank | 960]

2 hours ago, austin532 said:

Exactly, people watch stuff that they plan to buy later but because they can't right now, it sits for months and then I think they forget about it.

Yeah I get different results as well when searching on a phone so there is definitely some kind of algorithm system going on.

Yes, it's very frustrating when multiple people watch an item, you send them an offer, and no one responds. Like, not even a reply about going lower on the price, declining the price, or that they are interested but need more funds. Just straight up no response. How lazy can you get.

Where are some other places you sell your stuff? If you still do.

eBay has been terrible for some time. I offered to buy something about two years ago price at about $500 and the seller never wanted to negotiate a lower and didn't want to split the bundle, not even to sell me the lower value item, since they "know how rare the item is" and have just left it listed.

I tried buying an item for $30/Best Offer. Recent sales leave it at about $15. I offered $15, denied, $20, denied, $25, counter offered at $27. I let that offer expire on it's own. Best Offer for what?

As far as selling, I either sell here or trade in locally. I'm honestly trading some stuff locally more now than ever just to not spend lol.

[austin532 | 467]

Yeah, Best Offer seems pointless at times. If you ask for anything more than 10% off of the BIN price, you are probably going to get declined. Meaning the seller does have a bare minimum price in mind but wants to try and get as much money as possible. Best Offer should mean the seller is not sure what they want for it so they are taking offers.

Ebay seems like it's full of scalpers and people selling overpriced games now. It's no longer the best website to buy or sell games. There's alot more competition then there was 20 years ago when I first started selling on there. Amazon, Etsy, Offer Up, Craig's List, Facebook Marketplace, WhatNot, and yes, even sites like DK Oldies.

Add that on top of a bad economy and I can see why ebay is dead now.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

10 hours ago, austin532 said:

Exactly, people watch stuff that they plan to buy later but because they can't right now, it sits for months and then I think they forget about it.

Yeah I get different results as well when searching on a phone so there is definitely some kind of algorithm system going on.

Yes, it's very frustrating when multiple people watch an item, you send them an offer, and no one responds. Like, not even a reply about going lower on the price, declining the price, or that they are interested but need more funds. Just straight up no response. How lazy can you get.

Where are some other places you sell your stuff? If you still do.

Ive only sold a handful of things that since 2014, and they weren’t games but I did use ebay. Even that was 3-4yrs ago now. 

8 hours ago, Mega Tank said:

 

I tried buying an item for $30/Best Offer. Recent sales leave it at about $15. I offered $15, denied, $20, denied, $25, counter offered at $27. I let that offer expire on it's own. Best Offer for what?

 

5 hours ago, austin532 said:

Yeah, Best Offer seems pointless at times. If you ask for anything more than 10% off of the BIN price, you are probably going to get declined. Meaning the seller does have a bare minimum price in mind but wants to try and get as much money as possible. Best Offer should mean the seller is not sure what they want for it so they are taking offers.

Ebay seems like it's full of scalpers and people selling overpriced games now. It's no longer the best website to buy or sell games. There's alot more competition then there was 20 years ago when I first started selling on there. Amazon, Etsy, Offer Up, Craig's List, Facebook Marketplace, WhatNot, and yes, even sites like DK Oldies.

 

I thought ebay had made then”Best Offer” option default to ON for every listing unless the seller manually turns it off. At least there was a lit of people complaining about that on their forums and sub reddit a year or two ago.

So there may be plenty of people who never intended to have offers and are too dumb/lazy to fix the listing so they just leave it and won’t take any offers not basically at their BIN price 

[Mega Tank | 960]

2 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

Ive only sold a handful of things that since 2014, and they weren’t games but I did use ebay. Even that was 3-4yrs ago now. 

 

I thought ebay had made then”Best Offer” option default to ON for every listing unless the seller manually turns it off. At least there was a lit of people complaining about that on their forums and sub reddit a year or two ago.

So there may be plenty of people who never intended to have offers and are too dumb/lazy to fix the listing so they just leave it and won’t take any offers not basically at their BIN price 

I'm not sure, but I do like that they changed Best Offers to automatically pay out if the seller accepts. Sometimes international sellers would accept an offer in the middle of the night and then wouldn't get paid until end of day their time. Less waiting with auto pay.

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

Shipping is getting so expensive, sellers are doing whatever they can to reduce shipping costs.  I ordered 4 quarts of motor oil from Amazon and it arrived today in a padded envelope.  

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Ok so, not sure if this has been discussed. eBay is doing this thing now where if you make an offer on something and it is accepted, you get charged right away. Which makes sense in theory. Except, there was a seller with 5-6 manuals I needed, and I assume they combine shipping. If I'm going to get charged right away then how are they going to issue me a combined invoice? Or am I stuck paying $3.99 per manual even though they will all get shoved into the same envelope because I sent offers instead of adding to a cart?

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Nevermind, they declined all my offers lol

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

2 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Ok so, not sure if this has been discussed. eBay is doing this thing now where if you make an offer on something and it is accepted, you get charged right away. Which makes sense in theory. Except, there was a seller with 5-6 manuals I needed, and I assume they combine shipping. If I'm going to get charged right away then how are they going to issue me a combined invoice? Or am I stuck paying $3.99 per manual even though they will all get shoved into the same envelope because I sent offers instead of adding to a cart?

I've run into the same thing on other items.    

Best bet is to message the seller beforehand and ask if they combine shipping, and explain that when you go to put in an offer, it's asking you to pay separate shipping on each one.   The ones that reply to you normally will offer to refund the overage, since that's about the only way to do it now.

[Aguy | 772]

8 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

Ok so, not sure if this has been discussed. eBay is doing this thing now where if you make an offer on something and it is accepted, you get charged right away. Which makes sense in theory. Except, there was a seller with 5-6 manuals I needed, and I assume they combine shipping. If I'm going to get charged right away then how are they going to issue me a combined invoice? Or am I stuck paying $3.99 per manual even though they will all get shoved into the same envelope because I sent offers instead of adding to a cart?

I've built combined shipping into my offer in the past. Whatever my normal offer would be, I'd lower each by $2-3 (or whatever seems fair) and including a message explaining my self. That way, if they accept, the total on my end is the final total, no refund required. Granted this might not work for $.99 manuals. 

[TDIRunner | 2,734]

For the first time ever, we had a package delivered to the wrong house.  We received the email about the package being delivered, and the picture provided is a picture of a completely different house.  

For those of you who have had similar situations, did you contact the seller or this shipper?  I'm plan to do both, but I'm honestly not sure which would be the best one to start with.  For what it's worth, the item was purchased by my wife through Facebook, so it has me a little worried since I know that Facebook is full of scams.  The package was delivered by FedEx.