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OT - wierd eBay seller quasi-problem

I have a question about auction ethics... I won a 9.00 auction from a seller who had $15.00 shipping. Fair enough... it's international shipping, and sure it's a bit high but I'm sure the seller expected the item to sell for more, too.

So I was prepared to pay the $24.00 total. In the payment methods, it has bidpay/Western Union, and some other service. I used to have a Bidpay account, no problem, I'm sore I could remember my password... except Bidpay is now completely different, and they charge a $2.95 FEE to pay for your auctions.

???

This, I think, is bullsh*t! I checked out the other online payment option the seller accepts, and they charge a fee too. These fees are mentioned nowhere in the auction. I emailed the seller and they said I could send a check, which I did. To CHINA, if that doesn't sound sketchy. This was on the 28th. I got another email from the seller today, asking me to make payment. GREAT. If the check doesn't arrive, I'm not sending another one; I'll just suck it up and pay the stupid Bidpay fee.

I emailed eBay asking whether sellers are supposed to disclose additional fees if they only accept payment methods with fees, and customer support says they don't have to.

Does anyone else find this sketchy and unethical? Needless to say, I won't ever buy from that seller again, even if the item turns out to be fabulous and worth six times what I paid. *IF* I ever get it, that is.

Shoulda known better.

-Kalera

Reply to
Kalera Stratton
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Kalera,

The rest of the story sounds a little iffy, but I will say that it is QUITE possible that your check didn't get to the seller yet.

From work we often need to send stuff to China and with shipping time plus customs time it can take 6 weeks.

On the other hand, I have bought items from a seller in China before and used paypal.

marisa2

Kalera Stratt> I have a question about auction ethics... I won a 9.00 auction from a

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Reply to
Marisa2

Kalera -- the seller used methods that didn't cost him money, as Paypal would. As we all know, money gets deducted from every single f-ing paypal payment and then the seller pays fees and the next thing you know, they are out of business. I don't see anything unethical on the seller's part. It does pay to be a smart buyer and educate yourself, as you now have. You have control over a check from here. Find out if it was cashed or not.

I know some of our lessons come at some expense or other -- ususually money, or time, or ego. These are the ones we learn the best!

love you -- Becki Becki "In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

Reply to
BeckiBead

Thanks Becki. I would have investigated the payment options further if I hadn't already had a Bidpay account from BEFORE they chaged a fee to the buyer. Still, I won't buy from this seller again. I hope their business crashes and burns.

-Kalera

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BeckiBead wrote:

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

Thanks Marisa. I am not doubting that the check hasn't arrived... but I do think it's odd that they emailed me about payment despite the fact that they OK'd me sending a check in the first place.

-Kalera

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Marisa2 wrote:

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

stop your check before sending bidpay money. that way you won't lose the whole thing twice. I buy from china fairly regularly and I always use paypal. I would use it in Bali too, but they don't go there yet. Armand

Reply to
Armand Vine

Kalera,

I think that the account-holder has the responsibility to be aware of the charges associated with using their account. I understand why you didn't know about the fees, but I don't think the seller did anything sketchy. I wouldn't buy from someone who doesn't accept a payment format I'm willing to use, but that's the seller's choice on what to accept and my choice on whether to bid.

Hope it all works out for you! Alison

Reply to
Alison

It costs as much to stop a check as this check is worth, but tha's a god thought. I'm just going to be careful in the future to only bid on auctions that accept Paypal or personal checks/credit cards. I wouldn't have been suckered by this one if I hadn't used Bidpay before when it was basically a Paypal clone.

-Kalera

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Armand V> stop your check before sending bidpay money.

Reply to
Kalera Stratton

I save that curse for those who don't send me my product and cost me a considerable amount of money. I have lesses curses for the others, LOL.

Becki "In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

Reply to
BeckiBead

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