ORIGINAL: avidflyguy
ebay doesn't do anything to protect the sellers, i've been taken for over 600.00 on 3 different buyers on rc engines, just because you send the items with a confirmation or tracking # doesn't mean diddly to ebay/paypal, everyone of the buyers claimed they didn't receive the item and i'm out the motors plus the refunds i gave plus all the associated ebay and paypal fees that went with those 3 transactions. will never ever use ebay for anything again, its nothing short of crooked business to sell on ebay
This is completely incorrect. There is more to this story.
If you ship with DC (Delivery Confirmation) and it shows delivered on any item less than $249.99 and a buyer claims non-receipt, eBay / Pay Pal will support the seller and you will NOT lose your money. But it has to show delivered. In the event USPS or whomeever lost the package for real and it does NOT show delivered, then yes you will be responsible to refund the buyer since it is the sellers responsibility to get the item to the buyer. So you file an insurance claim and get your money back. You lose nothing, unless you didn't insure it. Then that is on you.
In the event you sold & shipped an item over $249.99 you had better get signature confirmation. As long as it is signed for, you will NOT be required to refund the buyer on an INR claim no matter what the buyer claims. But even with sig confirmation, if it does not get delivered, then yes you will be responsible to refund the buyer since it is the sellers responsibility to get the item to the buyer. So you file and insuranc claim and get your money back. You lose nothing, unless you didn't insure it. Then that is on you.
Everyone who claims "eBay does nothing to protect the sellers" is just mis-informed or they have not educated themselves on teh requirements by eBay & Pay Pal policy.
What makes me an "expert" on this? I have been selling on eBay since 1999. Since 2005 it has been as a business and since 2008 as a primary form of business generating over 7 figures a year between 3 eBay businesses. I deal with this all the time. If you know the eBay / Pay Pal seller protection policies, you will be fully protected. If you just throw some stuff in boxes and ship it without knowing what is required of you, well then you run the risk of the "learning curve". We have all been there....