LEGALIZED INTERNATIONAL SCAMS
I wanted to tell you about an episode that happened with a sale in the USA:
I sold a badge in the United States; after 20 days, the user (of Italian origin) jessca*2001 thought it was a good idea to try to return the item because, in their unquestionable judgment, it was fake.
Please note that the auction did not include the return of the item.
I shipped it anyway by international registered mail to avoid additional costs for the user.
Now eBay wants to force me to refund the money plus the shipping to this str.. and I’d also have to book a courier (who knows at what cost...) and put up with the inevitable customs fees.
It’s obvious that the user did this because they know it wouldn’t be worth it for me to request the item back, so they’ll get the item for free and keep the money in their pocket
I’m posting this to let you know that eBay sides with the sneaky ones, not with those who do things properly, BE CAREFUL WITH INTERNATIONAL SALES, eBay only protects buyers, NOT THOSE WHO GIVE THEM THE MONEY
PS, this also happened to a friend of mine with a sale worth a few thousand euros
homonostalgiens
·2 years agoAfter 20 days FROM RECEIPT OF THE PACKAGE, is he questioning its authenticity? Or did you mean 20 days of shipping? In the first case, that raises suspicions; in 20 days the user could have done anything to it, and so eBay should at least have some suspicion.
vonbalden
·3 years agoSelling abroad today involves a whole series of possible mishaps that come back like a cudgel on the seller who is trying to find some outlet for the misfortune that happened. But as said above, they are surprises that aren’t surprising, since the sale itself is already fraught with preliminary red tape. Also working against it is the fact that militaria of badges, insignia, and individual decorations of the Third Reich and, by extension, those of the RSI, which in their craftsmanship and detail were inspired by those stunning pieces produced by Germany in the Second World War, have over time been the object of so many fakes as to make the field a real minefield. From ugly pieces that bend with your fingers, to fantasy items with invented initials and codes, to those forged from an original mold but produced with poor-quality metals full of bubbles because of the deplorable metalworking. There is something for every taste. There is a way to expose these copies. Apart from the fact that if a piece were perfect and cared for in the details like the original, it would instantly wipe out the forgers’ profit margin. As reiterated by heavenwelkin, I am not getting into the originality of the presumed item for sale so as not to trigger out-of-place arguments, but certainly I would no longer make a sale in the States of a German or Italian militaria item, whichever it may be. Even though the pieces in my possession do not fear any kind of doubt or uncertainty from a possible buyer. Best regards.
venatorparmensis
OP3 years agoAll true,
let's keep in mind that the buyer will keep the money and the badge and I'll be the one who pays eBay and gets screwed, he knows very well that it's not worth it for me to ask for the item to be returned
Regards
Luigi
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoAn American buyer who spends 80 or 90 euros + taxes + shipping for a badge is presumably able to afford it.
According to him, it turns out to be not authentic and he has to go through a whole bureaucratic ordeal, including filling out customs paperwork, to return an item.
Considering that the average monthly salary of an American is around $4500 - 5000, this alleged "scam" seems a bit far-fetched to me.
Considering that Americans, culturally speaking, are decidedly less dishonest and differently honest than us Italians.
A badge like this (I don't know whether it is the badge from the sale) can easily be reproduced without too much trouble with a simple double-sided mold
Far be it from me to assert that the one in the photo is not authentic and/or that she sold an inauthentic badge, let that be clear.
So, in the absence of documents proving its actual authenticity, I would be cautious with the title: LEGALIZED INTERNATIONAL SCAMS
Kind regards.
venatorparmensis
OP3 years agoThe crest in question is not this one
in any case I try to take clear photos and from those alone someone who knows about it should understand whether the item is right for them or not.
The problem is that in the listing I had set the option that says returns not accepted, why doesn't eBay take this possibility into account?
Regarding the silver crest, the user did not dispute that it was fake, he gave me negative feedback because from the photo he expected a golden crest, in the listing it clearly says silver-plated... besides, the market is full of these crests, they are probably old stock, every now and then quantities of period crests come out, obviously perfect
marioelegio
·3 years agoAside from the fact that I doubt these are old stock items, today it would be by no means difficult to replicate this kind of object (perfectly) in small batches.
The fact that you state that you do not accept returns refers exclusively to the buyer’s change of mind. No clause can protect you from a complaint on their part for non-conformity of what was received.
hi
mario
heavenwelkin
·3 years agoYour listings in the feedback are private so I can't say whether the badge was silver-plated and why the buyer expected a gold badge.
At the start of the post you wrote that the buyer complained about a FAKE badge.
So if the buyer actually complained that the badge was not gold-plated but instead silver-plated and if the auction clearly showed that the badge was silver-plated, in the event of a dispute you would certainly have won.
Either directly (it's always better to contact support during a dispute) or on appeal.
If the auction says the badge is silver-plated and the buyer wanted it gold-plated, he can't win a dispute with this kind of motivation.
Kind regards.
sika700
·3 years agoSorry to say it, but he’s discovered hot water!
All the best.