Need eBay Advice =(

nekobi

nekobi

CAGiversary!
Feedback
32 (100%)
Hiya,
I seem to have been having really bad luck on eBay recently. >_< I won this auction recently:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280162244438
I received the item today, it was packaged very nicely to make sure the case wouldn't break... but after I opened the bubblewrap I was very dissapointed. It was the game disc in a saturn case with a printed cover! It doesn't even have the name of the game on the spine. The auction said nothing of the sort and it was VERY misleading. I thought I was buying the complete game, as the pictures and text imply. >_<

So now I am wondering, what I should do? Should I complain? Or is it my own fault for not inspecting the pictures better? There was really no way to tell in the auction except for the fact that the back of the insert where the manual was supposed to be was plain white, but hell, how was I supposed to know the real thing doesn't look like that?

Advice would be appriciated. :(
 
This phrase really limits your options, IMO

CHECK THE PICTURES

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
Click to expand...
The disc is real, right, not a bootleg?

Sorry, that does suck. Maybe pass over an auction that looks a little shady like that one next time.
 
How did you pay? If you used Paypal funded by a Credit Card, all you need to do is a initiate a chareback with the merchant credit card bank for "significantly not as described (SNAD)." You will win the dispute, although you will be required to return the game at your own cost, but that is less than $5.00.
 
Wow, $50 for that!? yikes.

Anyway, kinda odd since it isn't a new seller nor is the feedback bad. Some how I feel the buy it now for $50 was your only warning. I would've passed.

Always know you're market and the value of what you're looking for.
 
Well when I bought it, most auctions were ending at around $35-50 range, so I figured for a complete copy (or what looked like anyway), it wasn't a bad deal. From the photos it LOOKS in great condition (no cracks in the case or anything) and even had the foam insert. I emailed the seller asking for a refund, hopefully it will get resolved peacefully.
 
So the case isn't part of the problem it's just that the art is printed and not original right?

A reasonable buyer would have expected the artwork to be original for that listing and in fact it's probably a copyright violation to sell printed artwork to boot. (If the guy had said the artwork was printed and not original I wouldn't really have a problem with it, but it's good to keep that in your back pocket if you do have to dispute things.)

I think you made the proper first step, contact the buyer. If he is a dick about it I'd next contact PayPal and file a SNAD, and if that doesn't work for you contact your credit card and dispute with them. The PayPal dispute might be a PITA if the seller claims everything is original and he has no idea what you are talking about. (From his pictures you can't tell anything is wrong, obviously that's why you bid.)

Seller has great feedback so hopefully he'll just agree to give you a refund straight away. Don't be bullied if he comes back with something like "I've sold many games just like this and never had a complaint." I'd just ask him to clarify that he will not be giving you a refund after selling you a game with bootleg artwork and then file with PayPal. He also might come back the listing doesn't state the copy is complete or comes with the artwork, etc. If the picture shows artwork it should be the official stuff unless stated PROMINENTLY in the listing and I'd bet eBay/PayPal would agree with that.

chakan - What do you see that's really all that shady with it? Looks like a typical listing to me and I'd assume the 'check the picture, what you see if what you get' bit is probably something that seller slaps on every listing. I'd take it as the seller confirming you are going to get the actual item in the pic and it's not a stock or stolen image. Well the one shady thing I see if that he doesn't explicitly say the game is missing the instruction booklet you have to infer that from the pic. (At least I assume there should be a booklet there for a complete copy.)
 
I always stay away from auctions in which sellers describe their items in very few words and say stuff like "what you see is what you get" and listed with a BIN. That's the easiest way for a seller to leave out some important information.

Had you looked carefully at the picture, you would have noticed that there is no background image where the manual is placed which should have warned you something's fishy.
 
I agree with wubb.

when you are paying $50 for a collectible game you expect it to be full and complete. since his description does not indicate that the artwork is in fact not complete you have a valid complaint.

you can ask for a partial refund if you like, or ask for the entire amount to be refunded. he does offer a 7 day refund policy, so you shouldn't have any problems.
 
[quote name='wubb']

chakan - What do you see that's really all that shady with it? Looks like a typical listing to me and I'd assume the 'check the picture, what you see if what you get' bit is probably something that seller slaps on every listing. I'd take it as the seller confirming you are going to get the actual item in the pic and it's not a stock or stolen image. Well the one shady thing I see if that he doesn't explicitly say the game is missing the instruction booklet you have to infer that from the pic. (At least I assume there should be a booklet there for a complete copy.)[/QUOTE]

What I see as shady is that the seller doesn't implicitly spell out what is included and says "what you see is what you get" (when of course you can't really see very well with an auction picture). Maybe shady is the wrong word, but it feels intentionally misleading without outright lying to me.

If I'm spending that much on a game, I want it spelled out better, with words like "complete"

Anyway, your suggestions re. communication with the seller and paypal were good, and I wish the OP best of luck in resolving this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top