Beware ebayer sellingoffoddstuff

[mikkibarry]

I purchased 3 vintage watches. None of the movements were correct for the case (set screws missing, no "Rolex" identifiers or other kinds. Incorrect hallmarks, etc). Seller puts a piece of "tamper resistant" tape on the back of each watch, saying that if you open it, you can't return it. There is really no other way to discern what's INSIDE the thing unless you do that. I have written to the seller to request a refund. Very disappointing, as these could have been very nice pieces.

[mikkibarry]

As an aside, the seller says he will refund. I have sent the watches back (with insurance and tracking). I will inform if he actually refunds or not. Thanks!

[77T]

Mikki
Please post the links to the original listings. Hard to help without that.
I know you already bought them - but the completed listings help everyone.

[Grissom]

Yes, links would be great.....I search the old listings for this seller and saw none as you described.

[mikkibarry]

Originally Posted by 77T

Mikki
Please post the links to the original listings. Hard to help without that.
I know you already bought them - but the completed listings help everyone.

gotcha:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-ANTIQ...vip=true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-ANTIQ...vip=true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-ANTIQ...vip=true&rt=nc

[crowncollection]

I hope you get a refund.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grissom]

Good luck! Lesson to be learned here lies in his return policy. Simply reading that would have me gone in a flash....

And quite frankly, his return policy notwithstanding, if a full refund is not forthcoming, I would file a claim with ebay/paypal under the "item not received as described" buyer protection policies.

[mikkibarry]

Originally Posted by Grissom

Good luck! Lesson to be learned here lies in his return policy. Simply reading that would have me gone in a flash....

And quite frankly, his return policy notwithstanding, if a full refund is not forthcoming, I would file a claim with ebay/paypal under the "item not received as described" buyer protection policies.

Hi Grissom. I wish there was a "hang head in shame" emote since that's me. Yeah, I was dumb. I did file a case, and the seller got hold of me immediately and offered the full refund. I've shipped 2 of the 3 back. I need to get the last one back from the local watchmaker who took a look at it. If it doesn't look exactly the same (the crystal fell out in my hand), I'll pay for it.

It may be a case of the seller just being clueless. He thinks he can simply re-list these. I think I may have to provide a bit more information to eBay if he does that. If he disclosed that these are frankenwatches, and someone bought, I really wouldn't be upset. But to advertise them as Rolexes... Quite sad.

[mikkibarry]

So, this man, sellingoffoddstuff, received the watches I had sent back to him. I wrapped them very carefully in much bubble wrap, insured them, and sent them to him in Florida. After he had promised me a full refund, he said that I had damaged them by removing the seal and opening them. I called Ebay, and told them what had gone on. They are going to refund themselves. I am so utterly furious that a person selling fraudulent merchandise is now refusing to refund. So eBay is opening an investigation. Good.

[francis]

Sorry to hear this and I hope it works out for you.

[mikkibarry]

I just got an email from this "person" through ebay. He claimed I damaged them, and that I changed the movements, and all of this other bunk. I can hardly believe the gall.

[mrbill2mrbill2]

Good luck on rectifying this situation with a POS seller.

[DynamiteBids]

Man, what a scam.

[Bangel]

Mikki, I feel incensed just reading what you have gone through.

Hope it all works out for you.

[TPLGT]

Look at this seller's neg feedback. It shows that he always blames the buyer as being a scammer. This guy needs to be taken down! This reaffirms that I will never buy anything large dollar on eBay...

[mikkibarry]

But wait, there's more! Today I checked on the status of the other two refunds, having received ONE from eBay of the 3. I'm very sad that they didn't take the refunds out of this "person's" account.

Ebay REFUSED to cover me with buyer protection because "I opened the cases." To them, opening a watch case = altering the product, and buyer protection will not apply.

Yes, friends...if I had LIED and said I didn't open the case, a refund would have been provided by eBay. However, the seller had put these ridiculous "tamper proof" stickers on the backs to "prove" that nobody opened them. BECAUSE, if you open them, you find they are NOT Rolex.

And so, I did not blow my top. I did not yell and scream at the eBay policy person, since it isn't his policy and what could he do anyway. I patiently and politely explained to him that if I bought a book and the binding looked perfect, but when I OPENED it I found that the pages were blank, would I get a refund? He said yes. I asked whether if I got a pocket watch and OPENED it to see that the face was what I was supposed to receive, would I get a refund? He said yes, since a pocket watch was made to open. I then carefully and patiently explained to him that these pre 1930s watches had HINGES to open them and yes, they were made to be opened.

I told him that if this was the policy, than nobody would purchase vintage watches on eBay because the only way to verify their authenticity WAS to open them. He said that I should take them to a watchmaker because I wasn't qualified to open them. After again explaining that they have a lip on the case IN ORDER TO open them and a hinge, that an untrained monkey is qualified to open them. This was obviously confusing to him.

And then came the slow and careful narrative explaining to him that when you think "Rolex" you think of the waterproof screw back kind that you need a special tool to open. And if you open it, you risk damaging the gaskets when you close it up again if you don't know what you're doing and all of that. Then I asked him to pull up photos of the watches in question here. "Do those look like Rolexes you're used to seeing?" He admitted not. "Do these look waterproof?" He admitted not. He told me that the policy was clear and there was nothing he could do. I asked to speak with someone in legal. He told me that "your lawyer will know how to get in touch with them." I carefully explained that I WAS my lawyer, and I don't have any idea how to get in touch with them, so please give me the information, and his supervisor so that I can try one more time to clear this up without having to bother to pull out the letterhead and research case law. I pointed him to my account where I have almost 200 transactions and a 100% rating as buyer AND seller, and that this seller is practicing fraud (yes, in the legal vernacular) and that this sort of thing must not continue. I told him that I really WANTED these watches to be real, since they were pretty enough on the outside, and I'd love to add them to my collection, but they were cases with non matching movements and dials slapped inside them and they were allowing their buyers to get scammed.

We finally left it at him asking me to put up my photos on a photobucket or similar site and point him to it so that they could have a look. I will keep everyone informed as to how this turns out.

Needless to say I am really unhappy, and steaming that this "person" should be permitted to continue cheating others with his scam. Meantime, is there anyone who can provide me with "credentials" in carefully opening vintage watches with hinges and lips without causing damage? Apparently, with "credentials" I could "prove" that I didn't damage these fakes by opening them. *sigh*

I'm really just so annoyed with all of this...

Dear Trusted Sellers: Do you sell pre 1940s watches here? Please please please do.

[swomariner]

What a mess. I look forward to hearing the outcome.
Hopefully E-Bay comes to their senses. If they (E-Bay) don't want the stigma of selling counterfeit products, and members perpetuating fraud, they need to have policies that prevent this type of behavior and protect the victims, not this B.S. of voiding a claim because you opened the case to find a bunch of junk on the inside.

Good luck to you.

[MonBK]

What a mess Mikki, I really hope it gets solved in your favor.

[crowncollection]

All the best mate, eBay hides behind any loophole whenever a problem arises, so does Paypal. What a joke, you can't open a watch to check it ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikkibarry]

Originally Posted by crowncollection

All the best mate, eBay hides behind any loophole whenever a problem arises, so does Paypal. What a joke, you can't open a watch to check it ?

Yeah, that's killer. The person I'm talking to on the phone right now understands that you actually HAVE TO verify these things, and with pre 1930s watches with HINGES, you're not going to hurt the watch at all by opening it carefully. Now, if the seller had said I nicked it or something, I could believe that a lot more than him accusing me of swapping out the insides. I'm actually very sad that they weren't real. I would have had some great stuff to add to the collection. They'd likely be off to a watchmaker right now for overhaul. Instead, they were crap, almost identical to a 1920 watch I bought for 35.00 on eBay knowing it was crap, just to see what the movement was like.

And now, the good news. Based on the pictures, they said they will do the refund and I should have it in 5 to 7 business days. They told me this while I was typing the above paragraph.

So yes, it all worked out. It just took some time, effort, and some well placed outrage.

Thanks for listening, guys.

[Z-Sub]

Best of luck. I wish you the best. It's called fleabay because of these scammers and the fact that eBay does not enforce and protect people against scammers. At the end fleabay makes money and that's their main objective.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Great ending, and with that, a great lesson for everyone !!

[SkyKing31]

Originally Posted by mikkibarry

Yeah, that's killer. The person I'm talking to on the phone right now understands that you actually HAVE TO verify these things, and with pre 1930s watches with HINGES, you're not going to hurt the watch at all by opening it carefully. Now, if the seller had said I nicked it or something, I could believe that a lot more than him accusing me of swapping out the insides. I'm actually very sad that they weren't real. I would have had some great stuff to add to the collection. They'd likely be off to a watchmaker right now for overhaul. Instead, they were crap, almost identical to a 1920 watch I bought for 35.00 on eBay knowing it was crap, just to see what the movement was like.

And now, the good news. Based on the pictures, they said they will do the refund and I should have it in 5 to 7 business days. They told me this while I was typing the above paragraph.

So yes, it all worked out. It just took some time, effort, and some well placed outrage.

Thanks for listening, guys.

Is this guy selling from his house or from a actual store? Plant City is about 15 minutes or so from me. If this guy is selling from a store, perhaps someone in the area could offer some free advertising

[jolimont]

great write up glad you got your refund