Argh Ebay!!!

I'll admit it, I'm a fool, a stupid, stupid fool.

I have been for want of a better word, gullible and naive, but no more (well, actually I probably will be again in the next day or so, but still), no more shall I be sucked in by this fakery.

From make up to earphones, I have been ripped off by counterfeit product after counterfeit product, worse still in the process of receiving such items and on initial inspection I have managed to convince myself the product is a good buy!

How?

Of course, as foolish as I am, with each revelation, I have been able to get back my money, in fact ending up with both the item and the money back, but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, I would rather just be sold as described.

Sure, I'm a bargain hunter, love a bargain, they are possible to find, but fake is never a bargain, should we blame the manufacturers?

When price points are high for items such as make up and skincare, which may or may not work, there is a reluctance to want to dip your hand in your pocket for x amount of bucks at a time, so of course being able to source the product for a more throwaway price makes the risk worthwhile.

Except your not getting what you think you are getting, sorry lads...here comes the girly bit.

Take Nars for example, on Ebay I found the concealer for £5.99, at that price you don't mind trying it, the actual price from a retailer in the UK is £23.

Of course I stupidly took the risk, now on some level I would argue the product actually worked well, though the colour of the product was wrong (should have had yellow undertones instead of pink).

However here's the clinch, as the product has been produced to be genuine, that means bar slight tells in font and packaging everything else has been made to fool you into thinking it is Nars...including the ingredients listing and the country it is made in.

This is a problem, as it means you have no idea what they have put in it, needless to say the moment I verified it as fake I stopped using the product.

Of course this is just one example, I could go on.

The thing which gets me the most and is why I am on here boring you folks to death with my tale of stupidity, is the audacity some sellers have to sell fake items which are cheap to buy from retailers.

Why?
Why do this?

I would have bought the item from the shop, but because it no longer is sold in the colourway I wanted I took the risk.

Fake!

So another seller, another refund, another round of sitting in the stupid chair for daring to believe.

So anyway, that is my rant, anyone else been suckered the same way?

Feel free to share your experience, or just chastise my ignorance, I'm sure either would help me right now.

Just to add.

I know I have singled out Ebay in particular, however Amazon I believe are not immune either, although I am yet to have an experience regards out and out fakery, if the comments section is anything to go by it can happen there too, as I m sure there are many other online shops not affiliate with either Ebay or Amazon which too have the counterfeit issue.

For anyone out there who has suffered like me, or may do in the future, here are my top tips (I'm trying to be positive) I'm sure many of you will be thinking they are common sense, yet I am only sharing as a guide from one who has been flamed and not to patronise...I know how smart you folks are.

1) Don't buy from a seller, who lists their items as private sales, if there is nothing to hide, then there shouldn't be a problem allowing people to match the feedback to the product they wish to buy.

2) In addition to checking their feedback %, check the date they registered and against the number of items they have sold.

Someone who has been selling for 6 years with 98% feedback on over 1000+ items is likely to be more reliable than a seller with 100% positive, yet has only been a member for 6 months and has sold 150.

There are many who get a bad reputation, then begin again, only to trash their reputation again...ad infinitum.

3) Don't buy consumables or anything you would put on your skin (unless it is an official retailer selling), better to be safe than sore...or dead.

4) If the worst happens, just drop the seller a message, so far I have met with no resistance in getting refunded for fake items, sure it's not the best way to warn others, however the problem is so widespread to be a martyr to it only leaves you out of pocket and the problem to continue anyway.

Not saying the above will save you, but it is what I have learned works for me.

Rant over

Well, one thing life has taught me, is that there is no such thing as a bargain. When something is selling for £5.99 when it usually retails at £23.00, then to discover it is a fake, should not be a surprise.

Get real, money is the religion we all understand, there is no such thing as a bargain, ever.

With Ebay and life in general, if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

I love ebay and with over 1300 transactions I've had maybe 2 incidents, one which was paypals fault, one with was a con merchant of a buyer. Both were rectified quickly.
I've bought a few items that weren't as they should be, in ebay world the buyer is always right and can always get a refund, even if the seller states "No refunds", put a claim in, with in 10 days you'll have your money back.

If you ever need advice about ebay i'm willing to help you, PM me.

a reply to: solargeddon

There's only 3 choices of the consumer option list, of which only 2 are able to be gained when choosing items to purchase. GOOD-FAST-CHEAP. No matter what you dream, only 2 of the choices are going to occur.

You mentioned to be a bargain hunter, which is -CHEAP-. Now, you are left to pick either -GOOD- or -FAST-... but be assured that the one not chosen will lead to disappointment in that area.

I appreciate the shopping tips, but I already don't keep false expectations from sellers when I purchase goods due to the formula I mentioned.

I got a batch of fake Cuban cigars once. The source had previously been a good one. I don't know if they were trying to 'cash in', make a quick profit off of fake stogies, or what. I called the company ... they told me they'd give me 10% off (LMFAO). No really ... can you believe that?

The bank just erased the charge from my debit card history and refunded the money. This company still contacts me trying to sell me product. I'd buy it, but I imagine the bank might not be so receptive to me a second time around if I claimed their cigars were from some origin other than Cuba.

a reply to: solargeddon

Have you ever heard of amazon? I hear they are pretty good.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: solargeddon

Have you ever heard of amazon? I hear they are pretty good.

Yeah, if you actually read the OP you would have noticed I mentioned them.

a reply to: Snarl

Whoa, tobacco products over the internet...have you just opened up a new vein of stupid for me to explore?

Nah, though if I could, I stupidly would.

Glad you got your money back, did you ever find a reliable online dealer?

originally posted by: solargeddon
Glad you got your money back, did you ever find a reliable online dealer?

Not that I, ahem, circumvent the United States embargo against Cuban cigars, but if I did, I would use Swedish Match since if your stuff gets pinched by customs they just send you another box.

a reply to: Vector99

even on amazon there are private sellers or -even worse- good standing shops that have been overtaken by someone. I fell for it one time, a amazon shop selling electronic parts from china. Over around ten orders without problems except for the long mail time, that I knew beforehand. Then the shop was overtaken and all the stuff I ordered never delivered. Amazon payed back the money half a year later, when it was sure the shop was overtaken and I´d never get my servos and power supplies...

a reply to: solargeddon

My bad, I did read it quickly, and missed that part.

a reply to: Taggart

I've had no problems getting the money back, as you say Ebay come down on the side of the buyer.

Just a shame it is such a hostile place to purchase, wish t could be more robust.

I feel bad for the genuine sellers, someone I knew had to take countless precautions, including videoing packing and sending the item at the post office just to make a sale stick, because there are many out there who play the system knowing they can get refunded and still get the item.

originally posted by: verschickter
a reply to: Vector99

even on amazon there are private sellers or -even worse- good standing shops that have been overtaken by someone. I fell for it one time, a amazon shop selling electronic parts from china. Over around ten orders without problems except for the long mail time, that I knew beforehand. Then the shop was overtaken and all the stuff I ordered never delivered. Amazon payed back the money half a year later, when it was sure the shop was overtaken and I´d never get my servos and power supplies...

Incredibly, Amazon has been good to me, but yeah, I don't buy from third party vendors on there, as I've heard bad things too.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: solargeddon

My bad, I did read it quickly, and missed that part.

It's okay, I did waffle on somewhat and it was squirrelled away at the bottom there.

a reply to: solargeddon

Exactly, if it's not guaranteed by amazon I won't buy it. Might cost a couple bucks more, but it's guaranteed.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: solargeddon
Glad you got your money back, did you ever find a reliable online dealer?

Not that I, ahem, circumvent the United States embargo against Cuban cigars, but if I did, I would use Swedish Match since if your stuff gets pinched by customs they just send you another box.

Cool advice, though is it limited to cigars only?

a reply to: solargeddon

I think they do upscale cigarettes too but I don't smoke those so I'm not too certain.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: solargeddon

Exactly, if it's not guaranteed by amazon I won't buy it. Might cost a couple bucks more, but it's guaranteed.

In fact I purchased from Amazon today, to fix yet another pending moment of stupid on my part.

A battery if you will for a Samsung.

I am too damn dangerous for my own good!

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: solargeddon

I think they do upscale cigarettes too but I don't smoke those so I'm not too certain.

Appreciate the heads up, may investigate sometime.

a reply to: solargeddon

You bought a samsung battery?

You have balls.