Caution when dealing with Rei_Jinn

[bowspearer]

Thought it was worth briefly dropping in to give everyone a heads up.

I admit, this is partially my fault in that a couple of threads are up on forums warning people about this seller and I didn't check him out beyond his eBay feedback before we clicked buy it now, but currently in the middle of a somewhat difficult situation with him.

I recently went to buy two Encore Convoys from him (one for a wedding cake topper and one to put away for when kids come along): http://www.ebay.com/itm/261351385675 .

At $50USD+$50USD shipping each (so $100USD total shipping), there seemed to be a question mark over shipping, but I thought that if there was a significant overing, that the seller would do the decent thing. As the seller required immediate payment and I was broke at the time, the missus put it through on her account.

Anyway both Encores arrived today and the first sign that something wasn't right was the shipping. The seller paid 99.80 for shipping, but it was 99.80RMY- roughly $30USD (it seems to fluctuate slightly above and below the $30USD mark according to http://www.ozforex.com ). In other words, the seller decided that his definition of a "reasonable handling fee" was $70USD.

Of course the biggest "surprise" came when I opened the box. While one of them was fine, the second one was anything but. I could describe the damage, but I figure it's best to go by the old adage "a picture says a thousand words", and simply link you to this:



Despite only having an issue with one of the Encore Convoys, the seller insists on me sending both of them back. Furthermore the seller expects me to pay the international shipping to return the item when it was their mistake. I've made my position clear to the seller, that I will only agree to a return and refund if the seller refunds the entirety of the outrageous "handling charge", half of the actual original shipping costs, covers all of the return shipping costs and refunds the actual cost of the damaged Encore Convoy. Yet the seller just keeps repeating the same message of "Send back both item for full refund. Thanks !" I should point out here that the seller has clearly indicated in previous messages that their definition of "full refund" doesn't include the return shipping costs.

I am happy to revise and review this should the seller start to act in the interests of fairness, however it would appear that the issues which Sid Burn of several TF forums had with him are still very much there and if this pans out how it's starting to look like it will, that transfans should take this as a warning to give the seller a wide berth.

[yoshi594]

Take it to paypal. I'm sure they'll support you since you have the evidence at your disposal.

Usually these multi buy ebay listing don't really discount the shipping much. I usually msg the seller and get em to make a new listing or revising the current listing to reflect the agreed upon shipping.

[bowspearer]

We'll probably do that in the next couple of days yoshi.

UPDATE: Seller refused to budge and claims he's merely adhering to eBay policies - despite the fact that in addition to charging unreasonable handling charges, ignoring the fact that eBay only requires me to send back the items which are damaged and the fact that what he's done here is classic toy aisle trolling (does anyone even remotely believe that came out of Takara's factory like that).

In short, deal with this disreputable, faceless con artist at your own peril.

[canofwhoopass_87]

1. As a seasoned collector, surely you could've asked the question first (Will you refund the excess shipping cost?) before committing to the purchase

2. The seller is essentially trying to reduce his ebay sale fees i.e. instead of charging
$80 for the encore + $20 for shipping he's charging
$50 for the encore and $50 for shipping.

Ebay won't hit him with fees on his shipping charge. Again, as a seasoned collector surely you'd know this

3. Paypal dispute / claim will most likely be decided in your favour (defect / item not as described). Paypal will advise you to post it back to the seller and provide them with tracking. You'll get your money back + postage but not including the postage fee you paid to return it. Essentially, you've both lost money on postage

4. If you're unhappy with the excessive postage fees you have evidence don't you? This is probably the best way to get some of your money back

[bowspearer]

canofwhoopas, so according to your post, this is my fault because I failed to ask the seller whether they were a scammer and a liar (it's almost cute that you think that if you ask a scammer and a liar if they're a scammer and a liar that you think they'll give you an honest answer). That is what your post amounts to here and I have to say that rushing in to defend a scammer who has been named and shamed by multiple individuals is just really classy on your part .

1. The fact is that the seller listed reissue Convoys that were listed as New and sealed and posted a pic showing absolutely no damage to the Prime cab. What arrived differed dramatically from the listing photo- to the point where this is an open and shut case of misrepresentation. The seller provided false information and a fraudulent picture. There was no ambiguity here, just outright misrepresentation and fraud. Yet by the underlying argument of your response, it's my fault for not asking the seller if he was a scammer.

2. As for the excessive handling fees, the seller's reasons are irrelevant. As a seasoned collector, you should be very much aware that not only is such a move against eBay TOU, but it was because of this very type of behaviour that eBay started charging a fee on the shipping costs as well as the final listing value of the item itself. You should also be aware as a seasoned collector, that often people put in estimates for shipping costs due to eBay insisting on sellers listing a shipping cost in their auctions these days and that reputable sellers will refund any excess shipping costs (as I asked the seller to do in the notes of the paypal payment that was made).

3. As for Paypal, I'm well aware of the fact that I'll lose money here. However what appears to have been lost on you (due largely to what I can only gather is a questionable grasp of ethics based on the scammer apologetics you have engaged in with your previous points), is that I shouldn't be the one out of pocket here at all when it is the seller who has engaged in outright fraud here.

4. I still have the shipping box with the invoice on it, however that is irrelevant as Paypal will not refund excess shipping charges, no matter how ridiculous they might be.

You know, it really says alot about your own business ethics that you're so quick to rush in and defend someone who has not only engaged in blatant fraud here, but who has been been named and shamed by not only other transfans in other communities, but in at least the Star Wars fan community (and quite possibly others).

It's ironic. I briefly came back here simply to give people a heads up about a dodgy eBay seller who I appear to be the latest victim of, judging by other horror stories on other Transformers and Star Wars fans- simply to look out for my fellow transfans. Yet all you have done here is remind me of why I left here to begin with. Well done .

[Tober]

Have a thorough look through eBay's TaC regarding handling fees - I seem to remember them not being chargeable. If there is a difference between what you were charged and the actual shipping fee then bring it up with eBay/PayPal as well.

If you're not happy with PayPal's response you could try a chargeback through the credit card used for the payment. It's a lot trickier, but I've had success with it.

Good luck.

[Sinnertwin]

...that a couple of threads are up on forums warning people about this seller and I didn't check him out beyond his eBay feedback...

... but who has been been named and shamed by not only other transfans in other communities...

$100 each? That's a good price for a MiSB Convoy delivered to your door. The next cheapest one currently on eBay.com with free delivery, apart from the same sellers relisted item is $129.95 US. I can see why you chose them.

[5FDP]

$100 each? That's a good price for a MiSB Convoy delivered to your door. The next cheapest one currently on eBay.com with free delivery, apart from the same sellers relisted item is $129.95 US. I can see why you chose them.

If the deal's too good to be true it usually is.

[millhouse]

I nearly ordered from him, and am glad I didn't! I queried the shipping and he wouldn't budge, then came back and told me it about a price drop when it was on sale a couple of weeks later - by then I'd already bought one through the board!

[canofwhoopass_87]

Not gonna fall into the oh-so-often trap of playing an endless tennis match with you bowspearer. You do it too often here.

Simply put, I don't recall ever defending the seller at all. You ignored warnings and admitted you probably should've thought about it before committing to the purchase and now you're stuck in the mud.

I just gave you a reply and you went and blew it out of the water and then rolled over and played the role of "the victim" again. You do it every time man.

Anyway me go now. Enough time wasted. Good luck with resolving the issue with that chump.

Cheerio