Is it ok to correct Ebay sellers?

[sandmountainslim]

I can't help it sometimes!
I know some of them probably list things wrong on purpose and correcting them just makes them angry.
Some feller this morning has a ball end Tech listed as an Old Type with a BIN of 25 bucks....the razor might be worth $5.

Do any of you correct these guys or just let 'em be?

Wp

 

[dpm802]

I can't help it sometimes!
I know some of them probably list things wrong on purpose and correcting them just makes them angry.
Some feller this morning has a ball end Tech listed as an Old Type with a BIN of 25 bucks....the razor might be worth $5.

Do any of you correct these guys or just let 'em be?

Wp

keep doing what you're doing.

If a seller deliberately lists wrong info on an item, giving them the corrections won't make a difference. If they don't change it even after they know the difference, You should report them to eBay and provide feedback.

But give them the benefit of the doubt first. Many sellers have hundreds of items going at the same time, and its easy to overlook some minor details. And when it comes to vintage razors and other tools of this niche trade, some people honestly just don't know what they have.

 

[midniterambler]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=147333

 

[Stubblefield]

I do when the item is misrepresented.

If the seller is advertising a tech as a Fatboy, I'll correct them, as someone with little experience may buy the item, only to eventually find the seller (unwillingly) misrepresented the item.

But if the seller has a Aristocrat Jr. listed as a "old Gillette," I'll let that one slide.

And I'm very aware that I'm being inconsistent here, but I think less damage is done to a seller that unknowingly lets something go for cheap. Of course, it falls upon both buyers and sellers to do due diligence in any transaction.

 

[Oldguy]

I will correct a seller if the description is wrong as far as claiming something is a much more expensive piece then it really is. I never go the other way. If he wants to claim a Double Ring is a Super Speed, I leave it alone. I never comment on what the seller is asking for the piece. Price is his business. If it's priced too high it won't sell. I used to comment a lot to sellers however I now mostly let it go.

Len

 

[Stubblefield]

I used to comment a lot to sellers however I now mostly let it go.

Len

I mostly don't bother anymore either, as about half the time they tell me where to stick it. I had one guy argue with me that his mislabeled ""fatboy" (reg superspeed) could be called a Fatboy because all the shave forums called all Gillette razors Fatboys, so since no one agreed he could call it whatever he liked.

That was 10 minutes of my life wasted, for certain.

 

[thirdeye]

I usually correct the seller. Many times these folks just have no idea what they have.

Of course if it is something I really want I tell them it's a baseball bat....

 

[ghostknife]

When they are Clearly trying to inflate the price of an item by mis-labelling or selling something with correct case E.g.#58 but incorrect contents then absolutley i have and will contintue to do so, if they aren't reasonable and don't change it, then I report it. Does it really annoy them, sure it does but I hate being ripped off and don't see why anybody else should be.
All that above and also since IT IS against Ebay policy for them to knowingly mis-represent items anyway so they should know better and I don't feel the least bit bad about doing it

 

[Slivovitz]

I used to do this fairly frequently, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's just that there are so many faulty descriptions, that it's too much trouble to keep up with them. These days, I'm watching things on eBay mostly to see what other people end up paying for stuff I've already got.

There is one current listing, and no, I won't give enough information for anyone to identify it, where it seems to me that the seller's "error" is intentionally dishonest. He (falsely) describes a razor as a particular, very popular, item in the title, then backs off in the description, saying in effect "well, I'm not really sure if it's that or not". It's pretty clear that he just wanted people to look at his listing, but he fudged enough so that nobody can say he's actually lying. I thought of writing to him, then thought, "oh, what's the point?"

 

[ghostknife]

Exactly, If I'm looking for Razor X and I search for that and find one but when I look at it it's clearly not then I take issue with that. Of course I haven't been doing it very long and I'm sure I will at some time lose the care factor too.

 

[csf1964]

I would correct the seller.
If it an honest mistake both the seller and bidder should know. However the seller might not be honest. For example last year I was going to bid on a 105mm Macro lens for my Nikon f3. The seller stated it was from the wrong era. He was asked directly of he had it wrong and if it was older than stated which is important for the quality of the lens and if it would work with a digital camera (AI vs AI-S for you Nikon people). The seller strongly said no he was correct. The lens was taking of Ebay after I submitted my question of according to the lens serial number the lens was a lot older than he stated (pre AI) and would not work with any AI camera. AI cameras where introduced in 1977 which means the lens would only work on a pre-1977 camera.
So I feel it is best to contact the seller.

 

[Oldguy]

I actually have found that most of the sellers i try to help are very appreciative of what I tell them. But I don't just tell them they're wrong. I give them a little background of the item like a little history lesson. We end up exchanging a few emails and it becomes a pleasant experience. Some of these sellers just don't know.

Len

 

[Oldguy]

I would correct the seller.
If it an honest mistake both the seller and bidder should know. However the seller might not be honest. For example last year I was going to bid on a 105mm Macro lens for my Nikon f3. The seller stated it was from the wrong era. He was asked directly of he had it wrong and if it was older than stated which is important for the quality of the lens and if it would work with a digital camera (AI vs AI-S for you Nikon people). The seller strongly said no he was correct. The lens was taking of Ebay after I submitted my question of according to the lens serial number the lens was a lot older than he stated (pre AI) and would not work with any AI camera. AI cameras where introduced in 1977 which means the lens would only work on a pre-1977 camera.
So I feel it is best to contact the seller.

Actually your situation is much different because you wanted to buy the item. You had to contact the seller. I contact the seller to help other bidders. In some cases I'll bid on the item but generally not.

Len

 

[csf1964]

I forgot to add that most of the time it is an honest mistake which all of us can and do make. I am new to DE so I would not know by the picture of the item just the written description. So another way of looking at it is you are just giving a little bit of help to the seller and bidder and extending the B&B knowledge to Ebay.

Also I will add that B&B is a great source and has made my step to DE enjoyable.

 

[Stubblefield]

Of course if it is something I really want I tell them it's a baseball bat....

Single edge or double?

 

[Stubblefield]

There is one current listing, and no, I won't give enough information for anyone to identify it, where it seems to me that the seller's "error" is intentionally dishonest. He (falsely) describes a razor as a particular, very popular, item in the title, then backs off in the description, saying in effect "well, I'm not really sure if it's that or not". It's pretty clear that he just wanted people to look at his listing, but he fudged enough so that nobody can say he's actually lying. I thought of writing to him, then thought, "oh, what's the point?"

I wonder if eBay keeps track of PMs on disputed items? I know they save them. Just wondering if a buyer of a misadvertised item would have recourse saying they suspect the seller knew the item was misrepresented.

 

[lungho]

I wonder if eBay keeps track of PMs on disputed items? I know they save them. Just wondering if a buyer of a misadvertised item would have recourse saying they suspect the seller knew the item was misrepresented.

I do know that you have the option of sending a copy of the PM to your email address. And that's exactly what I do when I PM a seller. This type of documentation is sometimes crucial when there is a dispute.

I used to work for a company that was one of the top 5 eBay sellers in the world. We doled out refund after refund for mistakes in auctions. These mistakes consisted of typos, inaccurate descriptions, wrong pics with auction title. And these would be honest, yet stupid, mistakes. Nobody was trying to mislead anybody. The buyer has a lot more leverage than a seller. If you pay with PayPal or a credit card, you can get a refund on just about anything for any reason.

 

[Bay Rum]

I made a mistake on a fly rod I listed. I appreciated a guy correcting me. Of course I did not want to mislead anyone.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I send notes when I can. I collect several obscure things and sometimes sellers have no idea what they have. If a quick note helps them get an item sold, I consider it good karma. 99% of sellers I've dropped a note to have been appreciative and have appended their auctions for better exposure.

On the other side of the fence, I've gotten notes on a few things I've sold and have been helped a lot by other people. I greatly appreciate that, too.

Always help out others when you can - you usually get repaid along the way.

 

[Fairchild86]

I actually have found that most of the sellers i try to help are very appreciative of what I tell them. But I don't just tell them they're wrong. I give them a little background of the item like a little history lesson. We end up exchanging a few emails and it becomes a pleasant experience. Some of these sellers just don't know.

This is probably the best way to go about doing it.