For over 7 years and many thousands of transactions, I have been fortunate enough not to have to call on eBay support too often. However, on the few occasions I have, the support I have found is just about useless.

I suppose the problem is that there are just too many questions hitting them from the many millions of new eBayers and experienced ones as well and most of them must deal with similar themes. To handle these, eBay has come up with some standard templates that might cover some of the questions, but certainly not all of them. It is right here where the problem begins.

If the eBay Support representative takes the time to actually read the complaint or question and understand it, they might be able to be more effective, but from my experience this is not the case. I would imagine they just scan the email, see a few key words and reply with the closest template response they can find.

Being a Power Seller for many years and having a 99.9% positive feedback rating with over 6300 feedbacks, one might assume I know that I can obtain a buyers contact information from eBay to "Work Out Any Problems" I might have. Or you might think at this point in my eBay career I know how to file a Unpaid Item Reminder or apply for a Final Value Credit. I also understand I can't prevent a crooked buyer like this guy, from leaving me a negative feedback, unless eBay does its part and either suspends him or makes sure if he does leave negative feedback they will remove it. Maybe this is too much to ask of eBay, but it really frustrates me to no end when they keep answering my very clear emails with these canned template emails that never really answer the questions I have asked of them.

Here is an example of an request I recently sent to them about a guy who is trying to set up an eBay account and pay with bogus Bid Pay payments (they are out of business, but he keeps trying to fool sellers).

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Customer concern: Buyer with (0) feedback buys a $78 item from me on eBay and writes that he is going to send a Western Union money order. I then get an email that is so obviously an HTML version of a payment with graphics from him showing he paid for the item with Western Union. As you can see from above there are spelling errors and the contact emails are all bogus.

I wrote him already warning him I was going to report him to both Western Union and eBay. I would watch this guy closely, he is obviously a crook and you might want to suspend this guy immediately.

If you want me to forward his email to you I will be happy to do so. How do I close this deal with this crook, prevent him from leaving negative feedback and apply for a Final Value Credit?

Can you help?

Len Rapoport
eBay Power Seller: lenrapp

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This is their reply, notice the do not address the issue of applying for a Final Value Credit and my fear of a negative feedback..

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Hello,

Thank you for writing.

We are concerned about violations on the site and have thoroughly investigated your report. Please be assured that we have taken appropriate action in accordance with our site policies. Such action may include issuing a warning, a temporary suspension, an indefinite suspension or terminating the membership.

Thank you for being part of the eBay community.

Regards,

Iggy
eBay SafeHarbor
Investigations Team
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Their action meant not suspending this eBay who has (0) feedback and they saw the phony email payment he sent me. So not letting me know their action means they could have done nothing at all. The guy still has an active account.

So I decide I will once again try to reach anyone in support that actually reads the emails and I send this message.

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ONCE AGAIN YOU GUYS DO NOT READ THE EMAILS...

Important...read the story I posted on your Guides it will explain this situation. THIS IS NOT A SPOOF EMAIL...this is a case of an eBay buyer trying to make me think he paid for the item with a Western Union money order. This guy has to be suspended before he does it to others.

Here once again is the link...please take the minute or two to read it...you guys are so fast to send out these template answers, it happens

all the time. Doesn't anyone there ever read these reports of violations?

http://reviews.ebay.com/Warning-Buyers-Claiming-Western-Union-Payment-Made_W0QQugidZ10000000000134626

Please, Please read this and let me know if you want me to forward the original email to you.

Len Rapoport
eBay Power Seller Lenrapp

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Hello,

Thank you for contacting eBay with your concerns. My name is Leslie and I'll be happy to help you.

If at least seven days have passed since the listing ended and you haven't received notice or payment from a buyer, you can file an Unpaid Item reminder. You can file this reminder for up to 45 days after the listing has ended.

How to File an Unpaid Item Reminder

1. Go to:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/unpaid-item-process.html

2. Click the "File an Unpaid Item dispute" link. You may be asked to sign in.

3. Follow the instructions given.

eBay will automatically send the buyer a letter stating that the buyer has seven days to resolve the situation with you. If the situation is not resolved within seven days after you file the dispute, you can file for a Final Value Fee credit by taking the steps below.

How to File for a Final Value Fee Credit

1. Click the "My eBay" link at the top of any eBay page. You may be asked to sign in.

2. Under the "My eBay Views" section on the left side of the page, click the "Dispute Console" link.

3. On your dispute console, click the "View" link next to the item you wish to close.

***Important***

When the item is eligible for the credit, you'll see a check mark next to it. If you close the dispute and there's no check mark, you won't receive credit for the item.***

4. On the dispute page, click the "Close Dispute" link and select the reason you are closing the dispute.

As part of our policy to protect members from buyers who frequently don't pay, the buyer will receive an Unpaid Item strike against his or her account when you request a Final Value Fee credit. If the buyer continues to receive Unpaid Item strikes, that buyer will be suspended from eBay.

We are committed to your online trading safety and success.

Regards,

Leslie
Investigations Team
eBay Trust & Safety

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Again they never look at my profile and see I have been doing this for quite some time and insult me again with these form emails.

I did try one more time and even filled in one of those cute little surveys they send out to find out how the Customer Support Member handled my complaint. I gave it to them good this time and don't you know the guy that first sent me the reply sent me another one a few days later and it was no better then the first one.

So what is the benefit of being a Power Seller on eBay and working so hard to keep our nose clean and run legitimate auctions while paying eBay so many thousands in fees each year? Well from my experience it makes little difference being a newbie on eBay or a Silver Power Seller because when you do need some support, we all get the same canned, template emails that very rarely address the real issues.

Maybe if we all begin to complain to eBay something will be done. Hey, wouldn't it be nice to do some follow ups on a problem with the same individual? Well that doesn't happen either. Each rep uses the same return address and rarely will you get the same person that began to correspond to you follow-up to the conclusion of the issue. So you keep writing to a new person each time you want to send them an email and of course that means each one that gets it has no idea of what is going on and you then receive another template email.

I guess this is what we call a Self Help system...would be nice to trade in the little Holiday Thank You card from eBay for all the fees I pay them each year for a real rep that could answer my questions. Forget about their Power Seller phone support it is also non-existent. Try to find a telephone number anywhere on eBay, I will bet you can't.

Len