Buyer Beware....it's not easy!

[Imagine]

I'm actually now put off of Fleabay/PayPal after a very recent experience.

I've just got into MacBooks. I'm not a "fanboy" because at the end of the day...it's a computer and they CAN and WILL go wrong, and don't rant and rave over how they're better than PC's (I'm a Windows programmer by day), but fancied a change. VDJ seems to work better under MacOS as well though, and my music is managed via iTunes Match, so it had to be done...(iTunes on Windows is just so bad it's not worth using).

So, I got my "office" machine from PCWorld (ugh), and ordered a playout from an eBay seller of reconditioned machines at around half the price of a new one. Arrived a couple of days later (the mid 2012 model where you can add your own HDD/SSD or whatever) and all's well. Bear in mind I know my way around computers having designed and built my own in the past....it's reliable...trust me!

Roll forward to the start of January this year and I decided it would be nice to have a backup machine identical to the original playout....as you do. Jumped online, ordered and waited, and waited, and waited a LOT more.

Eventually found a mobile number for the seller concerned (because the landline wasn't working anymore and I was starting to get worried after finding out he'd "moved" premises).....his PayPal account's been "hacked" apparently and there's no trace of my order. "I'll refund your PayPal account my friend because we don't have that machine in stock anymore oh blimey" was the response in a very thick Indian accent (I can say that because Companies house says that's where he's from!).

OK - this is time to invoke the PayPal dispute procedure methinks....what an absolute nightmare!

I dispute the payment....he provides a tracking number for the ORIGINAL order last October. As far as PayPal are concerned, the package has been delivered...case closed! They literally looked to see if the tracking number was real....they didn't check the date!

Ahem!!!! Not when you're dealing with me it's not. There has been a LOT of too-ing and fro-ing on this now...if I charged for admin time I could actually retire now! It's been that longwinded and convoluted it's unreal!

Eventually got past PayPal's automated phone system (which nicely tells me they've "closed the case....goodbye") and spoke to a human being who actually looked a little further into what was happening (aka..the tracking number provided is for the previous order and dated BEFORE the disputed transaction). The refund's on it's way (hooray...but how do you manage to take my money at the point of order but it takes 5 working days to refund it????)

The twist in the tail??? I've received a dispatch email from the supplier this evening saying my MacBook's on it's way!

Now if this seller is expecting me to accept his order and actually pay for it...he has another thought coming (I went back to PCWorld on Sunday and spent over the odds on a brand new machine).

Will the order arrive and the seller insist on payment.....I'll keep you informed. I've emailed him saying not to bother (funnily....he doesn't receive my emails because his account's been hacked but is VERY responsive to PayPal dispute emails!)

I won't mention the company name at the moment because I don't think naming and shaming is allowed (I may be wrong). But if you want more details....message me

[Excalibur]

Seems to me that the problem isn't with Ebay per se. Your mistake was dealing with ( alleged ) purveyors of Apple products. Everyone knows they are unscrupulous types, who trade on the desire of fashion conscious people like yourself to possess the latest " must have " item.

Had you dealt with a Windows person, I'm sure you would have had a rewarding and faultless transaction, for everyone knows that Windows dealers are fine upstanding types, with unimpeachable character.

What is the model number/appellation/description/nomenclature of the item you misguidedly attempted to purchase? Hercule Excalibur will have a look and see what he can find, and show you where you might have been better served.

Edit: Just in case anyone didn't realise it, the post above was a flippant jest aimed mainly at Wayne. It is so obviously ridiculous to tar all dealers with the same brush, that I thought it was impossible to miss the joke.
Apparently I was wrong.

[yourdj]

I got ripped off last year as I paid bank transfer for an item that was too good to be true. Silly me.

I have bought probably about 15-20 Mabooks on Ebay and got a good deal on all of them, so I am very lucky. I can see the benefits from buying new, but like cars you get so much for your money second hand. On the occasions that I have had issues the seller has sorted it or I have got a refund, so no complaints from me. I guess the problem with largely automated systems is when the decision has been made its a shut case. With the volume of traffic its hard to keep quality control, but i suspect it was the seller, whom gave them the wrong details or coerced that situation?

Do you not have an apple store or apple dealer near you. I dont think I would get anything from PC world, but your more savvy than me. I would opt for someone like John Lewis if not, or buy online. The 2012 macs are brilliant as you can move the Hd's and put another one in the optical drive. I have done this with my 2011 i7 and i5, bloody geneous having 4 tb of memory in each. My 2008 one is even better as its one where the battery and HDD area is instantly accessible. Reasonably quick with an SSD too.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I got ripped off last year as I paid bank transfer for an item that was too good to be true. Silly me.

I have bought probably about 15-20 Mabooks on Ebay and got a good deal on all of them, so I am very lucky. I can see the benefits from buying new, but like cars you get so much for your money second hand. On the occasions that I have had issues the seller has sorted it or I have got a refund, so no complaints from me. I guess the problem with largely automated systems is when the decision has been made its a shut case. With the volume of traffic its hard to keep quality control, but i suspect it was the seller, whom gave them the wrong details or coerced that situation?

Do you not have an apple store or apple dealer near you. I dont think I would get anything from PC world, but your more savvy than me. I would opt for someone like John Lewis if not, or buy online. The 2012 macs are brilliant as you can move the Hd's and put another one in the optical drive. I have done this with my 2011 i7 and i5, bloody geneous having 4 tb of memory in each. My 2008 one is even better as its one where the battery and HDD area is instantly accessible. Reasonably quick with an SSD too.

I bought my 1st mac pro refurbed off ebay. I bought my newest pro from PC world because they were a couple of hundred quid cheaper than everywhere else plus doing a cashback scheme. Refused all their adds ons, insurance and what not, walked out of the shop in 10 minutes with my new machine and it's *touch wood!* not skipped a beat since.

[Imagine]

I bought my 1st mac pro refurbed off ebay. I bought my newest pro from PC world because they were a couple of hundred quid cheaper than everywhere else plus doing a cashback scheme. Refused all their adds ons, insurance and what not, walked out of the shop in 10 minutes with my new machine and it's *touch wood!* not skipped a beat since.

Funny enough....the 2015 model I've just purchased came from PC World for exactly the reason of the 10% cash back offer. It's a bit of a faff (you have to wait 21 days before you can claim it back....I suppose they're hoping people will forget). Other than that, I wouldn't normally touch them with a very large stick for moving canal boats.

[TONYTIGER]

Seems to me that the problem isn't with Ebay per se. Your mistake was dealing with ( alleged ) purveyors of Apple products. Everyone knows they are unscrupulous types, who trade on the desire of fashion conscious people like yourself to possess the latest " must have " item.

Had you dealt with a Windows person, I'm sure you would have had a rewarding and faultless transaction, for everyone knows that Windows dealers are fine upstanding types, with unimpeachable character.

What is the model number/appellation/description/nomenclature of the item you misguidedly attempted to purchase? Hercule Excalibur will have a look and see what he can find, and show you where you might have been better served.

What a ridiculous post to imply that buying a apple product you are going to be dealing with unscrupulous people is unfounded,with this sort of attitude no wonder this forum is struggling.

[funkymook]

What a ridiculous post to imply that buying a apple product you are going to be dealing with unscrupulous people is unfounded,with this sort of attitude no wonder this forum is struggling.

You do realise Peter’s tongue was firmly in his cheek don’t you

[Excalibur]

What a ridiculous post to imply that buying a apple product you are going to be dealing with unscrupulous people is unfounded,with this sort of attitude no wonder this forum is struggling.

Joke missed, I feel. Perhaps I should have put a smiley at the end, but I thought that defeated the object of the joke. Ah well.

[Imagine]

What a ridiculous post to imply that buying a apple product you are going to be dealing with unscrupulous people is unfounded,with this sort of attitude no wonder this forum is struggling.

Somebody not had sufficient caffeine intake yet this morning?

Joke missed, I feel. Perhaps I should have put a smiley at the end, but I thought that defeated the object of the joke. Ah well.

I got it

[Excalibur]

I got it

I'm relieved, and not entirely surprised. I can see I'm going to have to add a disclaimer whenever I make ( what passes in my mind for ) a joke.

PS. The post above was serious.