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Scammer seller
Summary: dorbec-8804 expresses frustration after buying vine cuttings on eBay that, after more than a year, turn out not to match the advertised variety. The seller is not responding and dorbec-8804 is outside the deadline for a standard appeal. They are disappointed by eBay’s automated response and are looking for other solutions, notably through the DGCCRF. lingma85 and koalagris reply that buying from private individuals does not guarantee recourse, pointing out that the platform is only an intermediary and that the issue will not be handled by the DGCCRF. dorbec-8804 maintains that the deception deserves a more serious intervention.
Hello,
In March 2024, I bought 3 vine cuttings of a specific variety on eBay from a private seller. Upon receipt, the cuttings were indeed there, but like with any plant, it is impossible to immediately verify whether the variety matches the description. You have to wait at least a full growing season to judge the plant, and especially the fruit.
Today, after more than a year of growing, I can formally attest that the variety sent has nothing to do with the one stated in the listing. It is pure and simple lying. The seller does not respond to my messages and I am well past the deadline for a standard claim.
I reported the listing to eBay, but the automated system replied that “everything is compliant.” That is not the case!
I am deeply disappointed that a scammer can keep selling without being bothered, when it is obvious that he is sending generic cuttings that have nothing to do with what he advertises. This kind of behavior completely discredits the platform.
What can I do in such a case? Do I have any recourse despite the deadline having passed, given that the deception can only be detected over the long term?
Thank you in advance for your help.
lingma85
Mentor1 year agoGood evening @dorbec-8804
You only bought cuttings... from a private seller...
So you no longer have any recourse...
Buy your grapevines from a nursery where you'll have a guarantee they’ll take, and if there’s any problem you’ll also have someone professional to contact...
Best regards
dorbec-8804
OP1 year agoAh, so basically: "you got ripped off, too bad for you, you should’ve gone elsewhere".
Thanks for that brilliant demonstration of eBay community support. This response is completely off the mark.
I got scammed, plain and simple. This isn’t a question of a "return guarantee" or a nursery: it’s a disguised scam. The advertised product (a very specific variety) bears no resemblance to what I received, and that can only be verified after more than a year of growing. That’s called misrepresentation of goods, whether the seller is a professional or a private individual.
This kind of practice deserves a seller ban, not a pat on the back or a dismissal like "you should’ve gone elsewhere".
It’s all the more ridiculous because some varieties simply can’t be found in nurseries, which means you have to look elsewhere!
But if buying from a private individual is basically like playing the lottery with no safety net, then what legitimacy does eBay have as a platform?
In any case, I’m glad to see that dishonest sellers can keep operating in complete peace, as long as it’s "past the deadline" and the fraud takes time to become visible.
Given the testimonials from other buyers in the same situation, it’s obvious that if eBay really cared about its users, this kind of seller wouldn’t be so widespread. So I’m going to turn to the DGCCRF, and to the equivalent in the seller’s country of residence, to see whether it’s possible to get things moving another way, since here everything is considered normal.
lingma85
Mentor1 year agore.... @dorbec-8804
The translation of the reply I gave you is as follows....
If you want a guarantee, insurance on your purchases... go see the pros...
- it's just logic/caution...
The DGCCRF won't back you up, since your purchase wasn't made from a professional and eBay doesn't sell anything.. This organization only deals with problems between private individuals and professionals or professionals among themselves... Your issue will not be taken into account.
Your reasoning shows your frustration... which is normal when you're disappointed by a purchase and the answers given aren't the ones you were expecting...
Best regards
koalagris
Mentor1 year agoHello @dorbec-8804
No one is telling you that it’s normal or acceptable; there’s no need to extrapolate from what was said to you.
You are fully aware that you have no recourse on eBay (which is only a matchmaking platform, and each listing clearly states that the seller is responsible for what they put up for sale).
From there, unless you want to consider the forum a place to vent, there is no miracle fix and we’re not going to invent one for you. I don’t know what you were expecting from this thread, other than for people to sympathize with you.
The DGCCRF for a purchase made in March 2024 from a Romanian private seller? We’ll let you give it a try; please do let us know the results of your efforts...
Kind regards