why don't you go ahead and link here. I'll tell you whether to bid or not.

Also, you're safe with ebay as long as you do your homework and follow their process.

4 bids disappearing is kind of fishy though. Sounds like the seller didn't like where the price was going and cancelled and relisted the auction. I can't imagine 4 people bailing on the bid process all at once (unless someone was using separate accounts to "scare away" people from the item and had a change of heart).

Ebay is very pro- buyer...some would argue to an extreme. Sellers have no recourse if you file an "item not as described" dispute with Paypal. You will get your money back. The only negative is that, should you return the wheels in this fashion, you are responsible for paying the return shipping. You must ship with a tracking number.

Zipp wheels are a big purchase. Even with seller protection, I would be hesitant to purchase something of that value from an unproven seller. This would be especially true if I thought something was fishy with the auction.

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Auction hasn't been relisted. It's going on as usual. There were 4 bids all with user names like n*****s, or something similar. Is that normal?

yes. why not just post the link? most people can spot these a mile away.

This is not necessarily true.

Ebay blurs out the user names of the people bidding and everyone's name on a bid will look like j***r or whatever. I'm assuming this is to prevent the angry person who was outbid at the last second from harassing the winner.

It's odd that someone pulled out of the auction, although the "4 bids" could actually be just one guy who bid, then raised his bid three times wanting to be "safe" and then had a change of heart. I think that's the most likely scenario..

Either way, the only way you can lose with ebay is if you don't follow the process or if your time is so valuable that it negates arguing about a failed purchase. Otherwise, you're covered.

He wouldn't be responsible for the shipping either (if it was a misleading description by the seller). If the seller is at fault (i.e. he describes wheels as "new" and there's a huge crack in them from previous wear and tear) - you can argue that the seller is responsible for return shipping. I've done this several times.

I didn't post the link mainly because I don't want additional bidders raising the price.

I looked at the bidding history and they were cancelled because it said "Item no longer available" yet the auction is still listed. Perhaps the seller has forgotten to cancel the auction.

mountaindood wrote:

This is not necessarily true.

Not wanting to sound like a broken record or sound like I'm sponsored by ebay or something (I'm not) - but it absolutely is true.

If you get something other than what was described - you're covered. 100% of the time.

Now, if the description of the item is vague enough that a seller can sneak through the backdoor - then that's an entirely different story (i.e. if someone says something is "used but in great condition" - that leaves an opening for a small cosmetic hole in the rim or something like that to be ok).

But if something is advertised as new, and it's very obviously used - then ebay covers you. If you're savvy enough, you can claim that it wasn't your fault the item wasn't as described or was different, etc and that the seller is responsible for return shipping. I've made the argument to ebay several times that any online business would take care of the shipping if they sent me the wrong item (that I didn't order) - I expect someone selling on ebay to do the same. It's never failed me once (and it's happened a small handful of times).

Ebay is EXTREMELY pro buyer. I'm baffled at how a buyer can even lose a legitimate case (it would have to take someone not following the process and giving up immediately to do that). It's to the point where people on ebay are scared to sell stuff because of how easy it would be for someone to return something with "buyers remorse" and waste a ton of time and effort from a seller.

Could be the case too. A lot of people sell locally and also list their items on ebay. It could be that the seller just cancelled the bids and hasn't killed the auction yet (although killing the auction automatically cancels the bids).

There is a lot of fraud (especially involving bikes) on ebay as well - where people put something up expecting someone to buy it at their Buy It Now price or pay through private message - and they cancel bids on items as they accumulate.

So ebay covers the cost and then takes it from the buyer now?

it used to be that ebay just contacted paypal and then reversed the transaction, but if the seller had already withdrawn the money from their paypal account and closed out their forms of funding, the buyer was SOL unless the seller funded their account at some point in the future. I guess this isn't the case anymore!

That's how it used to be, and ebay started getting a drop in business because it become to easy to screw people.

So they instituted the buyer protection - which ebay covers you no matter what. Ebay will credit you the money (usually immediately - I've had it done while the seller was still bitching about in private messages). Then the seller has to pay you to return the item (at least with me that was the case).

Very cool, sorry for providing inaccurate info then. I know it's always been pro-buyer, but as a practical matter a scammer could still get and keep your money under the right circumstances. Glad to know this has changed. Thanks for the info.

if you were "watching" the auction then it will still be visible to you, but if it says that the item is no longer available then they have ended it.

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ishi no ue ni san nen | Perseverance will win in the end. | Blog | @nebmot | Strava | Instagram |

I got a great deal on a bike with that exact scenario. Bids disappeared an hour before close and nobody came back on at the last minute. Every situation is different though...

In regarding to filing a claim on Ebay, the buyer does not always win.

I purchased a wheel that had a blemish that wasn't mentioned in the listing. The category the item went under was used, saying refer to seller's listing that stated new to the eye.

Buyer wouldn't take back the item or give a refund. I filed a claim and lost. My problem was I communicated not through Ebay, but just email. Make sure you keep all communication through Ebay, otherwise they won't count it.

If you have to file a claim, do through Paypal and not Ebay. I think might have better results. Once Ebay decides, its a done deal.

I won my claim, filing a claim with American Express, and I produced all communication.

In addition, if it seems fishy, post a lot of specific questions to the buyer, to be on the record, in case it doesn't work out in your favor for the sale.

There are plenty of deals to be had from reliable power sellers on Zipps, if they aren't there now they will be. I got my new set of 808 firecrests last year from a trusted seller with hundreds of feedback for under 2k. Any lower than that, particularly from someone that hasn't sold anything, would be a huge red flag. Don't get too greedy bargain hunting.

I've seen so many scenarios as a seller/buyer. One guy sold me an ipod and didn't disclose it was engraved and out of package, I got frustrated and wanted to send it back, he refused. Ebay sided with me and said I could send it back if I paid return shipping. Of course I didn't want to pay shipping, I purchased a new ipod, not an engraved one, why is this my fault at all? Ebay gave me the ipod and paid the seller what I won the item for.

I've also had one guy argue that item didn't arrive, despite delivery confirmation stating otherwise. Ebay sided with him, which had me outraged. They locked the funds until the "buyer received the item" which apparently a delivery confirmation didn't prove. I called paypal, and the delivery confirmation worked for them, so I got my money unlocked.

I hate listing on ebay, the 10% of final transaction kills.

ive bot an sold hundreds of things on ebay since 2004, and never really have had any problems as a seller or buyer. as long as you use common sense on your buying, and be honest in selling, everyone is a winner. of course you will have to have patience to file a dispute but when your asking for your 2000$ back cuz the wheels you bot were "exactly" as described, expect to be out a lil time to get all of your 2000$ back. your trade for a cheaper price is the gamble of getting your dream item or jipped. in the case of a jip dont worry, ebay and paypal will get it sorted out in time.

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