Dear eBay Queen:

As a side job to my eBay selling, I do picture-framing.  I have hundreds of antique frames I’ve picked up over the years. It’s always been fun to find something interesting behind the print you see through the glass – something used for backing or some print or photo the former owner just decided to cover with a preferred picture. I’ve found parts of vintage posters, pieces of old boxes with advertising, family photos, rejected lithographs (misaligned colors), and so on. The other day, I disassembled a huge, c.1900 frame I’d gotten for just the frame and glass. The backing was wood and was covered with heavy white paper tacked around the edges. The print would have gone on top of that white paper. So I removed the paper to use for whatever and was delighted to find on the reverse a large, pencil-signed engraving! Fun!

I can’t read the signature. I tried a Google image search with keywords anyone would use to describe the scene, but no luck.

Do you know of a website, institution, or person who will attempt to identify works of art for free? The engraving is presumably a copy of a painting, so this would need to be an expert in Victorian-era painters.

David

Dear David:

I’ve never thought about looking behind photos or prints to see what I found.  Have you ever thought about writing a blog about your finds?  There is a really interesting blog I follow called:  http://www.missingbookmarks.com He is a book seller, and writes about the stuff he finds stuck in books.

Some good places I have found to research old prints and paintings are:

• www.artconversation.com
• ·         www.artcyclopedia.com/
• I’ve also contacted the Nelson Atkins (816) 751-1278, and they have helped me with research on old prints.

Dear eBay Queen:

I sell vintage albums, turntables etc, on eBay.  I’ve been doing this for around 5 years.  Recently, I had a buyer claim that the turntable I sent her is broken.  She threatened to leave negative feedback if I did not provide her with a full refund or a replacement but she has steadfastly refused to return the item.  I always double check my items are in good working order and condition prior to sending.  I do want to find out why there is a problem with this turntable. In my defense, I offered her a full refund once she sends the items back to me.

She opened a case with PayPal saying that the item was vitally important for her child and she needed one desperately, but went crazy once PayPal told her to return the item and then she will get her refund.  She now has admitted to me that she has 7 of these items, has received a few of them that did not work and the seller gave her a refund without returning the item. I checked out her feedback, and she has been buying these items for some time. She wants to send me a video of the console not working as proof of her claim – how am I to know if this is the console I had sent if she already has 7 others?

In her last email, she says that she wants to keep the player and still have her refund!!!  What would you do in this situation?

Colleen

Dear Colleen:

One of my crazy buyers from years ago taught me to always take a photo of the serial number of the electronics I am selling.  I don’t put this in the eBay description, but I do save the photo.  When I send electronics I put the serial number in the notes when I print the PayPal shipping. Then the buyer knows that you know which item you have sent. Then if a different one is returned it’s obvious.

I would call PayPal to talk to someone in resolutions. Ask if you can forward the emails where she says she has 7 of these and none of the other sellers made her return them.  I would also contact eBay about this.  PayPal is going to require her send the item back before receiving a refund.  You have a couple of options.

1. Let the PayPal claim expire on its own, and by doing this it will be found in your favor.
2. Escalate the claim, PayPal will investigate and find in your favor since the buyer refuses to send the item back.

The buyer could still give you negative feedback, but you can always respond: “buyer demanded to keep the item & get money back.”  This is a tough situation.  I wish eBay would put more safeguards in place for sellers when it comes to buyers.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 250992365252 How much would you pay to have Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley at your wedding? Check out this auction, Be 1st Couple Married at KISS “Hotter Than Hell” Vegas Wedding Chapel with KISS! Check it out HERE  SOLD $15,300.00

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul, Kansas.

Dear eBay Queen:     

I’ve purchased several items from the same bead seller. Every order before this one was perfect. I bought some stone beads on eBay, amethyst and cherry quartz. The auctions for both indicated the beads were 16″ strands. I received the items, but they were not described. Instead of receiving a strand of beads, I received one single bead, that I think resembles cherry quartz, but is browner than what was shown in the photo.

I wrote the seller and told him that the amethyst arrived fine, but the strand of Cherry Quartz was missing. I explained I received a single bead, and if I had thought I was paying $14 for one bead, I would not have purchased it.  I stated I would like either a refund of the $14, or for them to send out the strand of quartz that I paid for.

He wrote back saying that he “double checked” his records, and that they have TWO people that check their stuff, and in fact they DID send the order that included BOTH the strand, AND a single bead.

The box arrived sealed, and the strand was not there.  So what do I do now?  He’s a Top Rated Seller and a PowerSeller, so I’m sure there is no recourse for me.

I’ve read some of your previous articles and you suggested going through PayPal, but why would I do this?  They are owned by eBay!  Do you have any other suggestions for me?  If not, I guess it cost me $14, but it will cost him word of mouth and any new sales from me.  Maybe the loss of my sales won’t hurt him because he’s a power seller.

Fran Campbell

Dear Fran:

eBay does own PayPal, but I don’t believe that is a bad thing.  Their partnership will only help your cause.  In a situation like this, I would contact your seller one more time.  Let your seller know that you are a repeat buyer, and that you would be happy to send them a photo of what you received.  Give them a day or so to respond.  If the seller doesn’t respond, I would file a complaint with PayPal.

eBay and PayPal care about your buying experience.  I would imagine that your seller cares too.

Dear eBay Queen:

I had a men’s suit up for sale that was clearly olive green and marked as olive green in the listing. For some reason, the product finder mistakenly had the color as black. This was my fault for missing that.  Before the buyer paid for the item, he tried to back out of the sale by saying he wasn’t sure it fit.  Today I received this email.

Here is the email that the buyer sent me:

“I received the suit yesterday and I have to say I am dissapointed. Quite surprisingly it fits just fine. I will need to extend the waist by an inch or so but the jacket fits beautiiful which was my main concern.

The problem is the color. Your description says black ….the pictures show beigee and the actual color is green!!

I have purchased 11 suits in 4 weeks from ebay and have perfect record of paying and feedback and have been very reasonable with the sellers..

In this case I am lost as I have 3 green suits. If you have something else I would consider it, else I would request full refund incl shipping as the item is grossly misrepresented. You have fantastic feedback and
mistakes do occur. I hope you will rect”

***Yes, he did send the email mid sentence.

Now, I disagree with him on all counts, except that I accidentally put black in the product finder, but the description and pictures are clearly not black. Also, I have no issues issuing a refund, but I want to insist upon my return terms and I most definitely do not want to pay for return shipping.  What’s your opinion on this?

Jaime

Dear Jamie:

There isn’t really anything to do except offer to accept the return.  I would email the buyer immediately and ask them to return the item.  Since there was an error in the listing, I would bend over backwards to make sure the buyer is happy.

They already mentioned your “fantastic feedback.”  While eBay won’t consider this a threat, to me the buyer is saying “hey I’ve seen your feedback and I just might leave something if you don’t do what I want.”  Keep in mind they could be being complimentary, but they are waiting, and believe that you are going to do the right thing.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 390366911972 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page. President’s day was this week!  Check out this Abraham Lincoln Autograph Signed Note.  I would have thought it would have sold for more.   Check it out HERE   SOLD $7500.00

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul, Kansas.

Dear eBay Queen:

I received an email from PayPal yesterday, and I thought it might be a spoof email. After doing a little research, I’ve figured out that it is very real. Here is what I received:

“We’re writing to let you know about a change to your PayPal account.

The money may be available sooner if:

1. 1.      We can confirm that the item was delivered.
2. 2.      Your buyer leaves positive feedback. (Applies only to eBay items)

This change isn’t necessarily permanent. We’ll review your account every 35 days and re-evaluate if we should continue to hold your payments. If we decide to stop holding payments, we’ll email you to let you know.

PayPal”

Is this something new with PayPal?  Do I have any recourse? I have sold since 1999 and I have 100% feedback.  How would you handle this situation?

Dana

Dear Dana:

I am very sorry to tell you it is real.  I contacted PayPal about this policy.  They couldn’t comment on your case, but said there were a variety of reasons a seller would be subjected to the 21 day hold policy.   Most commonly it’s because the seller is new, sells in a high risk category or has had issues with refunds and returns in the past.  The PayPal rep even confirmed that sometimes a hold is put on funds if a sellers numbers change.

For more information on the PayPal 21 day hold policy go here.

Dear eBay Queen:

Yesterday I had one of my Amazon buyers email me asking where he book was that he purchased on 2/5. Nice guy, not rude. I checked the tracking and it shows delivered on 2/11. So, I sent him the tracking details (which he already had access to). I looked the address up on Google and it was a single family residence w/ an individual mailbox out front.

I mentioned that given the size of his mailbox, the package would not have fit and suggested he check where other over-sized packages are left, including around his front porch behind the side bushes, etc. (Nicely, of course)

He wrote back that he had already seen the tracking info, but despite it showing as delivered, he never received it. He had received other books, but not that one. He asked if I’d call the post office.

I’m going to take the tracking number and ask the clerk when I’m there today; do you know if Amazon will do anything since they marked it as delivered? Do you know what Amazon will do if he disputes delivery with them and I provide the tracking #?

Jill Palmer, New York

Dear Jill:

I would contact Amazon immediately to let them know what is going on.  It’s been my experience that they will refund the buyer the funds out of your account, even if the item shows delivered, but by contacting them you will not receive a strike against your account.

I think you are on the right track by contacting their post office.  It could very well have been delivered to a neighbor that has forgotten to take it to them.  I hope they find your package!

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 110774756328 (enter this
number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page.
Any cool old photos laying around your house? Check out this Samuel
Gompers signed Photo/Founder of AFL (1850-1924) Photograph SOLD $19995.00  Check it out HERE

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul, Kansas.