DEALING WITH EBAY AND PAYPAL

[dounoharm]

I recently sold out my entire greenhouse contents and equipment on ebay. it was quite the experience. I have sold excess plants on ebay over the years, and didn't have a problem with trying to sell everything there. my plants were well received, got good bids, and good homes I think, I hope. everyone was very happy and left good feedback...until the end....
I had two really nasty people that ruined the entire experience for me.
one ditz of a woman bought a small phrag wallisii from me, bid the crap out of it, and ended up paying 38$ for it...the description of the plant said that it was not a happy plant, had been difficult, and would be difficult to grow...I asked 15 for it which was a quarter of what I gave for the plant...
when she received the plant, she freaked, and said this was not a happy plant from my windowsill....well duh! if she had read the description she would have seen that it was a GREENHOUSE grown plant, and not a happy one at that...I instantly returned her money however, wanting to keep everyone happy...waited, and waited...and the plant never was returned....ok, I emailed her and she demanded that I send her return postage, which is not in ebay terms....but heck, I did it...I sent her another 9 bucks..
so the plant finally arrives...in a beat up old box, not in the original packing, the plant was repotted in GRAVEL, and of course she didn't return the bonus plant I had sent her.....she made money off me, and got a free plant to boot! AND she left malicious feedback! did ebay help me??? heck no, tough luck they say....
case number two: a buyer bid up plants, described accurately, really nice plants too, advertised to be sent 'bare root'...ok....he orders one lot, pays for it, orders two more lots, pay for them...
the first lot goes out and is delivered, and I get a horrible email from him because the plants are sent BARE ROOT! what is he supposed to do with them?
he cancelled his unpaid orders, fine no problem, but meanwhile I had sent him two more boxes of exceptionally nice plants! all the plants he purchased in 4" pots were sent in pot, tho they were advertised as bare root...I only sent him two plants that had been in 6" pots actually bare root....
I called ebay...talked on the phone this time...the man I talked to, john, said just leave them be, let him keep the orders already sent, but cancel his pending orders, and block him from bidding...ok, that sounds reasonable...what kind of fool bids on bare root plants and then complains that they were sent bare root???
well, this guy didn't get anywhere from ebay, so he goes to paypal...they open a claim against me! hold my funds! he told them the plants were bare root and going to die....well heck, if he doesn't pot them they will die eventually, lol...meanwhile he has all the plants in pots that should be fine...a gorgeous paph st swithin that was getting ready to bud! sent in pot of course...

so, after all the money ebay and paypal have made off me this month, ebay charges 10% of sales, AND 10% on SHIPPING TOO! plus the fees for putting on the ads, I owe them near 700$!! and the paypal fees are exorbitant too! do I get any respect or consideration? heck no, the fool of a customer gets the priviledge of tying me in knots!
I am so glad I am finished with my sales now....I will NEVER use ebay or paypal again, and I certainly don't recommend anyone doing so....it is impossible as a seller to get any assistance...they have NO seller protection!
after 6 years of dealing with them and always having positive feedback and happy customers, one idiot can ruin everything.....and ebay and paypal let them...