Here's a question based on recent experience.

Most of us here probably use eBay to buy lamps and no doubt other stuff. but what are your experiences, particularly from a buyer's point of view..?

A few weeks ago, Sammi bought a mug as a late Christmas present for me, it was supposed to be a cat mug, as I am very much a Crazy Cat Lady  

However, when it turned up, it was a mug with a picture of a FOOTBALL on it    Now neither of us particularly care for football, so she contacted the seller to ask for the one that had been ordered, but the response was less than encouraging. "Will you accept it with a 20% discount..?"

Erm.. NO, which bit of "we don't like football" don't you understand..?

Ok, send it back and we'll organise an exchange.

Erm.. you expect US to pay the return postage..?

What about 50%..?

Sigh.. commence eBay complaints procedure... Should get the refund soon, then we still have to see about getting the item we actually wanted from somebody else, hopefully without the hassle  

On the positive side, I recently bought three 28W 2D lamps as spares for the fittings we have in the kitchen and bathroom. When they arrived, one had unfortunately broken in transit. Contacted the seller and they responded very quickly with an apology and an offer to send a replacement. A week later the replacement hadn't arrived so I contacted them again, they said that for some reason Royal Mail couldn't find any trace of it..? Anyway, they sent another one, which arrived the next day.

Today, the original replacement arrived as well, so I now have an extra lamp..! I contacted the seller again letting them know and did they want me to return it, as I am not the type of person to just keep it and not say anything. They responded saying keep it by all means as compensation for the hassle.

Now THAT is what I call good service, and they will be getting plenty more business from us  

I had a fella in the U.K. try to run off with my money I paid him for some SOX lamps. Thankfully PayPal refunded me for it. Otherwise most sellers are relatively responsive in my experience regardless of where they are.

Likewise love pussies (remember Mrs Slowcombe always talking about her Pussies on Are you being Served ) possible non PC now and not liking football although the postal people like treating our packages as footballs....said it before make sure the pack is double boxed wrapped in paper and triple boxed....good luck.

Most of the eBay sellers I've dealt with were / are great ! I have however had my share of LOSERS !  From totally destroyed streetlights from bad packing to ballasts hanging out of the box cause of NO PACKING, to sellers who plain and simple took my money and wouldn't respond to messages either from me OR eBay .  The ones I really hate are the sellers who don't give return feedback even though I gave them excellent feedback  !  

Most of the eBay sellers I've dealt with were / are great ! I have however had my share of LOSERS !   From totally destroyed streetlights from bad packing to ballasts hanging out of the box cause of NO PACKING, to sellers who plane and simple took my money and wouldn't respond to messages either from me OR eBay .  The ones I really hate are the sellers who don't give return feedback even though I gave them excellent feedback  ! 

Yes, that's one of the things that annoys me the most as well. Also people who claim to be UK sellers but are in reality based in China, now that is just misrepresentation and I can't understand why eBay allows it. I have complained numerous times but nothing is ever done 

Likewise love pussies (remember Mrs Slowcombe always talking about her Pussies on Are you being Served ) possible non PC now and not liking football although the postal people like treating our packages as footballs....said it before make sure the pack is double boxed wrapped in paper and triple boxed....good luck.

Lol, that is throwback for sure, I loved watching reruns of are you being served and keeping up appearances. Both are dynamite shows.

I have also received round boxes in the mail, though thankfully the contents were well packaged so as not to incur damage anyway.

I tried to buy a GE 201SA unit pack fixture from an eBay seller who had multiples of it. Suddenly it disappeared and I asked the seller if it was still available and they said they were but they needed time to relist it. But now it's been three weeks of waiting and nothing happened. Plus I missed another listing waiting. I wanted to buy from this seller because it was cheaper than the other listings. I hate to keep asking but I wish they'd get on it.

One seller awhile back I bought some vintage porcelain light sockets. They had 3 in the listing but I only received one, though it was packed very well. I messaged them and told them I only received the one, and they said they'd send the other two right away and they did. I was happy with their service.