WOW. Just received my second watch through the eBay "authenticity guarantee" program and it is now the second watch in a row I purchased that had missing parts!

My last issue was documented here:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/eba...to-come-up-missing-parts.123968/#post-1670602

This time I had purchased a vintage Speedmaster. I just got the watch and opened it up - only to find that there is no dust cover. The dust cover is clearly shown in the seller's pictures and seller confirmed dust cover was placed back on. Removal of the dust cover is required for eBay to record the serial number.

A vintage dust cover is probably a $250 part. At least from what I've seen on eBay. Won't be able to speak to anyone until Monday, although probably won't do much good.

This is an interesting one b/c had I not opened it, would have never known... at least not for a little while.

Have seen and heard nothing but utter carelessness by the authenticators.

This is truly outrageous. I'm not sure if I just have bad luck, but 2 in a row is not a good track record. Has anyone else had experiences like this?

 

Man, that sucks.

I'm wondering, out loud, whether it's assembly line work. Meaning, due to the volume, the agent hires a bunch of people off the street to open the casebacks of a dozen (or more) st a time, the "specialist" says ok, then the hired hand puts it back together. In the reassembly bit, perhaps it's a complete mess.

Still, not good.

 

Once is a coincidence, twice, a pattern, and three times, it's policy.

good luck

 

They need to make it an option and not a requirement

 

During my last ordeal I was informed by someone on the guarantee team (intimate with the process) that everything is done in a quarantined setting - meaning they are not opening your watch on a desk with 10 other watches and parts all at once. It is one person, who opens, photos, inspects, and repackages the watch in one dedicated and clean space.
I still don't understand how you forget to include a bracelet or put a dust cover back on. Like... where did it go?
I would absolutely opt out of this as both a buyer and a seller given the choice.

 

That sucks!

eBay needs to get their together on this service. The typical buyer would probably not ever notice.

Will be very interested to hear how it is resolved.

I sincerely hope it does not happen, but it would not shock me if you become the problem - now having “claimed” items are missing from two purchases.

 

Yup- first time is an annoying complaint, second you are suspect, third time you are banned.

 

The thought did cross my mind.

But I would hope my 21 year good standing with a near flawless track record and over $1 million dollars in purchases and sales on eBay would mean something.

I’m also just curious to hear if it is only me / bad luck with this problem.

 

Then that's just weird. As you've pointed out....

 

Very sorry for your experience. It hasn't happened to me (yet).

While ebay.com could treat you like a problem child, I would like to offer a more optomistic possibility.

Given your year's of experience, if you presented yourself as someone who wants to help them with improving their new process they may be more amenable to helping you. For example, stating that you know as a new process there are always glitches and this is an opportunity to tighten up a problem area in their controls, etc...

Of course you probably already know this and I don't want to insult you. Trying to give a bit of encouragement and hope to an annoying as hell situation. Hopefully Ebay still has it within them to improve and fix problems. They seem to value their reputation so it makes me think they may react positively, provided you can get to the right people and past the hired help.

Again, this sucks. It would make me want to scream. Good luck.

Dave

 

A different situation, but sometimes ago I've received a broken vintage clock shipped with ebay delivery services.
Ebay have changed the package of the seller for a simple kraft letter.

In few minutes by phone they refund me and let the money to seller, so it fine at all.
But it show how Ebay or subcontractor doesn't take car about items....

 

Awful.

 

Damn. My sympathies. In your shoes, I’d be struggling to be civil to eBay by this point.

@sgrossma : I looked at the old thread and didn’t see it — What’s the status of that previous disaster?

 

I bought his bracelet from the authenticator at a discount.

 

@sgrossma : I looked at the old thread and didn’t see it — What’s the status of that previous disaster?[/QUOTE]

My apologies for not updating that one yet - partially because it was actually only fully resolved barely 24 hours before the current mishap. I do owe eBay some credit in that case. But it wasn't without an insane amount of work and persistence. And also maybe some luck with a good representative and a factor of my good standing / history.

Ultimately, I think maybe had to get on the phone easily 12+ times over the course of 30 days and a few hours of time invested. In the end, I finally found a representative [in the right department] that was able to offer a partial refund of maybe 65% the value of the bracelet. Not the outcome I wanted, but I'll certainly take it.

But as stated above I am not sure if a second issue so soon after will bring me the same fortune. And or if any case for that matter would get resolved in a similar fashion.

 

And to be perfectly clear, my post above was along this line of thought, but poorly executed.

 

Agent on the watch authenticity guarantee team says to me today:
"Scott -- Have to be honest, we don't usually open vintage watches - so not sure why this "dust cover" would be missing".
Me: "So, how did the authenticator get the serial number...?"

 

How can you authenticate a watch without opening the case?

 

What a disaster. And on a loosely related note, I hate the eBay Global Shipping program, but don't always remember to check and avoid it when I buy something. So, recently I won a rare photo from a UK seller, and – get this – the item was marked as "out for delivery" for the past three days, including Sunday! Needless to say, it hasn't arrived yet. But here's the kicker: the "last mile" courier used by eBay in the GSP for Spain and Portugal is a company called sending.es, and when I checked TrustPilot, there were 674 reviews, 79% of which rated the company "BAD"! Seventy-nine percent!



Many of the complaints are right along the lines of mine. So, eBay has employed a horrible company to deliver its products to Spain and Portugal through its Global Shipping platform. Is it any wonder that even deeply flawed competitors such as Catawiki continue to erode eBay's customer base?

 

Sorry to hear, this stuff is such a PITA and total time suck