Contemplation On Legal Action Against eBay India

[prafulstore9769]

Dear Community,

In my earlier post, i wrote about the way ebay has been over billing my account and also charging me for things which were to be free. I have been over billed in the following cases:

1. I have been charged for seller manager pro when it was supposed to be for free for first 30 days. (Invoice For Proof)

2. I have been charges for featured shop which was also supposed to be for free for first 30 days.(Invoice For Proof)

3. Ebay clearly states that seller can list over the maximum charges of Rs.1500/- for free. They have charged me more that the Rs.1500/- amount. It is mentioned here:

"The maximum listing fees you can pay in a month is Rs. 1500. So if your listing fees exceeds Rs.1500 in a month, you can list additional items (over and above the maximum cap of Rs 1500) for free."
Link: http://pages.ebay.in/help/account/fees.html

4. I have already made a payment of Rs.2000/- via credit card at the end of last month (September). My charges should have been Rs.1500/- (Max Listing Fee) + Rs.271/- (Final Value Fee) + Rs.219/- (Sevice Tax Inc. Edu. Cess). Total Rs.1990/-.

However despite the above and repeated complaints to ebay and also email to their INRSWEBHELP@EBAY.COM id, there is no one to assist me.

One Mr. Nitin Bane from their billing team has already stated to me that it is their policy that I have to make full payment over the Rs.1500/- amount and get credit next month. The ebay website and help pages state otherwise as above.

Though I have made my payment, their invoices state otherwise.

I am contemplating on legal action and moving court against ebay on their unjust and unfair policy specially to new sellers. Should any sellers have experienced similar problems, please feel free to write to me on prafulstore@gmail.com

Regards,
Sahil Rewari
For The Praful Store

[prafulstore9769]

I am also writing my in depth findings on this issue with ebay on my blog here:

http://www.sahilrewari.com

Thanks

[prafulstore9769]

Dear Community,

I have just received a call from one Mr. Indraneel Jain, who said that he is a category manager with ebay. I thought it was necessary to update this post with the discussion that has followed over a 20 minute call.

Indraneel claims that it has been mentioned in the announcements section on ebay that the sellers who are charged over and above the Rs.1500/- maximum listing fee cap, will only get credit in the next billing cycle. This billing cycle seems to be 30 days.

My understanding of this first issue is as follows: As a new seller, it is very easy for me to miss the announcements section as the only link I have to it is in the footer of the ebay site when I enter My eBay section.

Now the issue here is that I had listed only around 2500 listings during the month of September '2008. I was subsequently charged in my invoice for the same number of listing.

Keeping in mind my first few days on ebay, since my registration was done only on the 20th of September, had I done close to 10000 listings, ebay would have billed me a corresponding amount for the 10000 listings. Which when billed to me in the assumption I would have done 10000 listings would have been around Rs.11236/- (inc. service tax and edu. cess). Would not this have been totally contrary to the fact as to what ebay states here?

http://pages.ebay.in/help/account/fees.html

This would only mean that the following statement at the above link "(over and above the maximum cap of Rs 1500) for free." would only mean a credit for the fees after a thirty day period, and not the whole amount as really FREE at least not for the first 30 day period, until when the same is paid to ebay and then refunded back in the next billing cycle. This my dear friends is taking sellers for a ride!

My second issue with the charges for the selling manager pro and for the featured shop. The charges there too will only be credited after a 30 day period. As a seller, I think as per the invoice, I too will have to pay for them in the very beginning. This again is contrary to the the following statement on their website "New Shop sellers get the first 30-days of their Shop Subscription FREE! After the first 30-days, the normal monthly subscription fee will be charged.". Here is the link:

http://pages.ebay.in/sellercentral/ebayshops.html

The other issues wherein there is no reply now for over 3 days from their INRSWEBHELP@EBAY.COM email id or the behavior of the people handling their billing operations, seems to be of great concern at ebay or at least to Mr. Indraneel, this I could make out from the very conversation that I have had with him at length.

But at the end, what causes me most concern is the direct loss of Rs.1000/- per day in profits since Saturday the 4th of October '2008. This has been affected due to the seller restrictions on our account.

We don't hold any issues with the people at ebay. I hope most of them are as pleasant as Mr. Indraneel is to talk to. Some aren't pleasant, specially from their billing team.

What we fight against is the systems, terms and conditions and policies that govern us as sellers, which are stated and acted upon differently.

Will keep the community updated.

Warm Regards,
Sahil Rewari
For The Praful Store

[indraneel@ebay.com]

Hello Praful (prafulstore9769),

Thank you for posting on our community boards with your concerns regarding your invoice generated for the month of September.

As per our telephonic conversation I'd like to reiterate the fact that as announced earlier on the Announcement board (click here for the earlier announcement) we would be providing manual credits for listing fees charged over Rs. 1500/- in the succeeding month to the month of activity. That is in your case, you will receive listing fees credits this month (October) for the activity done in September. Thereby, you will be only charged a net amount of Rs. 1500/- Listing Fees for the month of September.

Similarly, for subscriptions you are charged and then credited back for the trial period for the use of the tool.

I've escalated your concern over conversation with one of our executives to the concerned team and they will look into the matter.

I'm glad that you have even updated the thread with the details of the conversation and hope that you also actively participate on the boards on a continuous basis to keep providing us your valuable feedback.


Keep Posting!!


Regards,
Indraneel

[prafulstore9769]

Dear Indraneel,

Saw your post. Just a query, what really is the use of escalation when there is no weight behind it?

My trainer Sushma at Synergy has been escalating this issue since the 4th of October, she too is shocked at the absence of response from your billing teams.

One question. Am I the only seller or are there many more on the same boat?

Regards,
Sahil Rewari
For The Praful Store

[bagsworld]

MR. INDRANEEL, IF YOU READ THIS PLS CALL ME ON 9449522444

I have the same problem (Max Cap Credits not applied)for the september month billing. And thanks to me that I wandered into the discussion board.

After repeatedly going thru the ebay support like contacting the account manager, live chat, shooting emails, today I spoke live with someone on 022-66041200.

Apart from max cap credit, i was concerned when i got an email that my account is past due and will be SUSPENDED if i do not pay the fees. So when i spoke to the support guys, i was told to pay the full fees and the whole amount will be adjusted in the next billings.

Now my billing is as follows and I have made the adjustments and paid the amount.

Normal Fees Max Cap
FVF 1,278.64 1,278.64
Insertion / Listing 14,717.00 1,500.00
Shop 299.00 299.00
Credits -425.52 -425.52
Sub Total 15,869.12 2,652.12
Tax 10.3 % 1,634.52 273.17
TOTAL 17,503.64 2,925.29

I Should wait for 6 months to make adjustments to extra Rs. 12000.00 that I have to pay. And by what logic should i pay the full amount. It will eat away most of my profits .

Pls you guys speed up the process of Max Cap.. this is probably last time you have to do it fast...

will write more on this....

[sitare_india]

Dear Ebayer,

The day Ebay introduces Max Cap. system of Rs 1500/- in app. June 2008, the seller like us had to talk harsh only on this matter to get credit over Rs 1500/- when this was not done for 3-4 months. In this issue, hundreds of email and several calls have been done by us to get resolution.

But since few months, situation are improved and they are giving credit in next month.

I suggested Ebay many times the following:
For Example: Unlimited use of Broadband is being charged once at the beginning of month irrespective of volume of use. They do not ask for excess usage first and then give credit.

I suggested: You take consent from Seller and charge Rs 1500/- initially, and irrespective of volume of use Listing Fee should be Zero. This well help sellers from paying first and then getting credit. Ebay Staffs will also save their valuable time in calculating and giving manual credit. Do not know, why Ebay didnot find this suitable. May be there are hidden reasons best known to them only.

At the time of Subscribing Ebay Shop initially,we had a great difficulty in getting credit for Free Trial Period. We had to prove that it is written in condition.
If somebody do not check accounts, there is every possibility of error or lapses.

Best Wishes,

Ashok Agarwal

[sitare_india]

Dear Ebayer,

Continuation of previous communication......

Becoming Fade up with this system of Manual credit in following month, and getting credit after several reminders, we decided in January 2009 to scale down listings from 1800 to nearly 400. That too for 30 days instead of 3/5/7 days. Sale has gone down but I am much more at peace now as I do not need to talk harsh with Ebay staff daily morning.

These all facts are well known to Mr Navin Mistry, Mr Jineshji.

Anyway. everything is fine now. No problem EXCEPT SALE.

Ashok Agarwal

[akhilesh2020]

hiiii

i was a small seller on ebay for last 3-4 months
just 6-7 days before ebay sent me a msg telling that they have suspended my paisapay account
and they also told me that my remittance has been suspended
now my hard earned 85,000 to 90,000 rs is held there
i am writing mails to mails but thers is no reply
i am calling there customer care and they have no knowledge
according to them the trust and safety team handles these issues
i written mails to them also
but again no reply

all are they saying that i have violated their policy
but when i ask which policy and how
then there is no reply

i need the money urgently but they are not willing to return it

i am also in favour of taking legal action in consumer court
if anyone support me plzz write to me at akhileshebay@gmail.com

plllzzzz help meeeeeeeeee

[ratnachhaya]

Just wonder, when ebay have been loaded with finest team of software gurus, why manual credit ?

All world is being run on web-and servers that take almost all decisions and ebay refund manually......

I also want to know what and which RBI or Centeral Goverment or Concerned authority permitted ebay to hold money and refund without interest.....

I am very sure that there are specific rules and permissions required for such dealing and any money which is not legally yours (no matter how you try to show it) needs to be refunded with interest.

EBAY team must give us all details of such permissions and clauses they are based on.