Personal Problem

2999 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by dshealey, Jul 31, 2012

tips727

Discussion Starter · May 28, 2012

First things first - I know I am hard headed. My wife has made that perfectly clear to me. But I am having a hard time feeling good about the way things have worked out for me in a purchase of a side case cover from Gulf Coast BMW in Houston via eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160335065123?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The seller identified the color of the cover by name, Light Yellow. The seller provided the BMW part number for a case cover (52537682646) that identifies it as factory painted in the color Light Yellow Metallic. Even though I depended on those verifications, the photo in the listing also appeared to be the right color to replace the Light Yellow Metallic cover damaged in my recent wreck. It isn't.

The case I received is a tan color and I believe it is called Champagne.
I contacted the seller and he will not reimburse the original shipping cost or my cost of return shipping. It is going to cost me about $50 to cover the seller's mistake and I take that personally.

I opened a case with eBay. They say their process is to review communications between the two parties. I was notified by eBay today that the case is closed due to I changed my mind and no longer want the item. They could not have read the messages I sent the seller and come up with that conclusion. I have appealed their determination.

I know this is a personal problem but since so many of the guys on here are from Texas, and I recall that Gulf Coast was mentioned in a recent post, I thought you might be interested. And maybe I am just wetting Gulf Coast's pant leg a little. It might not do much for them but it is helping me cool off a little.

If nothing else perhaps you could help me answer some questions that are troubling me in the wake of this experience:

Am I the only one who thinks that color matters?
Why would BMW sell the same plastic part with 17 (18 counting primer) different part numbers to denote 17 different paint colors if color didn't matter to someone?
Why would a BMW dealer not know the difference in his manufacturers paint colors?

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kimokk

· #2 · May 28, 2012

The actions of the seller sounds like BS to me! Did you confirm with them in an email that the product was the right color before you bid on it? If so, they are wrong and sold you the wrong item! I would keep fighting the case and call the manager at the dealership to plead your case.

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tips727

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 28, 2012

kimokk said:
The actions of the seller sounds like BS to me! Did you confirm with them in an email that the product was the right color before you bid on it? If so, they are wrong and sold you the wrong item! I would keep fighting the case and call the manager at the dealership to plead your case.

No i didn't. When they named the color in the description and provided the part number that I was able to verify on the BMW parts microfiche as Light Yellow Metallic, I thought that was verification enough. In messaging with him after the fact he said that his parts guy told him the color is Light Yellow Metallic. I thought he was the parts guy since he is selling parts. Another unhappy eBayer who left negative feedback for him commented that he was a typical car salesman. I am guessing he still thinks the case really is Light Yellow Metallic and that I am trying to con him, even though I have sent him three photos of it side-by-side with the case on my bike. I guess no con wants to be outconned. His only comment is that they look pretty close. Maybe he plays horseshoes - professionally.

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New2rt

· #4 · May 28, 2012

Here's my take on what I think happened.
They decided to sell off a bunch of parts, the seller asked the parts guy "what color is this" his answer "light yellow" He then looked up the P/N for the light yellow case. Now that it's the wrong color he will loose money (shipping) so will ignore your plea and hope it goes away.

What I would do is take the case to a local dealer and get the color and part number. If it is different you can contact fleebay and use the "item was misrepresented" to plead your case.

I feel you pain and one time I almost flew to a sellers residence to smack him with a shovel but I decided I wouldn't be a good fit in prison.

Best of luck

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rattler50

· #5 · May 28, 2012

Looks like you got screwed. I wouldn't bet on getting any satisfaction from eBay or the dealer it sounds like.........

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David13

· #6 · May 28, 2012

Oddly enough, this is the exact reason why I avoid ebay like the plague.
Generally, if I am going to buy something based on color, or fit, etc., I am going to have to see that thing in person.
That way I know.
I did make an exception and bought online Draggin Jeans (online sale, not ebay).
They were off. Way off. However, Draggin, free, exchanged them. Promptly and to my satisfaction.
But that was a direct deal, online.
Not thru' some 3rd party.
dc

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tips727

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 29, 2012

New2rt said:
Here's my take on what I think happened.
They decided to sell off a bunch of parts, the seller asked the parts guy "what color is this" his answer "light yellow" He then looked up the P/N for the light yellow case. Now that it's the wrong color he will loose money (shipping) so will ignore your plea and hope it goes away.

I think you are probably right and all the way down the line. It's not OK for them to lose money but it's OK with them if I lose money, even if it is due to their mistake.

rattler50 said:
Looks like you got screwed. I wouldn't bet on getting any satisfaction from eBay or the dealer it sounds like.........

Yes, and it's probably no surprise that that is what it feels like, too.

David13 said:
Oddly enough, this is the exact reason why I avoid ebay like the plague.

This situation is certainly going to influence my opinion of eBay, but I have been very pleased with 99+% of my purchases there. I have taken a couple of hits from shady sellers before but not at such a cost.

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casualemt

· #8 · May 30, 2012

Geez, I didn't even know that light yellow was a color option for the LT, I thought they were all champagne..

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Beemerider

· #9 · May 30, 2012

Hell with both eBay and PP, hopefully you paid with a credit card - I'd file through them (Paypal and eBay hate this). I agree your cover is indeed pictured and described as light yellow, an '05 only color.

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tips727

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 6, 2012

This story is continuing but it looks like the ending will be soon and much happier than I was expecting at last report. Between then and now, I had made a couple of parts orders from another BMW dealer and told my story to their parts manager who volunteered to contact Gulf Coast and make an appeal to the owner, on my behalf.

My intention was only to ask if I could ship the side case cover to their shop for an opinion on what color it is so that I could use that to support an appeal to Gulf Coast's owner. But my new favorite parts manager wanted to do even more to help. You gotta love a dealer like that.

Gulf Coast's owner apparently does not spend much time in the store and was not available for either of two attempted telephone contacts, yesterday. Gulf Coast's parts manager would not pick up the phone when it was transferred by the owner's secretary. When the call reverted back to the secretary, she stated that this situation had been "a real sore spot" around their dealership for the last few days. I was already imagining that my name was being villified in and around Houston and that assured me I was right.

In spite of getting rebuffed, my new favorite parts manager intended to make another attempt to contact Gulf Coast's owner today. But, I called that off after getting assurance from eBay yesterday that they will reimburse me the original purchase price plus the initial shipping cost I paid to have the wrong color case cover delivered to me.

The eBay customer service representative agreed that color is important in regard to vehicle body parts and instructed me to ship the cover back to Gulf Coast and when the tracking number shows it has been delivered eBay will issue my reimbursement. My faith in eBay is restored.

I still don't know why Gulf Coast doesn't think color is important but I do not intend to ask anything more of them because that would beg the question about reimbursement for return shipping cost and I don't want to give them the satisfaction of refusing to do that again like they have done multiple times already. I will just be so glad to be done with them. It is time to cut my losses and go for a good ride.

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dfinazzo

· #11 · Jun 7, 2012

Just prove to eBay that the item was incorrectly listed - they will normally get it corrected
and mange the seller.

Do not continue to have dialog with seller - give it one shot and then be persistent with eBay.
Every situation me and my wife have experienced similar to this that was the fault of the
seller in the past 6 years has been corrected by eBay - you just need to be patient!! The
wheels of justice turn very slowly!!

Let us know who it is finally settled!!

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meese

· #12 · Jul 10, 2012

The "parts guy" simply called the color wrong. Whoever was responsible for listing the item just took that description and put it online without verifying it himself. Simple mistake, so far.

It sucks that they didn't agree to the mistake and offer to resolve it, but there you have it. It is good that you got support from another dealer willing to plead your case. I imagine that you'll continue to do business with them, and not so much with the original seller.

Sounds like eBay is now taking care of you, and I imagine that the seller and his parts guy have received enough flak over this that they'll be more careful in the future.

I've had pretty good experiences with eBay and PayPal. It pays to be careful and to check everything out before hand, but that goes with most transactions. Where possible, I look for local sellers so I can pick up the parts, inspect them, and save shipping. That's not always possible, but when it is it does help.

Anyway, good luck finding the correct color part for your bike

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tips727

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 31, 2012

It's been a long and bumpy trail but this mess has finally been brought to conclusion. I've lost count of how long it took but eBay finally reimbursed me the purchase price and original shipping charge. I had to appeal eBay's original decision to their Resolution Center where hey were good to deal with - spoke American and everything. Good to deal with in this situation means nice not speedy. I had to call them back 4 times after they initially agreed to reimburse. They didn't message me that the reimbursement was paid like they said they would and it didn't go to my debit like they said it had but instead went to my PayPal account. I am just glad I got what I got even if I did have to pay the cost of return shipping.

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dshealey

· #14 · Jul 31, 2012

I have done quite a bit of buying on eBay over the past few years, and have been really satisfied with the results. Only a couple of instances where sellers were not quite right in dealing with me, but overall I give eBay an A+. I used eBay Resolution once, worked out just fine.

Same with PayPal, very good service. My wife retired from banking at a major bank, and has retirement benefits such as free banking etc., but even she wants everything possible done through PayPal rather than our credit cards.

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