Topic: WARNING! Is this too good to be true??? Another drunken bricklayer on ebay!!

[vidrioguapo]

I emailed the seller to see if there was any signature and he said no!!! Emmi

[tmaritta]

Seller´s grammar and spelling reminds me a bit of the listings of "our old friend" - ChrisM.  Also, interestingly enough a lot of the recent sales by this eBayer has been removed by eBay.

Tuija

[romy]

I was immediately suspicious when I saw the first one appear on Ebay. A deliberate avoidance of 'Whitefriars?' (with the ever-present question mark!!). And, let's face it, a genuine seller would have done some research and easily discovered what it might be. Unless s/he lives on Mars, it's impossible not to have known. So that leaves only one answer...

[Pinky]

Andy I'm not sure whether 'Caveat Emptor' is applicable on eBay now - the 'let the buyer beware' clause contradicts paypals policy of refunding payment if an item doesn't match the description in the listing. I've tried find the words 'Caveat Emptor' through eBays search function - eBay doesn't recognise it.

The clear Brick is odd - as though it was 'off colour' and not a cystal grade of clear glass. Mr Anderson has advertised his wares in the past as being crystal. It could be the camera picture though......hang on... signed off and suddenly realised the glass could have been contaminated when made.

[Sklounion]

Caveat emptor may contradict Paypal's refund policy, but eBay would argue they are two separate companies...... caveat emptor is a legal pleading, and would probably apply if one took action in the UK, but eBay would almost certainly rely on the defence that they are only mediators in a sale, and not an auction house per se. As Paypal is a payment mediator, this legal device is irrelevant.
For private sellers, one has little recourse, and for professional sellers using eBay, they would not be any less subject to the trades descriptions and sale of goods acts within the UK, than UK charity shops selling items. I can't see any eBay professional successfully pleading that either act does not apply to on-line sales.
One situation where buyers should buy from eBay professional sellers, and take great care when buying from private sellers.

jmho,

Marcus

[Pinky]

....yes.....I see what you mean, and thank you very much Mr le Casson - I read somewhere too on eBay that it's not a proper auction house (or words to that effect) just as you've said above and wondered what they were getting at at the time - I'd never understood the full significance of the 'caveat emptor' clause not appearing on eBay either - so in the case of the bricks, trading standards has been very neatly dodged and that the buyer/s needed to be beware that such things happen.

[Pinky]

Would be very grateful if Mr Anderson could come along and clarify whether the Bricklayers were or were not of his making. The clear one is confusing and - also one or both unsigned.

[Frank]

eBay are very much bound by the rules of trade in the UK and so to are individual traders. But unless you are the victim you cannot easily initiate a complain via the police. Doing it via Trading Standards take weeks and months.

You cannot be a victim if you knew in advance and buy it to raise a complaint either.