Buyer (+ Seller) Beware

A Cautionary Tale About eBay Shopping

Nov 14, 2025

a close up of a camera with a lens — Photo by Li Yan on Unsplash

I will never claim to be the most technically savvy guy in the world. But I know a thing or two. And more importantly, I know when to call in a professional.

So when my Ricoh GR II’s screen got damaged at a friend’s wedding last month, I reached out to a local camera shop for help. The repair tech told me he didn’t know of any OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts still available for the ten-year-old camera, but said I might be able to find one on eBay. Emphasis on the word might.

Fast forward a bit. I found a listing. It looked legit. The seller had decent feedback. The part was a bit pricey, but supposedly new. So I ordered it. Simple enough.

The replacement screen arrived from China the day before my cruise. The box looked fine from the outside. The packaging seemed safe and secure. No dents. No dings.

Once I got back, I took the unopened box to the repair shop. The next day I got a call from my super-nice repair guy. He sounded hesitant. Never a good sign. He let me know there was something wrong with the part and asked for permission to inspect further. When he removed the screen’s frame, he found a large chunk of the internal circuitry missing. Not cracked, not bent, not slightly damaged. Missing. Gone. Poof.

My repair guy refused to take a penny for his time. “If I don’t fix it, I don’t charge,” he said proudly. He encouraged me to return the part and find another option. So I did.

I went home and contacted the eBay seller. After hearing nothing back for forty-eight hours, I initiated a return with eBay and requested a refund.

The seller finally responded: with an offer to refund less than half of what I paid and a message blaming me for the damage. As if I (or my repair guy) broke the screen for funsies. Offer declined.

Within minutes, they issued a full refund. Funny how that works.

Once the money appeared in my bank account, I did what I hope other buyers do: I left negative feedback to warn others about this seller’s shady business practices. And let’s just say, they are not pleased with me. Oh. Well. Maybe don’t sell damaged goods at a premium price and then get mad when someone calls you out on it, mfer.

LIAR, LIAR, THESE PEOPLE’S PANTS ARE ON FIRE

Moral of the story: eBay can be great, but it can also be the wild, wild west. Inspect everything. Document everything. And do not let anyone con you into accepting something that’s damaged and/or defective. Never ever ever.

As for my Ricoh GR II, I managed to find another replacement screen for about half the price of the damaged dud. Fingers crossed this one arrives in working order so my repair guy can work his magic.

And if it doesn’t, I’ll probably sell the camera for parts. On eBay, of course.

Keep calm and get your refund on!
Clint 🌈✌️

P.S. Whatever happens, the repair guy will be getting paid. I don’t care what he says.

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ON THIS DAY = NOVEMBER 14

BIRTHDAYS

1840 = Claude Monet = French painter
1874 = Adolf Brand = German writer and publisher 🌈
1900 = Aaron Copland = American composer and conductor 🌈
1904 = Dick Powell = American actor, singer, director, and producer
1906 = Albrecht Becker = German designer, photographer, and actor 🌈
1906 = Louise Brooks = American dancer and actor 🌈
1907 = Frances V. Rummell = American educator and writer 🌈
1907 = William Steig = American author, illustrator, and sculptor
1912 = Barbara Hutton = American philanthropist
1914 = Ken Carson = American singer-songwriter
1916 = Sherwood Schwartz = American screenwriter and producer
1921 = Brian Keith = American actor and director
1922 = Veronica Lake, American actor and singer
1930 = Pierre Bergé = French businessman 🌈
1932 = Jack Smith = American filmmaker and actor 🌈
1939 = Wendy Carlos = American composer 🌈
1947 = P. J. O’Rourke = American political satirist and journalist
1954 = Yanni = Greek-American pianist, composer, and producer
1960 = Tom Judson = American actor and and adult film star 🌈
1961 = D. B. Sweeney = American actor
1962 = Laura San Giacomo = American actor
1962 = Stefano Gabbana = Italian fashion designer 🌈
1964 = Patrick Warburton = American actor and comedian
1972 = Josh Duhamel = American model and actor
1975 = Travis Barker = American drummer, songwriter, and producer
1981 = Russell Tovey = English actor 🌈
1986 = Cory Michael Smith = American actor
1991 = Tomoya Hosoda = Japanese politician 🌈

EVENTS

332 BC – Alexander the Great is crowned pharaoh of Egypt.
1851 – Moby-Dick, a novel by Herman Melville, is published in the US.
1922 – The British Broadcasting Company begins radio service in the UK.
1960 – Ruby Bridges becomes the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana.
1988 = Murphy Brown premieres on CBS.