eBay Mobile App: Use Extreme Caution

[Exhibitman]

The app has a single button that purchases your entire cart. If you touch the button and you happen to be signed in to paypal all it takes is a second touch almost anywhere on the screen to check you out for everything in your cart. That is what happened to me last night. I was looking at my cart and fumbled my phone. I was horrified to find a screen thanking me for almost $3,000 in purchases! I had to frantically send refund requests to the affected sellers and then run to the ATMs to get cash to cover the overdrafts on my checking account that would have happened when the bank processed the paypal demands.

I contacted the affected sellers immediately with a request to cancel the sales. None of the items had shipped, of course, and most sellers have been understanding about it. A few have been jerks. Only one has refused to cancel the sale (he is a member here, so more on that as the situation develops).

The takeaway is, don't use the eBay cart in the app or you may 'pocket dial' your way into a purchasing nightmare.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The app has a single button that purchases your entire cart. If you touch the button and you happen to be signed in to paypal all it takes is a second touch almost anywhere on the screen to check you out for everything in your cart. That is what happened to me last night. I was looking at my cart and fumbled my phone. I was horrified to find a screen thanking me for almost $3,000 in purchases! I had to frantically send refund requests to the affected sellers and then run to the ATMs to get cash to cover the overdrafts on my checking account that would have happened when the bank processed the paypal demands.

I contacted the affected sellers immediately with a request to cancel the sales. None of the items had shipped, of course, and most sellers have been understanding about it. A few have been jerks. Only one has refused to cancel the sale (he is a member here, so more on that as the situation develops).

The takeaway is, don't use the eBay cart in the app or you may 'pocket dial' your way into a purchasing nightmare.

Wow, sorry to hear this Adam. I and everyone else really want to know who won't cancel the sale. What an effing idiot.

[Exhibitman]

I sent the member here a detailed explanation of what happened, in response to a PM from him requesting one. So far, no response from him to the PM and no refund. I will keep you posted.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I sent the member here a detailed explanation of what happened, in response to a PM from him requesting one. So far, no response from him to the PM and no refund. I will keep you posted.

I have to believe he just hasn't gotten the message yet. No one (especially one of our members) can be that stupid, I hope .

[rats60]

Why are you putting items in your cart that you have no intention to buy?

[Exhibitman]

I use the watch list--and usually max it out--to track all sorts of stuff for research as well as interest. Most of it is stuff I have no desire to purchase but found interesting for some reason: a card I'd not seen, an ID on an item from a foreign seller that might be of use in my research, etc. When I am out and about and have a chance to look at eBay I don't want to scroll through 200 items to find something I might actually want. The cart was something I used [no longer, learned my lesson the hard way] to track items I wanted to readily access without having to scroll through 200 odds and ends. I do the same thing on Amazon.

Besides, how I use the cart is not the issue. Even if the cart consisted only of items I planned to purchase, the fact is that I wasn't trying to purchase anything at the time. I posted the OP to make people aware that it is possible with as little as a fumble of an iPhone to pocket dial your entire eBay cart contents, whatever it may be.

ETA: Update is that every seller except the one N54 member has already canceled the sales. It is heartening to see how many reasonable people there are in the Hobby community. One guy was very rude about it but in the end decided to cancel the sale. I did keep a hat that I needed for the summer anyway [actinic keratosis prone; I wear hats under MD orders and my old Panama was a goner] and one card that I wanted to buy. Now, when I see my money from paypal...3-5 business days until it shows up in my PP account, then another 3-5 business days to get it back to my checking account

[4815162342]

That is horrible! And like Leon said, the board member probably hasn't seen the message yet.

I never liked the eBay app anyways. *DELETE*

[Jeffrompa]

Im sure EBay loves that App . Anything for a sale .

[oldjudge]

Good luck Adam. Hopefully the board member does the right thing.

[mybuddyinc]

Adam,

Glad all but one seller was understanding. Hopefully the last will come around.

I tell you, stories like this make me happy I'm an old fogey, who only knows how to use the internet, email, word, and excel on my big clunky home computer. I have a tablet (gift) that I hardly use, and an i-phone that I use as a PHONE . I hardly know what an app is, and I'm bliss with that ignorance.

[Econteachert205]

I only use the cart for immediate purchases for that very reason. I had a few items in the cart once and my wife did a purchase all. Didn't cost much at all but lesson definitely learned.

[Exhibitman]

Good to know I'm not the only one stung by that function. There are also posts on the eBay chat board about this happening.

[arc2q]

Notwithstanding problems such as this, I really like the eBay app. It is one of the most functional and reliable apps that mirrors a full internet site. A lot of retail apps are clunky or missing many functions...eBay's is pretty easy to use and quite functional.

[buymycards]

It really isn't any of my business, but I can't understand why you would put something in your cart if you aren't planning to buy it. That is what the watch list is for.

Rick

[Exhibitman]

See post #6 Rick.

[mrvster]

Holy Shit

I hope you straighten it out!.....you are one of the best guys in the hobby

[ZenPop]

There's a great lyric by one of my favorite bands (The Chills):
"Hard people make hard times far worse, not the reverse."

I hope everything works out for you!

[TanksAndSpartans]

Wow, I guess this is true. I bought a few cards from a guy about a month ago and it was a really easy negotiation. He told me - I didn't even mean to buy these - they were just in my watch list. I thought it was strange, but everything worked out for me, and I didn't think much of it until I saw this.

[Exhibitman]

Update: the N54 member and I have come to terms on the item and resolved everything, s'all good man so no need to call Saul...

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by mybuddyinc

Adam,

Glad all but one seller was understanding. Hopefully the last will come around.

I tell you, stories like this make me happy I'm an old fogey, who only knows how to use the internet, email, word, and excel on my big clunky home computer. I have a tablet (gift) that I hardly use, and an i-phone that I use as a PHONE . I hardly know what an app is, and I'm bliss with that ignorance.

+1 on that one!!!

Best regards,

Larry

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by mrvster

Holy Shit

I hope you straighten it out!.....you are one of the best guys in the hobby

+1 on that one too! Adam has always been willing to help with any question I might pose to him!

Highest regards,

Larry