That's why i prefer to work with actual people when shopping on secondhand marketplaces (i do not use ebay, but local alternative, not being in US). Support/protection from the marketplace itself can be used (and abused, both ways), but since it generally is automated (and i prefer to call it "automated", not "AI", because LLMs are not really "AI" and have nothing to do with "intelligence" - just another form of automation) it is much more pleasant and productive to use the marketplace to find people which can be trusted and communicate with them directly, often outside the platform. It works both ways too - sellers very much prefer a customer who is not going to screw them over, return faulty part, etc and often offer better prices this way (since platform fees are also avoided).

It is way, way too easy to scam with this old parts, there are multiple well known and unavoidable ways, so trust is all that exists to prevent that anyway...

IMO excessive use of automation will prove to be a downfall for many of online marketplaces, second hand and otherwise, at least those who will not recognize it in time. Cutting costs is well and good, but customers have certain reasons to use this platforms and once those reasons are gone people will find alternatives...

I wish there was something local for me but sadly there isn't. personally I don't mind eBay or anywhere else automating things but when you call in to sort the problem out the person on the other line shouldn't be a complete A hole and outright calling you a scammer.

I found out eBay actually canceled the returns to... yeah sooooo ummm my only option is to file a charge back now so the sellers would be out the item and money and ebay gets hit with a charge back fee from my bank. TBH it's probably better the screwball sellers don't get anything back because otherwise they'd just use the item to con someone else

The problem with automation is when they place it above any human still left. This operators you call judge you based on conclusions from that automation, so if automation says scammer they just parrot that. I've seen the same with moderation on youtube and social media lately. Basically automation does its thing and no human can override it unless you somehow get to upper managers who still can.

Let me make a "different" recommendation that has worked quite well for me (in my case it's because if some
downsizing - and not really liking much of the "modern" PC stuff).

Consider a Chromebook - really good for internet stuff, lots of "apps" available, I'm sure there is stuff to do your
taxes, banking etc. (+ they can run android apps - and almost everything can be done on phone these days)
and you can easily move stuff to/from "real" computers with a simple flash drive!

Nice and small, long battery life ... and best of all - they can be CHEAP!
to get any sort of modern laptop, you're looking at $1000+ ... I'm very happy with the Chromebook I picked up
(new) for <$200

Archer57 wrote on 2025-06-25, 01:47:

Basically automation does its thing and no human can override it unless you somehow get to upper managers who still can.

That matches what I've seen, yes. Takes a lot of patience to find someone that can override the AI.

douglar wrote on 2025-06-25, 12:22:

Archer57 wrote on 2025-06-25, 01:47:

Basically automation does its thing and no human can override it unless you somehow get to upper managers who still can.

That matches what I've seen, yes. Takes a lot of patience to find someone that can override the AI.

my bank can override it with a charge back 🤣. whats really F up is that I had sent a few items back already and even those returns eBay canceled. the SCSI card I bought ended up being shipped so badly it arrived in parts and the return label I got for it just had a city in California with the address being general delivery.

old school gamer man wrote on 2025-06-25, 14:28:

my bank can override it with a charge back 🤣. whats really F up is that I had sent a few items back already and even those renters eBay canceled. the SCSI card I bought ended up being shipped so badly it arrived in parts and the return label I got for it just had a city in California with the address being general delivery.

As a buyer, you can do a charge back if you used a credit card, and ultimately, charge backs are the kind of thing that will get the attention of Ebay's decision makers. I think part of the reason Ebay moved Amex to 3rd party payers like Paypal is so that they don't take the hit on chargebacks. They can stick Paypal with the loss instead.

As a seller, you don't have those options. They hit your bank account directly. But Ebay's got the buyers, so whatcha gunna do?

Not at all what I wanted but it will have to do.

so I'll have to go with the x79 board I have. I'll never be able to run 98 on it right but at least is supports XP ugh. Until I find a better set of hardware this will have to do. The revo drive seems to have a chip set with XP drivers and the 980ti I found has modded drivers that work with xp apparently. Its not at all what I wanted and I hope I can get my 9x games to work.

douglar wrote on 2025-06-25, 14:42:

As a buyer, you can do a charge back if you used a credit card, and ultimately, charge backs are the kind of thing that will get the attention of Ebay's decision makers. I think part of the reason Ebay moved Amex to 3rd party payers like Paypal is so that they don't take the hit on chargebacks. They can stick Paypal with the loss instead.

As a seller, you don't have those options. They hit your bank account directly. But Ebay's got the buyers, so whatcha gunna do?

any bank will let you do a charge back if you have a visa or master card. both visa and master card require banks to offer the same protections for debit cards as credit cards. However most banks don't have a option for filing on online or via their app so you have to call it in. You can also use a virtual card number with any visa or master debit card too.

Doing too many charge backs will raise the ire of the fraud department at the bank however, just be mindful of that.

Also if any went through PayPal and you want to keep using that service don't be careful with how many chargebacks you do through them .. they can and will lock and ban your Paypal account or freeze it so you cant do any transactions till they investigate which can take fucking forever.

PayPal are a bunch of automated crooks.

Locked by request as it went off-topic.

New thread for build here: Build log: A over kill XP system!