posted on November 16, 2000 01:25:12 PM
Over the past month I have had a dramatic increase in deadbeat bidders and extremely slow payers. I haven't had to neg anyone in over a year and I feel like leaving about three or four. I have four auctions which are out about a month now. One with no reply at all, two with three emails and the checks in the mail routine (ten days to two weeks since second checks in the mail message) and one who first replied curtly asking if I take Paypal (my TOS and item description clearly said no)and that he would "work his way" to the PO over a month ago, then hasn't replied to two more emails asking for payment. The cost of the goods ranges from $5.00 to $78.00. Feedback ratings from 4 to 175. Most with no negs, one with three. Anyone else having an increase in problems. Is it something in the air, state of the economy, the elections or just my time of the year?
posted on November 16, 2000 02:12:35 PM
There are more Deadbeats for reasons both real and perceived.
A real reason: What we have is 1) Ebay still has a toothless registration process. While they tightened things up for Sellers [as it helps them ensure that THEY get paid] the fact that a Buyer can register and wreak what they will, then get the boot and come back a few minutes later is a sure way to teach the Deadbeats that there is no consequences for their acts.
2) [ a perceived reason] there are more registered Users thanever and though the #'s of deadbeats as a % of the User Base may be smaller than it has been in the past. The Actual # of these cretins is more.
As an aside: we too have had as many deadbeats since Sept. as we had had in the previous 2 1/2 years.
posted on November 16, 2000 02:21:16 PM
Yes I had 2 years with no problems and I just left my first neg. today. This biodder had false contact info and defaulted on a $3,780.00 bid and safe harbor says they will contact him and give him a chance to CORRECT
his info. Wow that makes me feel better.....
posted on November 16, 2000 02:23:28 PM
I to have seen an increase of Deadbeats on ebay. I have been forced to add the "TERM" to all my auctions now as a result of these flakes. Something to the effect of "DO NOT BID IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO PAY"
It does not appear to be even working, but I do give buyers 2 weeks to pay and I clearly put in every auction what will happen if they don't. If a user deserves a negative feedback, by all means, leave it for them. I myself check my buyers feedbacks and see if they are paying for their items or not. If they are I cancel their bids. This is absloutely the best way of not having to deal with a trouble maker.
I do leave negatives if people do not pay for their items, but I also do NPA and FVF. If you just leave a negative and not the other 2, well you might as well not even leave the negative. It is your duty as a seller to warn the rest of us about flakes.
posted on November 16, 2000 03:24:52 PM
Deadbeat bidders are good for sales. They don't always win the auction. That helps to drive the final bid price up.
Anyway, most deadbeats are not deadbeats all of the time. We've all seen deadbeats who have feedback indicating they have completed some transactions in the past. On the whole, these people are good for sales. They drive the price up and sometimes pay when they win.
If eBay could somehow get rid of all the deadbeats, overall prices would go down.
The risk of an occasional deadbeat is still worth it.
posted on November 16, 2000 03:43:43 PM
I agree with decpage's above unorthodox statement. Though dealing with the occassional deadbeat is a pain, there are many other times when they do work to your advantage as a seller.
posted on November 16, 2000 05:21:52 PM
I had one who wrote and told me that "half" their house burned down so she couldnt pay for the item she won from me. Then moments later placed a $70 bid on a jacket.
Luckily the second bidder's bid was only 50 cents less, they were still interested and paid me immediately with Paypal.
If you are going to lie, don't do it with someone who can easily check your bidding history. I would rather someone come straight out and be honest with me if they dont plan on going through with the deal. The lying and excuses are pathetic!
posted on November 16, 2000 05:31:23 PM
How is this one? Lady said her pc was "broken" and she goes to pain management clinic. Since her pc is "broken" and she cannot reply to my email asking where payment is that is 2 weeks overdue and I would appreciate her not bidding on more items until that payment is made, she goes ahead and bids anyway on a new auction of mine, from her doctors office (or so she says). I do not know about you guys, but it would be a cold day in hell before MY doctor let me use HIS computer to make a bid on an ebay auction, while listening to me moan "oh...the pain. The pain".
posted on November 17, 2000 01:32:14 PM
Well, I just checked the mail box and found only junk mail....so I filed NPB alerts on the two that I hadn't, placed a neg on the non-responder (making his FB -2) emailed the other one asking again for payment. I have added more detail to my terms of service, which I hated to do. I have always been turned off by auctions with warnings and too much legal verbage. Dr. Trooth, I agree that part of the problem is as the bidding audience grows, so does the number of pranksters and charlatans, and that eBay's continued lack of support for the seller's point of view is another, larger factor. cix, I also give buyers two weeks to pay and send them emails once a week till they do, wait 30 days to file and NPB and 45 for FVR. I have never canceled a bid, but may look into that option. I think I've only left three negs in over two years of selling, but now I'm thinking of leaving neutrals for people who pay after two or three weeks. There is always the worry about retaliatory negs. kiki2 and FrannyS, one of my DB's emailed back that they had a severe family medical problem. I checked their bidding and found that they continue to bid on hundred dollar china (20+ bids since the close of my auction) while unable to pay for my $6.00 item. If you are going to make an excuse (lie) about your lack of responsibility, don't play games with my compassion. I feel much better when someone just says they forgot and usually end up leaving them positive feedback. At least they were honest. Thanks for your comments and support, I had to vent. Back to work.
posted on November 17, 2000 08:24:45 PM
Good for business? Deadbeats are nearly up
to 10% on my auctions and they are killing me on the featured category items that eBay doesn't refund. I realize that this is often the cost of doing business but the increase in slow payers and no payers is alarming. If this trend continues without some sort of bidder verification, eBay will simply start crumbling like a neglected urban playground. eBay is still the best avenue
e-business-wise for the little guy trying to
get a break, but the unrelenting charge to expand has left quality control on the porch.
posted on November 17, 2000 09:10:12 PM
I have noticed that this year was the worst.
There are more NPB and bidders who just don't ans. your emails and yet you check to see if they are still active on ebay and sure enough there they are still placeing bids, but never ans. you emails.
I wait 15 days and still no ans. to my emails, so I leave neg. feedback, then don't you know they ans. me the next day, They say I'm sorry but I still want the item, I say, I'm sorry I left you neg. Feeback But yes, I still have your item. They never ans. back and I don't care. I never had to leave a neg. until a few months ago, it has gotten really bad.
I personally don't think that the new comers to ebay are really serious about what they are doing, to them it's fun, Well to us sellers it means income. I feel sorry that it is coming to this, because they (NPB) are making it very heard for us sellers, We work hard to offer our items up on Auction, Their is a lot of work involved, I better stop now because I can go on and on and on as we all can...........
posted on November 17, 2000 10:04:19 PM
Deadbeat sellers are on the rise as well. I Paypaled payment shortly after I received the EOA on a purchase over a month ago. Seller didn't have a problem sending that EOA immediately after the auction ended and I didn't have a problem paying her just as quickly. She did advise me that she had received the payment and would mail immediately. Have I received the item. NO! eBay says there is no evidence of fraud?? The seller has now got four neg's stating merchandise never received. I haven't found any way to get my money refunded. Anyone know if Paypal will intercede?
