posted on January 28, 2001 01:55:59 PM new
Hi Everyone,
I am a new AW member, and have enjoyed reading and learning from all the information on the boards. So out of lurk mode I have come and hope someone can help me with the following situation.
I am new to selling on ebay, but not new to buying. On one of my current auctions I have a bidder with 0 feedback, who's ID was created on Jan 13th, using an AOL addy. This bidder has bids on 44 active auctions now, and is high bidder on most. I checked previous bidding history and this bidder has had to date placed 124 bids, and was high bidder on 45 ended auctions. My questions are, Would it be appropriate for me to contact one of the previous sellers and ask for input? (and since this auction is due to end in less then 5 hours), Should I cancel this bid if I don't hear from the previous seller? This is not a high item bid, but I just don't want to start off my first auction with a deadbeat bidder!
Also, I am concerned for other auctions this bidder has high bid on. Has 4 high bids on 1 seller as of now.
posted on January 28, 2001 02:12:31 PM new
Given Ebay's new guidelines about auction interference, one has to be careful about contacting anyone about any auction in which you are not a participant. I've done what you've mentioned in the past, and I doubt that anyone is going to report you to Safe Harbor for asking if they received a response and/or payment from your bidder. Don't be surprised if you get no response, though. I'd probably let the bid ride, especially if it's not a high ticket item and you're not pressed to sell it. Just my $.02.
posted on January 28, 2001 02:13:17 PM new
We were all 0 feedback at one time. IMHO you are being a little paranoid. At least give the bidder a chance. And by the way, what difference does it make how many bids he has out there? Does it say somewhere how much money this person has to spend?
Ask yourself, are a lot of these items similar? A collector of a certain type item maybe? Just started on ebay and found an abundance of the items he wants to own?
Relax and let the auction take its course. This may be one of your best customers.
posted on January 28, 2001 03:12:02 PM new
New bidders sometimes are....um....eager! Thank goodness for eager bidders.
These situations usually work out OK- the exception might be if the person is bidding on dozens of the exact same item- in that case it might be that they don't understand the system, and don't realize that they are responsible for completing multiple transactions for the same item.
But if this person is bidding on different(and they won't win them all)- I'd let it ride.
If you feel the need to do something to reassure yourself- you can email the bidder with a nice note, and see what sort of response you get...perhaps something welcoming them to eBay, noting that they are new, thanking them in advance for bidding, and offering to answer any questions they may have.
posted on January 28, 2001 03:27:49 PM new
Once I did what Steve suggested, emailing the bidder, and it worked out pretty well. In my case it was a piece of platinum jewelry that this new bidder had bid up quite high and I had recently been burned on a similar situation. So I quite succinctly asked as to their intentions. She politely responded that she did, indeed, want the item very much. She ended up winning and paying for the item and it was a happy ending. I explained how I felt and she understood.
I also get suspicious when someone is bidding on tons of stuff and haven't yet received feedback. It's not about my need to monitor their spending, it's about my concern that they may be bidding up a bunch of auctions just for fun with no intention to complete the transaction. Have tried going the route of emailing other sellers before and nobody ever responded. Don't know why. I would do the person the courtesy of responding, but whatever!
Good luck! shark
[ edited by sharkbaby on Jan 28, 2001 03:28 PM ]
posted on January 28, 2001 04:05:59 PM new
I've had really bad luck with new bidders with zero feedback with AOL email addresses. Just in the past 30 days I've had 2 deadbeat on me for over $100. They also had just registered and had bid on and won 30-50 auctions each and then would not even return my emails or even answer a NPB alert from ebay. Now I get very concerned when someone with 0 FB and an AOL addy bids on one of my auctions. Just my 2 cents.
[ edited by bubblewrap on Jan 28, 2001 04:07 PM ]
posted on January 28, 2001 04:11:17 PM new
Just because someone bids a lot doesn't mean they won't pay you.
I had a bidder who was late with payment. I checked her bidding history and saw that she had won more than 650 auctions in the preceeding 30 days. That's more than 20 per day.
I e-mailed a reminder and she said that she had fallen behind (understandably) and that the check was in the mail. Sure enough, it arrived the next day.
posted on January 28, 2001 09:13:23 PM new
Thank you for your replies. I would have been back sooner, but I am one of the so called few females that loves football.
Yes, I may seem atad paranoid in my reaction to this bid, could be I have read to many threads on the board.
Like I said previous, I have only been a buyer until recently. Over a year now with a feedback of 178. My only neg. was very devastating to me, as I feel that it shows ones integrity. Before you ask I will say it was in fact a postal problem. It is so very hard out here in cyberville to find any concrete way of knowing what ifs..... For me I have always felt, that when I placed a bid, that it was my integrity that was out there, following through to the end of the deal. Guess I am waking up and smelling that strong coffee now!
I did let the bid ride. We'll see if my gut was right. I'd gladly eat crow or whatever, if I am wrong...... Though if I am right, then tonight there are a few sellers that will be more unhappy then I. Geezz, is there anyway to let each other know, or be able to communicate before we go through headaches with those who can and do cause problems with auctions?? Ebay says no way to this? Is that what I am understanding?? If so, then you are telling me that anyone can for the sole purpose of their sick and twisted pleasure do whatever havoc they seem fit for their enjoyment, and sellers cannot even e-mail one another to warn?? Boy that coffee sure smells bad................
posted on January 29, 2001 01:45:34 AM new
I would be a little worried if a new bidder had dozens of new bids.
Once this person gets 40 emails from lets say 30 sellers.....some don't take paypal, some only take paypal, some use andale and want you to go to the check out thingy, some sellers only take money order, some only take personal checks from 10+ feedback bidders, some don't take personal checks, some are pushy and want to be responded to and paid within a tight time frame.
I see this new bidder getting confused and overwhelmed and possibly frustrated sorting out all these individual seller policies. Who to send money to, in what form and where.
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