posted on May 30, 2001 08:39:58 PM
I just spent 20 minutes typing a message and got cut off right before I could send it.
New here-and could really use some of the great advice I've been reading.
Auction ended 5/6. One Buyer was the winning bidder on two auctions. She replied to WBN by saying she would pay by Paypal. Total including Shipping-$10.50.
Wait a week or so-nothing. Email her to check on payment. She answers on 5/16 saying she had been ill and payment would go out that day. Email her back-sorry to hear that-thank you for sending payment.
Nothing. Email her again-sits unread for days. Finally on 5/26 she answers. Not going to pay. Will pay my fees and relist fees. Or, will pay in full "after the 1st" Goes into detail about personal problems. Ok-was she sick-or did she have personal problems? I do some checking and find that while she was so ill and deep into personal problems, she listed 161 auctions and posted feedback for her buyers-meanwhile my email sat unread.
By this time, I'm miffed. I tell her sorry about her problems, but we had a deal. I point out that after paying my fees as she offered, she would only owe a few dollars to complete the deal. Otherwise, I would have no choice to file with Ebay and post a neg.Get a nasty email back-she says I'm uncaring and have no compassion and that she will neg me for "threatening" her. Points out again that she would pay after the 1st-it was up to me. Well, she had already promised to pay twice and I had nothing to show for that and "after the 1st" could mean anything.
I file with Ebay and don't contact her again.
Today, get notice from Paypal that I've been sent $18.00. I check it out. I guess it's her. Sends a nasty note by Paypal saying she doesn't remember total and I can refund the difference. Problem is-there was no item #-no reference at all. Different name-different street address-different email address. Only the City and the State were the same. What is she trying to pull?
Sorry this was so long, but didn't know how to make it any shorter. What would you do?
posted on May 30, 2001 08:49:55 PM
Since payment included a nasty note, you can guess it's her. I would send a personal letter to the address provided by Paypal.
"Hello, I received your payment in the amount of $18. Unfortunately, I can not process your order because you omitted the auction number. Please send an email to xxxx with the item number of the auction(s) you are paying for."
In the meantime, I would proceed with NPB alert because you really have no way of knowing for sure who sent the payment. Whatever you do, if you send out the package, be sure you have proof, because she may claim the package never arrived.
If she responds to the NPB alert saying she paid you by Paypal, let her know that her name doesn't appear. Make her explain herself because the whole thing seems kind of suspicious. It would be worse to lose a $10 sale than to deal with a Paypal fraud complaint.
(edited to add, I guess you already filed NPB alert. Send her an email saying you received a mystery payment. If she claims it's hers, make her give you the name and address of the payer as verification.)
posted on May 30, 2001 08:50:18 PM
Did she pay by Credit Card or non-Credit Card funds? I'd be concerned about a CC, if she is having such difficulties.
posted on May 30, 2001 08:54:09 PM
Often times, after you file your Non Paying Bidder Alert, I have seen many sellers write in their TOS that at that point, you have the right to not sell the item to that person. For me personally, based on the fact that this person was nasty to you , gave you flimsy excuses, and has been listing other auctions, I may probably send the money back via Pay Pal from whence it came. If anything, your reasoning could be that this was an unidentified payment...no familiar name, no item number, etc.
Or, if you are feeling especially kind hearted, you could just accept the money, assuming it is from her, and just send her the item, refund the difference, and then put her on your blocked bidder list so that she does not cause problems for you in the future.
If you choose the option, do not be afraid of her "neg" like she says. Keep a copy of that email and any other correspondence and you can forward those to [email protected] as an example of abuse of the feedback system. (Feedback extortion) Good luck and don't let her bully you!
posted on May 30, 2001 09:09:37 PM
Thanks for the replies. I knew I would get some great answers.
Twinsoft-should I send the email to the address I've been using all along or to this new "mystery" address she used today? I sent one when I first rec'd it asking who it was and what the payment was for-but big surprise-is being ignored.
Misscandle-she paid by Paypal funds. I agree about the hassle over such a small amount. I've had this boxed and ready to go since 5/7. I buy more than I sell. When a seller sends me the total cost-I pay right then with Paypal or Billpoint. If it has to be a check-it goes in the mail that day. If I wasn't going to do that, I wouldn't bid.
dch336-I do plan on giving her a neg. I guess she will give me my first one. How do you return Paypal payments? I have no intention of touching that money-not until she comes forward and explains why all the changes. I just don't trust how this is turning out.
posted on May 31, 2001 01:35:19 AM
Hi, I wasn't sure if Paypal provided you with an email address or not. Why not just send an email to the payer and ask them what they are paying for.
I know you are getting frustrated with this. All part of the life of a seller. I started processing a pile of payments today. The first three omitted either the auction number or (for a Dutch auction) their email address. The fourth payment I opened did not include the sales tax which I specified in my notice. Fortunately, it's not always that bad.
Because of her late payment, you are within your rights to cancel the sale. eBay allows you to send an NPB notice after seven days, at which point eBay notifies the buyer that you can decide not to sell. So, technically, you are not obliged. Use your own best judgement. But don't allow yourself to be upset by this flaky customer.
posted on June 1, 2001 08:58:43 PM
Update-but not much to tell.
I sent the money back to this "mystery" person-saying that they must have made a mistake since I didn't have any auctions with anyone by this name or for that amount.
The email sent to the new address sits unread.
Forgot to mention in first post that after going into great detail about her personal problems (which were so none of my business) she told me she would sue me if I mentioned anything about it in feedback?? I asked her what I had done to possibly make her think I would do such a thing!
So-the 10 days are almost up. Now what do I do? I've never had to go this far before. Always before when I file the NPB with Ebay-they come through with the money.
posted on June 2, 2001 09:15:27 AM
If this was me, I would call the PayPal offices and give them the auction information and ask how to proceed. This shows PayPal that you are truly on the up and up with this transaction and are sincerely trying to stave off a problem being caused by a nut case. Also tell PayPal you do not want to accept this payment because of the addy changes, get your fees back from Ebay and move on. Also block this bidder, write her an email and tell her never to bid on another one of your auctions, and c/c to safeharbor.
Here's a tip learned from several years of this stuff: Don't engage in dialogs with folks about their excuses for not paying. You can pretty much ignore them- keep your eye on the ball. The ball being, of course, payment.
In this case, I would have considered the transaction terminated when the buyer said she wouldn't/couldn't pay as agreed. Trust me: NOTHING good will come of such a transaction, even if the person eventually pays.
You've done the NPB thing, and you are under no obligation to continue to hold the item for the buyer (the NPB/FVF process is independent of your decision to relist or otherwise make other arrangements for the item-- it's also independent of the Neg/No Neg process).
My advice: You've returned the mystery payment. Buyer has said she's not gonna pay as agreed. You've done the NPB thing. Now finish with the FVF credit request, and move on.
I wouldn't neg (but that's just me). DON'T reply to buyer's further emails.
Move on. Life's too short to get drawn into other's personal problems.
posted on June 2, 2001 10:35:58 AM
furkidmom (wow-hope I never mistype that one lol ) I wrote Paypal and they advised me to return the payment-which I did.
Steve-do I have to wait the 10 days to request fees and relist? I'd like to do it today. I've had this boxed up forever and am going to combine these into one auction this time.
About not giving a neg-I really want to give her one. I was nothing but fair and patient and she did nothing but call me names and insult me. BUT-is an emotional neg the smart thing to do? Would I be cutting off my nose to spite my face. She would neg me back-sure about that-but what can she say? I do not want to sell to her now even if she pays-she will only find something wrong with it-although everyone else I sent it to loved it. So-do I have to wait 10 days or can I end the auction today and relist?
posted on June 2, 2001 11:01:36 AM
Sarah/Susan (best to kill one of those ID's):
The auction ended 5/6, right?
You're under no obligation at this point, 24 days later, to continue holding the item for this high bidder. You can sell it elsewhere, or relist, it's up to you.
At the same time, you can go through the process to get your listing fees back. The two things (your decision to relist, and the timeline for the NPB alert/FVF request) are independent of each other. You have no obligation to hold the item while you go through the NPB/FVF credit request process (unless you've told the buyer you'd hold it for a particular period of time).
As to the neg- lots of thoughts on that. Most people, I believe, neg because they are angry, and feel a need to "teach him a lesson." Not good reasons, in my view. The other view is that we're a community and by negging the deadbeats, you're doing a service to others in the community-- that you have an obligation to other sellers to warn them about the deadbeats. That may have applied a couple years ago, but not now.
The best, and safest way of ridding eBay of deadbeats is by requesting FVF credits. After they get 4 blackmarks, eBay suspends them-- and you're not putting yourself at much risk of retaliatory negs (which might affect your business).
posted on June 2, 2001 11:30:01 AM
LOL-My bad. Ok-the Sarah is gone. I had my reasons for wanting to use another name, but looks like I screwed that up. I'll just have to deal with it.
I've relisted the items and sent a very professional email to "buyer" saying so. I'll have to give some thought to the neg-maybe after I cool down over it I'll see it's not the wise thing to do. I guess I don't understand how she can neg me-for what??
The 10 days are up on Monday-is this when I file for relist fees? And should I also contact Safe Harbor-I've never done that before and really don't know anything about it.
(It's not really relisting fees, but you could look at it that way, I guess). Your bidder will get one black mark against him/her in eBay's little black book- if she gets 3 more, she's suspended (at least that's how I recall it works).
No need to contact safeharbor, in my view. This stuff is all automated. I've never needed to. I guess if she starts messing with your auctions somehow, you should contact SH.
Yeah- a professional note saying:
"Hi:
Since much time has passed and I've not received the agreed upon payment for auction # XXXXXX, I've made other arrangements for it. Regards, SaraSusan."
Then you can just block her email if you want to avoid hearing her rants, and move on. You can block from Outlook Express: Pull up any of her messages in your inbox. Go to Message: Block sender. Problem solved.
posted on June 3, 2001 11:25:55 AM
Well, she read my email saying the auction was canceled-still hasn't read the one about the Paypal payment being returned. Guess she forgets to check her "new" account.
Anyway-this is the response I got from her
"Excuse me but I sent you payment through paypal, and I better get my item. Or this time i will be notifying ebay and the postal service"
Ok-please tell me what the postal service has to do with any of this.
My fingers are really itching to give her that neg.
posted on June 3, 2001 12:46:49 PMShe would neg me back-sure about that-but what can she say?
What can she say? Plenty. Devious minds can come up with some off-the wall comments. Sure she deserves the neg. But do you deserve the sure retaliation? Are you willing to accept it and move on? If so, neg away. You have the right. Otherwise a little restraint might be in order. After all, she can always open a fresh new account and your neg of her will be worthless. But her neg for you will remain until the moon turns into a snowball.
Of course all of this is my opinion. There are plenty of opposing opinions as well. The choice to neg (or not) is yours and only yours to make, and only you will live with the consequences.
