posted on August 27, 2001 11:34:27 AM
Probably heard this one a thousand times, but here's another one. Had a bunch of auctions end on Friday night, and sent the invoices out last night (Sunday) as I always do. Get one of them bounced back as an "unknown user" (AOL account). Tried using my alternate email account--still no dice. Went as far as "email this auction to friend" (the high bidder). Bounced that one as well. I now have about six bounced messages, so it's obvious that I'm not going to get through that way, so now what's my recourse? No initial response from him/her either (asking "what's my total", etc.). Should I try again in a day or so, wait and see if he/she decides to try and contact me, or just let the waiting period elapse and file for the FVF credit? Person has no negatives either, so I'd hate to be the first black mark.
posted on August 27, 2001 11:51:32 AM
It's not even winter, yet, and we are already getting flakes ....
I just had one experience similar to yours...(only one, so I was fortunate)...After 5 days of no reply from buyer, I went to Ebay to request personal info (thanks to the good advice from two neat people)...Amazingly, within 1/2 hour of my receiving the phone number, I get an Email from the person...
Now, in your case, if the mail bounces, you might still want to pull their info http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MemberSearchShow, then report them to Safeharbor for giving Ebay false information about their account. Ebay does not accept phoney Email addies or phone numbers...Although it feels wrong to snitch, yet, how else is Ebay going to know, unless we report these people? After all, they are costing us money, since we have already paid listing fees AND FVF....
posted on August 27, 2001 12:03:28 PM
Just for curiosity, I did a search on the bidder to see if he placed any other bids on other persons items. One was placed yesterday somewhere around the time I sent the invoices out (roughly 5pm EDT). Either there's a glitch in AOLs mail system or something real fishy is going on here.
(for the record, just had another "email a friend this auction" message bounce)
posted on August 27, 2001 12:22:46 PM
hmmmmm... ...It sounds like the users have their AOL mail set up to Filter Spam...in which case AOL, in it's great wisdom, is seeing your email as SPAM, and is blocking you! It seems I have read about this sometime back right here, but cannot remember when...
You might then want to go ahead and pull their info and call them, explaining that you cannot get through using the conventional way.
******** Gosh Shosh! My "About Me" Page
posted on August 27, 2001 12:38:52 PM
Looks like the spamblock theory might be correct. I just tried emailing him through my other provider's (Newsguy) web/email link, and so far, no bounce.
(EDIT: spoke too soon--bounced that message as well...this sounds like it's going to be FUN!)
[ edited by cougarls88 on Aug 27, 2001 12:40 PM ]
posted on August 27, 2001 12:47:23 PM
Might be as simple as they are changing email providers, and haven't figured out that sellers can't contact them if they do.
How new is this person to ebay? I've seen dumber moves before by even semi-experienced people.
posted on August 27, 2001 01:00:25 PMcougar...Captain might be right! If someone gets a new ISP and does NOT report their new Email addy to Ebay, well...
On the other hand, if they are STILL bidding, it means they DID register their new Email with Ebay, or Ebay's mail congratulating them (if they are the high bidders), would ALSO bounce....So, back to the SPAM Theory.
Do pull their info and call them...Looks like that is the only recourse...When or if you call, ask them if they have an alternate Email...such as one of the free web-based Email places (Hotmail, and others) through which you could reach them...
******** Gosh Shosh! My "About Me" Page
posted on August 27, 2001 01:35:19 PM
I've had a couple of these bouncing e-mails. I wait a few days, if they bounce again, I write them off as a dead beat and turn them in to safeharbor (after I leave a neg) so that they will be unregistered.
Ebay will also try to e-mail them, and when it bounces, spam filter or no, they NARU.
I'm not making a long distance phone call and adding that cost to my losses.
posted on August 27, 2001 01:51:20 PM
"On the other hand, if they are STILL bidding, it means they DID register their new Email with Ebay, or Ebay's mail congratulating them (if they are the high bidders), would ALSO bounce"
If I weren't worried about getting unregistered, I'd cheerfully change my email addy and not tell ebay. I get sooo tired sometimes of all their email...I really don't need the bid notices, outbid notices, "woudln't you like to bid on this", spam from other buyers/sellers, etc.
It would be real easy to change email ID, keep on bidding, and not really notice (or care) that all other ebay mail had disappeared.
posted on August 27, 2001 03:52:22 PMCougar: I think the best is still to pull their info, because I am pretty sure the Info contains their Name, Town and State, Phone Number AND Email addy. If they have registered a NEW Email with Ebay, you can contact them through it.
Edited because I am wrong! No EMAIL ADDY listed in the personal info....
********
Gosh Shosh! My "About Me" Page
[ edited by shoshanah on Aug 27, 2001 03:54 PM ]
posted on August 27, 2001 07:16:25 PM
AOL is a PAIN!!! Everytime someone has an AOL addy they don't get my emails. It takes several tries from different addys to get through to them. I'm always getting messages from AOL addys saying "Why haven't you contacted me?" or "Send me your info so I can get my payment to you."
posted on August 27, 2001 07:29:05 PM
A couple of other tricks which have served me well:
If they aren't a newbie, try contacting the last seller who left them feedback and ask them to contact them for you. It also works if they have won some auctions a few days before yours. I've had sellers contact people for me & I've contacted buyers for other sellers. Just a "please contact your seller, he/she can't get through to your email" type correspondence.
You don't always have to contact SafeHarbor to report them as having false contact info. I've contacted SH to tell them I'm not getting through & SH contacted them to tell them I'm trying to get through, then let me know they were or weren't able to contact them using their EM. In the cases where they couldn't contact them...they did get bounced.
I try:
1. My regular ISP a couple of times.
2. Going to another ISP
3. Web based email
4. Contacting other sellers
5. Pulling Contact Info
6. SafeHarbor
Then, when you've done your best, file NPB. If that doesn't get them, nothing you can ever do will.
posted on August 27, 2001 07:35:15 PM
Report it to eBay. Ebay will oust them until they get their contact info updated. ebay will try emailing them and if they get the same response as you they will suspend them until they correct their contact info.
posted on August 27, 2001 08:01:27 PM
They've probably got their filters set to block all non-AOL mail. Have someone on AOL email them for you and tell them to phone you or change their spam filters to let you through.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on August 27, 2001 08:16:02 PM
cougarls88...I am an AOLer, and if you would like you can email me you EOA message & I will forward it to them. I've done this a couple of times for folks here & been successful each time with only one exception...My email addy is [email protected]
posted on August 27, 2001 08:30:18 PMrancher...You are always so nice!
BTW, Re AOL...I have been most fortunate to never have had an email bounce; but I certainly can sympathize with you, cougar! You have received some good tips here...Surely, something is going to work out
******** Gosh Shosh! My "About Me" Page
posted on August 28, 2001 04:01:42 AM
This has happened to me a few times, sometimes thru' my own fault (not typing e-mail addy correctly). I've resorted to using eBay's own contact system (it's a little bit onerous, but it works!) - search by bidder (choose the completed items option), then click on their e-bay ID; this will bring up the 'Contact an eBay Member form' page, and Bob's your uncle! The only drawback is that as far as I can see, you don't get a confirmation that the recipient has received/seen the e-mail (or at least I never have), but touch wood I've always had a response from the bidders when I've used this option.
posted on September 6, 2001 08:18:51 PM
Turns out the bidder had the wrong email address listed (or so he says). Sent him the invoice at that address so hopefully it works out.
...It sounds like the users have their AOL mail set up to Filter Spam...in which case AOL, in it's great wisdom, is seeing your email as SPAM, and is blocking you! It seems I have read about this sometime back right here, but cannot remember when...
