posted on December 12, 2002 12:15:58 AM new
Okay this is my first post here and I really need some advice. Been selling some of our stuff for a couple months now and am happy to not have a negative yet or left one. I've tried to be accomodating and understanding with the buyers. But tonight I'm ready to scream. I listed a rather higher price item and it sold at the BIN price to a newbie. He immediately emailed me to say it was an accident and he meant to just bid, not buy it now. He said he was new and just learning, etc, etc, etc. So I said if he could live with a NPB so I could get the final value fees back, I wouldn't leave a negative and told him to be more careful in the future. And I relisted the item. Ended today. And the high bidder has sent me three emails- the first saying how excited she was, the second saying she wasn't sure if she had the money, and the third said that her husband didn't think she should buy it. I haven't written back yet, because I'm pretty upset at this point. I'm in no mood to go through re-listing this item all over again and I so badly wanted it out of here before christmas. She is a newbie, just registered today. I hate being tough on people just learning the ropes, but I'm frustrated. Doesn't it say not to bid unless you're serious before you place that bid? I may get some of the fees back, but the listing fees are going to start piling up. My question is what would you do-would you go easy or be tough on her? I'm leaning towards being tough, but would they make me an unreasonable seller. Help!
posted on December 12, 2002 12:30:28 AM new
carrot716, you will get a lot of different responses on how sellers handle the same situation. You can pick and choose which solution suits you the best.
The few times it happened to me, I sent a polite email telling the buyer the auction is a contract. I provided the links to the eBay Policies appropriate to the situation, such as the one on an auction being a contract, what happens when a buyer doesn't pay, etc.
The buyers all paid. One lady even said her young son bid with her id. I told her it is her id and she is responsible for it and provided the link so she could read up on that aspect. She paid too.
I wasn't nasty at all. Providing the links to the ebay Policies to the buyers, so they could educate themselves, made them come to the conclusion on their own that they should pay for the auctions. When they bid they lacked knowledge. When they paid, they were finally fully informed of their total obligations.
[ edited by hotcupoftea on Dec 12, 2002 12:31 AM ]
posted on December 12, 2002 05:41:44 AM new
Carrot716,
hotcupoftea has very sound advice. I would not give in to the second individual. In the case of the first, you are given a list of reasons when you file for FVC. One is something like, buyer and seller agree to not go through with the transaction. In this case, choose this one and the buyer will not recieve a "strike".
posted on December 12, 2002 10:43:15 PM new
Thanks for your advice.
I sent the buyer a rather nice but firm email letting her know that a bid is a contract and sent her a link to eBay's non payment policy. I also asked her to save us both time by letting me know now if she was going to pay or not.
Her answer was "my husband won't let me buy it. sorry for the inconvenience." Inconvenience, ugh!!! And I did a second chance offer to the next highest bidder that she just had to outbid at the last minute. He emailed and let me know that he had found a similar item and was the high bidder on that, but thanks anyways. If only she hadn't bid I probably wouldn't be in this mess!
I've already blocked her, but was wondering about the NPB. Do I have to wait the 7 days or is there another way to do it? And as for the feedback, should I just go ahead and leave it now? I checked and she has bid on A LOT of stuff right now. Would be nice to let the other sellers know that she seems to think bidding is a "game". But I don't know if I'm supposed to wait until after I file the NPB and all that stuff.
Thanks for all your help. I've felt lucky to reach 200 feedbacks without having to leave/or getting a negative. Seems like this item is breaking me in to bidders who don't pay.
posted on December 12, 2002 11:15:35 PM new
I would wait out the 7 days , file the NPB and see if that brings her to her senses. If not, go the FVF route. I wouldn't leave a neg, as that would be inviting one right back. If she is bidding on several other auctions, she'll probably try to pull this on at least 2 other sellers. If they file for FVF also, she'll be history.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on December 13, 2002 12:43:49 AM new
The bidder has already stated she won't be paying for the item, so an NPB from eBay probably won't "bring her to her senses". I'd wait out the 7 days & go the NBP route rather than taking the more immediate "mutually agree to cancel purchase" option so she'll get the black mark on her record, and I would definitely leave a neg--and probably right away to put other sellers on notice that she's a potential problem. I don't know that I'd worry about getting one in return, though. If the bidder can't figure out that she has to pay for the stuff she bids on, she may not be able to figure out how to leave feedback.
posted on December 13, 2002 12:47:50 AM new
I'm not so sure she's going to come to her senses. All I told her was what happens when you bid and don't follow through-the non paying bidder alerts, negative feedback, etc. and that bidding without intending to follow through costs sellers time and money so remember that in the future. I was polite but firm. This is what I got back...
"Hey you ****** little imputent prick I could ****** careless what you are doing oh please negative feed back oh whaaa are you 10 or what get over yourself and dont lecture me also never email me again or I will report you to the police for harrassment " (the *s are not so nice words)
Why me??? Now I just hope the negative I imagine she's going to leave isn't full of profanity. Yuck!
Anyways thanks everybody for your help. Seven days and I can start putting this all behind me....
posted on December 14, 2002 11:06:47 PM new
you should forward the email they sent to you to ebay and file a harassment complaint. File, Neg (you will probably get one too, but it's worth it). Then forget it.
posted on December 15, 2002 07:19:39 PM new
Do not leave a negative until the NPB process has been completed. Who knows, this person might pay if you stick to customer service. Treat them like any other bidder. If you file a negative now, you will not get any money.
