Assessing a buyer scam

[610cb]

I am trying to assess a buyer to ensure it’s not a scam. I listed a vintage tricycle for local pickup only . It’s been on eBay for about 9 months. Just two days ago, a buyer offered to purchase it at $110 (asking price) and is willing to pay $90 shipping. He has 100% positive feedback from 99 people as both a buyer and a seller, although none newer than 6 months ago and most over a year ago.  When I asked why he would be willing to pay more than the fair value of the bike, he said he is a hobbyist restorer of this particular trike. He has not suggested a transaction outside of eBay but seems unconcerned with the bike’s condition when I asked if he wanted more pictures.  Coincidentally, I just got a second buyer request to ship the trike and both the first and the second offer

are from buyers in Utah.  Any insights on this transaction are appreciated!

[69heathery]

My concern with this would be, once he receives it and opens an "Item not as Described" You would be responsible for paying for shipping back to you.  I would keep it as a Local Pickup only. 

[12345jamesstamps]

Are you willing to pay $90. for return item not as described? If it was a buyer who lived nearby in your state I might say yes...but because of a possibility of a return its a hard no for me.

[ittybitnot]

@610cb 

You don't use the Best Offer feature.  Are people just messaging you?  

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Some years ago, I experienced buyers who seemed obvious to product cost and shipping costs.

They were buying vintage bicycles.

After several sales to several different buyers, I found out the secret to why they were oblivious to cost and even condition. These were vintage car collectors, and the cost of buying and restoring vintage bicycles was minuscule compare to collecting cars.

You decide how much risk you wish to take, but do not leap to a conclusion that something nefarious is going on. The minority of Ebay buyers are out to cheat you.

[ckimodog]

@610cb 

Buyers are not buyers until they pay.  All buyers have positive feedback.  If you are uncomfortable concerning this prospective customer & smell a scam, I'd would block them from further annoying you with inquires that may be questionable.  Trust your gut.

Happy Selling. 

[12345jamesstamps]

Any if you haven't sold anything in 30 days your funds from this sale will be on hold for 30+ days. Which means you will have to use your "own" money for shipping...Do you have $90. for shipping. And this item has to be mailed before you get the shipping funds. And how on earth are you going to pack that?

[610cb]

Yes, I guess because it is a rather unique item?

[a_c_green]

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@610cb wrote:

I am trying to assess a buyer to ensure it’s not a scam. I listed a vintage tricycle for local pickup only . It’s been on eBay for about 9 months. Just two days ago, a buyer offered to purchase it at $110 (asking price) and is willing to pay $90 shipping. He has 100% positive feedback from 99 people as both a buyer and a seller, although none newer than 6 months ago and most over a year ago.  When I asked why he would be willing to pay more than the fair value of the bike, he said he is a hobbyist restorer of this particular trike.

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Well, he's not offering to pay more than your asking price; he's simply offering to pay for shipping. I sell in the vintage-bicycle arena and that is not uncommon at all. If you're not willing to pack the tricycle for shipping (and I don't blame you; disassembly and protective packaging can be tricky), you might ask a local bike shop if they would be willing to do the packing and shipping. If so, have the buyer pay them directly for that part of the sale (the buyer should pay you directly for the tricycle sale itself, and nothing else), and then it will still qualify as a Local Pickup in terms of your not shipping it.

I know that's probably more complicated than what you would like, but I thought I would outline the steps taken in the collector community (outside of eBay) when some interstate sale of a rare bike occurs but the seller does not want to ship it himself.

[bonjourami]

"Any if you haven't sold anything in 30 days your funds from this sale will be on hold for 30+ days. Which means you will have to use your "own" money for shipping...Do you have $90. for shipping. And this item has to be mailed before you get the shipping funds. And how on earth are you going to pack that?"

Op can use pending funds for shipping.

[a_c_green]

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@bonjourami wrote:

"Any if you haven't sold anything in 30 days your funds from this sale will be on hold for 30+ days. Which means you will have to use your "own" money for shipping...Do you have $90. for shipping. And this item has to be mailed before you get the shipping funds. And how on earth are you going to pack that?"

Op can use pending funds for shipping.

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...to which I would simply add that, in the experience of a new seller that I'm mentoring at the present time, the funds holds on his sales are only 14 days, not 30+.

I suppose high-value categories have tighter restrictions and perhaps longer holds, but my newbie seller only started within the past couple of months (not selling high-scam items), has had several sales (all auctions) already, and those have all been paid out on the dates promised by eBay. I'm curious to see when his holds will be lifted for good.

One other comment on holds: if you're seeing a low but steady rate of sales, as my newbie seller is, then you'll have a similar low-but-steady rate of deposits into your checking account. Once those start (14 days from the first sale, in our experience), you don't really notice exactly which new funds match up to a previous sale. It's all just money coming in. When the new-seller hold is finally lifted, we might not even notice. 😁

[dnasilver]

We shut down every year for approx. 3 months and never had a hold on funds. eBay may hold funds it is not definitive. 2021 we shut down for six months and when we started back up, no holds at all.

[610cb]

I don’t mind packing. (In fact, I am an idiot savant when it comes to packaging.) Would it be kosher to ask the buyer to Venmo me the $90 for packing, sort of as a gesture of good faith (and because I wouldn’t be able to recoup that if he/she were to make a claim)?

[12345jamesstamps]

Yes....I understand that.

If looking at seller sales they looked like they haven't sold anything in more than 30 days...so where do "pending funds" come from?

[bonjourami]

If he makes this sale, that would be pending funds.