Tell me your WORST buyer horror story

[nonyme]

99.9% of buyers I work with are an absolute joy. I just ran into one after 16 years on eBay who was the absolute WORST I've ever encountered. Yee gads.

Note that all communication was through eBay's messaging system!

Started out with the buyer asking me for a discount on a multi-item purchase. I politely pointed out the items were already on sale, and offered her free shipping.

She took the offer ... then paid immediately, before I could invoice her for the free shipping ... and then sent me a message that she was "sad" about having to pay shipping when I'd promised her free.

*head desk* I immediately refunded her the shipping.

THEN she demanded that I falsify the customs infomation. (International buyer.)

Ummm ... no.

I sent her a polite note explaining I could not do this, referring her the appropriate page on eBay, and cringed, because I had a feeling this was going to go south.

Yup. Entitled buyer felt entitled. She demanded I either falsify the customs info or ship in two package so the $$ amts would be less so she wouldn't have to pay customs fees. Or, she wanted me to cancel the order and refund her money. She also complained about the GAS and time needed to pick the items up at her post office, as if this was my fault and something I should refund her for. (Basically, she stated that if she was paying "X" amount for shoes, she shouldn't have to pay for the gas to go get them, too.)

Yeaaaaah. I refunded her order and sent her a cancel transaction request.

Cue immediate threats to leave me negative feedback if I didn't ship her the order RIGHT NOW and ranting that I just didn't understand. (Note: I've refunded her at this point!.)

2 1/2 hours of hold time later, I managed to get somebody at eBay who spoke passable English, and filed a report with Trust and Safety. While I was on hold, the buyer sent me a message indicating she'd reported me to eBay and they said I had to ship to her and demanding again I ship in two packages. (Though this time she offered to pay for shipping, implying that she'd planned on that from the beginning. We'd initially agreed to free shipping. In any case, I've been told by Trust and Safety as a friendly warning in the past that splitting an order into multiple packages is still considered customs fraud if the purpose is to avoid fees.)

I had already blocked the buyer, but informed her she was blocked, and told her to never buy from me again, and reminded her that her money was refunded. I suggested she find another seller(s) with the same items, and buy at different times or buy from two different sellers, if she wanted to keep the cost below the point at which she would be assessed a customs fee. 

Buyer's response was so profanity laden I couldn't post it here without getting banned from the boards myself, and it wouldn't make much sense if I redacted the profanity. Suffice to say she wants me to go somewhere hot, and also feels I'm a deveil, whatever that is. She also threatened to have all her friends buy from me and leave me negs. I reported her for the abusive language and threats. I resisted the temptation to respond with something along the lines of, "Do you mean devil, dummKopf?" (Really, if you're going to curse at someone, at least learn to spell the words correctly.)

I blocked all of Germany.

Then she purchased two of the SAME items from me, using a different ID ... with the same last name, mailing address, and paypal account. (Dunno how that happened as I had her entire country blocked, unless a block takes a few minutes to take effect.) What, she thought I was going to ship them to her AFTER she threatened to have all her friends neg me into oblivion, threatened me with a neg for refusing to falsify customs info, and also told me she'd reported me to eBay? Entitled dummKopf is a dummKopf.

I then called eBay and reported her for being an unwanted bidder and using a second account to circumvent my block.
I refunded her money, and sent a cancel transaction request, which I figured she wouldn't accept, but at least I could close it after seven days.

Buyer denied the cancel transaction request.

I called eBay AGAIN and, to eBay's credit, the rep was able to credit me my fees and assured me she was bumping this issue up to her supervisor for immediate review. I expect the buyer will be NARU'd very quickly.

I'm just ... boggled, however. She's not a newbie (2006 account), she's a competing seller, she's not a child based on her profile photo, and ... what, I caught her on a bad hair day? My first thought was that I was dealing with somebody's self-entitled 13 year old brat, but the account's been around since 2006 and she didn't buy things I would expect a kid to buy. She bought vintage Barbie shoes.

O've been on eBay since 1998.  For sheer irrationality, she was my Worst. Buyer. Ever.

[0939.lauriem]

I have a buyer in Japan, item not received case. We had 3 feet of snow on the east coast and since it didnt get to him warp speed, he opened a case. Item was received...days later, case still open..tying up almost 600.00. He wont close it because he "found a chip"

Which is a lie. I triple check everything before I list it. I have spoken to 2 other sellers from his feedback that reeked of a refund given.

One seller believes he switched cups, and I KNOW this seller from having purchased many times before. He misses nothing

Another seller, asked for proof of damage, buyer wouldnt do it but got refund anyway.

Entire feedback is littered with small clues that he's a chronic partial refund buyer. 

He is blocked and I'll wait out the 30 something days because he refuses to close the case. 

He is getting nothing from me

[windscreensocal]

well even buyers beat me 1000 times, i still love ebay just like puppy love. yes some buyers are XXX, but most of them are friendly and decent, have faith.

[0939.lauriem]

I dont "love" ebay...I love my kids and my dogs. It's a way to supplement income to pay bills. Which is hard when a buyer ties up nearly 600.00 of my money

[nonyme]

Japan's eBay site pretty clearly indicates to buyers that there's problems with shipping times due to weather, so it definitely sounds like your buyer's just a problem buyer. Owe.

eBay Japan

I'd call eBay and complain. (If you can figure out how to contact eBay Japan and complain at them, and are willing to take the time to do so, even better. The Japanese are some of the most courteous and honest people in the world and a fair percentage of them speak English or will find you someone who does. When you search their site, nearly everything it pulls up is from eBay America, so I'd bet their CSRs have to have a minimum level of English fluency to do their job. I'd be very courteous and VERY polite to the representative you spoke to, even take a slightly apologetic tone, and point out that one of their own is defrauding buyers. Bet they deal with it pretty efficiently.)

[0939.lauriem]

I deal in nothing BUT Japanese antiques and all of my buyers have been nothing but perfect. This buyer is giving me a run for my money. His attitude isnt Japanese, if that makes sense. 

[nonyme]

It makes perfect sense. I have many Japanese customers and quite a few Japanese friends.

I guess he's the proof that every village has an idiot ...

[hqueenla2004]

Recently sold two separate auctions for vintage dolls to one buyer in France.  Together the dolls only totaled a little over $20.  I discounted the shipping  a lot - basically one shipped free.

The buyer sent a email that she wanted only one doll now.  I politely said you bought both.  Then she said she wanted me to wait over 30 days to get paid.  I politely said I could not do so.   She sent me an insulting and abusive email.   I did not respond.  A week went by and I filed with ebay that she did not pay.

She paid with a echeck that did not clear until 30 days past original auction close.   At that point,  I should have refunded her money.   I'm still a bit angry at myself that I didn't just refund her money at this point.

I shipped the two dolls.   She left me negative feedback, said I was a Bad Seller and said I overcharged her on shipping - a huge lie.

I tried to get it removed through ebay and their response was to "ask" her to remove it.  Of course she did not.   So after having 100% positive feedback for years and years, I now have two negatives!

I did respond to the feedback on my page and so far I do not seem harmed by it but frankly, I am still angry at times about it. 

[nursenancy4]

when I  was selling on Ebay i sold a NRFB Princess Diana doll, (I had 2) but only one was listed, Anyway it got bids and sold, Imagine my horror when I  received a very nasty letter from buyer stating that doll and box reeked of rat urine, I was horrified ad immediately checked the other one(both had been in same box, removed from box devaluing doll, and checked  Nah no urine no stains no odor, I emailed her and told her I would refund plus shipping, ,Lo and behold she was willing to keep at a lower price, rat urine and all, I TOLD i really didnt feel comfortable with that but she insisted and eventually I caved in and gave her a partial refund,Guess I  got taken there, 

[bethy56]

HQueenLa I so feel your pain - a bidder just the other day ruined my perfect rating with a negative too.  Bid at the last minute - newbie so I am sure it was not a sniping service - then no pay, no contact.  After 3 days I sent an invoice asking her to let me know when to expect payment.  Nada - so filed a non paying bidder report.  No response.  Two other sellers had left "negative" positive feedback - stating buyer had not paid or made contact.  At that point, day before the NPBR case would close, I was pretty darned sure I was not going to get paid.  I sent a second chance offer to the next highest bidder and she took it and paid immediately.  The next morning, literally an hour before I got up and would have gotten my fees refunded, she pays.  I immediately refunded her money.  So she negs me.  Tells me in her email she had a family emergency - very dramatic details, amputation, 9 hour surgery.  I frankly didn't believe her and checked her  bidding history - lo and behold she had continued bidding on items after my listing ended, including a 1400.00 doll - days after my listing ended, when she was supposedly out of town on emergency and unable to pay.  She won at least 5 or 6 other auctions that she may not have paid for yet - no feedback on those - so i am waiting to see what happens.  I contacted eBay, long conversations with several people. and they said can't remove, that I should not have sold the item with the second chance offer until the NPBR was closed - and they are right, in my impatience I jumped the gun - but to me it; is like going into a store, shopping for several things, taking your items to the checkout counter, and then suddenly walking away without a word of explanation - then coming back 10 days later to pay and angry because the items are no longer available!   I have been selling since 1999 and work very hard to keep my buyers happy and it really is hurtful to have that stain on my record.  I figure if she doesn't pay for the other auctions she may get kicked off and maybe then I can re-argue the case to have it removed.  99.9% of the buyers I deal with are wonderful, but this one really ticks me off.

[ljcygnet]

Bethy56, I wouldn't assume it's a newbie.  You could be dealing with a competing seller who's created a new account to mess with other sellers.

[0939.lauriem]

The bigger question looming is...how on earth does a person know what RAT urine smells like?

[chaplinssmile]

I feel for all of you. I have been ripped off by buyers so many times...all with ebays enthusiastic approval. If there was another place to sell I would but items just sit on the other sites.

[nursesmashley]

That's so frustrating, Bethy! 😞

[grams2921]

      I too have had a lot of wonderful dealings with wonderful Ebay buyers. I try very hard to mention all the faults of my item and take very good pictures.     Nuff said--sold an antique wooden item for 15.   Buyer said it was crooked,poorly made,poorly finished etc and promptly gave me a red feedback without contacting me.

  Got the item back and he had bent it totaly out of shape.   We dealers need protection against people like this. Looking at his feedback ,he has done this before to get his postage back.  I