Preventing "0" Feedback people from bidding...

[criticalmass2]

I thought I remember that in the past, I had changed a setting that prevented people with lower than a certain feedback score from bidding on my items. I wonder if that's still in effect.

I just had an item sell for about twice the price that other people are selling it for. The item was bid up by two people from Canada (item is in US) who have a total combined Feedback score of "3". One of them has had an account since 2006 and never bought anything.

Of course, being that I want to get this out by Christmas (it's NIB, so very giftable), my options are limited. Of course, the item still hasn't been paid for by the winner. Technically, I have to wait for the winning bidder, but my gut tells me it's not a real bid. If I make a second chance offer to the last "legitimate" offer, and the winning bidder then pays later, I'm at fault.

Any suggestions? And how can I prevent this from happening again?

[maximusbsfishing]

I've been burned twice on the same item and once on another item.  All "0" noobs!  They don't pay or respond to any contact attempts.  eBay won't do anything about it.  I gotta figure out how to block the n00bs!

[robcarjuke]

I know I had 6 winning bids in the last month from car. jukebox and a dinning set and sellers refused to sell. Said price was to low.  Them I sold stuff 2 times and tried to get in touch with buyer and no reply or payment. I am getting tired of ebay and 0 feedback people not paying.

[janewt-1]

I've been burned twice on the same item and once on another item.  All "0" noobs!  They don't pay or respond to any contact attempts.  eBay won't do anything about it.  I gotta figure out how to block the n00bs!

Several comments here.

First:  You really don't need to contact them and probably should not.  Ebay sends a "you won, you need to pay" notice right after they win and a 2nd notice if they haven't paid in a couple of days.  All you need to do is open an unpaid item dispute 4 full days after the sale (96 hours & 1 minute).  Ebay will send a much more strongly worded "you need to pay notice".  If no payment in another 4 days, close the dispute.  You get your selling fees refunded, they get a non-payer strike on their account, and you are done with them unless you want to add them to your blocked bidder list so they can't every buy from you again.

Second:  There are some My Ebay settings that will be of benefit.

 - for the price range of your items, you should automatically block bids from buyers without a Paypal account

 - also set blocks so that people with 2+ unpaid item strikes (the ones like you gave with the UID) in the past year or 4+ other strikes in the past 6 months are unable to bid on any of your items

New buyers are not the problem; bad buyers are.  The above blocks will help you avoid the bad buyers no matter how much or how little feedback they have but allow you to make sales to good buyers without much feedback.

[pauldesjour2012]

I have recently started buying some cycle parts on ebay and have made 2 purchases and paid within 5 minutes of winning although I have received 0 feedback from the sellers thus far. I have a few bits I want to sell but while looking at forums for advice I come across people saying don't buy off or sell to people with 0 feedback........My question is how the hell did anyone get started on here in the first place and were you all blessed with instant magic feedback.  By the way I gave feedback to the sellers straight away.........I am well fed up and thinking of giving up.

[kali-the-pup]

My question is how the hell did anyone get started on here in the first place and were you all blessed with instant magic feedback.  By the way I gave feedback to the sellers straight away.........I am well fed up and thinking of giving up.

Hi pauldesjour , I would answer your question by simply saying, 'Get Started'. We all start as zero's. Don't obsess about FB. FB is voluntary, some folks leave it and some don't. Start listing your items with detailed descriptions, great photos, a buyer friendly Return Policy, fair shipping and provide excellent customer service. Do those things and the FB will take care of itself. I have left over 3200 FB for Buyers... I have received a tich over 1600 in return. I would bet that my average is similar for many here.

One last point... Never ask for FB, you may not like what you get.

Good luck with your sales.  

[janewt-1]

while looking at forums for advice I come across people saying don't buy off or sell to people with 0 feedback...

When you read the boards, you can find all sorts of advice; some of it is very good and some not so good.  In my opinion, the "don't deal with zero feedback accounts" falls into the not so good area.

As to your thinking about giving up, that's worth a rethink.  You always have to keep in mind that people post questions or horror tales here when they've had a problem so while most problems you read about are real, they are also uncommon.

Getting feedback - very important to you when you are new but unfortunately not under your control.  I leave buyers feedback as soon as they pay.  To date, I've given 1300 and received 1000 which is pretty good - you can figure that about 60% of people you leave feedback for will leave it for you.

[kali-the-pup]

Cwap Newt... I'm below standard at only around a 50% return rate. :^O

[scintillate_star]

Sure, we all started out with "0," but I have little faith in buyers with zero feedback.  I just had someone with "0" feedback win an auction for a pair of boots.  Her account was opened on the day the auction ended.  Four days pass.  Nothing.  I open an UPC.  The buyer writes back in broken English that she wants to cancel because, although the boots were her size, she sometimes buys a smaller size and so she won't need them.  I will definitely report the item.

Another "0" feedback buyer who just opened an account won a dress I put up.  No payment yet, and I doubt I'll get it.

These people have no track record, so there really is nothing to lose.

I don't think I've EVER had a "0" pay.

On the contrary, buyers with a history have virtually always paid, or at the very least email promptly if there was a problem.

[hondamedic]

Evening scintillate_star and welcome to The Part Timers Forum, sorry you've had an issue.

Four days pass.  Nothing.  I open an UPC.  The buyer writes back in broken English that she wants to cancel because, although the boots were her size, she sometimes buys a smaller size and so she won't need them.  I will definitely report the item.

...

At a loss here, What's a UPC? And how'd you report them?

Thanx!

[kali-the-pup]

[cakersfish]

I wish I could block 0 feedback buyers too. I have only had about 2 out of 10 zero feedback winners pay for my items. The part that sucks is that you want to sell the item ASAP to get the money and let someone else have the item, but you have to wait 1 or 3 or 5 days or more to have the item sell. If the buyer does not pay after winning, you have to wait 4 more days to see if the buyer responds. Then after opening a case, you have to wait another 4 days. Even if you get a "relist credit" back and the buyer gets a strike, the seller has to spend and other 1, 3, or 5 days or more listing the item again. So, one crappy new "I dont know what I am doing" ebayer can hold you up for weeks and there is really nothing you can do to speed up the process or prevent it from happening. 

[birdiesbestfinds]

I can fully understand why you'd want to keep "0" rated bidders from bidding if you have a stalker problem. Yes...it happens to lots of sellers.  Especially if they have other jealous seller's or former blocked (for non payment) peeps wanting to cause problems.   BUT...if you don't have that problem...for heavens sake why prevent a buyer from giving you a nice sale.  $$$ in the bank is much better than stressing over a "0".  Like everyone is saying.  We were all a "0'" at one time. 

[hondamedic]

Good morning BirdiesBestFinds and welcome to The Part Timers Forum.

if you have a stalker problem. Yes...it happens to lots of sellers.  Especially if they have other jealous seller's or former blocked (for non payment) peeps wanting to cause problems.

TG I've never had that problem while selling!

[glfroman]

Thanks for this "tutorial"! I just got my first int'l bidder and had to tell him I don't ship int'l (even though my listings said US & Canada only)...now I have all the other things you listed in place so hopefully it won't happen again!

[hondamedic]

Welcome to The Part Timers Forum glfroman!

Glad we could help... Hang around... Lotsa good advice from many experienced sellers here!