eBay

mindeyefirestorm.2 · ‎12-20-2023

And best offer.. I asked this person a question about shipping

could it be shipped standard because it's small item

Then asked on her best offer would she take $26..? the item is asking bid $30

She blocked me.. I'm trying figure what is wrong with this person.

I didn't insulate her.. I just asked basic question.

I sent a few messages never responded.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-20-2023

Yes, a seller can block any member for any reason, or no reason at all. The blocked-bidder list is just a list; eBay doesn't ask for any justification when a name is added.

IMHO your question was reasonable, but we can only guess at the seller's sensitivities; maybe it was something about the way you phrased it reminded them of a past problem buyer. You could be blocked because they block anybody who questions the shipping cost, or something random like because your user ID reminds them of an old boyfriend or "firestorm" sounds dangerous, who knows?

12345jamesstamps · ‎12-20-2023

Yes...and yes.

Seller might have thought there were problems with selling to you...drama or something.

Your ID is "private" And your feedback is blank and blank(private).

Seller thought maybe you are hiding something.

Sellers do look at buyer ID and feedback of a buyer.

stephenmorgan · ‎12-20-2023

Yes a seller can block for asking questions. They can block for and reason and they do not have to tell you why.

tdl_collectibles · ‎12-20-2023

Some sellers just don't take offers no matter what so maybe they just didn't want to bother with someone that reached out more than once (assuming you asked about shipping in one message, then the offer in the 2nd). I think it's a bit much to just block you based on asking a question and I'd take $26.00 any day for a $30.00 item I was selling but everyone is different.

heckofagame · ‎12-20-2023

You can block based on pure whimsey. I've added people to my blocked list based on their postings in these community boards.

train_slide_central · ‎12-20-2023

I would definitely be wary of selling to someone who has their feedback listed as private.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎12-20-2023

@12345jamesstamps wrote: ... your feedback is blank and blank(private).
Seller thought maybe you are hiding something.
Sellers do look at buyer ID and feedback of a buyer...

Good catch! Private feedback is a big red flag for some sellers because they suspect that the buyer is trying to hide ugly feedback that they have left.

sextons-sweet-deals · ‎12-20-2023

I think there is more info. missing.

The O.P. profile is set at private. That probably raised a red flag to the seller along with their questions.

Did you make a true offer or just ask what their best price was? That can be annoying to a seller.

tobaccocardyahoo · ‎12-20-2023

You had two counts of concern over cost. That can be enough to identify you as a high maintenance customer and some sellers block high maintenance customers because they do not stop being so after the sale.

Some sellers believe that such customers are not worth having - they cost time, money and aggravation.

This is especially the case if the listing did not include Make An Offer.

Ebay sellers have different business strategies, and attempt to project different images. You challenge their self image and you get blocked.

If I have not enabled Make A Offer, I usually refuse offers unless they are from my repeat customers. I never change the shipping cost for a single item order.

If it is a slow sales day, I may block the buyer because I resent having to do any work on Ebay when there are few orders.

inhawaii · ‎12-20-2023

@heckofagame wrote:
You can block based on pure whimsey. I've added people to my blocked list based on their postings in these community boards.

I'm sorry about what I said. Can you un-block me please? 😉

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

monster-deals · ‎12-20-2023

@mindeyefirestorm.2 wrote:

She blocked me.. I'm trying figure what is wrong with this person.
I didn't insulate her.. I just asked basic question.

I would have too because you have private feedback.

Someone complaining before the sale is someone complaining after the sale.

frankenhobbit · ‎12-20-2023

Some sellers turn on the ability for a buyer to make an offer explicitly so they can vet a buyer before accepting the offer. The very first thing they check is feedback left for others. Yours is set to Private feedback. That is a red flag to some, indicates something to hide.

That, along with any other red flags in your message (if it came across as demanding or condescending) it's quite possible someone would block. I even might have done so in this situation, depending on the tone of the question.

There's also several sellers on here that do not NEED to sell, do not NEED the money and are simply getting rid of stuff. Those sellers typically already have a 'day' job with its own issues to deal with and are not looking to deal with more on eBay. They'd rather just leave the item listed and sell it to someone else. I'm in that category. Maybe this seller was too.

A professional seller on eBay is usually more pragmatic and will take issues in their stride. They also have the volume to absorb issues with problem buyers.

deltilogical · ‎12-20-2023

Private feedback? Has that always been a thing?

monster-deals · ‎12-20-2023

@frankenhobbit wrote:

A professional seller on eBay is usually more pragmatic and will take issues in their stride. They also have the volume to absorb issues with problem buyers.

Book sellers with 500,000 feedback and 1000 negatives a year absolutely do not care.