How To Spot A Bad Buyer (It Never Fails)

[lemonragstees]

I sell mostly t-shirt at a fixed price and I do not have the "make offer" feature.  This is an almost full proof method about how to spot a buyer that will most likely return the item:

1. A buyer that asks a lot of questions...I list all details in my listings and as soon as I get 2 or 3 messages from a buyer about the item or asks ridiculous questions like "What's The Wash History of The Shirt?" I stop responding and sometimes block them. In my experience, these buyers already have super high expectations and will be disappointed with the item they receive no matter what.

2. I do not have the "make offer" feature on my listings but that doesn't stop people from messaging me to lower the price or give them a discount  or free shipping - In my experience, if I give them a deal and they buy the item it's a guaranteed  75% return rate.  I thought it was just a trend a few years ago but buyers keep proving me correct.

As a top rated seller I have to pay for returns so I would rather avoid a sale that I think will result in a return.

Hope this helps someone...

Raul

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@ajs_coins_and_alchemy wrote:

I often end up asking lots of questions or requesting additional pics, but that's because I'm buying from sellers who don't know how to take good pictures or what to take pictures of, and don't do anything to describe their items ...

Why do I bother with those people? They are the least likely to sell their items at any good price because who as a buyer wants to bother with doing all that work pulling teeth from the seller just to get info that SHOULD be in the listing. Boom. Lower price for hopefully a quality item. Works well for sourcing stuff for resale. Get cheap, market it the correct way, sell it for a nice profit.

I also buy/sell coins ... so pictures are everything ...its shameful what these sellers pass off for pictures.

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Same is true for clothing.  Lots of sellers still have 1 blurry black blob as their photo.  Meanwhile, I take all my photos in natural light, usually have between 6-12, photo all the details & STILL get asked questions that are answered in the listing.  Part of that is people shopping on a cell don't know how to click into the whole listing.  The other part is people too lazy to look. 

[inhawaii]

VERY old thread.

[88firefly11]

My first eBay selling experience: lots of questions, lowballing by over $45 though I did not have an Active "make offer" button. Lots of bright photos, including close ups to show details and condition. I told him I would sell to him at the higher offer he made (which was still $35 less than my original asking price), and even after he agreed to purchase, the questions continued. I answered them all courteously and honestly. Then I got an email accusing me of misrepresenting the item as new (it was listed as pre-owned, and I had told him I'd worn it), along with statements about being able to get that jacket for much less. He and I both reached out to ebay to help; in my case, to ask what to do next-but when I read through the history of our communication, the buyer had edited his messages to me before Ebay saw them, so that the part about being able to get the item for less was no longer included. What a Jerk, and what a bad first experience selling a like-new item. I hope he doesn't do anything to it before he sends it back, and now I know what to look for in the future. 

[kh-phdan]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for your understanding!