How come I can't leave negative feedback for a buyer who never paid?

[hedgescollectibles]

Been selling on eBay since 2007.  Buyer won 13 auctions of mine and didn't pay. He didn't respond to my messages or invoices for 4 days and then lied and promised to pay 3 times and never did! He didn't respond to my ultimatums to pay. While this was happening he had the audacity to bid on even more of my current auctions even after I told him to not do so until he paid for the 13 items he owed me for. I eventually was forced to cancel all 13 sales to him and block him. This created a large amount of work for me (leaving messages etc.) and I then had to unpack his box (that had his combined shipping) and then repackage and relist all 13 items again!!  This also ruined the auctions for the other bidders who had bid against him!!    I reported him to eBay, but eBay has apparantley done nothing!  I sell on eBay because I'm partially disabled and need the money, not the hassle! eBay keeps asking me to leave him feedback for his unpaid items, but they have removed the negative button and left only the positive button!!  This makes feedback inaccurate and useless!!!  This is not the first time this has happened.  I got cheated by a large seller once and eBay would not let me leave them negative feedback.  It always seems that eBay protects the seller or buyer that has a lot of transactions and throws the smaller seller or buyer under the bus!!!  How come eBay won't let me leave negative feedback so other sellers can be warned and protected from him???  

[keziak]

My understanding is that (supposedly) in the old days sellers left malicious FB for buyers and ebay decided to be buyer-centric and not allow us to leave them anything negative. In your remarks you mention "ultimatums" which if detected in your messages by ebay might get you in trouble. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

Sellers have not been able to leave negative feedback for buyers since 2008, i believe.

In addition, it is a policy violation to leave a negative statement under a positive heading.

No need to warn fellow sellers. Sellers know they assume all the risk for an eBay transaction. Best way to help other sellers is to wait 4 days. Then if the buyer has not paid, cancel the transaction using reason “Buyer didn’t pay.” That gives the deadbeat a black strike. Then all sellers who have their Buyer Requirements set up can block that serial non-paying user. This is a far more effective way to deal with the issue. See policy link below for more info.

By the way, every time you send an invoice, it resets the payment clock and grants an additional 4 days to the buyer to pay.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/setting-buyer-requirements?id=...

[heckofagame]

You cannot leave negative feedback for buyers, however, if there were other bidders on those items, you might be able to take advantage of second chance offers.

Making a Second Chance Offer | eBay

[nobody*s_perfect]

Sellers have been unable to leave negative or neutral ratings for buyers since May 20, 2008.  How fortunate you are to have never had occasion to notice this before now.

[kensgiftshop]

Just like sellers, buyers are not required to respond to messages either.

If they were biding on some other items, they probably wanted to wait and pay for everything at one time.

Negative feedback wouldn't make them pay, so what good would it do?

The best you can do is cancel for nonpayment and give the buyer an unpaid item strike which would do a lot more good then negative feedback.

[onefootflippers]

You only think you want the ability to leave a negative feedback for a buyer. Trust me, you don't. 

It seems like a great idea right until they open a new account and retaliate in a way that will absolutely cost you money.

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you for the message.  You are right.  However, I used the term "ultimatum"  in this post only, which makes it sound harsh.  Here is a cut & past of the message I was referencing too (I've redacted the buyer's name):  "Hello (buyers first name). I mean no disrespect what-so-ever my friend, but you committed to buying 13 auction listings of mine almost a week ago (2/11/24). I normally require payment in 72 hours for auctions, but I’ve given you extra time based on your high feedback rating and you appear to be a valued customer. However you have told me 3 times when to expect your payment and yet as of today you have not payed me as you promised. And now I see that you are bidding on more of my items. In fairness to myself and other bidders and after numerous messages and invoices, I kindly now must ask you to please pay me right away. I hope you can see my side of this situation and I thank you in advance for your help in this matter. Respectfully, Hedges Collectibles".

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you so much for the information.  I guess my question should be is how does one really know if eBay gives a person you filled a complaint against a so-called "black strike"?  Also, why does eBay continue to daily request me to give the deadbeat feedback (with positive being the only option) for unpaid, cancelled orders?  

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you for the info!

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you for the info!  I've noticed it before, but I usually let things slide.  I don't want to be a trouble maker.  I was willing to let this slide too, but eBay needs to stop asking me to give the "deadbeat" positive feedback of any kind, especially for unpaid items that I never shipped to him!!!

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you for the info!

[hedgescollectibles]

Thank you for the info!  Q:  If they open a new account don't they loose their ratings?

[stainlessenginecovers · Accepted solution]

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@hedgescollectibles wrote:

Thank you for the info!  Q:  If they open a new account don't they loose their ratings?

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Yes, but why would they care? You are not allowed to 'cancel' their bids or purchases even if they have 0 Feedback (although if you know the name and cancel for the reason of 'issue with address' and then add that name to your blocked list etc.)

But the real reason is this:

This is a selling website. 

This site makes money when buyers buy something (for the most part)

Just like any brick/mortar store- buyers don't have their face on the window of the local Target store that says 'bad buyer'- just because they filled a car full of stuff, left the cart and just walked out. 

If/when the buyer comes back, maybe next time they actually 'buy something' and then this site makes $ from them.

It took this site 13 years to figure it out and it how has been that way the past 16 years.

Heck, HomeClub used to charge a 'membership' fee until Home Depot came to town, then they changed their name to 'HomeBase' and stopped the 'membership'. (HomeBase now defunct). 

[12345jamesstamps]

You should watch your auctions daily to see who is bidding on them. You have the ability to block bidders up to a certain point before the auctions end.  

A buyer leaving negative feedback...have to be careful what words and wordage you are using...the seller and / or eBay can delete certain feedbacks that use words like "thief. fake, lier, etc.". You also have some ability as a seller to try to have negative feedback taken off.

And of course, block buyers who do not pay for auctions.

Do not send any invoices out after the next day...that gives the buyer another day to pay.

After 4 days cancel auction due to non-payment...not before...and this will hurt the buyer's account.

Combining 13 items...you could have uncombined 13 items after 4 days and cancel and I believe that might cancel the buyer's account with 13 strikes.