Declined cancellation

Question

I have a buyer that bid the last 10 seconds of the auction and then immediately request cancellation after it was too late and now they are not responding. What can I do?

gosimus · Answer

@jpilsl2012 < What can I do? > In addition to the advice from rfmtm and gnome, you could consider whether or not to make a Second Chance Offer. See this Help page: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/making-second-chance-offers?id=4142 I assume it was the gold buffalo, since that auction is noted as ending today. That's a gorgeous coin, heck I'd like to have it myself. Maybe your buyer went a little crazy and bought it on impulse, then realized he couldn't afford it. That might be an explanation, but there's no excuse. I'd block him.

woodland_gnome · Answer

What exactly did they say in the request and where did it come from (from eBay itself saying they requested or in a "message from a member" in their own words)? This is important to you because you would handle each differently (although in either case it is probably safest to accept/do the cancellation at their request).

If they actually did a formal cancellation request (an option only available in the first hour after the end of auction--the notice you get should say you have 3 days to accept or reject it) it doesn't do any good to reject it as you would then be unable to cancel for non-payment after the 4 days is up,* and if you just let the 3 days go by without accepting or rejecting the cancellation goes through automatically. So you either accept it now and relist now (though that might raise red flags with the 12 other bidders who might be disinclined to bid on the relist thinking you shilled the auction rather than that the winner backed out immediately--you might want to wait out the 4 days before relisting) or you reject it just to feel like you are doing something even though you are accomplishing nothing.*

If it is just a message from a member you can cancel it yourself (choosing buyer requested option for the reason) or wait out the 4 days and cancel for the unpaid reason. Or you see if they pay but that can be a bigger problem than all the other options--a buyer who doesn't pay is a temporary inconvenience and delay, a buyer who doesn't want to pay but does anyway can case you huge problems in the near and far future.

*ETA: With the further complication that they could still pay up to 30 days after end of auction, and you could be looking at a defect if you have to cancel the transaction at that point because you already sold it.

rfmtm · Answer

Either cancel the transaction for "buyer request" now, or wait till the fifth day and cancel for "non-payment".