Do they think we don't know what we're selling?
Summary: a-lotta-stuff shared an experience about receiving a message questioning the shipping costs for a unique item they are selling, expressing disbelief as they have the only such item on eBay. Many participants supported the decision to block a buyer perceived as disrespectful and shared similar experiences with potential buyers trying to negotiate shipping rates. Participants discussed various tactics for dealing with difficult messages, ranging from blocking users to adjusting shipping costs creatively. The conversation reflects mixed opinions on how to handle such situations, with some advocating for strict blocking and others for courteous communication.
Got a message on other ID about an auction.
"Your shipping cost for this 'bla-bla' is much more then other sellers are asking for their bla-bla. Would you take....."
Only problem is our 'bla-bla' is the only bla-bla on ebay. We bought our bla-bla nine months ago and it wasn't on ebay - or even 'findable' by photo or words on google - at that time or at any point since. And as it was made by an out of business company and branded to an also out of business company, those names would pop up if listed. So just to make sure we searched again - ours still the only one.
Since it has bids from other people we blocked this lady.
a-lotta-stuff
OP2 weeks agoUpdate
The guy is now NARU - so maybe nine sellers in three days reporting the same action by the same person does accomplish something sometimes
kds99
·2 weeks agoFor some reason I'm stuck on italics but that's another issue. I recently received two inquiries on shipping cost on the same day for a 30-pound item listed for for local delivery only, as I knew no one would want to pay enough to ship it. The first buyer suggested that I could "ship it as media mail - other people do it." I blocked him immediately. The other buyer wanted to know how much shipping would be. I gave him an east coast/ west coast estimate, and I asked him for his zip code. He replied with his zip cod but proceeded to educate me on how zip codes are useful in estimating shipping costs. (Who knew?) I sent him my updated shipping estimate and he went away. Some days are like this!
warzonstorage
·2 weeks agoI bet they needed the Bla-Bla because they are a cancer patient who can't afford chemo because their dog got hit by their ex-husband's new girlfriend's brother's truck that needs new tires ! Blah -Blah Blah
shado-x
·2 weeks agoJust ban/block the "bla-bla" buyer and more on.
kath.layn
·2 weeks agoI got a great one yesterday. I have a vintage Wexford pedestal cake stand listed. Buyer messaged me saying my shipping was “Inaccurate” and would I please correct it for her. In the one message she said: She already bought it from another buyer because he refunded part of her shipping; Another seller has it for sale right now with $8 Shipping; Asked me to calculate shipping and sent me her zip code. So which is it? Do you want it or not? I politely replied that the probable reason my shipping is higher is because I use lots of padding and double box fragile items. Sheesh. Block.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoI blocked a buyer today, who asked me to ship without tracking because other sellers will do that.
grann-4629
·3 weeks agoI gave up trying to sell my 'bla-bla' on eBay ...😎
bolensparts-360
·3 weeks agoGlad I'm not the only one who gets these responses time to time, I usually tell them to go buy it before someone else does or send me the listing so I can buy it since its such a great deal .
inhawaii
·3 weeks agoI must look into selling bla-blas.
They seem to be very popular.
stuff4divas
·3 weeks ago@a-lotta-stuff yea, i get messages once in awhile that 'someone else' is selling the EXACT same bla-bla item for less, EXCEPT, it's a different color, used as opposed to new, bla bla bla, so i tell them they should hurry and buy it b4 someone else grabs it
usually they come back and purchase the one i'm selling for the asking price and shipping
monroe67
·3 weeks agoIf it happens again, tell them this truth:
eBay does not allow negotiating the shipping price shown in the listing.
Offers and any additional counteroffers -- i.e., bargaining -- can involve only the price of the item.
By the way, in such negotiations, eBay sellers cannot try to violate the buyer's state's sales tax laws either.
A comment/question about that came up in one of these forums a few days ago.
mam98031
·3 weeks agoBuyers send these types of messages every now and again trying to get a better deal. And who can blame them, they likely are not keeping up to date on all the USPS carrier increases that have happened just this past summer. It is ridiculous.
It is sad that many of us forget that there is another human on the receiving end of a message and we aren't acting like we would if we were face to face having a conversation. While I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I always keep this in mind and when I respond to a rather salty message I do NOT give it back to them. Staying polite and professional is really the best way to handle it. Block them if you feel the need, but there is not need to fire back at them. It simply serves no purpose.
a_c_green
·3 weeks agoWell, I'm not defending this lady, but to be clear, she's asking about the Shipping cost, not the cost of the bla-bla itself (which, as that was an auction, isn't going to be determined anyway until the auction is over).
I occasionally run into sellers showing a decent price for the item but a ludicrous charge for Shipping, and will sometimes question that in advance of bidding or buying. In some cases I can even point out to them that they were using the same Shipping charge for other, much larger and heavier items they had listed, and ask whether the small item I was interested in was supposed to have the very same Shipping charge...?
In one memorable case recently, I asked the seller about it on Day 6 of a 7-day auction where no one had bid due to an insane Shipping charge. He fixed it on the evening of Day 6, I bid on it on Day 7 and won.
a-lotta-stuff
OP3 weeks ago"she's asking about the Shipping cost ... " ... of the only one on ebay that apparently seven other people want enough to have bid on.
It's a piece of paper with printing on it - unfortunately it's also an advertisement so no book rate.
Besides, if they really want it they will pay - two other pieces of paper sent by ground adv.
and
grann-4629
·3 weeks agoIf I see an item I want with a high shipping cost and the seller accepts offers, I will offer them what it should be, including a small mark-up on their shipping costs, with a note stating something like 'the landed cost is too high' ... I try to avoid asking them if they can mail it themselves instead of using eBay's expensive alternative.
golfingaddict
·3 weeks agoI can be rather salty with people that contact me like this.
I would suggest they hurry to buy it from the other sellers if it is a better deal.
I would ask them for the item number so I could buy it myself.
They are lying to you and you know it, respond in kind ;-)
golfingaddict
·3 weeks agoOf course, there is always the less snarky approach.
(this won't work for the OP)
Lower the price of the shipping by a little bit and raise the price of the item.
Email the user and say "fixed it for you" ;-)
chapeau-noir
·3 weeks agoSounds like a boilerplate she probably sends to everyone (fill in the bla-bla/price), whether they have the only bla-bla or not.
At least it's not a run-down on everything possibly wrong with the bla-bla, how it's really no longer in demand, and would you take a considerably lower price for it. I get those from time to time.
Neither is a brilliant bargaining tactic.
kandf_vintage_finds
·3 weeks agoGood for you. I also would have blocked a potential buyer that came to me with this. No time for this. Block, Forget, Move, on.
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 weeks agoI block many a buyer for that and other messages that show lack of respect.
I know many people think of Ebay sellers as a lower life form, this one has sharp teeth and bites.