“Problem With Bid” Restriction

[lawarcboiler]

With a particular seller, when I attempt to bid, I always get a pop-up “You are unable to purchase this item due to restrictions from the seller. Please contact the seller for more information (3008).”

I have made 4 attempts to reach the seller via email over the past 3 months with no reply. I also contacted eBay support and engaged via text chat. The inquiry was officially recorded with a copy emailed to me. The agent said that eBay would reach out to the seller and get back to me with a resolution. That was 6 weeks ago. I have not received a response. Can anyone offer advice as to how to remedy this? This seller has great items, and I miss the opportunity I used to have to bid upon them. Thank you.

[evry1nositswindy · Accepted solution]

I looked at your feedback left for others.  You have a couple of "soft" positives.  You said some positive things, but then pointed out a negative about the seller.  This may have caused the seller(s) to block you.  There is nothing you or customer service can do if this is the case.  You will have to find another seller.

[stuff4divas]

@lawarcboiler   did something happen between u and the seller that would make them block you?

if a seller doesn't answer a buyer, it is bc they don't want to engage with them and they hope that buyer will eventually get the hint. if u r blocked, the seller will never receive ur messages.

as far as CS telling u they would reach out to the seller, that is **bleep**, ebay doesn't do that bc sellers are allowed to NOT sell to certain people if they don't want to.

i suggest you move on to other sellers.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @lawarcboiler 

Did I understand you say that you have purchased from this seller in the past?  

Have you ever returned something?  [Some sellers block any buyer that does a return.] 

[lawarcboiler]

Thanks to everyone for your quick feedback. I didn’t realize that sellers can block any buyer for any reason without explanation. And yes, I have won a number of items from this seller in the past. The “game” of ensuring only 100% positive reviews, sadly thus precludes people like me from bidding if I gave that seller a “soft positive” in the past. Lesson learned. 

[janet9988]

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@lawarcboiler wrote:

Thanks to everyone for your quick feedback. I didn’t realize that sellers can block any buyer for any reason without explanation. And yes, I have won a number of items from this seller in the past. The “game” of ensuring only 100% positive reviews, sadly thus precludes people like me from bidding if I gave that seller a “soft positive” in the past. Lesson learned. 

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It does not ensure 100% positive feedback. Any buyer can leave that seller a negative feedback. It is just that you can't buy from them again.

Why would you even want to buy from them if you were not happy with the seller in the first place?

[lawarcboiler]

Sorry, I was never “unhappy” with the seller. I probably just thought that the shipping price was too high once. But given the low price at which I won the item, overall it was fair. Thus I give a “positive” review, and might give 3 or 4 out of 5 stars on shipping, and 5 of 5 stars for all other categories. To me that’s a “soft positive” review. As said, it’s a shame that a seller can impose this buying restriction without explaining why to me, as I can only guess now. And as I just learned, they have blocked my inquiries too, so I’ll never know. In my 15 years of buying, I have an exemplary 100% rating, and have never been blocked before this.

[evry1nositswindy]

All buyers have 100% feedback, as sellers can't give negatives.  If you make an offer on an item and the seller looks at your feedback left, they might decline.   I see 5 soft positives on the first page alone.   

As a seller, I block anyone who cancels a transaction, anyone who makes a return, those who try to lowball me, and I have blocked several belligerent people whether they have purchased from me or not.  It isn't to ensure I have 100% feedback.  It is to protect my seller account.  Too many returns hurt a seller, even just for "I changed my mind".   When an item sells, I am charged a fee.  If the buyer then cancels, I am out money.  I need my account to help put food on the table for my family.  It isn't a game.

Just some friendly advice from a seller.

[dryophelia]

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@lawarcboiler wrote:

Thanks to everyone for your quick feedback. I didn’t realize that sellers can block any buyer for any reason without explanation. And yes, I have won a number of items from this seller in the past. The “game” of ensuring only 100% positive reviews, sadly thus precludes people like me from bidding if I gave that seller a “soft positive” in the past. Lesson learned. 

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Because of those soft positives, sellers viewing your post here today may add you to their blocked bidder list. 

It is not about 100% positive reviews. Feedback is about the transaction, NOT the product. Buyers can say almost anything about a seller, the shipping price or speed, the small fit of the brand, the color being the wrong shade of beige, where the delivery person left the package, microscopic chips, poor packaging (without ever going through the MBG process of getting a refund), etc., etc.

The blocked bidder list and the ability to block bidders with unpaid item strikes is about the only preemptive protection a seller has. Savvy sellers use these to their benefit. 

eBay sellers get to decide who their best customers are. This seller no longer wants your money. You will have to find a different seller. 

[house*of*paws]

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@lawarcboiler wrote:

Sorry, I was never “unhappy” with the seller. I probably just thought that the shipping price was too high once. But given the low price at which I won the item, overall it was fair. Thus I give a “positive” review, and might give 3 or 4 out of 5 stars on shipping, and 5 of 5 stars for all other categories. To me that’s a “soft positive” review. As said, it’s a shame that a seller can impose this buying restriction without explaining why to me, as I can only guess now. And as I just learned, they have blocked my inquiries too, so I’ll never know. In my 15 years of buying, I have an exemplary 100% rating, and have never been blocked before this.

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@lawarcboiler 

All buyers have 100% positive feedback … so the only feedback that matters to sellers is the feedback a buyer has left for previous sellers.

If a seller sees a buyer complaining about shipping cost after agreeing to buy the item … then they may not want to take the chance of selling to that buyer.

eBay favors us buyers about 98% of the time.  One of the few options sellers have to protect themselves is to ‘block’ a potentially troublesome buyer.  

Knowing how difficult a time sellers have on eBay … I leave no feedback if I’m not able to say something positive about a transaction.  [It isn’t necessary to point out every little flaw in an item we intend to keep … especially if we’d like to buy from that seller again.]

I’m sorry this happened … but you’ve learned something important today.  Use that information going forward.  

Happy New Year!  😊

[lawarcboiler]

Thanks again to everyone who made the effort to respond and to educate me today. It all makes sense now. And I mean no disrespect to sellers.
I just try to be honest with my feedback as I feel that constructive criticism can be a good thing. Agreed, I have sometimes commented when sellers misrepresent what they’re listing (inaccurate description-inadequate images), or poorly pack an item and it arrives damaged. But such comments have been rare for me and represent maybe 15 out of  600+ buys over 17 years. And I’ve only returned 2 items ever.
I guess you’re right, in that I shouldn’t repeatedly buy from a seller with poor images and poor item packaging, so they probably did me the favor of blocking me.

Happy New Year to all, and thanks again.

[evry1nositswindy]

Glad you came back to the thread @lawarcboiler.  So often buyers don't think of the person on the other end of the transaction.  Many of us are individual people selling from their home.  You learned about sellers today!  Have a nice upcoming holiday weekend!