Default Payment Method.. "can" or "must" set? Why can't ebay just be honest?

[unkr]

So you try to put an offer on an item, and you get a pop-up that says "Here's what's new! Now you CAN set a default payment option, and we'll automatically process your order if it gets accepted" How exciting! lol

Then you try to put an offer in and it won't let you UNLESS you select a default payment method!  Now I also sell, so I know it would be a good thing if I automatically get paid when someone wins an item of mine. But why can't the ebay Gods just be honest and say "Now you MUST select a default payment method, or you can't put an offer in"?

I know it sounds petty on my end, but how many others walked away from buying on ebay because of the games they play? I went from selling 30 items a month to around 5, and I know the economy is bad, but maybe changes like this aren't helping either.

[steve_stuff]

We just found out about the 'default payment option' bit a few days ago. From what we read we thought it had just started.

Then found this post about it today [8/13] and noticed it was around in June - So at least the default payment option to make offers has been around since then - news to us.  And a post here from 7/2 state they were asked before being allowed to bid - again news to us.

As we don't make or take offers we would have never know about that part, but if the default payment option for auction part - something that affects us - was also 'there' back in June, it would have been nice to know back in June. 

[ittybitnot]

Just posting to the end of this thread.  Seems like the "now you can" message outlined by @unkr  in the OP has been replaced with a new one, sort of like the old "lipstick on a pig" comparison.  Now it says "New! Smoother checkouts"  see the first post here for a screenshot: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/do-i-have-to-connect-a-card-to-bid/m-p/33928542#M456095

Though this one is for BIDDING, eBay should elaborate a bit if they were honest.   'Bid and win 5 auctions from the same seller, and pay full shipping on each...no need to inconvenience yourself on requesting a total'  smooth and easy?

I have seen a few of the "changed" ones since this thread was started, but this one is particularly creepy. 

[steve_stuff]

"Though this one is for BIDDING, eBay should elaborate a bit if they were honest. 'Bid and win 5 auctions from the same seller, and pay full shipping ..."

We don't know if that's right -

On a different ID we just had three auctions end at noon our time with different winners and the 'require buyers ...' checked.

Now noon thirty and one just got paid for.

So our bidders either were not asked - or were and filled the form - and ebay didn't instant auto pay, so if all of these had been won by same person we would have been able to send invoice, or so it seems. .

[steve_stuff]

We just noticed that one auction was won by a 8/5 newbie and we doubt ebay would not 'pick' them - maybe even make them fill in that info when they signed up. Still waiting on two payments 45 minutes later.

[ittybitnot]

 Still waiting on two payments 45 minutes later.

@steve_stuff 

The BUYER IDs were not yet enrolled.  Your default to YES only works if they are enrolled.  Not to worry, eBay is enrolling more every day.   Forced buyer participation does not seem to be dependent on being a "newbie" or a chronic "non-payer".  eBay has said it is 'random', but I would guess it is not random at all. 

In the "make offer" scenario, the seller is informed as to who will be auto charged if you accept.  So if you get an offer for $50 from one that will be autocharged, and one for $100 from another buyer without the autocharge display,  be sure to accept the $50 in case the buyer who offered $100 may just turn out to be a non-payer.....LOL.   A seller used to be able to 'vet' a buyer ID long ago, but they all have 100% feedback even if they are non-payers or chargeback scammers.   It won't be ME that makes that $100 offer anymore, since my 25 year old ID is in punishment camp now along with my other ones who never DID NOT PAY for the products purchased in a couple of decades .  

Good luck. 

[s_r_ledbetter_3]

To eBay, and the sellers who asked for this, or think this will positively affect their bottom line, a bullet list of...

What your potential customers now cannot do:

- Split a payment across multiple cards

- Combine shipping 

- Utilize deferred payment options like PayPal credit or Pay-in-4

- Utilize eBay credit/rewards

- Aggressively/quick bid on auctions 

What your potential customers are now forced to do:

- Pre authorize holds for transactions that are not guaranteed

- Allow eBay to authorize transactions without review or confirmation

- Resort to long winded private messaging to request that sellers make exception or special listings to accomplish what were previously uncomplicated transactions, risking miscommunication and potentially confusing or frustrating one or both parties

What problems you did not resolve:

- Buyers who aren't really buyers still aren't really going to buy anything, scammers gonna scam, and if it's a game of out sheisty-ing the system - complicating it isn't a deterrent, it's a challenge

- "Streamlined" or made a process "easier" for buyers- setting aside that it's all just marketing dumbspeak that no one buys into anyway, it's not just that the system changed, you've removed consumer choice, which consumers historically do not respond well to

- Increased any seller's potential for sales; at best you've only shifted the model to a more direct-buy marketplace.  The potential of auction listings or offers is reduced for sellers, the attractiveness is reduced for buyers, which overall reduces the value of eBay as an auctioneer amongst a plethora of online marketplaces consumers can find the same direct-buy experience at

I'm sure there are points that haven't even occurred to me.  This isn't going to be a small hiccup people will just adjust to- this disrupts the entire ecosystem of commerce on this site.  Will it kill eBay?  I don't know.  But it's not a smart or market-researched move.

[ed8108]

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@pri-455510 wrote:

..... and I just close out and don't put in the offer. I get to keep all my money and the sellers are spared the hassle of shipping an item. Win-win! Plus, eBay doesn't have to process and accept all those fees and handle all the processing of a completed sale. PayPal doesn't have to deal with the transaction and taking a cut of it. Less work for everyone. 

---

ebay has performed magic in making life a little bit easier

[steve_stuff]

From the pop up you get on the 'Buyer Payment Requirements' when you click on that upside down exclamation mark ... or is it a small case 'i'

"Removing this requirement may lead to more unpaid items. Setting will apply to future offers. Currently, this impacts only a select group of buyers"

And you said

"Forced buyer participation does not seem to be dependent on being a "newbie" or a chronic "non-payer". eBay has said it is 'random', but I would guess it is not random at all."

As the 'newbie' is the only one who has not paid yet [20 hours after auction ended] I would guess it is random.

[4pawsfundraiser]

I wont set any default payment. I pay immediately when an offer is excepted. I wont buy if I cant make the offer.  I used to sell on ebay. Got off long ago when they made other stupid changes. Now I buy once in a while yet.. I have been shopping on etsy and other sites more.  You heard of the saying.. the bigger they get, the harder they will fall. It's all a matter of time. They'd be smart if they just went back to the old ways and listened to their sellers that made them money.

[ittybitnot]

As the 'newbie' is the only one who has not paid yet [20 hours after auction ended] I would guess it is random.

@steve_stuff 

Your "newbie's" day will likely come when the pre-payment info would be required.  eBay likely doesn't want to scare off newbies from the start.   

eBay doesn't even get rid of non-payers, they chose this program instead that is more monetarily beneficial for eBay since it prevents combined orders. 

Until eBay forces ALL buyer IDs. sellers are still going to get non-payers.  It is going to be the same old question as to whether or not you can put up with the NPB, or limiting your buyer/bidder pool .  You can disqualify buyers with two unpaid items in the last 12 months.  You cannot limit buyers who request to cancel after the fact when they see their "already paid for individual bills for their ten auction wins".  

[gorkon]

Incorrect. You must put it in.

[xbolts]

HOPE THEY DON'T DO A THING, I'M GETTING MANY GOOD BUYS, WITH FEWER PEOPLE BIDDING?

ITS CALLED A WORKAROUND! Ha Ha

[jntu]

We haven't placed a single bid since this policy started.  We have been eBayers since 1999 and used to bid on hundreds of items each day.  

[jntu]

Me, too!  We have stopped all bidding because of this.

[maccnc11]

I agree 1000%, it's better to make some deals than to have No Deals at ALL,  My reflections--------- My Best offers have Dried Up, only thing I can figure is eBay's New policy of asking a buyer for payment info before a Deal has been Struck, and really I don't blame buyers, I won't make offers either because of it, so I guess we're all in a Stand-off, I did take action, I removed Best Offer from my listings, and I started Watching stuff, with the hope that the Sellers would send offers, I send offers with the option to counter offer for the buyer, appears to be the only way around eBay's Stupidity.