How Do We Block Derelict Sellers?

[swellcat]

We need the ability to block derelict sellers. For me, those who can't be bothered to even acknowledge a polite, professional inquiry, who are willing to straight-up ignore a customer, need to be excluded (without further, repeated action on our part) from search results: they don't deserve one accidental dollar.

Thanks.

[maxine*j · Accepted solution]

You can exclude a seller in Advanced Search.  Under Seller, click on "Only Show Items From,"  then click on the down arrow to the right of the word "Include" to change to "Exclude," then enter the seller(s) name(s).

Set up your searches and save them.

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[swellcat]

Thanks for the reply, @maxine*j.

[maxine*j]

You're welcome, and I hope you find the info useful.   🙂

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[7606dennis]

Under eBay rules sellers aren't required to communicate with buyers.  When it comes to making sure that you don't accidently buy from a seller you do not wish to do business with, I recommend making a list, keeping it by your computer and checking it before making a purchase. 

However, if you want to block a sellers listings from showing up in search results, while it can be done on a limited filtering your search, I'm not sure it is wise to give eBay any more excuses for messing with the search function. 

[swellcat]

Thanks for the response.

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. . . making a list, keeping it by your computer and checking it before . . .

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Is that what sellers have to resort to—19th-century methodology—to block buyers?  Why would buyers not have equivalent capability?

Courtesy, decency, and professionalism might not be rule-required, but those are some of the behaviors I'd rather reward with my dollars.

[7606dennis]

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@swellcat wrote:

Thanks for the response.

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. . . making a list, keeping it by your computer and checking it before . . .

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Is that what sellers have to resort to—19th-century methodology—to block buyers?  Why would buyers not have equivalent capability?

Courtesy, decency, and professionalism might not be rule-required, but those are some of the behaviors I'd rather reward with my dollars.

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I'm not sure that keeping a list of people that you choose not to do business with would be considered a 19th century  method.  Making lists was done far into the 20th century and into the 21st, I believe.

Sellers do have a Blocked Bidder List upon  which they can put users that they refuse to let bid or buy from them.  This is not available to buyers since it is the buyer that initiates the transaction. 

[reallynicestamps]

Sometimes a seller will read a question and have an immediate "no way do I ever want to deal with this person" reaction.

This is allowed.

[campanaelia]

And plus when a seller adds a buyer to their block list, if the buyer changes their user id, the buyer block is continued.

But when the buyer has a list with sellers, if the seller changes the user id, blocking the seller ends.

And based on the current amount of bad sellers on ebay, that list could end up quite large.

[pickermall]

Just to help me as a seller... what kind of messages are being asked?

I do try to reply to questions from potential buyers, but most of the replies I send are "I believe your question is covered in the item description. If you have any further questions, or clarification, I will be happy to answer."

Or something like that.

But it gets tiring. Or I can't check right away.

But I do agree on your frustration... I was looking for a nice copy of a certain record album and messaged the seller a few times (looking for a specific pressing). Wanted to at least look at photos of the record itself (they only had photos of the front and back covers. I never heard back and moved on.

[swellcat]

Thanks for asking.  Instead of characterizing my messages, I'll copy/paste a couple of recent unanswereds, and I'll try to be open to any feedback.

22 July 2022 – Silk tie at auction

To confirm, that upper diagonal crease, is it definitely a crease/wrinkle versus a run/pulled fiber?

Thanks,

There is one ambiguous, relevant photo on the listing, no disclosures and only "pre-owned" for condition.  A crease or wrinkle, I could iron out, likely.  A run in the silk renders the tie unwearable, as far as I know.

1 August 2022 – Dress shirt auction – sleeve length listed as "N/A"

Sleeve measurements are imperative for dress shirts. According to ShirtDetective, this model comes in 35 or 37" sleeve lengths; any idea?

Thanks,

The non-responders are a minority: I can think of two sellers over this same approximate time frame who were prompt, polite, helpful, and even warm and engaging.  The feedback left for the one purchased from:  "Great communicator, this seller is, as well as courteous and kind. Pleasure to encounter."

[swellcat]

If someone misspelled every other word, used all caps, and sounded unhinged, yes, not engaging might make sense.  If a buyer politely requests a shirt sleeve measurement that isn't given in photo or text, does that warrant hitting the "ignore" button?

[pickermall]

Yeah, that example with the tie I wouldn't even think of putting in my listing... sounds like a logical question

[stainlessenginecovers]

Many 'clothing' sellers list 1000's of items; how many items did these 2 sellers have listed? 

[swellcat]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

Many 'clothing' sellers list 1000's of items; how many items did these 2 sellers have listed? 

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One has 39 listings at the moment; the other, over 4000. 

Is that relevant to a potential buyer who needs to know if a dress shirt has sleeves three inches too short (when that data point is omitted from the listing)? 

Is there a volume level that qualifies an eBay seller as too big to care?

I would really like to not financially reward people who treat others with disdain.