Bidders immediately refusing to pay after bidding and winning auction. What's the scam?

[thegaikotsu]

Hi all,

I have been selling on/off on eBay for over a decade. I have never experienced this behavior.

Twice in a row, for the exact same item auction, the winning bidder outbids everyone and immediately sends a message requesting to cancel the order. Both requests were made with semi-broken English and with lame school-yard excuses like, "The dog ate my homework." I allowed it the first time and attempted a 2nd chance offer which was never accepted.  So I relisted and the precise thing happened again; albeit a different excuse. This time I told them I refuse to cancel. I told them they can either pay and list it themselves when they receive it, or I will report them and fight to have their accounts banned for fraud.

Now, I don't know if these are troll accounts who are just out to ruin people's auctions, or if there is some form of new scam I am just not privy to. Maybe they're selling the same item and want their cash first? Maybe they think if they can't have it, no one else can? The only thing similar about the two winning bidders is that they joined eBbay in the same month and day, but different year.  Weird.  March 22.

I have heard about new rules you can employ on your auction to filter out folks, but it also limits your buying audience.  I also don't accept the answer that you should be forced to do a "Buy It Now." I have never been able to sell any item as a Buy It Now. Why?  Because, as I have been told by some buyers, they want a DEAL.  Offering the item at a lower than usual price as an auction gives the chance that you might get a deal. That is very enticing to some. 

Having put this same item up twice it ended with nearly the same amount (give or take a dollar or two).  I am certain that if I put it up for Buy It Now, it will sit there forever and no one will buy it.  How do I know that?  There are similar auctions for the same item at Buy It Now....and they are still there.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

"There are similar auctions for the same item at Buy It Now....and they are still there."

Could be why the cancellation.

[simba6]

Not a scam, just silly wally mart style shoppers that return as much as they buy.   You could list as fixed price set to require payment right away.  

Still it's better they request to cancel than file a false not as described case to return it.   Place them on your blocked bidder list.

That almost erogenous bid button can be hard for some people to resist.

[ebooksdiva]

Asking to cancel is not a scam. If they bought the item then return something different that would be a scam. 

[thegaikotsu]

I don't know, maybe.  He actually paid after I told him that if he refused to pay that I would report him to eBay and have his account banned. I told that when he received it, he could relist it and get his money back.

I paid extra for shipping to have it insured and have it signed for. I don't accept returns and it is marked on my auctions.

[thegaikotsu]

I would get that if it was a one-off scenario.  The fact that it happened twice in a row for the same item, at the same final bid price and requesting cancellation immediately at the end. The agreement eBay makes users agree to is that any bid is a promise to buy.  They take it seriously.

[thegaikotsu]

On the surface, I would agree. Except that what it does is take your item out of rotation. By bidding a large amount that on an item that they know other people won't outbid, only to immediately request cancellation means that you will likely have to relist it. That takes time. 

[buyselljack2016]

Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not.

The buyer that is "forced to pay" can receive the item and then return it for a refund as "not as described". (even if it is as described)

I don't accept returns  is only for "remorse" returns. Some buyers know that, some do not.

Hopefully all will work out for you.