ShipScript has been an eBay Community volunteer since 2003, specializing in HTML, CSS, Scripts, Photos, Active Content, Technical Solutions, and online Seller Tools.
Is this a new seller or a seasoned seller? Is selling history for similar items? Is seller in US? What does the shipping tab say?
Sorry I posted and ran. There are at least four issues in your post, and some can not be discussed openly without naming names. So I've tagged elizabeth@ebay, one of the roaming eBay staff members, to take a look. If she can take on this task, she will likely send a message through community messages, or to the email that you have on file with eBay, to collect your data in a more private setting. I should note that you have already talked to customer support, and this is a tad more complex than normal. But I think I have boiled down the essence below:
1) The listing on which you bid could not display shipping — by accident, or on purpose — so checkout was not possible. The Quick listing tool has been dropping shipping recently, so this is more likely to be a tool problem than malintent by the seller. One would have to look at the older listings to see if they coincide with the tool failure and verify the seller is using the Quick listing tool.
2) Buyer got dinged for non-payment when payment was not even possible, and buyer is still receiving notices after Customer support reversed the strike. Many buyers may be racking up non-payment strikes due to a listing tool failure, so there is a buyer satisfaction urgency to getting the tool repaired.
3) The post disclosed a method that could force a buyer into non-payment unless the seller agrees to send an invoice. This could allow sellers of low-balled auctions to get away with non-shipment (while shifting the strike to the buyer), and requires a look from the programmers as well as a review for any T&S issues.
4) Although the likelihood seems small, the seller account could possibly be hijacked, since activity is sparse and the seller fails to respond.
Actions: My gut feeling is that we are looking at an egregious listing tool problem and that the resolution for issues 1 and 3 is to fix the Quick tool and close the loopholes on all tools — a listing should not be able to make it onto the site without something selected for domestic shipping/pickup. Issue 2, a residual of 1, should be more clearly and easily addressed by customer support during the period of the tool failure, and dunning notices should not be allowed to continue once a strike is removed. We already see this problem with international buyers who get to checkout and can't pay due to lack of an international shipping option.
@spaulmeek wrote:
I left the following feedback that succinctly exposes this scam.
READ!!
1/26 listing, 4 bids, $56.
2/16 listing, 0 bids, $49.
2/28 listing, 1 bid (mine), $35.
Same item. Clicked Pay Now, eBay says Seller Doesn't Ship to US (listing says he does). Tried Request an Invoice, eBay says Seller doesn't combine shipping. 2 emails requesting total ignored.
Is this what is happening? Seller lists low price, doesn't get enough, buyer can't pay per "seller's mistakes" in listing, seller ignores email, buyer gets hit for not paying, and seller gets off free.
The above was removed by eBay. Here are the details if you want to try this.
For the Free reserve pricing, just enter any amount, even low (you won’t have to sell it for that anyway, so low is better, and gets more attention.) Do not click on reserve pricing; you are making your own custom “Reserve Pricing”.
The next step is also easy; just don’t click on shipping method. This is the key to the scam, I mean hack. If shipping is not specified, buyer will have to ask for a price. Just ignore the email, once again, no effort on your part, just don’t do anything. Now, for the only effort on your part; just click on buyer didn’t pay. Yeah, the buyer will get hit for not paying, who cares? Any feedback exposing you will automatically be deleted because there was no sale. Once again, no effort on your part.
OK, I really don’t advocate the above scam. I would like eBay to know about it and hope by posting here eBay might see it. Or maybe someone knows who to forward this to. Customer Service failed completely. I explained the above. I said I have one data point, my purchase, but you have two data points. I said “If the 1/26 listing failed because the buyer didn’t pay, then you have a pattern going.” “Let’s see,” said the Customer Service rep, “ahh yes, seller cancelled because buyer didn’t pay.” The next thing I said was, from my point, big deal, I didn’t get to buy an item. My concern is I don’t want my buyer score lowered because of this. “No problem.” I was told, “I have it here in notes, just don’t pay and it will not count against you.” This turned out to be false. I got a warning message about not paying; the seller accused me of not paying. I called and the Rep said I had it file an appeal... which the rep then kindly filed for me. A couple days later, my claim was accepted, no mark against me. Then, to add insult to the whole thing, the above message was followed with the “pay-up-you-deadbeat” boilerplate message sent to folks who actually did not pay.
So, here is my buyer experience. I place a bid and wait until the auctions’ end. eBay sends a Pay Now message, cool, I win, now to pay. I can’t pay, because eBay gives me a dead-end runabout. Frustrated with eBay, I email seller. No reply. eBay lets seller cancel sale because I didn’t pay and eBay awards me with a deadbeat demerit. I just wonder about the new eBayer, who doesn’t know what to do. Customer service is, well, customer service. Seller is worthless. Purchase is a negative experience. That wouldn’t happen with…
If eBay is interested, the item is listed for a fourth time, one bid and one day to go (shipping still not specified). Seller recently sold a set (that is 2, a front and a rear) of bicycle wheels for $999.99, when the rear wheel lists in the $1,100 range. Two possible follow ups, if eBay is interested. I’ll not list the seller name, but you can reply if info is needed.
Good morning everyone, and thanks for the tag @shipscript. Hi, @spaulmeek! I'm going to send you a private message to the email you have on file, so we can chat a little more.
Elizabeth,
