A customer asks inappropriate questions.

[funchoice]

Hi,

Good morning. I posted bed bath and beyond coupon (20% off for entire purchase) on Wednesday. One customer sent me three messages as below:

Is this your only Bed Bath and Beyond coupon you have like this one?

Ok how do you get these type of coupons?

Did you receive this coupon in the mail from Bed Bath and Beyond?

I answered to the first one and told the customer that it is the only one coupon that I have.

For the second question that I don't want to answer, so I just replied: thank you for watching.

For the Third question, I haven't answered yet and I don't think I would like to answer.

I think this customer is too much. I tried to be nice. Do I need to answer the third question? How do I answer that I don't want to let the customer know how I got the coupon?

Thank you for your time.

[myboardid]

Don't answer at all, and put the user ID on your Blocked Bidder list.  She is the kind of customer who will cause you all kinds of problems after the purchase. 

You are not required to answer questions. 

[funchoice]

Thank you very much for your help. I take your advice.

Thanks again and have a nice day.

[*madison]

Ignore and block.

That buyer is trouble..

[dhbookds]

I agree you don't have to answer the questions and I'm not usually paranoid........  but one thing I fear is how much info ebay is storing and using.  ie.  If you don't answer questions, is that eventually going to show up somewhere as "seller doesn't answer questions", as we've seen with the b/o "test" talked about on the board?

So I'm beginning to just send a non confrontational answers........like your "thanks for your interest", I'm sorry, but I don't reveal sources", etc.   I would not say "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS".......lol. 

just thoughts

[lewisburggold]

We would not answer them.  Then we would block them.  They seem to be too much.  Best regards

[baantiques]

Sounds like a new seller who is looking around for stuff to sell and is trying to pick your brain 

[thatsallfolks]

People buy BB&B coupons? We get one every few weeks. They're a nuisance.

[postingid2017]

I had a buyer do the same to me years back, she questioned "where did you acquire the dress" because she knew the designer personally.  I should have canceled her bids, and sold it for less (was not that acquainted back then) but she was a sure PIA for real.   She went on for months 😞

As others have stated, block and move on.  Sometimes they can be a real PIA.

[kiraalt]

Ok, granted.  Those questions were really nosey.  However, playing devils advocate for a moment.   Could the potential buyer have just been trying to confirm for themselves (albeit in a somewhat odd round about way) that the coupon was authentic (could be why they wanted to know where you got it) and that it would work for them?    I know fraud happens a lot on ebay and there are  scammers and trouble makers out there.   I just have come to hate this environment that Ebay has allowed to exist where the immediate reaction to anything is someone is intentionally trying to rip you off (buyer or seller).    I don't know - I feel Ebay somehow needs to create a place where buyers and sellers can come to trust each other again.   I honestly can count on one hand the real trouble transactions I have had my entire time on Ebay.  But I am not a high volume seller - mostly buyer but I do sell the odds and ends from time to time.

[jason_incognito]

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@thatsallfolks wrote:

People buy BB&B coupons? We get one every few weeks. They're a nuisance.

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I really don't understand people who buy coupons that can be downloaded online, and most stores will let you use the coupon even without having one. Most registers have a cheat sheet.

[rdj831]

I don't understand why people sell them.

It takes time to do photos and listings, answer questions, write posts about having to answer questions-

all that to make $5.00... 

[turquoisetulips]

Ok how do you get these type of coupons? funchoice - op - unquote --------------

It sounds like this person isn't really interested  in purchasing the coupon . It sounds more like they are just trying to get information out of you on where and how to pick them up for free . I would ignore them . You're not obligated to answer those type of questions . Tulips

[autopaper]

I'm not quite sure I would classify them as INAPPROPRIATE questions, I think the customer might just be curious as to the coupon's authenticity. However, others who responded are correct, there are no set rules or any eBay law that says you need to respond to any or all questions. I get dozens & dozens of inquiries asking me WHERE did you get this or that item, some even asking me to tell them the "history" of the item......hahaha! I answer ALL inquries, even though it takes a great deal of time to do so. It has been my experience that after I answer potential customer's questions....99.9% of them actually do BUY the item.      

[myboardid]

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@dhbookds wrote:

I agree you don't have to answer the questions and I'm not usually paranoid........  but one thing I fear is how much info ebay is storing and using.  ie.  If you don't answer questions, is that eventually going to show up somewhere as "seller doesn't answer questions", as we've seen with the b/o "test" talked about on the board?

So I'm beginning to just send a non confrontational answers........like your "thanks for your interest", I'm sorry, but I don't reveal sources", etc.   I would not say "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS".......lol. 

just thoughts

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If ebay is going to come after me for not answering questions from users who could become a serious problem, then it is time to move on.  And yes, that is paranoid.