Abusive buyers

[chi-rho]

How do I deal with a buyer who misread my listing and when I tried to explain, became very vulgar in reply?

[pargran3]

Having your your sensibilities hurt does not entitle you to be a thief. Keeping money for which you have provided absolutely nothing is theft.

[chapeau-noir · Accepted solution]

This is business, not personal - you're going to meet all kinds in this business.  Keeping the guy's money because he throws a childish tantrum doesn't really make you better.  Refund, block and just be glad you don't have to associate with this person in RL. 

[soh.maryl]

Does it make sense to you that you would keep both the money and the item, regardless of the fact that they left a foul-mouthed message? 

Just refund, block and move on.  

[ebooksdiva]

@chi-rho

 Keeping money that you received on an online venue and not sending a product is called fraud or Theft, either way it's not legal.

[soh.maryl]

The printer that you sold on Dec. 3 for $5.00?  

[djvp53]

This isn't theft. I don't know what eBay's policy is when a buyer fails to pick up a local pickup item. The purchaser agreed to pick it up and then didn't. The seller did everything the ad promised - make a product available for local pickup. The buyer failed on their end. The buyer's "potty mouth" is mostly irrelevant but is irksome and is a good reason not to offer products for local pickup.  I wouldn't be surprised if eBay requires a seller to refund in this case but if so, it's not because the seller is a "thief."

[soh.maryl]

Respectfully, have to disagree with you on several points.  The fact that this seller encountered a would-be buyer who cursed at him because he refused to ship a local pickup item is NOT a good reason for other sellers not to offer items with local pickup.

Don't believe anyone is labeling the seller a "thief".  But refusing to refund this buyer does put him on the edge of that category, even if the amount is only $5.  

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@chi-rho wrote:

They paid, but it was a local pick-up situation and they wanted it shipped, which I refused to do.  And because of the foul-mouthed message I got, I refused to refund the money.  I don't want to delete the message in case I have to use it for evidence.

---

Is it the Dell printer you sold for $5 in August? 

I don't think it's ethical to keep the money as "punishment" for swearing.

ETA: If you sold it in August or December, why is it still listed? 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363505116043?hash=item54a297e38b:g:BUkAAOSw~VxhFtHe

And are you aware that you can't list something as "cash only upon pickup." That's why the payment section shows various payment options, none of which are cash. 

[albertabrightalberta]

@chi-rho 

If you don't want people to expect shipping, expand on your title and put "HP Printer LOCAL PICKUP ONLY" 

You have plenty of unused characters in your title and you can also post in the description in LARGE FONT that it's local pickup only. 

Or better yet, sell on CL for $5!

Sheesh, is the stress this $5 sale (before fees and aggravation) worth it?!

[chi-rho]

Is it petty to expect decency from another human being?

[m60driver]

---

@chi-rho wrote:

A bid was made on a local pickup item and "potty mouth" chose not to pick up the item and now I'm stuck with it.  Why am I not entitled to keep the money?  Should there be no consequences for not completing a transaction and hurling vulgarities at someone? 

---

Sure, I wish I could not pay income tax because some rather high government official was a despicable potty mouth.  Alas I am not entitled to keep the tax money just as you are not entitled to keep the buyer's money.  But at least you can refund and block the buyer while I have to watch the government potty mouth run for office again.

[dhbookds]

---

@chi-rho wrote:

Is it petty to expect decency from another human being?

---

some might say not refunding is petty........

but whatever............do you honestly think ebay is going to let you keep the $$$?

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

---

@chi-rho wrote:

A bid was made on a local pickup item and "potty mouth" chose not to pick up the item and now I'm stuck with it.  Why am I not entitled to keep the money?  Should there be no consequences for not completing a transaction and hurling vulgarities at someone? 

---

You are not entitled to the money because the buyer never got what he/she paid for, that simple.  Even if you'd shipped it and the courier lost it, still not entitled keep the money.  Even if the package is stolen their front step, credit card company say you're not entitled to their money hence why signature delivery services exist.

As to vulgarity that's how some folks express themselves whether in anger or not, perhaps sad but true.  You can report the vulgarity to eBay somehow I presume and yes you should keep the email.  Refund the order, if you get a poor feedback you can explain the situation and reference the communications to get it removed.

For hindsight worth when they buyer asks ship it and you say no, they get itchy scratchy block the buyer.  If the buyer already paid and then demands ship you simply cant, there is no way at eBay whereby you could bill them the shipping amount due after payment made.  You cant transact externally outside the service so they can't Paypal you the money, they cant Zelle you the money, they can't drop a check in the mail and you explain that.  If they are still going off, refund it, block the buyer.

[chi-rho]

But providing nothing was not my choosing, it was the buyer's who chose not to pick up his order.

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@retro_entertainment_collectibles wrote:

You are not entitled to the money because the buyer never got what he/she paid for, that simple.  Even if you'd shipped it and the courier lost it, still not entitled keep the money.  Even if the package is stolen their front step, credit card company say you're not entitled to their money hence why signature delivery services exist.

---

@retro_entertainment_collectibles 

correction to your post: If tracking shows delivery, the seller DOES get to keep the money. If the c.c. does a refund as a courtesy to their customer, that's between the buyer and the c.c. company. Ebay will back a seller on that type of chargeback.