Additional Buyer Restrictions?

[hed186]

In 17 years of eBay membership, this guy is definitely the wackiest buyer I've encountered. 

I recall there used to be a way to set up your auction to reject bids from buyers that were new to eBay, possessing a record of fewer than 5 (or fewer) completed transactions. That option seems to have disappeared, and unfortunately I wound up selling an item to a complete lunatic who had just created his eBay account last week and had zero transactions in his history. 

The item (a 10 year old video game for $14) was sent via Media Mail. On the day it was scheduled to be delivered (clearly he ignored the posted tracking number or didn't know how to use it), he started losing it & accusing me of fraud, etc. 

Unfortunately it turned out that I sent him the wrong game by mistake (I didn't even know there were multiple versions of this Grand Theft Auto for the PSP, and sent him 'Liberty City' instead of 'Vice City'. I immediately agreed to the return request, and continue to get threatening messages. This buyer is clearly unbalanced, and the aforementioned restriction would have prevented me from having to deal with this nutbar.

Anyone know if it is still possible to add a limitation like this, and perhaps the setting has just been moved?

Thanks.

[hed186]

BTW, I also noticed that I don't even have the option to leave feedback for this mental patient to warn other sellers to keep away. All I can do is leave positive feedback, report the buyer, or elect to leave feedback later. Anyone know why? Is this because the return is still in progress?

[tunicaslot]

There is no way to restrict new buyers - I usually don't have trouble or run into someone like you did - but there are all kinds out there. Put him on your BBL and keep his address handy - in case he opens another user ID and tries to buy from you again. You can call Ebay and have them investigate.

[lintbrush*]

Sellers have not been able to leave non-positives for buyers since 2008.  Public shaming of a customer is never a good idea.

There has never been a way to block a 0 feedback buyer.  How would a buyer make purchases if you could block them?  I want new customers to come to eBay.  The block was for -1 or more - which can no longer happen to a buyer only member anyway.  

You can limit the amount of purchases a buyer can make within a week.  That's it.

Video Games do not qualify for Media Mail, but you should be able to ship them via First Class inexpensively.  https://pe.usps.com/text/csr/PS-334.htm

You erred with the game and the shipping method. I'd not be looking to leave this guy a neg even if I could

[megadestroyers]

"Video Games do not qualify for Media Mail..."

Video game CDs do qual for media mail.  Game cartridges do not.

[lintbrush*]

@megadestroyers

View the link I posted.

[southern*sweet*tea]

---

@megadestroyers wrote:

"Video Games do not qualify for Media Mail..."

Video game CDs do qual for media mail.  Game cartridges do not.

---

No, video games of any sort do not qualify. From the link posted above:

"In conclusion, video games, whether on CD-ROM, diskettes, or similar software, regardless of form, or playable systems including computers, do not meet the standards for Media Mail. In addition, storage devices such as “portable hard drives,” "thumb drives," "flash drives," "jump-drives" and "USB drives” for use with computers are also not eligible for Media Mail prices. Qualifying computer-readable media may contain no advertising except when provided for by standard, e.g. incidental announcements of other books with books in a computer-readable format"

[megadestroyers]

http://www.stamps.com/whitepapers/media-mail-rate-guide.pdf

From 2014 as well.

I'd agree, with either side.

[*eponymous*]

@tunicaslot  That has changed recently. eBay says there is no way to know the intent of a buyer, and buyers are now welcome to bid/buy with other IDs after being blocked.

[*eponymous*]

Naming & shaming is not allowed!  Read the community guidelines.

You called another buyer "psycho" in feedback when you could leave negs for buyers.  It makes you look like a hothead, which is supported by the messages between you and the buyer.  You messed up, and the buyer was upset.  Why is that surprising?

[megadestroyers]

"That has changed recently. eBay says there is no way to know the intent of a buyer, and buyers are now welcome to bid/buy with other IDs after being blocked."

Which is the EXACT reason sellers should be allowed to cancel, with cause, and without punishment!

[fashunu4eeuh]

Your buyer is upset because you didn't send what he ordered. Your listing is very clear that you were selling Vice City. While he may have over-reacted, and you did the right thing by taking responsibility, the problem you encountered had little to do with his being a zero-feedback ebayer. Any buyer would be unhappy at receiving the wrong item. In the future, I would avoid using a stock photo for a used item. Less room for error when using the actual picture of the item.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

As others have said, you have never been able to completely block orders from low feedback buyers, only to limit how many items they can bid on by feedback count.

This guy doesn't sound all that wacky to me. It sounds like good customer service would have stopped any problems toot sweet.

Unfortunately there is also no block for trading partners on the basis of mental health.

[tunicaslot]

Thanks for the info ep - seems  unfair but hey it's their playground!

[partial*eclipse]

---

@megadestroyers wrote:

http://www.stamps.com/whitepapers/media-mail-rate-guide.pdf

From 2014 as well.

I'd agree, with either side.

---

Your link goes to a page put together by a third party (stamps.com) whereas the earlier link goes to a ruling by USPS.  For further evidence of USPS's position that video games are not eligible for MM (regardles of medium), here's a handy reference chart that USPS put together for staff:

https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2013/04apr/Media-Mail-Guidelines.htm