Am I under attack?

[dhaga]

I just got back into selling and lately I have had two separate auctions get bid on by two different bidders with zero feedback. One of them was outside of the USA. I was able to cancel the bids and update my buyer requirements with maximum restrictions including only North America but it appears I cannot block bidders with zero feedback. Is this a thing these days for people to attack auctions with bogus accounts or am I just experiencing a coincidence possibly? 

[katzrul15]

Under attack?    ???

E-Bay allows Buyers to create zero FB IDs in Guest mode without registering.

You cannot block a Zero FB ID.

Zero FB IDs do not worry me.  Why would you cancel the bids and start over?

[luckythewinner]

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@dhaga wrote:

I just got back into selling and lately I have had two separate auctions get bid on by two different bidders with zero feedback. One of them was outside of the USA. I was able to cancel the bids and update my buyer requirements with maximum restrictions including only North America but it appears I cannot block bidders with zero feedback. Is this a thing these days for people to attack auctions with bogus accounts or am I just experiencing a coincidence possibly? 

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You listed items and buyers showed interest, so you considered this an "attack" and canceled their bids.

Which seller did you first "attack" when you were brand new to eBay and your feedback score was 0?

That aside ...

You cannot block users who live outside the USA. You can on block shipping addresses that are outside the USA.

[soh.maryl]

Under attack? Can you explain that please?

Bidders with 0 FB are allowed to bid or buy on eBay.  

Being a new buyer DOES NOT mean it's a bogus account.

Did you have lots of FB when you started here? 

[dhaga]

I have been a member of ebay for a long time with virtually no Social Media footprint. Years ago when I first started I rarely ever got a bidders with zero feedback. I found it odd to get zero feedback bidders on two of my items in such a short time period. I am not making an accusation I am asking a question. I am not sure how you can say, with defintion, it is not a bogus account. Would you agree bogus accounts do exist and they are possibly bogus? 

[dhaga]

Not starting over, since I had other bids on the items. The bids I have are from bidders that contacted me and asked questions about the items first. I canceled the bids with zero feedback so that bidders I am comfortable with do not feel they are being shilled. 

[soh.maryl]

You only accept bids from bidders who contact you first ad ask questions?

Why in the world would bidders you are "comfortable with" feel they are being shilled if you accepted bids from 0 FB bidders?

Your thinking process puzzles me.  

[dhaga]

Thanks  for the reply concerning blocking bidders outside of USA vs shipping address outside of USA. I am not sure I understand bidders being identified as being outside of USA and having a shipping address in USA (why would they be identified as being outside of USA seems to me the relevant distinction is the shipping address which I am unable to see while the bidding goes on, I think)???

[soh.maryl]

We can offer no more proof that it is NOT bogus account than you can offer proof that it IS.

If, from the beginning, sellers had been allowed to reject bidders with 0 FB, how long would eBay have lasted?

Think about it.

[fern*wood]

Of course bogus accounts exist, but I never go there directly just because I have a zero feedback buyer.  You can see plenty of those in my past sales.  They are now a one, since I give them feedback as soon as they pay.   I actually have more issues with picky long time buyers.

[kensgiftshop]

@dhaga 

Why would you want to block buyers with zero feedback, I love new buyers.

Just because they have zero feedback, doesn't mean they are bogus accounts.

[luckythewinner]

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@dhaga wrote:

I am not sure I understand bidders being identified as being outside of USA and having a shipping address in USA

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The bidder specifies his shipping address when he pays, not when he bids.

Only the bidder can tell you why his is having it shipped to another country. Maybe it is a gift for a friend? Maybe it is being shipped to a relative? Maybe he has two homes?

My brother and his wife live in the USA. But his wife has family in Canada, and they own a house there. 

[dhaga]

I think it is a bold assertion that ebay would not have lasted if sellers could block zero feedback people unless you think every seller is as paranoid as I am. Including CAPS in your replies indicates to me some feathers are ruffled, sorry to have bothered you. 

[dhaga]

Makes a bit of sense. Fortunately I think I solved the issue by updating my seller preferences to ship to North America only at this point. 

[evry1nositswindy]

Every single buyer and seller on eBay started at 0 feedback.  If all 0 feedback sellers cancelled all 0 feedback buyers, there would be no feedback given to the buyer or seller.  Everyone would stay at 0!  

Cancel too many bids and you will soon be shut down by eBay.