Anyone else seeing this? I accepted a counter offer and the listing did not end.

[sandysbangers]

This situation has happened to me at least 5 times over the last month: I automatically send an offer to a potential buyer when they watch one of my listings. The buyer sends me a counter offer, which I then accept.

Normally what should happen is that the listing will close and I will get notification that the item sold and is waiting for payment. But sporadically over the last month that is no longer happening. The listing remains open and I get no indication that I accepted the offer. If I looked at 'Review Offers' for the item in question I can see that I accepted an offer, other than that it's a live listing. Most of the time that buyer pays for the item and I will then see a notification that the item has been paid for and can be shipped, but not always. Several times I have had to directly message the buyer asking them if they see a sold listing on their end.

Anyone else experiencing this? I asked eBay about it via phone call with Customer Service about a month ago and they said they would open a tech ticket, but since then I haven't been given a reason why this is happening.

Would love to know I'm not alone and this is a feature I wasn't aware of and not a bug.

[kensgiftshop]

Now, offers are not sold until paid for.

Listings stay active and the first to pay, buys it.

[ittybitnot · Accepted solution]

@sandysbangers 

You are definitely not alone.  eBay is changing again how offers are being handled.  There are posts over the various forums here.  Unfortunately, eBay is NOT providing any information on this, so members have been trying to figure out what is going on by sharing information, screen shots, and experiences with each other.  

Here is just one:  

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Received-offers-turning-into-sent-offers/m-p/34183295#M2328738

[jjddmwi]

I haven't been able to figure out why it happens on some offers, but not all.  I currently have two items in "awaiting payment" that were accepted offers and I've had at least 3 that were accepted, yet remained live until paid for.

I've said this a few times now... it is extremely frustrating that we haven't heard anything official from Ebay.  Their silence on this just does not make sense to me.  Poor communication!!

[fern*wood]

Why is ebay not explaining/announcing this new process?  I haven't even see any reps stopping by to help.

[ittybitnot]

  I currently have two items in "awaiting payment" that were accepted offers and I've had at least 3 that were accepted, yet remained live until paid for.

@jjddmwi 

A couple of other posters have also stated it happens with "some but not all".  Have you been able to tell anything that the "awaiting payment" ones have in common? How they differ from the other ones that remain live?    Just guessing but international orders?  categories?   Perhaps there is some sort of "buyer enrollment" that is required, but still rolling out?  Were they seller generated offers?  Buyer generated offers? counter offers from either side? 

The OP @sandysbangers  has given some good insight on SELLER GENERATED OFFERS and counter offers, and how they are working in this new drama. 

[birdsshop2010]

Had this happen to me & when the buyer did pay they wrote me and said that I accepted the offer and then charged them full price. Checked this out and they did get charged the full price. Had to do a refund to make it right. GRRRRR!! Hope Ebay gets this worked out soon!!!

[ittybitnot]

I haven't even see any reps stopping by to help.

@fern*wood 

They have been tagged (more than a few times now).  No response, not even the usual non-answer "we will forward this to the correct team" yada yada.   Best guess, they are not allowed to talk about it.  Regular CS and/or 'tech' will continue to "write tickets" for  what appears to be a screaming glitch, but is just the usual "improvement, enhancement, test, or intended change"?????

[jjddmwi]

@ittybitnot 

Not international orders.  Both awaiting payment are in the clothing, shoes, handbag categories (but so were the ones that remained live.)  Both awaiting payment are seller generated offers, one is a counter and one was accepted.

No real patterns that I can see.

I do like that items stay live until paid for - that is a positive. 

I don't like the zero communication from Ebay.

I don't like that buyers have no consequences for accepted offers that go unpaid.

[ittybitnot]

I don't like that buyers have no consequences for accepted offers that go unpaid.

@jjddmwi 

LOL... buyers probably don't like NOT being informed that their offer was 'accepted' either, and we are almost guaranteed to start hearing more from those sellers who still retain the preferences that require the buyer to put up a payment source in order to make an offer....why their customer was not auto billed, and did not get auto paid. 

As far as solving the supposed unpaid item problem for sellers who accept offers, this new procedure might only rate ONE dsr star with a couple of missing arms and a leg.  

Thanks for the reply about a seemingly random pattern!  Every bit of information helps. 

[toomuchstuffagain35]

My best guess is the randomness is to do with whether a. the seller has autopay turned on and b. whether the buyer is in autopay or not (it appears that some buyers have still not been opted in to it).

[ittybitnot]

My best guess is the randomness is to do with whether a. the seller has autopay turned on and b. whether the buyer is in autopay or not (it appears that some buyers have still not been opted in to it).

@toomuchstuffagain35 

Actually,  eBay announced that now ALL BUYER IDs have been enrolled to put up a payment source in order to make an offer.  The seller still (for now anyway) has to retain that preference in order for it to be effective in forcing the buyer to comply and/or walk away.  

At the same time, sellers who retain the forced buyer requirement AND those that have turned it off report the "offer system" remains in  (for lack of a better name)  in the whacko enhancement, test, intended change mode REGARDLESS of the preference.  

I also thought that if sellers who changed the default to NO it would release them from all this chaos, be able to accept offers, combine items, and send invoices as normal, but it turned out NOT to be the case.  Sellers that had turned them off long ago, and sellers that turned them off when it was suggested that  the 'auto-pay' feature was the cause of this new confusing set up stated  it made no difference. 

So as far as offers go, it seems the auto-pay requirement certainly does not ensure a seller will get paid. It still seem to limit a buyer's payment options, and is still effective in  discouraging buyers who DO pay, but refuse to comply with the forced upfront payment plan. 

The seemingly "random" occurrences may be due to something eBay dropped on a buyer ID, so not all BUYERS transactions are affected in the same way. But nobody gets auto-billed/auto paid anymore if they keep those requirements set to the default of YES.  

Of course, all that may change tomorrow!!??? LOL.  This is eBay, and they still aren't talking. 

[gregsails]

This just happened to me for the first time and the crazy part is that I'm wondering how many sales we'll miss out on! 

Lots of buyers will make one firm offer and are just going to ignore the "you've got an offer" eBay replies figuring that their offer wasn't accepted.  

Unpaid items are a scourge and eBay power users will probably figure this silly system out but lots of casual users are going to be confused or annoyed by the process and go somewhere easier. 

Stick with the "old" way, occasionally it sucks but it doesn't make it hard for the customer.