Bad Intel - What's the Angle?

[tarotfindsandmore]

Let me preface this by saying the buyer/seller in question has been blocked (along with her entire country) so this is more of a query about motivation.  For at least the past year I have gotten messages from the same buyer/seller regarding four different decks that are no longer available from their creators or are only available to certain countries with excruciating shipping fees .  The messages all have the same obnoxious tone... "that deck is still available from the creator".  I initially just assumed the person was unaware of the fact that they're not (and they most assuredly are not), until this morning when I realized the person also occasionally sells a deck (generally at horrible prices), and has a pretty sad track record as a seller of tarot decks.  I always answer, thanking the person for the "heads up".

My question is what is the point of this kind of behavior?  Why would someone take the time to contact a seller with bogus "information" that is easily confirmed/refuted?  What are they expecting in terms of a response?

[chapeau-noir]

Let's just say that a lot of people are dimwits and this person thinks you're one of them.

ETA: Maybe ask them "Your point is?"

[stainlessenginecovers]

One thought:

They think they are being informative but that is because they get their stuff from XXX where all the fake stuff is STILL made (even if the REAL stuff is discontiued) ....so since this person can get the fake stuff, they believe it's still available? 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Some people do this because there are some ignorant sellers who drop their pants and their prices when they receive such messages.

Blocking the buyer was appropriate, blocking his country might be to your detriment, or not.

[tarotfindsandmore]

I've been toying with blocking the country for about six months.  Every transaction with buyers from that particular country has just been a huge pain in the bum....lowballs, trying to get me to pay their shipping/customs, snarky communication about prices, etc.  It was the country that motivated my decision to remove "best offer" from my listings.

[stuff4divas]

@tarotfindsandmore   as the saying goes > "misery loves company"

[pickapaper]

@tarotfindsandmore 

They are a numpty with low self esteem, with no buying or selling skills, and they are just trying to bring you (and anyone else) down to their level.  They also probably have no money to buy what they want so they are putting you down or telling you things they hope you will not check in hopes that you will make your cards cheaper so they can afford to buy them, maybe to even resell them.

If these kinds of people succeed in bullying a seller down in price, they will usually get the item and find something wrong with it, hoping to get a partial refund from their already discounted price, for their huge disappointment and distress.

Good thing you blocked.  

[femmefan1946]

I recently added Romania to my Blocked Countries list after four different purchases went unpaid. Apparently different buyers and different collecting interests.

I also block India, Israel, Russia, and Saudi Arabia for a mixture of terrible politics and worse postal systems.

[redlinear]

Most of the time when I get a message stating that my items are cheaper new, cheaper from somebody else, available elsewhere, or something along those lines.
It means they want me to lower my price.

[dbfolks166mt]

I recently added Romania to my Blocked Countries list after four different purchases went unpaid. Apparently different buyers and different collecting interests.

I also block India, Israel, Russia, and Saudi Arabia for a mixture of terrible politics and worse postal systems.

     Fortunately in the US we have EIS so I don't block any countries. As for Russia a bunch of entrepreneurs figured out how to get around the sanctions long ago. Fairly easy for any buyer to do in any country and there is always the freight forwarder avenue. You can only block countries you won't ship to there is no means to block countries you won't sell to. 

[tarotfindsandmore]

Even with eIS, I just got fed up with all the ridiculous back and forth. I don't mind a little negotiating, but there comes a time when it's just not worth continuing.

I thought the blocked countries were unable to see the listings. What does the buyer see on his/her page when they pull up a listing for an item/seller that won't ship to their country?

[roccotacodad54]

   I'm just a buyer but your list is a fraction of what is on my "Don't buy from these countries list" 

   I can believe it's even worse for sellers. 

[youn2240]

today I have been dealing with one of the rare needy buyers. my buyers issue is that the action figure they bought is not the brand that they wanted it to be but my listing was very clear on who the maker was and had absolutely zero mention of the other maker they are upset about it not being made from. I just keep telling them I have no clue why they think it was made by someone else because in the details it says the brand it is from and in the description it says the brand it is from.  gotta love em it's takes all of us lol. 

I have had these people that for some reason think they are going to get me to change my listings for whatever reason I just block them because I really don't care and if you're just out of the blue going to come at me telling me what to do I just assume you're another seller and my item is going to sell before yours so they want me to mess up my awesome sell through rates for them. 

[dbfolks166mt]

Even with eIS, I just got fed up with all the ridiculous back and forth. I don't mind a little negotiating, but there comes a time when it's just not worth continuing. 

     Must just be my luck but I never have any back and forth with international buyers. I get no more questions from them than I get from domestic buyers which are few. 

I thought the blocked countries were unable to see the listings. What does the buyer see on his/her page when they pull up a listing for an item/seller that won't ship to their country?  

     You don't ship to Australia so when the buyer is looking at one of your items they see the following. Since you cannot block countries you won't sell to if they are using a US freight forwarder with a US based shipping address the fact that they are in Australia does not prevent them from buying the item. 

[tarotfindsandmore]

Thank you, I had no idea what the other side looks like. Why is that the only country that shows up as a non-shipping location?  I have a few others on the list as well.

I don't mind if they want to go through the hassle of using a freight forwarding service. Hopefully the bright red "does not ship to..." and using eBay's eIS will keep the bulk of these would be buyers out of my hair.  Nothing I carry is important or interesting enough for a normal person to jump through these additional hoops for.