eBay

rcmbullion · ‎01-10-2019

Buyer made a low-ball (but profitable offer) that I accepted on a pair of women's jeans. Asking was $19.xx with shipping. Buyer came in at $12.49- good enough. Paid promptly. The buyer then messaged me asking if they were shipping today, an hour after they paid- roughly 4pm EST. I replied that the mail had already come and that they would go out first thing tomorrow. The buyer then replied asking me to donate them to her and that she was short on cash and having surgery.

This situation is so ridiculous that I'm actually questioning how to handle it. Just to be clear, I'm not considering her request. My concern is that she is trying to scam and that there will be a "problem" later either with delivery or SNAD/ fake/ return scam/etc. Her feedback is 100% positive and her feedback left is nearly 100% as well on 50 transactions or so. I would love to just cancel the transaction and dodge this one but I don't want to take the strike either. I have one-day handling so they're going out tomorrow. I'm afraid any explanation of why business and free don't go together will set her off and result in undeserved negative feedback.

At best, this may be an unusual buyer remorse request. Or a scam designed to make me keep guessing on how I'm going to get screwed either by the buyer or my account stats if I don't play along.

Thoughts?

sam9876 · ‎01-10-2019

I would ask them if they want to cancel the order.

rixstuff · ‎01-10-2019

I posted last year about some requests I have gotten from "veterans" groups and a couple who wanted to "borrow" some vintage jewelry just for their 1920s theme wedding promising to return after but they couldnt really afford to PAY for them upfront even if they would return them later and could I help them out with their dream wedding.

Now what would military veterans need with jewelry? How would that help them get jobs?

And would ANY OTEHR SELLER OFANYTHING on Ebay ship things to folks free OR sell to them knowing theywould be returning for a refund a few weeks later? NO.

Just tell them "Sorry no. I have bills of my own. So do you want to cancel?"

suande-87 · ‎01-10-2019

Dear Buyer,
I too I'm having surgery. I'm trying to remove my foot from your....as I tell you that I'm not a charity.
I would be more than glad to refund you and cancel the transaction. I would hate you think of you not having enough money for medication etcetera because you bought my cheap jeans."

eleanor*rigby · ‎01-10-2019

I would tell the buyer I was having to sell pieces of my wardrobe one by one in order to pay for (fill in the blank). Could she possibly help out by paying double for the jeans?

Of course I wouldn't say that to a buyer, but it was fun typing it out.

sharingtheland · ‎01-10-2019

a couple who wanted to "borrow" some vintage jewelry just for their 1920s theme wedding promising to return after but they couldnt really afford to PAY for them upfront even if they would return them later and could I help them out with their dream wedding.

That's one I haven't heard before, rix.

SMH

Sherry

=^.^= =^.^=
( ) ( )
" " =^.^= " "

rixstuff · ‎01-10-2019

I MOSTLY agree but since it counts against the seller to cancel, have teh BUYER do the canceling.

creoleorchid · ‎01-10-2019

You are not the first seller to get that request.

What I would do is say “I’m really sorry to hear about your surgery. I totally understand your being short on funds and am willing to cancel the sale if you wish. My mail goes out at XX:00 in the morning so please let me know by XX:00 tomorrow what you decide.”

I would totally ignore the “donate” issue.

bigdeals.etc · ‎01-10-2019

Tell them they're a month late. December is sob story month.

I'd call ebay and explain everything to them. If anything they'll put an internal alert on this transaction and monitor it if you end up getting a negative.

juststuffisell · ‎01-10-2019

I have had a similar experience with a veteran wanting a free bugle....I just ignored them.

I would not respond at all. Ship the item and call it a day. If the buyer tries anything funky, I would address it then. You can't really not ship the item without a hit on eBay standards and I don't think the amount of the transaction is enough to sweat over what the buyer might do once they receive the item.

Deal with that fork in the road only when you come to it.

Cheers

rixstuff · ‎01-10-2019

@sharingtheland wrote:
a couple who wanted to "borrow" some vintage jewelry just for their 1920s theme wedding promising to return after but they couldnt really afford to PAY for them upfront even if they would return them later and could I help them out with their dream wedding.

That's one I haven't heard before, rix.

SMH

Double chutzpah - they gave me a list of which specific pieces they wanted too.

gew6463 · ‎01-10-2019

So I don't know what your particular financial situation is, and I am not suggesting you lie obviously. But most people have something that they need money for. In my case, it is medical bills, or something my kids need. So I send a message along the lines of: "Hello. I am sorry you are going through a tough time right now. As it happens, I am selling this item to pay off my own medical bills/car payment/kids camp (ect), so I am unable to donate at this time. I wish I could be more helpful. I would be willing to cancel the transaciton if you need me to do so; I will wait to hear back from you before shipping. I wish you the best on your surgery".

I have found meeting hard-luck story with hard-luck story is very surprising to buyer of this sort; usually stops them in their tracks. I use this on lowball offers as well, with a little variation. Or as creole said, you can avoid the donate request all together. But I think it softens the blow to them when you say this, and shortens the chance of getting a negative. And shows a little compassion in case their story is true.

I know some sellers don't want to go to that trouble, and that's okay. To each their own. It sounds like having her cancel would be the best outcome, so hopefully that is what she decides to do.

jennzet-0 · ‎01-10-2019

If it were me I would hold on to the message in case you need it for later.

Then ignore and send out as usual.

No type of response is going to satisfy her and it will just open the situation up for further problems.

I do not respond to these types of messages as anything you say will just exasperate it.

postingid2017 · ‎01-10-2019

Silly me did "donate" a doll in my early days of Selling. The buyer badgered me for weeks before I finally gave in. It was my only international shipment that was a "gift." I didn't even pack it well - it was a rag doll so I sent in a large padded envelope and paid the shipping and let it go. Not even a thank you. Never again 😞

gew6463 · ‎01-10-2019

I think this answer was probably meant for the OP. As I said earlier, each seller has to decide what works best for them. But in my experience, the response I gave does not exasperate the situation, but diffuses it. But to each their own.