Buyer bought item using different username after I blocked him

[smw3]

I know there have been several threads discussing this issue but since none are particularly current and Ebay policies are constantly evolving I figured a new thread was in order.  I can find multiple references to a policy that addresses my concern but I can't seem to find it within the Ebay policy pages themselves.  The specific line I am looking for but can't find is:

"You can't use another account to buy or bid on an item if you're on a seller's blocked bidder or buyer list."

Last week I had a buyer contact me by message making an offer on an item I had just listed hours earlier, a vintage audio component described as FOR PARTS OR REPAIR.  After I politely declined he kept sending me messages.  Since he was a relatively new user with a low feedback score, I figured better safe than sorry so I blocked him.

But then the next morning the item sold for my asking price and it was immediately obvious from similarities in the user name and the same city that it was the same buyer.  I knew this had to be a violation of Ebay's rules but rather than risk a defect against my Top Seller status, I went ahead and shipped the item.

Well immediately upon receiving the item the buyer started sending me complaints about its condition, literally admitted that he was the same buyer I had blocked using a different user name, then proceeded to call my integrity into question and threatened me with negative feedback.  I looked a little closer and found this user ID, an older one with a longer track record, had an obvious history of doing just exactly this, namely buying vintage audio components in non-working condition and then leaving negative feedback when sellers fail to offer retroactive discounts.

I have a 24 year track record with 100% perfect feedback.  I've done back flips to keep buyers happy and have developed a keen eye for spotting potentially troublesome buyers like this guy but this is the first time one has bought something even after I blocked him.  Short of giving this scammer his money back and most likely getting my item back in much worse condition that when I shipped it, what can I do to protect my score as well as future sellers from falling victim to his chicanery?  I've already reported him but the automated "report buyer" feature only has a small number of highly specific types of complaints from which you must select and this doesn't meet any of their criteria exactly. 

Is this just another area where I have to accept that Ebay doesn't really support sellers?  The only seller support page I've found where I should be able to contact somebody with my concerns is full of dead links that don't even go anywhere.  If unscrupulous buyers like this can't be prevented from taking advantage of us all the time, then we are rapidly approaching a point of diminishing returns where I really wonder whether it's worth the risk I take every time I sell something.

[downunder-61]

If you believe it is the same buyer report them to eBay and they can check.

[smw3]

I don't just believe it's the same buyer, he literally provided proof when he told me he was the same person in his first message after he bought the item.

[ckimodog]

@smw3 

See if this link can be helpful. I believe you can report them here after you blocked them.  Sorry for your situation:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/blocking-buyer-ebay/

[smw3]

Thanks but I'd already visited that page several times over the last 24 hours.  There's nothing there that specifically deals with my issue.  Since my original post here I have spoken to Customer Service and explained the entire situation.  They have offered basic assurance that things can be worked out if the buyer proceeds to open a case or otherwise escalate the situation but for now it appears all I can do is wait and see.  Hopefully the worst case is he leaves negative feedback which I can then appeal to have removed but even having that up there for a day or two can negatively affect sales.  It's unfortunate but this is the world we live in, where we can fall victim to chicanery no matter how hard we may try to avoid it.

[cstpos]

@smw3  I tell buyers who do this to open a return and we will provide a return label. I wouldn't engage with them regarding their violating ebay policies until after you get the item back. Sadly, ebay does not protect sellers, even when the buyer admits wrong-doing. Not only is this buyer demanding something not in the listing, they are committing feedback extortion. They obviously know how to work around being blocked. I would wait to get the item back, then report them when you issue the refund. I would also deduct shipping costs and a % if there is any damage to your item. Even if you decide to let them keep the item, you could still report them for both of the below violations. It is infuriating that people get away this behavior, which is really just stealing. I hope the links below help you.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/violation-ebay-user-agreement-policy?id=... 

• Comply with our policies about how they use their account
  • Members must not do anything that might compromise the safety or integrity of the eBay marketplace
  • Members must offer retail service levels, and deliver on their service promises
  • Buyer claims must be quickly addressed, within eBay specified timeframes
  • Members must not create additional accounts to circumvent selling restrictions, buying limits, suspension, or to manipulate any site feature
  • Selling an eBay User ID or account without our permission is not allowed
  • Scraping or gathering information from eBay to use on another site is not allowed
  • Members must not bid on their own items

Feedback extortion:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-extortion-policy?id=4230&st=3&pos=1&qu... 

Report a buyer for demanding something that wasn't offered in the listing:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&query...

Tip
You can also report a buyer from your Sold items list - opens in new window or tab. Choose Leave feedback from the dropdown menu next to the item, and then select Report buyer.

[smw3]

Thanks for the reply.  I've been trying to avoid this escalating to a return but it may be inevitable.  It just drives me crazy because it's so much work to pack and ship this type of item and even if it comes back undamaged it will now be more difficult to sell for the same price since it will already appear in the SOLD listings and the audience for this sort of thing is pretty small.  So no matter how you slice it this scammer has wasted my time and cost me money.

What's worse is that he didn't exactly create this new ID to circumvent my block list.  In fact, digging deeper into his previously left feedback history for both accounts, it's clear he originally contacted me through his newest ID, which he created to circumvent somebody else's block list!  I can tell because he has left past negative feedbacks for the same seller from both accounts.  The guy is just a menace and needs to be banned completely from this platform.

I still haven't even replied once since he started complaining yesterday.  I've tried to write a dozen responses but it's extremely difficult without pointing out that he broke the rules.  I don't want to escalate but I don't want to offer him anything either.  I suppose I should just ask what he wants and then say no but it seems pretty clear that he's going to be a pain in my rear no matter what I do.

[rugerskick]

Contact ebay and report the buyer for circumventing your block of them with another account.  They will give you the ok to cancel the order.  Buyers shouldn't have multiple accounts to do this so request they inactivate his second account.  Block both accounts to be safe.  Put something in your policies that any order that comes through from a buyer that has been previously banned/blocked will be cancelled and the account will be reported for violating ebay user agreement terms.  You can cancel using the "problem with address" as ebay of course does not have a more accurate, clear choice of "blocked buyer attempting to order with a different account" option.  It would force ebay to deal with the buyers violating terms, but ebay hates dealing with bad buyers and scammers or ever assigning blame to buyers.

[soh.maryl]

When that buyer, whoever he was, started complaining, why did you not just say "Sorry you are unhappy.  Please return for refund" and then sit back and await his response?   More rants? "Sorry you are unhappy.  Please return for refund".  

[cstpos]

@smw3  There is always the dreaded credit card chargeback to keep in mind. I always tell buyers to please return the item as we don't want anyone to keep any item they're unhappy with. He probably wouldn't care if he was made aware that he was violating the rules on ebay. I also ask what part of the listing is Not as Described so I can relist it properly once they send it back. I know it's a pain to relist items and do returns, but I'd rather do that than to reward a dishonest buyer. Has the buyer opened a return? Or are they messaging you? Unless they open a return, you really don't have to do anything after you've asked them to file for a return so you can supply the return label. If you don't reply at all, they could file with their cc bank that you wouldn't reply to them. What a pain.

[fashunu4eeuh]

“Short of giving this scammer his money back and most likely getting my item back in much worse condition that when I shipped it, what can I do to protect my score as well as future sellers from falling victim to his chicanery? ..”

So sorry this is happening to you.

You have already done what is available to you in protecting your account. Since you offer free returns, if your item is received back in an altered condition, you can withhold up to 50% of the refund. That is a protection, however inadequate it may seem to some.

When a buyer is unsatisfied with an item, tell them they can return for a full refund. Nothing more need be said. No back-and-forth is necessary. Engaging in further discourse can create animosity and escalating tempers. Everyone knows that some people are impossible to please.

Feedback scores do not figure in to seller performance metrics, as they once did. Fewer users are checking feedback or leaving it. It is arbitrary, voluntary, and subjective. Most buyers are aware that one negative feedback is likely to occur to even stellar sellers.

There is much less to fear—feedback is quickly losing its power to effect a sellers’ sales. Except for this: A well-stated response to a negative can show a seller’s customer service skills and improve one’s prestige in the eyes of future buyers. It becomes an opportunity to improve future sales by showing prospective buyers your ability in handling customer issues with aplomb.

Feedback is not the place for warning fellow sellers about a bad buyer. There is no mechanism for this on eBay. To attempt to do so in feedback squanders the opportunity to speak to future buyers, who are the only audience that matters. An ill-advised response to negative feedback can impact sales far more than the negative itself.

[smw3]

It is a large heavy electronic item. They are difficult to pack properly and in my experience buyers never pack as carefully as I do so when they are returned I never get it back in the same condition I shipped it.  Even if he packs it safely, it's clear from his messages that he's already torn into it trying to repair it (it was listed as NOT WORKING - FOR PARTS OR REPAIR) so who knows what further damage he's caused.  Essentially I can assume if he returns it i will be taking a total loss on the item on top of having to pay for the expensive return shipping.  And even in the event I do receive it safely in the same condition, the very fact that it has already been listed and sold once creates a track record among a relatively small audience of buyers that diminishes it's likely perceived value and thus I'm likely to get a lower selling price.  I'm just frustrated - nay, infuriated - that this charlatan is wasting so much of my time and negatively impacting my bottom line.  I sell items like this all the time  to a variety of satisfied buyers and have a perfect track record. I just really don't appreciate having to do back flips for somebody who doesn't follow the rules and will no doubt cost me money before he's done.

[smw3]

You certainly make a good point about the credit card chargeback.  I'm not sure how offering a return isn't rewarding a dishonest buyer if he gets away with having two IDs.  Looking at his feedback left history for both accounts I can see he is definitely a repeat offender and has left at least one other seller very similar to myself negative feedback from both those accounts after he no doubt tried unsuccessfully blocking him as well.  This guy is a menace and needs to be permanently banned from the platform.

For what it's worth, he hasn't opened a return or other case against me yet, he's just sent a whole lot of messages full of complaints and vague threats.  I probably written up over a dozen responses so far but haven't sent one yet because I'm having trouble coming up with language that will defuse the situation without resulting in a total loss on the item plus return shipping cost.  But before the end of business today I will at least ask him what he expects me to do.

[smw3]

Well it took many re-writes but I finally composed a response to my multiple identity block evader.  I completely understand and would generally agree with those who said I should just take my lumps and offer the full refund but under these circumstances I'm just highly resistant to providing this scammer with any positive reinforcement for his behavior.  Doing so would only encourage him to keep defrauding sellers, as evidenced by his record of left feedback showing that he's most certainly done it and gotten away with it repeatedly before he came after me.  It's time to cut him off at the knees.  I spoke with Customer Service, where the initial agent escalated my concern to a manager and I was assured they'd be looking closely at him.  Consequently while I told him I am definitely want to settle the matter, I put it on him to come up with what that solution should be.  After receiving over a dozen rapid fire messages from him previously, he has now gone dark as not responded to me for over 24 hours.  It's possible he was already contacted with a warning or even a ban from Ebay but I wouldn't know that one way or the other.  It's likely he's feeling a little less brazen for the moment anyway.  It may not be over.  He may come at me one more time.  In the end I will accept a return and issue a refund if I have to, but I am not going to just lie down and take it without a fight to have him sanctioned.  At some point we have to stand up for ourselves and do what we can to weed out the worst abusers. Allowing crooks like this to run roughshod over us will only result in more and more of them getting away with it more and more frequently.  There are enough challenges to selling on Ebay as it is.  I'd rather just quit than accept this as a cost of doing business.

Below is the last message I sent to him:

Dear “xxxx” or “xxxx” or “xxxx” , After all of your many messages last Monday, I felt there was more risk than I am willing to accept that you might be dissatisfied if you paid my asking price for the xxxxxxx, which I described as FOR PARTS OR REPAIR and listed for a fraction of its value were it a cosmetically perfect and fully functional component. As I stated previously, I was not interested in negotiating and am very busy. That is why I attempted to block you from buying the item. But I did not know at the time that you have multiple identities on Ebay, so when you went ahead and bought it against my wishes anyway, I fulfilled my obligation and promptly shipped it, taking great care to package it safely. I am very sorry you now appear to be unhappy with your purchase, but again, I tried to prevent exactly this outcome. I do want this matter settled but I have no idea how to proceed. What exactly do you want from me at this point? smw3

[house*of*paws]

Hi @smw3 

Your mistake was not immediately cancelling the purchase with ‘Problem with buyer’s address’ and avoiding the ensuing concern and drama.

You were completely protected by  eBay’s policies from ALL repercussions the buyer might come up with.

[I really don’t understand why you shipped the item.  Next time trust your fine instincts that caused you to block the buyer in the first place.  They were right on.  

BTW, your message to the buyer is putting them in control.]