Can I refuse to sell an item to a new eBay member with 0 feedback?

[flg8or1]

I was born on a Saturday morning, but not last Saturday morning. 

And I know that once I was a new eBay member with 0 transactions and feedback, but I'm skittish about everyone these days and the current 0 feedback bidder on one of my items who just joined this week concerns me. (I have another bidder with 1 feedback on another item.)

After researching, I have set my preferences to try to mitigate the 0 feedback people, but am I able to reach out to the existing bidder(s) and say, "I'm sorry, I'm going to ask you to retract your bid or I'm simply not going to take your money for this, I can't take the chance," or is that not a thing? (I'm not concerned with not getting paid, that has already happened, I just wait, mark as unpaid, cancel, block and move on. I'm concerned with the switcheroo where the scammer will claim they didn't get it or try to return something completely different after I have refunded them.)

[simba6]

No.   Also you can't assume a new user will be any more trouble that others.  I had the worst time with a buyer that was also a seller and had shooting star level feedback.

[byrd69er]

You once had zero feedback. Remember?

[12345jamesstamps]

I would send it since it was a purchase. Don't leave feedback until you get feedback. I had a purchase yesterday with someone with no feedback. This will be my 7th sale this year with buyers with no feedback. I have not had a problem yet ( and these had no tracking by the way). I keep on eye on these no feedback buyers and notice one thing so far....they never get any feedback in the 3 months since my purchase...which is odd. Its like they woke up and decided to buy something for the year.

[dryophelia]

@flg8or1 

If this is still an active listing, why don’t you just cancel their bid(s)?

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/canceling-bid?id=4140&st=3&pos=5&query=C...

You can’t ‘not take their money’. 

[slippinjimmy]

Are you here to sell stuff or are you here to insult and chase buyers away that will have a negative effect on ALL sellers?

[inhawaii]

The answer to your question is YES.

You can refuse to sell to anybody for any reason.

[powell-memorabilia]

$20 items are not targets for scammers.  

[mybigsale]

@flg8or1 

Can I refuse to sell an item to a new eBay member with 0 feedback?

Yes. If the buyer pays, you will need to cancel for reason out of stock or item damaged. You will get a defect. Once you pass a 2.00% defect rate you will drop to below standard and have to pay extra fees. If you remain below standard, you may face being permanently banned from eBay.

I have never had issues with 0 feedback or new buyers. Some buyers find an item they want and then create an account to purchase the item.

[robbie31415]

How does ebay grow, and make a larger customer base if sellers are just going to block new people.

The marketplace would die.

[dhbookds]

I'm concerned with the switcheroo where the scammer will claim they didn't get it or try to return something completely different after I have refunded them.)

That can happen on ANY transaction with ANY buyer........

I agree with @slippinjimmy , what you are suggesting will immediately turn buyers off....to the detriment of the site......why should they try to buy here if that's how sellers treat new buyers? 

Frankly, if you can't stand the heat......probably best you don't try to sell here..

[inhawaii]

I'm surprised that a long-time experienced seller like yourself  feels the way you do about "0" feedback buyers.

FYI there is no way to block/prevent "0" feedback buyers from bidding/buying from you.

[maxine*j]

A customer walks into a store and the owner tells him he's not allowed to buy anything in the store because he'd never bought anything there before. 

"That makes no sense," says the customer. 

The owner says, "Since you've never bought anything in here before. how do I know you aren't some kind of jerk I'll regret selling to?"

The customer shakes his head and as he turns to leave says, "I guess I see why you're having a going-out-of-business sale."

-

[robbie31415]

Haha I enjoyed that story.

I was thinking of like walking into walmart to buy a TV, and they are like.

"You need to make 10 unique visits with purchase of smaller items each time before you are allowed to buy a TV"

[cardxcraft]

Good analogy except the owner of said store probably isn't too worried about the buyer returning a box of Filo's finest doo doo in place of a $1000 Iphone.  They could do a credit card charge back but not the old poop box switcheroo.