eBay

rgraf2zacharia · ‎11-16-2017

Maybe someone can help me with my recent sale? I was selling an expensive new jacket and a person seemed very interested. He asked me a million questions, all of which I answered. He was trying to get me to accept a bid that was low and he was so persistent that he was annoying me. I gave him my lowest price that was acceptable and then I told him that was my lowest price. He then started questioning whether the jacket was authentic and was getting even more annoying. He never accepted my lowest price at this time, but instead starting making bids below what he knew I would accept.

I felt that a scam might be in play and that he might claim that he never got the item or that it was defective or something else so I blocked him from making any more bids. After I blocked him he kept messaging me over and over but I ignored him at that point because he seemed a little unstable to me and I didn't want to get scammed by him. I really don't want to get stuck for the high price that the item costs me. The very next day the item that I was selling was purchased by another person (in the exact same size and color that the first guy was interested in) and from the same city. Even the ebay names of the buyer and the blocked individual had the same phrase in them. It's obviously the same guy although the buyer says that it's for his daughter blah blah blah.

So now what would you guys recommend? Should I ship out the expensive jacket and take a chance even though I don't really trust the buyer not to pull a scam? He's paid for it on Paypal. This blocked guy seems a little obsessed and a little unstable to me. I really don't even want to ship him the item where he would get my name and address off of the box, to be honest. So what do you guys recommend that I should do? I'm certain that the buyer is the same person as the one that I blocked.

P.S. I've been selling on ebay sporadically for years and have a perfect rating. I just don't want to get a bad rating or get scammed on this expensive item. Thanks!

partial*eclipse · ‎11-16-2017

If you cancel the transaction , you will get a defect on your account.

If you fail to ship theitem, then eventually he will file an "Item not received" claim and if you refund promptly (before it's escalated) you will NOT get a defect on your account.

Reading about these types of experiences is why I am so fast to put a member on my BBL as soon as they even START to seem weird or annoying. Usually that's after about 3 questions, since I try to write really thorough listing descriptions.

rgraf2zacharia · ‎11-16-2017

I did put him on my BBL however he made the purchase using a different account (although the account name is very similar to the name on the account that I blocked). If I ship him the item what can he do to me? Can he claim that the box was empty, that the item was defective, that he never received the item at all? I'm just trying to protect myself because I'm working on a very low profit margin here and I will have to sell 4 more of this item just to get back to even if he scams me.

emerald40 · ‎11-16-2017

Call ebay and see if they can link accounts.

Tell them he circumvented your block.

If you get someone with a clue they may be able to help,

But come here and run it by us first.

rgraf2zacharia · ‎11-16-2017

I took your advice and contacted Ebay. They say that the 2 accounts are not linked but I'm sure that it's the same person because its the same city, same item, size and color, and both accounts have the same phrase in them. Ebay said that I can cancel the sale or I can just purchase the insurance on my shipping label. She also said that I can change my name on the label so that the individual doesn't have my real name. So what do you think? Should I send out the item or cancel the transaction?

emerald40 · ‎11-16-2017

Within ebay's parameters, you have no reason to cancel the listing without incurring a defect.

Defects can be detrimental on your account.

Purchasing insurance will only protect you if the item gets damaged in shipping or is lost.

It will not protect you against a scammer stating SNAD and sending you back a rock. Nothing will for any of us.

No clue why ebay suggested you hide your name. If a scam takes place, how would you fight it?

Can your account take a defect?

If not wrap it extremely carefully, purchase insurance, get online tracking, and if over $750 online signature confirmation, and hope for the best.

It is the risk we all take when selling here.

If it does go sideways, come back and we can advise you further.

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@rgraf2zacharia wrote:
...So now what would you guys recommend?...

Ship it and prey (for 180 days). If you don't you will get a defect.

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@partial*eclipse wrote:

...Reading about these types of experiences is why I am so fast to put a member on my BBL as soon as they even START to seem weird or annoying. Usually that's after about 3 questions, since I try to write really thorough listing descriptions.

And there you go Buyers, see what eBay has created? I'm not judging, many sellers do this including myself, but eBay has really messed up the level of trust between buyers and sellers.

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@rgraf2zacharia wrote:
I did put him on my BBL however he made the purchase using a different account (although the account name is very similar to the name on the account that I blocked). If I ship him the item what can he do to me? Can he claim that the box was empty, that the item was defective, that he never received the item at all? I'm just trying to protect myself because I'm working on a very low profit margin here and I will have to sell 4 more of this item just to get back to even if he scams me.

Yes, Yes and no (if you have tracking)

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
Call ebay and see if they can link accounts.

Tell them he circumvented your block.

If you get someone with a clue they may be able to help,

But come here and run it by us first.

Although that's a good idea, I don't think that is a violation anymore so eBay won't do anything even if they link the accounts. At least I remember posts to this issue.

rgraf2zacharia · ‎11-16-2017

I will ship it. The buyer has a good rating but its just that he was annoying me almost harassing me and he knows that I blocked him on his first account. So now he's using a second account and I'm worried that he will try to scam me. I'll change my name on the shipping label just so that he doesn't have it. I'm actually going to use an address that's a few doors down from mine so he doesn't have that either. Again, I've sold a few things on Ebay over the years but this guy just set off my alarms. Maybe I'm getting paranoid.

emerald40 · ‎11-16-2017

@phcd1 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
Call ebay and see if they can link accounts.

Tell them he circumvented your block.

If you get someone with a clue they may be able to help,

But come here and run it by us first.
Although that's a good idea, I don't think that is a violation anymore so eBay won't do anything even if they link the accounts. At least I remember posts to this issue.

Ebay said that a buyer can circumvent your block if he means no harm to your account

So that is why I suggested OP call and get this person on record. So that if he pulls something you can go back and show ebay.

But in this case ebay says there was no link they could find. But of course I could be blocked on my account. Then buy something on my son's account. No link between the two accounts, but it is still me.

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@rgraf2zacharia wrote:
I will ship it. The buyer has a good rating but its just that he was annoying me almost harassing me and he knows that I blocked him on his first account. So now he's using a second account and I'm worried that he will try to scam me. I'll change my name on the shipping label just so that he doesn't have it. I'm actually going to use an address that's a few doors down from mine so he doesn't have that either. Again, I've sold a few things on Ebay over the years but this guy just set off my alarms. Maybe I'm getting paranoid.

I would not change the name just in case you have to make a claim with the shipper. Many are dead set on only the actual named person of record can make claims. As far as a "good rating", all buyers have good ratings. That's all they can have since eBay initiated the no negs for a buyer rule a few years back. Changing the return address is a bad move too, what happens if the buyer refuses it just to punish you and it comes back to that address (yeah, I know, refusing a package voids the MBG but...). I think you're putting too much into this. Ship it, put insurance on it if you want, heck, add a siggy on it for that matter but non of that will really help you in the end. Just make sure you use tracking.

emerald40 · ‎11-16-2017

@rgraf2zacharia wrote:
I will ship it. The buyer has a good rating but its just that he was annoying me almost harassing me and he knows that I blocked him on his first account. So now he's using a second account and I'm worried that he will try to scam me. I'll change my name on the shipping label just so that he doesn't have it. I'm actually going to use an address that's a few doors down from mine so he doesn't have that either. Again, I've sold a few things on Ebay over the years but this guy just set off my alarms. Maybe I'm getting paranoid.

And what happens if he returns the item. It will go to another address. Did you give the person living there a heads up?

All buyers have good ratings. Have you checked his feedback left for others?

phcd1 · ‎11-16-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
@phcd1 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
Call ebay and see if they can link accounts.

Tell them he circumvented your block.

If you get someone with a clue they may be able to help,

But come here and run it by us first.
Although that's a good idea, I don't think that is a violation anymore so eBay won't do anything even if they link the accounts. At least I remember posts to this issue.
Ebay said that a buyer can circumvent your block if he means no harm to your account

So that is why I suggested OP call and get this person on record. So that if he pulls something you can go back and show ebay.

But in this case ebay says there was no link they could find. But of course I could be blocked on my account. Then buy something on my son's account. No link between the two accounts, but it is still me.