How can I restrict selling just 1 item per buyer?

[traderusa]

I have an item with 100 units but don't want to sell more than 1 unit for the same buyer (or at the same purchase).

How can I do that?  Thanks.

[traderusa]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@traderusa wrote:

Thank you so much for the answers, all the "solutions" are just "workarounds" because ebay don't have this feature.

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I don't think eBay is going to focus much effort on creating features that prevent buyers from buying.  Especially eBay knows how easy it is to create new accounts. 

Not true, at least ebay has 1 option to block selling to users with less than a 1-5 rate. Will be great if ebay develops more options to block users, and will be important if Sellers can give Negative feedback to buyers (not only positive, this is totally biased).

I'm considering removing all my items that cost more than $50 just because of the lack of protection from ebay. At the end of the day, ebay insecurity is making sellers lose money regularly, and everyone here knows that and still accepts this.

[traderusa]

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@bonjourami wrote:

"Please, stop snoop other people's business, this is not polite, try to focus on the question only."

What 'snoop'? There is nothing to snoop with you..

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LOL, see that?! You tried to snoop, but failed, this is the idea.

[lightlily_arts]

Personally I do understand that you are trying to limit possible false claims.  The only way to do this is only list a few at a time.  For example, list only 3 units and then revise the number after 30 days.

[dbfolks166mt]

Not true, at least ebay has 1 option to block selling to users with less than a 1-5 rate. Will be great if ebay develops more options to block users, and will be important if Sellers can give Negative feedback to buyers (not only positive, this is totally biased).

The odds of either of those ever happening is probably close to less than 0. As far as the current option for blocking buyers there are easy ways around that. 

I'm considering removing all my items that cost more than $50 just because of the lack of protection from ebay. At the end of the day, ebay insecurity is making sellers lose money regularly, and everyone here knows that and still accepts this.

That would probably be a good move for you. EBay has always been bias towards the buyer and that is probably not going to change. It is no different than other ecommerce platforms. Number 1 rule as a seller on eBay NEVER list anything you cannot afford to take the financial loss on.  You are correct every seller, at least the smart ones, are aware of the risks in selling on this platform. 

[dbfolks166mt]

Does anyone else get the impression we're being baited? 

Not really. I get the impression that we are dealing with a paranoid seller who has been on eBay for a little over a year, has nothing listed and has sold nothing. They also don't seem to have a lot of understanding regarding how eBay works and what the policies are. They pretty much ignore seasoned sellers advice in response to the original question so it's pretty obvious they will do as they wish. Getting off eBay is probably their best option. 

[traderusa]

I'm a small seller, sold $5,200 this year in 340 orders, and got 2% of refund requests (about 7). 4 "Didn't Arrive" and were Solved, and 3 INAD that show me how ebay is Unfair, the photo of the sent product is 100% exactly the product page, so ebay should follow their rules "A buyer Falsely Claims an item was not as described", but they always protect the rogue buyers and thieves.

I'm not new, nor paranoid, I just don't accept how everyone here Never complains against ebay Automatic Refund system. This is like a raped victim falling in love with her rapist.

These "seasoned sellers" that just accept this unfair system and never complains, just make other sellers' life worst.

[soh.maryl]

You probably thought that your comment comparing a situation on eBay to "a **bleep** victim falling in love with her rapist" was apt.  Unless you have experience in that direction, please do not make that comparison.  It trivializes a horrible experience.  Thank you for your future consideration.  

[bonjourami]

Easy to see you have three feedbacks, and are a newbie, there is nothing to snoop.

[downunder-61]

While I understand you want to restrict your losses, you will be restricting your profit's or the potential for profit, not to mention return customers and that is a death knoll to any business.

I think  you are pre-empting solutions to problems that have not happened because you read too much on here

Remember the horror stories on these boards are NOT the normal for eBay, people only come here to complain about bad seller/buyer issues, they seldom come to say how wonderful things are going.

Once you gain experience you will realise this.

[ikonicstudios]

I am wondering the same thing. Why would you want to limit the purchase of the customers and blocking them doesn't make sense for this scenario. If a customer who is blocked comes back because they received their item on time and has a good experience with you, why block them? If I were a buyer and this happened to me, I would re-think about buying from a seller with these practices. Personally, I would welcome any buyer who wants to purchase my entire stock of any one item. As long as nothing shady occurred after the sale like a request to ship to another address or anything that would jeopardize the seller protections, I'd be all for it. Anyhow, just my thoughts. Hope everything works out for you.

[traderusa]

This is a Popular Quote, just Google it, it's used by speakers, professors, writers, philosophers, etc. But I'll consider what you think and don't use it anymore.

[traderusa]

"As long as nothing shady occurred after the sale" Can you predict the future?! OMG, so naive.

I should stop answering people that not read all the posts, but I don't blame you, this thread become big. Just look for the post with the term: "Risk Management", and the post before that.

[theteamsetguy]

This is why most insurance companies will buy reinsurance including the big ones like State Farm, Allstate and etc. Reinsurance spreads out the risk.

[theteamsetguy]

Based on your numbers your average sales was $15.00 per item. $5,200.00 divided by 340. You had a 2% shrink rate which is about average. The cost of the 7 items would mean a loss of $105.00 (7 times $15.00).

If you raised the average selling price by .30 per item you would cover most of your losses from shrink.

[traderusa]

Thank you, this is a workaround because of the ebay Automatic Refund system that protects crook buyers.

IF ebay was Fair, and protect Sellers from abusive buyers, I could Decrease my prices to sell more and also start selling expensive products ($500+, $1000+), I would make more profits and also pay more to ebay (15% fees).

IF ebay was Fair, this would be a Win-Win for everyone: Sellers Buyers, eBay.

If all sellers here start to complain ebay about this problem, all of us will be benefited.