How to enable Pre-Approved bidders option? (workaround inside)

[trinniti]

Hello,

Because of a high amount of bad/entitled buyers that Ebay has created, I have had to make my own "pre-approval" process.  Right now I have to raise the price of my item unreasonably high and make a comment in the description to "please contact me for pre-approval".   Has anyone found a way other than that to do it?  The bidding requirement options are currently not strong enough to keep out these bad buyers that want to return perfectly good items, even though I have the no returns accepted, and even say no returns in my description. Do they think I am WalMart or something? 

This isn't against the TOS because I am allowed to price my item for whatever I want.  I suggest others do the same until a permanent option is enabled for us sellers.  Time for some balance.  Right now there is no integrity in the buyer/seller relationship, it should be equal.

[*help_no_brakes*]

I'll pass thanks.

What is your "pre-approval process" & how does it work. 

I have enough confidence in my items & am big enough & ugly enough to cope with any difficult buyers.

My TOS consists of one sentence & refers to my shipping/handling.

[sockmonkeydave]

@trinniti

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@trinniti wrote:

Hello,

Because of a high amount of bad/entitled buyers that Ebay has created, I have had to make my own "pre-approval" process.  Right now I have to raise the price of my item unreasonably high and make a comment in the description to "please contact me for pre-approval".   Has anyone found a way other than that to do it?  The bidding requirement options are currently not strong enough to keep out these bad buyers that want to return perfectly good items, even though I have the no returns accepted, and even say no returns in my description. Do they think I am WalMart or something? 

This isn't against the TOS because I am allowed to price my item for whatever I want.  I suggest others do the same until a permanent option is enabled for us sellers.  Time for some balance.  Right now there is no integrity in the buyer/seller relationship, it should be equal.

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I looked at hand full not a single one said contact me for pre approval.

And how would you vette them, there is no info that you can see about them.

I bet you are running off good buyers.

You can say no returns until you are blue in the face, ebay says otherwise.

[trinniti]

This is regarding my other account.

Been on ebay since 2002.  Ebay has done nothing but create monsters for buyers.  Pretty much my last straw in order to combat losing money because of it this constant and unchanging and confusing choice they made a while back.  It's as simple of a few clicks for a buyer to all their money back, eBay doesn't check to see if the item is actually broken/wrong or whatever, it's just 100% always favors the buyers, I have to pay for shipping both ways for some reason as well.  Even if it was a local brick/mortar transaction they would have to drive or ship the item back to me. 

Basically, my process will be to see if they have over a certain feedback score, see if they have sold anything, check their feedback and comments/feedback they left to sellers, if they have ever left negative, they will be added to my blocked bidders list.  Most importantly, in order for them to buy from me, they will have to contact me. Meaning they want the item bad enough to do so, giving me a much better chance that it will stay out and get to the correct buyer.  During the conversation, I will make sure they know what they are buying as well.  

[copper.boom]

@trinniti Aren't you concerned that setting a high price and including a message about buyer exclusion in your listings will make you a target for "bad buyers" who want to mess with you?

[trinniti]

Buyers are already messing with me, I have nothing to lose. I feel like I am giving eBay a gift by suggesting a fix, not sure how many more chances I can give them, or how many more tips/suggestions on how to create a fair selling platform. Luckily for me, all my items on all my accounts are already on Reverb, with a 3.5% final fee. It's just a matter of how much more I can take. 3-4 of my last sales have come back for no reason other than the person changed their mind. I have had no problems on other selling sites. NONE

[trinniti]

Sorry, let me be clear.  I am raising the price to the point no one would buy them.  Then when approved they will be allowed to send an offer.

Also let me be clear again, this is happening on one of my other accounts.

[*help_no_brakes*]

On one of my buying accounts I have left 3 negs out of over 1100 transactions.

These were for items not shipped or winning auctions canceled. 

So I guess if I tried to buy from you I would join your party list.

I welcome zero feedback bidders & I only list in auction format.

Best regards. 

[copper.boom]

I understood that. That's not going to stop a buyer from playing your game, using an account with all positive FB left for others, etc, getting 'approved' by you, purchasing the item, then opening a SNAD just because they can. Or even purchasing the item flat out at the ridiculously high price flat out then claiming SNAD.

Just saying that the process you want to implement will likely hinder sales and attract less than desirables.

[coolections]

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@trinniti wrote:

my process will be to see if they have over a certain feedback score, see if they have sold anything, check their feedback and comments/feedback they left to sellers, if they have ever left negative, they will be added to my blocked bidders list.  Most importantly, in order for them to buy from me, they will have to contact me. Meaning they want the item bad enough to do so, giving me a much better chance that it will stay out and get to the correct buyer.  During the conversation, I will make sure they know what they are buying as well.  

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Wow.. you must have some stuff that people are waiting in line to buy.  I can't imagine anyone wanting anything that bad.  Let us know how that works OK.

[chiaretta]

I only ever opened one SNAD in almost 7.000 purchases, and recently I asked to return an item because I had made a mistake about dimensions (yes, the seller had a 30 days return policy, and yes, I paid for return shipping, after warning the seller).

The last Item not Received dispute I opened was seven years ago.

Believe it or not, every single negative I ever left was not strong enough.

Contact me before bidding?

I will simply look elsewhere, your loss, not mine

[sockmonkeydave]

@trinniti

I have never bought or sold on this account it is a big fat zero on FB.

So you would never sell to me?

Sad, I could have became your best repeat customer, but you will never know.

[trinniti]

Look, it's just an extra step that I am taking to ensure that the item is going to the correct person.  I sell high-end audio studio equipment that is very technical and not for the average person or beginner.   At this point, I am happy to have my items sit on eBay for a few extra days/weeks to find the right person rather than lose money and go through the stress it creates.    

Currently, there is no other way for me to filter the buyers that use eBay to rent/try/test out items at my expense. It's allowed and eBay encourages this behavior based on the return policies currently in place.

I am only suggesting that IF you are having issues with these buyers to use this extra step because it WORKS.  

[trinniti]

You are all welcome for the tips and my effort to help make transactions fair for BOTH buyer and seller.  Not every seller has the same situation or sells the same items to the same type of people.

 This account I have no problems with buyers so I understand that some items/accounts are lucky in that aspect. But your good fortune does not negate that other people/accounts are having real, actual issues.

[7606dennis]

I don't think that any requirement for pre-approval to bid would be enforceable here on eBay.  The request that they contact you, in my opinion, could easily draw eBay's attention since they appear to be on a crusade to crack down on people attempting to make off-site deals.