I block PO Boxes but buyer used Best Offer, I added Buyer Block Exemption List Buyer still can't pay

[crasoum]

So I block PO Boxes, mostly due to larger items being cheaper to ship with FedEx than USPS. 

Buyer submitted a best offer but can't pay because I don't ship to PO Boxes, so I added them to my Buyer Block Exemption List. They still can't pay. I unchecked under https://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences " Buyers in locations to which I don't ship
Block buyers whose primary shipping address is in a location I don't ship to.
This requirement can help you avoid buyers who agree to purchase your items without realizing you don't ship to their location."

Buyer still can't pay. Is this a bug with the eBay Managed Payments, or just a bug regardless with the entirety of eBay? 

[gwzcomps]

What shipping method was specified in the listing?  You might try canceling and relisting.  When you relist make sure the PO box block is not part of the listing.

Alternatively have them change their address.  I have seen buyers use various methods to circumvent PO box blocks.

[pburn]

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@crasoum wrote:

I added them to my Buyer Block Exemption List.

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That's not what that list is for. If you have previously blocked a buyer by his/her member id, putting them on the exemption list will allow them to purchase from you.

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@crasoum wrote:

 " Buyers in locations to which I don't ship
Block buyers whose primary shipping address is in a location I don't ship to.

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That's not what that feature is for, either. "Location" means a country, not a post office box. A post office box is not a "location" in this context.

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@crasoum wrote:

Is this a bug with the eBay Managed Payments, or just a bug regardless with the entirety of eBay? 

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It's not a bug with eBay. It's not a bug with Managed Payments. You're trying to use the wrong tools to resolve your problem.

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@crasoum wrote:

So I block PO Boxes, mostly due to larger items being cheaper to ship with FedEx than USPS. 

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Change the restriction you've placed on shipping to post office boxes. That's what you've blocked, so that's what you have to UNBLOCK.

Or have the buyer provide an acceptable street address during the checkout process--the address of a friend, relative, neighbor or whoever.

[lacemaker3]

@crasoum;

The buyer blocks prevent buyers from buying that they wouldn't be able to pay for. Adding a user ID to your buyer block exemption list allows them to buy something, but they still won't be able to pay for it with a PO box address if the listing blocks shipping to a PO Box.

It's not a bug, that's how it's supposed to work.

A better way to solve the problem would have been to revise the listing so that it allowed shipping to a PO Box. But, if your buyer has already purchased it and now can't pay, then it's too late. You can't revise a listing after it has ended. If the buyer hasn't purchased it yet, then revise it and change the shipping requirement. You may need to decline the offer, I don't think you'll be able to revise if there are active offers on the listing.

If the buyer has already purchased it at this point, you will have to figure out what the shipping will be to the buyer's address, and send an invoice with that shipping on it. Once they have an invoice with the shipping cost specified, the buyer should be able to pay as long as there isn't some other block acting as well.

https://www.ebay.com/help/fees-invoices/feesinvoices-getting-paid/issue-invoice-combining-payments?i...

[corvettestainless]

Don't add to 'unblock' list; just find their name in the 'blocked' list and erase it. Works every time. 

PS, the box that get's checked in preferences that says 'don't let blocked buyers contact me'... doesn't work; and hasn't for years. So, I assume that 'unblock' does not erase/override the 'blocked' on it's own.

[pburn]

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@corvettestainless wrote:

Don't add to 'unblock' list; just find their name in the 'blocked' list and erase it. Works every time. 

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The OP's buyer is not on a "blocked" list. The buyer can't buy because s/he has a post office box. THAT'S what's holding up the transaction, not anything to do with being on the OP's blocked buyer list.

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@corvettestainless wrote:

PS, the box that get's checked in preferences that says 'don't let blocked buyers contact me'... doesn't work; and hasn't for years. So, I assume that 'unblock' does not erase/override the 'blocked' on it's own.

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The buyer-contact block stops buyers from sending messages from the item listing page.

Buyers can still contact sellers through links on the sellers' feedback pages or the sellers' profiles. That is how it is designed, and that's how eBay wants and expects it to work. eBay wants buyers to be able to contact sellers. It works exactly the way they designed it. So, no--it's not a matter of "doesn't work."

[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

Once there is a purchase, you can't go back and change any of that on that transaction.  We can't change anything on a purchase after the fact for very good reasons.

I realize you have a problem that would be the rare time when changing an existing purchase seems acceptable, but you still can't do it that I'm aware of.

IMHO you need to cancel the transaction for bad address.  Correct the listing and have the buyer repurchase the item.  That should resolve your issue.

[gwzcomps]

I don't think the buyer is on OPs block list.  Their buyer is getting blocked by their Buyer Requirements filters.  Putting the buyer on the exemption list makes said buyer exempt from the buyer requirements settings.  I am not sure if the seller has to do that before a purchase is made though.

[nkmipgolf]

I just add BX246 (not BOX 246) to my full address and it works fine, even with Amazon. I get all my mail.

[crasoum]

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@pburn wrote:

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@crasoum wrote:

I added them to my Buyer Block Exemption List.

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That's not what that list is for. If you have previously blocked a buyer by his/her member id, putting them on the exemption list will allow them to purchase from you.

The list worked fine when I was not on Managed Payments when I had a smaller item that I could ship USPS, so yes it used to work that way.  Twice I did it in the past, because twice before I had the same issue where a buyer put in a best offer, then tried to check out with a PO Box. Not my first rodeo.

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@crasoum wrote:

 " Buyers in locations to which I don't ship
Block buyers whose primary shipping address is in a location I don't ship to.

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That's not what that feature is for, either. "Location" means a country, not a post office box. A post office box is not a "location" in this context.

Except to eBay it is, it's ALL part of the same restriction option under eBay. https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/setting-buyer-requirements?id=... cites you can use the exemption to allow it (per

How to create exemptions to your buyer requirements
To exempt particular buyers from your requirements, you can add the username to your buyer requirements exemption list. )

and https://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences is the specific place where it shows as blocking countries, AND PO Boxes. 

not a bug with Managed Payments. You're trying to use the wrong tools to resolve your problem.

As per eBay's page I was tried to use the exact RIGHT tools for the job, and they don't work like they should, when a couple months ago I was able to do this same thing effortlessly. Only thing that has changed is I was just recently rolled over into managed payments. 

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Change the restriction you've placed on shipping to post office boxes. That's what you've blocked, so that's what you have to UNBLOCK.

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Yea, I already did that, when I un-selected from "Block buyers whose primary shipping address is in a location I don't ship to." in https://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences

[crasoum]

Yea I've had buyers in the past get around my PO box restriction.

That isn't my issue. My issue is this used to work how I did it, and now doesn't.  I'm just irritated that something that used to be simple isn't anymore. 

[crasoum]

They are blocked through general buyer restrictions, not specifically.

If someone is specifically blocked I'd be crazy to unblock them, as their is usually a reason they were blocked in the first place. 

[pburn]

@gwzcomps 

That's what I said.

[gwzcomps]

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@crasoum wrote:

Yea I've had buyers in the past get around my PO box restriction.

That isn't my issue. My issue is this used to work how I did it, and now doesn't.  I'm just irritated that something that used to be simple isn't anymore. 

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Luckily if they haven't paid yet you aren't out any fees.