LIST BELOW:
The buyer new to eBay that thinks all sellers on eBay are Amazon!
They want things rushed to them! They complain when it's
not shipped when they think it should have been! Add USPS priority mail express as one of your shipping options and if they are willing to pay for it ship it that way..
The buyer who has one feedback by his name, hasn't bought anything
for six months or a year, picks my store, and (1) buys never pays!
receives and complains about it! A lot of the items you are selling have an established market price range. For those items use BIN with immediate payment required.
(2) Buys
One of these buyers once told me when asked
what was wrong with the record album he bought, and he said: “I just
didn't like it.” OKAY? Why did you buy it? Welcome to ecommerce you are going to get a few of these no matter where you sell. You could always try local forums where the buyer picks up the item, you avoid the shipping cost and eBay fees and the buyer can inspect/look at the item before they take possession.
(3) The buyer who is looking
for a freebie! They buy with the intent to complain ask for a refund, but
keep the item, and never hear from them again! This is very common
now after Managed Payments went into effect. Not sure how this is happening if you are responding to the eBay case in a timely manner and offering a full refund upon return of the item. Now if they are filing a chargeback that is a different story depending on the reason for the chargeback. What I have seen an increase in is the number of buyers phishing for a discount, using some bogus reason, hoping you will give them a discount and allow them to keep the item. I always respond that I will provide a full refund on return of the item. Amazing how many times that is the last I hear from the buyer.
The bargain hunter, they want everything for half price or even cheaper!
I will not sell a 78rpm record for less than $9.99 for many reasons, So they
will try to ask for $8.00! NO! The one buyer today, another haven't bought for
six months or more, wanted a one dollar discount! The item is $15.99
free shipping, They wanted it for $14.99 and it's okay they said to add
sales tax! As if sellers have anything to do with that! As long as you don't have OBO enabled on your listings, which I do not, those I don't even answer and simply delete the message/email.
The story teller type of buyer, and why they need a discount! Everything
from their mom is dying and needs the record but can't pay full price,
to this gem: “Hi, I bought the same item from another seller, but it arrived
damaged is there anyway I could get a discount if I buy your copy, since I
already spent money on the other copy?” NO LIE HERE! Another example of those I simply delete.
I sell old yearbooks, I take 12 photos of some key pages, home coming queen
cheerleaders, football stars, senior pages, local ads, etc. Onetime I got a request
to look up a student, no problem, then when I told that person yes the student
is featured in the yearbook, they asked of I could take a photo of that page?
At first I thought nothing of it, but when I did, they said: “Thanks, now I don't
have to buy it, I needed it for my Facebook page.” I thought “I will never do that again!” 😀 BBL addition
Then a similar request only this time a “story teller type” of buyer, asked “If there dad
was in this yearbook?” I looked and he was. Second request, can you take a photo
of his photo for me?” I said: “No, I don't do that anymore, and I explained why.”
They threw a fit! They told me “Their dad was on his death bed, and this meant so
much for them to show him his yearbook picture! AND That: “You are a cruel person
it's people like you who make the world a horrible place to live!” I thought
gee wiz, okay okay I will do this one more time, so I took the photo of the photo,
these yearbook photos have screens so the dots close up make the image in the
photo I took and uploaded horrible! So when I sent the photo, I said it's not
the best quality, but that's all there is.” Days later they emailed me and said:
“Yes it's not that good.” and I never heard back from them, not even a thank you! Another BBL
It seems like these buyers are getting more numerous – and I hate it! They are. My BBL has grown more in the last 2 years than it did in the previous 15+.
Then to add fuel to the fire let's not forget these types of buyers:
NUMBER ONE: The buyer who never reads the description! Asks the question
that's been answered in that description! This happens constantly! I think what it
comes down to is a collector will see an item, wanting this item for so long
they impulse buy, pay, then read the description, then complain!
One buyer said, “I didn't see that in the description, you should have put that
first!” I said: “Even before the title of the item?” He didn't read! It was stated
two times! Yet another BBL.
NUMBER TWO: This goes for all buyers but overseas are the worst! They never
check the tracking on the package first before they open a claim, “haven't received
the item” So I track it, send them the history, send that to eBay, etc. I tell them
all the same thing! I have no control once the parcel leaves the USA! Quit selling internationally. I never sold internationally before the GSP and when eBay decided to get rid of that program I stopped selling internationally again.
NUMBER THREE: (Overseas) The lair, who asks for a return, when after checking tracking
turns out they don't even have the item in hand! This has happened a few times and they
got found out! Of course eBay had no choice but to side with me.
NUMBER FOUR: The buyer who switches the item, and returns the wrong copy!
Classic tale, sold a 78rpm record, these will crack in half if mishandled. Buyer
sent me a photo of the record cracked in half, upon further examination of their
photo, the copy wasn't even the one I shipped them! I pointed out that the dead
giveaway was the matrix number on the copy of the record I sold them was
in a different position then the one they tried to pass off! Of course eBay had
to side with me! This has happened a few times! This happens more than it should. Another BBL addition
Once I listed a Rolling Stones bootleg LP on the Pig label. These sell for fifth
bucks and up. I paid $25.00, thinking I could turn it for at least $35.00. Turns
out that the yellow vinyl disc was from a two record set. I didn't know this
until an outraged buyer sent me a message: “Hey I'm a huge Stones fan and
I would hate to see other Stones fans ripped off by your listing! YOU need
to fix the listing, and state that this is only part one of two records!” Then
he signed off with “Peace” I updated and some guy in Ohio bought it for
$35.00 bucks, and loved it! 😀
A day ago, a buyer said, “Do you really think this record is worth $19.99?”
I said: “The last copy sold on line went for $14.99 in lessor condition, make me
an offer!” Never heard from them. Then other well meaning members will email
me and say “this item will never sell at the price you're asking, it's only
worth about $300 to $600.” Which means they want it, but at their price!
I have found that once this happens the listing is jinxed – and doesn't sell?
Don't ask me why, but it's inevitable. Another one that draws the delete, no response and BBL.
Think about some of these buyers, do they plain this? Do they go in thinking
oh she's just a dumb seller, I'm going to scam her! What else can one think? For a lot of people it's simply in their nature
