eBay

bigdeals.etc · ‎08-17-2018

I've had this happen to me about a year ago... I believe it was the same group of people reaching out to me (or the same person with multiple accounts) because their ebay accounts were all registered in the same small international country. I figured they were "scamming" for free stuff because their youtube pages or instagram all showed close to no activity... no followers.

Today I just got another 0 rating member giving me an even more vague message. They asked for a "few free items" and in return they'll sponsor me in their next few videos. That's all they said. I asked them a follow up and await their reply. But do you think this is legit? They didn't introduce themselves, tell me about their "business", no links or references to their sites, blogs, videos. No business metrics or stats of their followers... Nothing. I would think someone who does this often would be able to make a better sales pitch, right?

Who here has had experience with this?

emerald40 · ‎08-17-2018

The reason and legitimacy is unimportant.

Do you give your stuff away?

If not, ignore and block.

It is like answering the phone from a solicitor, you will get 10 calls tomorrow, 20 the next day.

Give something away here for free and they will never let you go.

It is why when I make a purchase from a B&M store and they ask for my email address. I say no.

I once did, and my inbox was full of email from other companies.

muttlymob · ‎08-17-2018

@bigdeals.etc wrote:

But do you think this is legit?

nope.

not a chance.

dbmm-media · ‎08-17-2018

if your going to be giving free stuff.....

i'm looking for a authentic rolex replica

lewisburggold · ‎08-17-2018

There fishing to see what kind of response they get from different sellers. They have sent to us before we responded with sure if you send us free stuff we will send you free stuff. We never heard from again. Best regards

aigib-77 · ‎08-17-2018

They hit Amazon sellers as well.

retrose1 · ‎08-17-2018

A few years ago I had an editor of a California lifestyle magazine ask if they could borrow a $18 item I had listed on another site - it was really unusual and hard to find. They wanted it as a prop for a pic for an article they were doing. They promised a blurb under the pic about where it came from, so free publicity from a group of people that buy my stuff. I checked out the website (it was an actual paper magazine) and it looked good so I said sure.

I sent the item to them with my card that had my store name and site address. About 3 months later I got it back with a copy of the magazine. It took me 3 times through to find my item and even longer to find the thanks for the props section at the bottom of the next to last page. Which didn't get my store name right or identify the item. So for the $8 in postage, I got a copy of a lame magazine and no advertising.

So if anyone asks now, they can rent it.

(*Bleep*)

a_c_green · ‎08-18-2018

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
Today I just got another 0 rating member giving me an even more vague message. They asked for a "few free items" and in return they'll sponsor me in their next few videos.

Technically, if this was at all legitimate (it isn't), you would be sponsoring them, as you're giving them free stuff from which they will benefit. Their mentioning you by name, if such "videos" ever get made, will likely result in you getting even more pitches from people wanting free stuff. Just don't go down that rabbit hole.

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
I asked them a follow up and await their reply. But do you think this is legit? They didn't introduce themselves, tell me about their "business", no links or references to their sites, blogs, videos. No business metrics or stats of their followers... Nothing.

I wouldn't trust that offer any further than I could throw it by the leg. It's just a novel way to get you to part with your merchandise at no cost to them.

newview · ‎08-18-2018

@emerald40 wrote:

It is why when I make a purchase from a B&M store and they ask for my email address. I say no.
I once did, and my inbox was full of email from other companies.

The same with phone numbers. They say they use your phone number to look up your account. Nope, they are gathering phone numbers to SELL to telemarketers. I’ve left more than one store without an item I was waiting, cash in hand, to purchase because they were insistent that they needed my phone number to process the transaction.

I'm ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ certain the lunatics have taken over the asylum.

everything-from-trinkets-to-treasures · ‎08-18-2018

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
I've had this happen to me about a year ago... I believe it was the same group of people reaching out to me (or the same person with multiple accounts) because their ebay accounts were all registered in the same small international country. I figured they were "scamming" for free stuff because their youtube pages or instagram all showed close to no activity... no followers.

Today I just got another 0 rating member giving me an even more vague message. They asked for a "few free items" and in return they'll sponsor me in their next few videos. That's all they said. I asked them a follow up and await their reply. But do you think this is legit? They didn't introduce themselves, tell me about their "business", no links or references to their sites, blogs, videos. No business metrics or stats of their followers... Nothing. I would think someone who does this often would be able to make a better sales pitch, right?

Who here has had experience with this?

Just say no......and move on...report the message if you want.

myjunqueyourtreasure · ‎08-18-2018

@newview wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:

It is why when I make a purchase from a B&M store and they ask for my email address. I say no.
I once did, and my inbox was full of email from other companies.
The same with phone numbers. They say they use your phone number to look up your account. Nope, they are gathering phone numbers to SELL to telemarketers. I’ve left more than one store without an item I was waiting, cash in hand, to purchase because they were insistent that they needed my phone number to process the transaction.

No B&M needs anything to process your transaction except your payment method of choice - period. I would have asked to speak to a manager.

Reality is the leading cause of stress.

treasure.hunter.d · ‎08-18-2018

Legit influencers/product reviewers go directly to the manufacturer or distributer. In many cases, if they have a sufficiently large following they don't even need to do that. For example, ASBYT on youtube has stuff just sent to him all of the time for him to review, as does Unboxing Therapy (my personal fav)

the fact that these schmucks are contacting an ebay seller just outs them immediately as scammers.

tamaralea · ‎08-19-2018

My millenial son does this with manufacturers, as someone upthread has mentioned. He has 1800 followers on instagram and about 8 sponsors.

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎08-19-2018

I have had my website featured in several magazines. Some buy the items outright. Some ask to borrow but it's an actual publishing company email address (which I can see unlike here). I've never had a bad experience with them or with movie prop people.

"influencers" are totally different. Why would an Ebay seller need an influencer unless they were the manufacturer/artist of the items?

poppyswag · ‎08-19-2018

@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
@newview wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:

It is why when I make a purchase from a B&M store and they ask for my email address. I say no.
I once did, and my inbox was full of email from other companies.
The same with phone numbers. They say they use your phone number to look up your account. Nope, they are gathering phone numbers to SELL to telemarketers. I’ve left more than one store without an item I was waiting, cash in hand, to purchase because they were insistent that they needed my phone number to process the transaction.
No B&M needs anything to process your transaction except your payment method of choice - period. I would have asked to speak to a manager.

It does happen though. They say the "system" needs a phone number to process a payment. And many stores don't even have a manager that can/will override it. Most recently happened to me at AutoZone. Some clerks will override by punching in a random phone number. You can have a fake # ready but sometimes the program will scan that to see if it's legit. I agree with new view. Just take my money, period. Ugh.