Irresponsible buyers

[rspetra]

Hi, 

Given my luck it's probably just me, but is anyone else noticing an increase of what I'll call, "irresponsible" buyers? Over the past few months I have had several buyers - the majority with low to zero feedback - who bid on and then never pay for the items they win. They do not respond to invoices, messages or even the unpaid item claims. They simply up and disappear leaving you to wait for the claim to refund your fees then having to relist or second chance the item.

If it was once in a while I wouldn't be asking this question but its to the point where its 2 or 3 items per lot when I post things that are being left unpaid for. All the buyer gets is an "unpaid strike" as ebay calls them but what does that really say or do? It doesn't provide the seller any details when you look at the buyer's profile, not that I've seen. It's been years since they took away the seller's right to leave negative feedback and I'm starting to feel its time to give that right back to the sellers to deal with these folks. I don't feel there is any excuse for this type of behavior, new to ebay or not.

Ok, rant over 🙂 

[mr_lincoln]

@rspetra  Actually, I've noticed an increase in (0) to less then (10) Buyers in the last few months ... I think some lack experience in buying online and if they are using the phone APP then that may be a problem ... it has issues but also may be hard to navigate and folks might get frustrated trying to pay or may not even know they won something ... not sure I don't use the app but have seen it on other people's phones ... they spend a lot of time with their heads down whisking their fingers up and down and side ways ... makes my head spin to be honest.

I do have one (0) Buyer (now a (1) because I leave FB while the label is printing) who sent me a broken part in the mail, gave me their phone number and asked me to ship a replacement part ...hmmm, it's a 50 year old blender and the lid was broken when they press down too hard ... what I got back was missing a section which I am sure broke off while they were blending something and got chewed up!

Anyway, I phoned them but got a recording that their answering service was not set up!!!  I messaged them in eBay messaging but have heard nothing in 3 days.  I will mail a letter tomorrow and hopefully get through to them.  But its obvious to me they are clueless on communicating through the ebay site and sitting there not knowing that I have given them their options on how to proceed with either a return for full refund, partial to offset them having to find a new cap, etc. ... just hope it does not result in a bad transaction ...

[castlemagicmemories]

You might consider listing fixed price, immediate payment required.  No more no pays.

As far as strikes, you don't need to see them.  This works automatically if you have your block set to block those with 2 or more unpaid item strikes in a year.  This is the most popular and strictest block.  So if they have two strikes, they won't be buying from many, many sellers.

This works better because it is discreet.  Bad feedback was driving buyers from the site.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, the unpaid item strike is an important tool that eBay gives sellers to minimize our exposure to serial non-payers. Savvy sellers have their Buyer Requirements set to block buyers with more than 2 non-payment strikes in one year on their accounts. It is an effective way to limit deadbeat’s access to our listings. So do continue to file the Unpaid Item cases when they occur. Below is a link to Buyer Requirements for more information and set up.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/setting-buyer-requirements?id=...

[rspetra]

Thanks. I had considered that but I like the auction listings. It is a good recommendation though!

[rspetra]

Thanks for explaining the unpaid strikes. Now that I know there is a method to the madness I can use the blocking as described!!

[rspetra]

Now it makes sense!! Thank you.

[turquoisetulips]

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@rspetra wrote:

Hi, 

Given my luck it's probably just me, but is anyone else noticing an increase of what I'll call, "irresponsible" buyers? Over the past few months I have had several buyers - the majority with low to zero feedback - who bid on and then never pay for the items they win. They do not respond to invoices, messages or even the unpaid item claims. They simply up and disappear leaving you to wait for the claim to refund your fees then having to relist or second chance the item.

If it was once in a while I wouldn't be asking this question but its to the point where its 2 or 3 items per lot when I post things that are being left unpaid for. All the buyer gets is an "unpaid strike" as ebay calls them but what does that really say or do? It doesn't provide the seller any details when you look at the buyer's profile, not that I've seen. It's been years since they took away the seller's right to leave negative feedback and I'm starting to feel its time to give that right back to the sellers to deal with these folks. I don't feel there is any excuse for this type of behavior, new to ebay or not.

Ok, rant over 🙂 

---

I had this  same problem from time to time when I listed items on auction . I found that some people had forgotten  they had  even placed a bid , some were out of town or on vacation  by the time the auction ended ,, and some had found  other things they wanted instead  at a BIN  listing .  So I don't  list much on auctions any longer . You may try this too and see if it works better  at curbing the non payers . Tulips 

[castlemagicmemories]

You're welcome!

[touchdownarkansas]

I wonder how bad it is going to be when ebay 'changes' and buyers can buy without even having an ebay account. That is going to be fun. NOT (I read this on another post-not sure if its true.)

[defeated247]

I have had to file 13 cases in the last 3 months for unpaid items. Its a growing trend. I know I could list "Buy Now" and require immediate payment, but I like to run an auction sometimes. The biggest problem I have is not being able to leave negative feedback for this type of buyer to warn others.

[castlemagicmemories]

@touchdownarkansas

Actually, they can do this now and have been able to do so since 2007.  They buy as a "guest".

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Introducing-Guest-Buying/ba-p/26162125

[castlemagicmemories]

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@defeated247 wrote:

I have had to file 13 cases in the last 3 months for unpaid items. Its a growing trend. I know I could list "Buy Now" and require immediate payment, but I like to run an auction sometimes. The biggest problem I have is not being able to leave negative feedback for this type of buyer to warn others.

---

Since many times the winner will be a sniper, seeing negative feedback will do you no good.  You can't cancel on a whim if you want to keep your selling privileges.

But it's not a problem.  You open an Unpaid Item Dispute after 48 hrs, then close it 96 hrs later.  Buyer gets a strike, and you get your fees back.

Just two strikes will block them from buying from thousands of sellers who use this block, 2 strikes in one year, and this is the strictest and most popular block.

This blocks them automatically.  Hopefully you have your blocks set.

Ebay eliminated negs for buyers in 2008, ten years ago, because it was driving buyers from the site.  The buyer that doesn't pay you may go on and pay many other sellers.  This preserves the buying pool.

[touchdownarkansas]

They were acting like it was something new. It had to do with the Q3 announcement. All the info is so confusing I can't make any sense out of most of it.

[femmefan1946]

I've been around since 1998 with one ID or another, and in the 'good old days' we waited for up to two weeks for a cheque to arrive in the mail.

And sometimes it didn't. Or it bounced.

This was one reason why BillPoint and later Paypal were introduced.

Today, the non-payer is still around but we can spot them sooner.

Open the UID, give them the Strike, and get your FVF back. Move on.

Better, abandon the Auctions completely and move to Fixed Price/Immediate Payment Required.

If you watch the Boards for complaints about NPBs, you will soon notice that most are about auction bidders.

I believe they place a bid, don't immediately win (not realizing that they were bidding not buying) and just move on.

You can try to change the shopping habits of millions or you can change yourself to adapt.

I agree that Strikes, like Bid Retractions, should be posted on FB pages.
It wouldn't bother the newbies who are buying at Fixed Price, and the ones who are wandering off won't ever notice.