Large Number of "Not Registered Users" on eBay buying Large Ticket items-why isn't eBay preventing?

[choiceinfo]

In the grouping of Beanie Babies it is impossible to know if you have a truly Rare one or not. EVERY one that has sold for $100 and up have a bid by a "Not Registered User" as the winning bidder. Then the seller has to relist the item again. Why isn't eBay finding a way to stop this type of Fraud? I've sold on this platform for many years, but have never seen it this bad before especially on this group of plush toys.

If eBay is trying to prevent this - please tell me what they are doing to help?

Thanks,

Choice.info

[mtgraves7984]

"... it is impossible to know if you have a truly Rare one or not."

@choiceinfo 

I don't know that I've ever seen a truly rare one. Agreed... Beanie Babies' prices are quite the head-scratchers to me.

[dariudaudery_0]

People been talking about Beanie babies for a long time. Not in a positive way.

Money laundering, human trafficking, drug dealing, price boosting by fake sales - just some of the theories floating around why its always new buyer/seller and big ammounts of money for this junk.

Beanie babies are worthless for the most part.

[eburtonlab]

The fact that each of those accounts is No longer A Registered User is an indication that eBay is taking action and suspending those accounts after those bids. NARU accounts cannot bid, so those accounts were suspended by eBay after bidding.

As long as eBay allows new users to sign up using just an email address, anyone will be able to create new eBay accounts and potentially bid on an auction.

Sellers can avoid unpaid items by listing using fixed price with immediate payment and by not making or accepting offers. That way the buyer has to complete checkout and pay or the item remains listed.

[firesteel_surplus]

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@choiceinfo wrote:

In the grouping of Beanie Babies it is impossible to know if you have a truly Rare one or not. EVERY one that has sold for $100 and up have a bid by a "Not Registered User" as the winning bidder. Then the seller has to relist the item again. Why isn't eBay finding a way to stop this type of Fraud? I've sold on this platform for many years, but have never seen it this bad before especially on this group of plush toys.

If eBay is trying to prevent this - please tell me what they are doing to help?

Thanks,

Choice.info

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This summer I almost bought a bunch (group? collection? assembly?) of Beanie Babies because I saw high prices for rare ones and the ones in the auctions looked surprisingly similar. I was about to run the price up when I noticed just about every winning bid was by a winner with (0) feedback. Then I started searching the forums and found that this was all a scam of some sort.

No...I did not buy the Beanie Babies.

But I wish those things were a bit more collectible. I think they have a real cute factor. I always try to sell stuff that if I get stuck with it, I can enjoy it myself. But I also try to sell stuff that I think I can move.

Beanie Babies are out of the stuff I think I can move unless I can get hundreds of them for near free.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

[femmefan1946]

It's not Fraud, which is a particular criminal act.

But for some reason, many people stuck in the 90s believe that BBs have held value over the past 30years.

Unlike Cabbage Patch Dolls which really did have a comeback, BBs were collected by adults, not children***, and many of those adults were "investing" in them collecting huge numbers.

And when the market crashed, like any item produced as a collectible, it turned out that the market was saturated and there was effectively no secondary market.

Look at Bradford Exchange and Franklin Mint *  "collectibles" as another example.

Ebay makes it easy to open a buying account. But buyers who do not pay can get an Unpaid Item Strike. Sellers can even set up their listings to do this automatically after four days without payment.

EBay will close the accounts of buyers with "too many" Strikes. That's what you are seeing with those NARU accounts.

It costs nothing to list, provided the Seller does not choose one of the paid options like SubTotal or Reserve. The seller with a non-paying bidder is out only their time (and a fair amount of annoyance).

t is impossible to know if you have a truly Rare one or not.

One reason for that is a limited number of Sold items on eBay, and of course the relatively large number of failed transactions indicated by those NARUs.

Research would have to be extended to other sites. Ruby Lane comes to mind as a high end collectibles site. Perhaps B&M auction houses like Bonhams and Butterfield which specializes in pop culture collectibles. 

And of course, the brave auctioneer will start at a price that will cover all their expenses and perhaps make a small profit, thus bringing in bidders who will not go to $1600 but might get auction fever and push the price up to $1000 or so.

Or as others have suggested, putting the BB up,at the price that will give you what you want to get, as a Fixed Price /Immediate Payment Required item will attract a more  serious collector. Even if that means a bit of Best Offer** dickering.

*Franklin Mint at least takes some pride in their craftsmanship and have turned out some truly lovely pieces.

** Accepting a Best Offer ends the Immediate Payment Required option.

*** The children who never got a CabbagePatch Doll, or whose beloved doll disappeared somewhere as they grew up are the market for the new dolls and for the New In Box originals. These dolls were produced to be played with not for collection or investment.

[ckimodog]

@choiceinfo 

These are repeat non payers here on Ebay who have done this to other sellers only to be suspended.  Then they come back and  just make another account and they're back in business making yours and other sellers auctions difficult.  It's called sports bidding...just a bunch of bored no doubt tweens who have nothing better to do.  And you're right, it needs to be curbed.  Not understanding why Ebay allows these types to make multiple accounts over and over again.  

The best thing you can do is ditch the auctions and just ask for what you think the item is worth with a fixed buy it now price and immediate payment required checked off.  No best offers either or you will continue to chase your money.  

Tis the season.

Happy Selling.