Last night ebay removed a buyer from my blocked list and allowed them to purchase.

[soccerteeth]

Yes, this actually happened.  The buyer confirmed it.

Last night, I received  a call from ebay. I have a few cs numbers saved as contacts in my phone. My phone only rang once before I could get it. I rarely answer anyway and do not want to talk to ebay at night.  2-3 minutes later, someone purchased an item and I recognized the user ID.  I looked it up in my email and yes, they purchased something a while back, no questions and returned it.  The item stated what it fit.

Returns have exploded since June. People who ask no questions that could dictate whether something would fit and then just open a return that the item doesnt fit go on my bloked buyer list.  It costs us money and time . We block a lot of people to save ourseleves the headache of dealing with buyers like this.  I thought it was our right to get out of the way of bad transactions.

I looked at my blocked list, which I back up to a file on my computer and there was a string of characters and deleted at the end.  Ive seen this before when an account is closed I thought.  I looked at my backup which is copied directly from the blocked buyer/bidder and they were on it, they were blocked.  I messaged the buyer and asked politely if they had ebay call me. They replied "Yes, i wanted to buy this item and we were blocked".  So the ebay rep unblocked this buyer.

So now CS is removing ID's from our blocked lists? That is completely insane.  That can clearly cause us all kinds of harm if a buyer can just call and have themselves removed. I feel like it goes way too far.  I had a buyer this year get extremely abusive going so far as to call and leave violent homophobic messages on my phone.  I kept the messages and the persons account sold uninterupted even after he responded about the phone calls via ebay messages.

I have been contacted before by message that a buyer would like to purchase but, do not recall someone being unblocked.  I have saved the correspondance and I have an idea people will say it isnt so but it is absolutely the case with the buyer confirming it.   It made me sick to my stomach.  This is my store and I pay a lot to do business here.  I follow ebays rules even when they are getting really bad. Apparently I dont habe the right to protect myself from harm in one of the last ways that exists.

The only reason we block anyone is the feedback and return systems are such a mess for sellers with zero fault being placed on the buyer regardless of when its obvious.  Sellers are rife for abuse as every buyer is not going to be fair as we all know.  Sellers who have sold for a couple of decades and in some cases tens of thousands of items can start to see what questions and actions will cause problems as conversations involving this comes up frequently here.

Being able to block buyers who have cost us money in the past which could have been avoided by asking a simple question, is more important now than ever.  With free returns being pushed down our throats (which it is or supposedly we may not show up well in search results) people may think its fine to just buy and try on and not even attempt to ask if said item may fit. They may do it once and see how easy it is to just guess, they may do it 5 times if we cant stop them. That would be ebay sanctioned abuse.

So now is ebay forcing us to do business with buyers who weve blocked?  I think that is going too far and putting us in harms way after we are stepping out of it.

[tunicaslot]

@dilo-8873 wrote:

@tunicaslot wrote:

WE have one report of this which was probably a new employee not knowing they can't do this - or the buyer was told they can make a new ID and buy that way. Instead of using dolly1 - they maybe used dolly11 and the id was not taken off the block list but looked like it was due to the similarity.

I've no doubt that the OP's buyer is someone on their blocked list - but this isn't something we've heard about before and before everyone gets their panties in a twist - we should wait to see if we get any more reports of this happening. 

The sky is always falling on these boards and has been for the last 20 yrs.

If you will refer back on some of these messages, a poster reported that his entire BBL disappeared. It’s not about anyone getting their panties twisted, it’s about if this situation does occur it is entirely disrespectful to the seller, his business is his business, and he should sell to whomever he wants to sell to. 

If you feel the sky is always falling on these boards and has been for the last 20 years, then maybe you can make a suggestion as to where or what you feel the posters should go or do, when things that are important to THEM, but are not important to YOU. JMO - no response required.

dilo - you don't make a post like that and say no response required as I feel I do have to respond and set some things straight. For 20 yrs I have heard that Ebay is failing, they'll disappear ect - I was one of those ones back in the day - saying those exact same things - but through the years I've come to see that there are few changes anyone on this board can make to correct things we don't like. Doesn't mean we shouldn't vent or discuss these things but in the end - Ebay does not listen and it's best to use that energy to either here or elsewhere and make some money.

I do feel it's disrespectful to sellers to circumvent a seller's BBL - but this is the first thread with any reports of BBL being tampered with or disappearing and we're talking about just a couple of people reporting this - it's not a site wide phenomena. It's something to make sellers aware of so they can check their own BBL - but being Ebay management feels it's OK for a blocked bidder to just make up a new ID and buy from that seller - what difference is there really. Someone the seller would rather not deal with can still buy from them. Other sites I'm on do not have BBL lists - so a scam or troublesome buyer can buy from you again and again and again. So at least we've had this protection for awhile where other sites have none. I don't agree with what's happening but there is nothing to be done about it.

Also there are always two sides to a story - we often don't get the whole story from either buyers or sellers when they first come here complaining. I'm not saying this is the case here - but in the past - the whole discussion community gets upset - gives advise - starts fighting - starts claiming every buyer is out to scam and Ebay allows it yada yada and come to find out - there is a bit more to the story - usually a lot more and then the tone changes.

Those badmouthing buyers and Ebay disappear.

[nanakat75]

Apparently, Ebay is ALREADY on the way to removing the Blocked Buyer's List.

I blocked someone today, and noticed that there were only 3-4 people in my list.  This is from years of sales. Guess EBAY now decides to allow problem buyers to continue to buy from sellers who do not want to do business with them!!

Now, we can only "restore" the BB list back to 3 months.  At least, that is the way I am reading this.

Bad enough that now, with a Refund Request, not SNAD, there is no longer an option to allow a person to return an item ( guy thought he was buying men's size 11 shoes, but it was in the Children's category--didn't look at picture or read ad) with the BUYER paying return shipping.  

Anyone notice this?  Can only allow return with the SELLER paying.  So, how is this different from a SNAD???

What next?  We start paying buyers to purchase our items??

[nanakat75]

Check your Blocked Buyer list.  It might just be shorter than it used to be!

[mam98031]

@dilo-8873 wrote:

@tunicaslot wrote:

WE have one report of this which was probably a new employee not knowing they can't do this - or the buyer was told they can make a new ID and buy that way. Instead of using dolly1 - they maybe used dolly11 and the id was not taken off the block list but looked like it was due to the similarity.

I've no doubt that the OP's buyer is someone on their blocked list - but this isn't something we've heard about before and before everyone gets their panties in a twist - we should wait to see if we get any more reports of this happening. 

The sky is always falling on these boards and has been for the last 20 yrs.

If you will refer back on some of these messages, a poster reported that his entire BBL disappeared. It’s not about anyone getting their panties twisted, it’s about if this situation does occur it is entirely disrespectful to the seller, his business is his business, and he should sell to whomever he wants to sell to. 

If you feel the sky is always falling on these boards and has been for the last 20 years, then maybe you can make a suggestion as to where or what you feel the posters should go or do, when things that are important to THEM, but are not important to YOU. JMO - no response required.

Over the years there has been a few times that our BBL have disappeared in part or whole from our view due to one glitch or another.  That doesn't mean that the BBL was gone, it means we couldn't see it.  The two are not the same thing.  While I have known this to happen on occasions, I do not remember anyone reporting that someone that was on their BBL was actually able to purchase from them.  Of course my memory could be faulty, but I'm saying I don't remember anyone saying it actually happened to them.

There are posters that make more out of a situation that is really going on.  I am NOT saying that is you, but there are some that do.  Anytime Ebay makes a change or implements a new program.  Many just hate change and that comes out on the threads with predictions of Ebay's demise due to the new changes.  The threads are flooded with such posts especially after a Seller Update is released.  Yet Ebay is still here and they are a profitable company, so their shareholders remain happy.

But back to the problem in which this thread is about.  This is a single report of this issue at this point.  That does not mean we have a site wide issue or an issue at all.  This very well could have been a CSR that overstepped their bounds or it could be that the OP misunderstood something.  We just don't know yet.  

A blue did pop into the thread and asked the OP to contact him with some additional information as there was certainly something that needed to be looked into.  Hopefully the OP has done that and hopefully the OP will update the thread.

[mam98031]

Bad enough that now, with a Refund Request, not SNAD, there is no longer an option to allow a person to return an item ( guy thought he was buying men's size 11 shoes, but it was in the Children's category--didn't look at picture or read ad) with the BUYER paying return shipping.  

Anyone notice this?  Can only allow return with the SELLER paying.  So, how is this different from a SNAD???

Sellers have NEVER been able to require a buyer pay return shipping on a SNAD.  This has not changed.

Sellers CAN require the buyer to pay the return shipping if they file a Buyer Remorse request if the seller has a No Return policy or a 30 or 60 day return policy with buyer pays shipping.

I think you just misunderstand the process a little.  Good luck!

[tunicaslot]

Thanks mam! Just checked my BBL and it doesn't look like it was affected - but there are only about 50 ids on there anyway - and that is 20 yrs of blocking. 

Hopefully the blue can help the OP.

[mam98031]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

Thanks mam! Just checked my BBL and it doesn't look like it was affected - but there are only about 50 ids on there anyway - and that is 20 yrs of blocking. 

Hopefully the blue can help the OP.

---

We've both been around awhile.  My BBL is a bit longer than yours, but mine is fine too.  There are times it loses a few IDs from the list as some of them close their accounts or have them closed by Ebay.  

[dilo-8873]

---

@nanakat75 wrote:

Check your Blocked Buyer list.  It might just be shorter than it used to be!

---

There are many who do not read here and probably will not even be aware. Thanks for the info!

[nanakat75]

As stated in my post, this was  Refund Request, not a SNAD.

Previously, I have had the option on Refund Requests, to have the person ship back at THEIR expense.

I'm not talking about the ridiculous SNAD policies.

When a buyer fails to look at the pictures, check the category in which the item is listed, read the Item Specics, AND read the auction ad with measurements, why should I have to pay both initial and return shipping?

This isn't even Buyer's Remorse.  It's Buyer's Stupidity/Laziness.

I take responsibility when I make a rare mistake in some respect.  Why can't buyers do the same?  

[tunicaslot]

nana - I completely agree as I had the same thing happen 2 weeks ago - buyer opened an SNAD because she bought a boy's shirt and thought it was a man's size. Didn't look at the category it was listed in - didn't read the listing or measurements and felt I was to blame. What you can do is call CS and show them that it was indeed a remorse return and they will credit the cost of the return shipping label.

[nanakat75]

Thought about that,  but I have a few days before the deadline to see if buyer will respond to the request.

Why do people request a return, then do not respond?

*SIGH*

[mam98031]

As stated in my post, this was  Refund Request, not a SNAD.

So they just sent you an email asking for a refund?  Otherwise if they filed for an actual "Refund Request " in Ebay it is either a SNAD or a BR, there isn't any other type.

Previously, I have had the option on Refund Requests, to have the person ship back at THEIR expense.

Yes, you can do that with a No Return policy IF the buyer filed a BR.  You have never had the option if it was a SNAD, nor has any other seller.

I'm not talking about the ridiculous SNAD policies.

Well you are if your buyer filed for a return request.

When a buyer fails to look at the pictures, check the category in which the item is listed, read the Item Specics, AND read the auction ad with measurements, why should I have to pay both initial and return shipping?

I don't disagree with you.  But the rules on Ebay on this matter have not changed in years.  If they file a SNAD, even with a no return policy, you will be required to pay return shipping.

This isn't even Buyer's Remorse.  It's Buyer's Stupidity/Laziness.

Maybe so, but the process is driven by the type of Request they file.

I take responsibility when I make a rare mistake in some respect. 

For myself, I take responsibility in every case if I am the one that makes the mistake.  And I do whatever I can to make it right by my customer.  That is what we are suppose to do as sellers.

Why can't buyers do the same?

Yes, sometimes buyers have problems taking responsibility for their own actions or inactions.  

[mam98031]

---

@nanakat75 wrote:

Thought about that,  but I have a few days before the deadline to see if buyer will respond to the request.

Why do people request a return, then do not respond?

*SIGH*

---

Because once you respond to the Request for Return, whether is it a BR or a SNAD, after a couple days, the buyer can escalate the Request to Ebay and then it becomes a claim in which you will live with whatever Ebay decides.  If you have not approved the return when the BR or SNAD is in the request stage, then Ebay will rule for you, give the buyer a return label at your expense and if once you receive the item back and you don't refund within a couple days, Ebay will do that for you too.

Sometimes when a buyer doesn't like what you communicated to them inside the Request, they do ignore it.  But they know now that you responded inside the request that in 2 or 3 days they can escalate the Request.

For those sellers that have a No Return policy, if the buyer did file a BR, and they escalate the request, Ebay should NOT be ruling in favor of the buyer since under the MBG you do not have to accept a BR request.  But that is providing the buyer actually filed it as a BR.

[tellmemama]

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

nana - I completely agree as I had the same thing happen 2 weeks ago - buyer opened an SNAD because she bought a boy's shirt and thought it was a man's size. Didn't look at the category it was listed in - didn't read the listing or measurements and felt I was to blame. What you can do is call CS and show them that it was indeed a remorse return and they will credit the cost of the return shipping label.

---

Of course you may get the credit for the label but did the rep actually change the reason for the return to buyer's remorse?  Nowadays I'm betting a big fat nope.  So while you may have gotten refunded for return postage and maybe were even allowed to withhold the initial shipping cost, you may still end up with a SNAD return in your metric.  Even when it clearly isn't one which is not fair at all.  Let a few of these pile up and voila'.  If your "peers" in the given category have fewer returns, you get to pay 40% more in FVFs.

So fight the good fight but be prepared to lose one way or the other.

[gramophone-georg]

---

@tellmemama wrote:

---

@tunicaslot wrote:

nana - I completely agree as I had the same thing happen 2 weeks ago - buyer opened an SNAD because she bought a boy's shirt and thought it was a man's size. Didn't look at the category it was listed in - didn't read the listing or measurements and felt I was to blame. What you can do is call CS and show them that it was indeed a remorse return and they will credit the cost of the return shipping label.

---

Of course you may get the credit for the label but did the rep actually change the reason for the return to buyer's remorse?  Nowadays I'm betting a big fat nope.  So while you may have gotten refunded for return postage and maybe were even allowed to withhold the initial shipping cost, you may still end up with a SNAD return in your metric.  Even when it clearly isn't one which is not fair at all.  Let a few of these pile up and voila'.  If your "peers" in the given category have fewer returns, you get to pay 40% more in FVFs.

So fight the good fight but be prepared to lose one way or the other.

---

And, just like the Hokey Pokey... "that's what it's all about".