eBay

studio7 · ‎11-14-2023

I am not new to eBay, and have noticed a trick that some unscrupulous ‘buyers’ are using which is unfair , ignorant and completely against the rules as far as I can see.
So when a buyer, let’s call them Buyer ‘X’, sees something that they like then they place a maximum bid that is way over the expected sale price in the hope that competing bidders will quit as they are just being outbid all the time. Ultimately buyer X will win as expected. It is at that point that if a competing bidder has pushed them over the value that they are ‘really’ prepared to pay, then they simply will not pay and will ignore you. Unfortunately they realise that you won’t be able to leave negative feedback as a seller to warn others to their scam and so continue with this behaviour. EBay has not taken any tangible steps to deal with this ever growing trend, and it has come to a point where the platform is clearly being abused leaving sellers looking at other alternatives, and genuine buyers wondering if there is even a point to bidding on desirable items anymore. I’ve had this happen on 3 occasions in the last year. eBay needs to get a handle on this!

inhawaii · ‎11-14-2023

@studio7 wrote:
EBay has not taken any tangible steps to deal with this ever growing trend

Yes, they have.

Are you aware how to handle a non-paying bidder?

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

titipeo · ‎11-14-2023

You can also offer the second runner up a chance to buy at his high bid as well.

soh.maryl · ‎11-14-2023

Not sure what you're looking for in terms of "tangible", but doesn't the eBay Money Back Guarantee offer adequate protection when/if a buyer doesn't pay? Are you unfamilar with the MBG?

bennotbill · ‎11-14-2023

@titipeo wrote:
You can also offer the second runner up a chance to buy at his high bid as well.

Does anyone ever accept a "second chance"? I've had several and I wouldn't ever consider it. It often smacks too much of a shill gone wrong.

soh.maryl · ‎11-14-2023

In what way does making a second answer to be considered a shill.

I have a buyer who wins and does not pay. After 96 hours, I cancel using buyer did not pay as my reason.

I then offer the item to the next highest bidder. He buys, pays and I ship.

dentalsales4u · ‎11-14-2023

If sellers aren't filing a non paying bidder after the 96 hours they are given to pay, then they don't get punished.

If all sellers would do this, it would stop a lot of these buyers from doing this. They get the strike on their account and they will find themselves blocked from bidding by a lot of sellers.

I quit doing auctions years ago due to so many non payers.

All mine are now BIN with immediate payment required.

speedwaydog · ‎11-14-2023

How so? You bid the highest amount you were willing to pay and were outbid. The winning bidder didn't pay and the seller chose to offer you the item at the price YOU bid. Shilling has nothing to do with it.

Pay attention. China is going to win it all!

monica-sells · ‎11-14-2023

shill or no shill...IF the price of the item is what you are willing to pay in the first place, why would a "second chance offer" be an issue?

titipeo · ‎11-14-2023

I dont get the OP, complaints about a sports bidder, and yet, he still has the runner ups to buy his item. This has been going since the early days of eBay auctions, offer it to next potential buyers. No harm no foul, and as far as the sports bidder, just report them. The solution is all there.

bennotbill · ‎11-14-2023

@monica-sells wrote:
shill or no shill...IF the price of the item is what you are willing to pay in the first place, why would a "second chance offer" be an issue?

Yes that's what I would pay in the normal course of things. But the winning bidder just dropping out? What usually happens is the item gets relisted and I get it for half of my original bid. If the original winner was genuine. Or it gets relisted with a hugely inflated start price, time to look elsewhere then.

And it's not just me. I've never had anyone accept my second chance offers so I no longer bother offering them.

gone.c-33 · ‎11-14-2023

@bennotbill wrote:
@titipeo wrote:
You can also offer the second runner up a chance to buy at his high bid as well.

Does anyone ever accept a "second chance"? I've had several and I wouldn't ever consider it. It often smacks too much of a shill gone wrong.

I haven’t bid on an auction in a hot minute but I’ve accepted several SCOs in my time. I usually bid my true max, but sometimes the disappointment of losing an auction and the ray of hope of receiving an SCO made me reconsider my really really true maximum.

soh.maryl · ‎11-14-2023

Not only does eBay offer and support buyers cancelling after 96 hours, citing "buyer did not pay" as the reason, but, if every single seller who has an unpaid buyer would be sure to open the case and to have their buyer requirements set to not deal with such buyers, it would certainly cut down on this behavior.