eBay

okie-benz · ‎11-29-2021

Many years ago I used to be a very active seller on ebay. It was a great system where sellers could hold buyers accountable due to the feedback system. If a buyer did not pay, they could receive negative feedback. Now, sellers can't leave anything but positive feedback so even the deadbeats have 100%. I quit selling after this change took place. Once very couple of years I may have a vehicle to sell that requires a national audience. The last car I sold I ebay was a year or so ago and it went fine. Actually sold to a guy in Germany who wired the money right away. Earlier this month I ran another car and it sold. No contact from the high bidder. He finally responds asking how much shipping is. Inform him he is responsible for his own shipping. Auction ended Sunday, and could not do anything about it until that Friday. Only option appears to be to cancel his order for non payment and supposedly he gets an unpaid strike. Big deal. Ran a new auction which ended yesterday. This time, high bidder is in Costa Rica and as of this morning, still no response.

Sorry for the long post but here are my questions. First, it sure seems like every other time I have listed a vehicle, if the buyer did not pay you could relist it for free. It seems ebay is trying to charge me $49 everytime regardless if their buyer is a deadbeat. If they will not give us the tools to hold these people accountable, why should we have to pay each time?

Next question, I used to see other sellers do it, and I have done it before where in my auction I would put a line in there about bidders with less than x number of feedback rating need to contact me in advance before bidding. If they did not follow this process, I could go in and cancel their bid. Is there not a way for sellers to cancel bids anymore?

Next question, even though I list and attempt to sell maybe 1 or 2 cars in a 2 or 3 year period, I still seem to be classified as a high volume seller even though it has been 15 or more years since I have done any high volume selling. This causes them to charge me more than a low volume seller. Anybody have a way around this? I guess perhaps I could setup a new account but not really wanting to do that.

Last question, I have auction set to require deposit within 24 hours of auction end. If buyer does not send deposit, and no response like last time, it still says I have to wait until Friday to cancel his order. If I do not receive a deposit within 24 hours, can I then go ahead and send a second chance offer to the next in line, or do I have to wait until Friday? Auction is also set to require payment in full within 3 days. It seems these settings are actually meaningless if you still have to wait nearly a week to be able to do anything.

Yes, I do have my account setup to block people from bidding with 2 unpaid item strikes etc etc. Thanks for any and all feedback you guys can provide. I absolutely hate dealing with ebay and sure wish there was a good alternative, or it went back to the way things used to be.

stainlessenginecovers · ‎11-29-2021

Buyers do NOT get unpaid strikes for Vehicle Sales (or Real Estate) as those 2 categories (and there's probably more) are NON Binding; meaning seller or buyer can back out anytime for any reason. Been that way since BEFORE the Feedback change.

Sellers are now NOT charged a fee when a vehicle sells since sellers pay a 'listing' fee instead- as you are probably well aware, and that change was made about 5 yrs go. So again, even bigger reason it's 'non' binding.

luckythewinner · ‎11-29-2021

eBay has absolutely no mechanism to force a buyer to pay for any auction, even if the buyer violates eBay policy by not paying.

And unlike other auction on eBay, auctions for vehicles and real estate are non-binding on the buyer - so technically, your buyers are not even violating eBay policy.

it sure seems like every other time I have listed a vehicle, if the buyer did not pay you could relist it for free

I think you are mistaken.

"Listing package fees, insertion fees, and fees for optional listing upgrades apply to each listing you create, are charged at the time of listing or relisting, as applicable, and are nonrefundable."

https://www.ebay.com/help/fees-billing/sell-fees-payments/payments-motors-fees?id=4127

why should we have to pay each time?

Because that is what eBay decided.

I used to see other sellers do it, and I have done it before where in my auction I would put a line in there about bidders with less than x number of feedback rating need to contact me in advance before bidding. If they did not follow this process, I could go in and cancel their bid.

Those terms are essentially unenforceable.

Is there not a way for sellers to cancel bids anymore?

There is a way to cancel bids, but sellers have never been able to cancel bids after an auction has ended.

Next question, even though I list and attempt to sell maybe 1 or 2 cars in a 2 or 3 year period, I still seem to be classified as a high volume seller even though it has been 15 or more years since I have done any high volume selling.

Here is what eBay policy says:

High- vs low-volume sellers

Your fees for vehicle listings are determined in part by your status as a high- or low-volume seller.

If you list up to six vehicles in a calendar year (January 1 to December 31), you're considered a low-volume seller. If you list seven or more vehicles in any calendar year, then you're considered a high-volume seller. Each time you submit a vehicle listing or relist a vehicle, it counts as one listing. Once you become a high-volume seller, you'll keep that status permanently, year after year.

This causes them to charge me more than a low volume seller. Anybody have a way around this? I guess perhaps I could setup a new account but not really wanting to do that.

I suspect eBay might consider that to be fee avoidance.

I have auction set to require deposit within 24 hours of auction end. If buyer does not send deposit, and no response like last time, it still says I have to wait until Friday to cancel his order. If I do not receive a deposit within 24 hours, can I then go ahead and send a second chance offer to the next in line, or do I have to wait until Friday?

If you send a second chance offer and the original buyer ends up sending the deposit, you will have to cancel for "out of stock" and risk a very damaging defect. eBay has a very clear policy for how long you need to wait. IMHO trying to circumvent what eBay clearly wants you to do is never wise move.

okie-benz · ‎11-29-2021

I had no idea a deadbeat bidder did not get an unpaid item strike in a vehicle auction. Wow, there really is no way to enforce these types of auctions.

itsjustasprain · ‎11-29-2021

@luckythewinner wrote:
I used to see other sellers do it, and I have done it before where in my auction I would put a line in there about bidders with less than x number of feedback rating need to contact me in advance before bidding. If they did not follow this process, I could go in and cancel their bid.
Those terms are essentially unenforceable.

Actually that one term above is something the seller can do while the auction is running. Enforcement is up to him though because Ebay is not going to do that for him. A seller is free to cancel any bid or bids he likes while the auction is running.