Only on eBay

[wastingtime101]

A buyer would not walk into his favorite department store and ask this question. None of my buyers on Amazon (where I sell the same product) ask these kinds of questions. Only on eBay do I receive inquiries about a sealed pack of 10 items where the buyer says (paraphrased), "I need 12. Can you open one of the packs and sell me just what I need? If not and I'm forced to buy 2 packs, will you accept an offer so I'm only paying for the 12 I need?"

Share your "only on eBay" buyer requests. You guys must get them, too.

[cumos55]

First of all...  I live in Canada

The offer was $20 with shipping included.

Price of the book was $23.00  and the cost of shipping was $18.50.... Canada Post to a province where the tax is 13 % on postage and 5 % on the book.

That $20 pays for what I paid for the book and eBay's FVF.....  my  profit would be less than zero.... Ouch!!

Also told this person that discounts are not considered unless tha prce of the book was in the range of $50 to $75 and higher....

Many buyers do not understand what it costs to sell online....  eBay included.....

[turquoisetulips]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

A buyer would not walk into his favorite department store and ask this question. None of my buyers on Amazon (where I sell the same product) ask these kinds of questions. Only on eBay do I receive inquiries about a sealed pack of 10 items where the buyer says (paraphrased), "I need 12. Can you open one of the packs and sell me just what I need? If not and I'm forced to buy 2 packs, will you accept an offer so I'm only paying for the 12 I need?"

Share your "only on eBay" buyer requests. You guys must get them, too. OP ------------------- 

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Yes ,, once in awhile I'll get some silly ones  . I've had people ask me if I would just sell them only the floating  charms or just one  of the floating charms  that is  inside a locket necklace I have for sale . In other words they want me to undo my work and totally dismantle a necklace  just so they can have part of it,,, at a huge discount of course . I liken this to someone contacting a seller of new  men's shirts  and making a request to  just to buy the buttons  off of it .  Tulips 

[cumos55]

There was this buyer that was unhappy with the fact he paid $75 for a book I bought for $5 at a Thrift store....

I explained to him that I went out each week looking for books to sell.  My cost for gas was about $7 each week.  and I found 10 and more books to sell...  Use of my car adds about $1  to the cost of each book I buy to sell on eBay

If he went out each week  and spent $7  per week for gas, as I do,  this person would spend $350 in one year looking for one book that he could buy from me for $75... and then he had no guarantee he would find the book he wanted     .....  with a one year search...  This person is blocked.....

[turquoisetulips]

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@cashvaluerecovery2011 wrote:
$3500 diamond necklace. "I only need this for a weekend. Can i just pay like $20 and ship it back after or do i pay in full and return for a refund after?"

I didnt even respond and just removed it off ebay and sold it for cash on a fee free social site. Ebay loves to facilitate these people.

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Omg ! As if you'd loan out an expensive item as that to a perfect stranger .. Some people  just don't have a clue . Now I've heard everything . Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

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@iart wrote:

Real...

Will you please email me photos of every page in the book [so I don't have to buy it]?

ROTFL  !!!!!   Tulips

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[wastingtime101]

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@turquoisetulips wrote:

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@josepmcelro_3 wrote:

A buyer asked me to make her a special order. every time I was almost finished with what she asked for she would add something else to make. I finally asked her to pay for her order she then tells me I only get paid once a month can you wait.  Blocked her listed items. Every once in a while she emails why am I blocked.

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I've had things like that happen too  with the  jewelry I make . Someone  requested a certain design   or specialized theme that suited their individual needs . I've always done my best to comply with stuff like this  . I even  had to  purchase  an item   just to be able to make the potential  buyer  exactly what they've asked for.  Then when I contacted the buyer to let them know their order was   ready  they never responded . This is why I no longer accept custom orders  unless I'm certain I already have what I need in stock. However it still ends up being a waste of time  and effort  if the buyer changes their mind . Tulips 

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Custom orders like that should be set up in a listing with extended handling time and you don't waste your time or buy extra supplies until the buyer commits to the purchase and pays for it.

[femmefan1946]

I started charging for shipping (no more "free shipping!")

While "free shipping" works as a sales technique, none of us should think it is actually free.

The cost of shipping must be included in the cost of the item.

I would guess that the cost of the occasional*  "free return" would be included too.

I can see how the "free" part might encourage the terminally entitled to believe their actions have no consequences, though.

*I seriously think that if a seller is getting more than one percent of her transactions disputed for any reason, she should be re-examining her own practices.

[winterwriter]

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@cumos55 wrote:

There was this buyer that was unhappy with the fact he paid $75 for a book I bought for $5 at a Thrift store....

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That reminds me of the time I had a lucky find of a 25 cent paperback worth $75.

The day after I listed it, received a message: "I've been looking for this book. You'll never sell it for that much! I'll give you $5."

A week later I sold it for $75.

[lovemypommy]

No, I was rolling the cost of shipping into my BIN price (that's why I put quotes around "free shipping"...obviously someone is paying for it), however after getting burned one too many times and having to eat shipping I am no longer doing so-called free shipping. Returns are part of doing business, but the buyer is now accountable for paying the shipping both ways (remorse returns). My sales have not suffered at all without the "free shipping", as a matter of fact, I think I'm getting more now!

[dirk12955]

Good for you, That reminds me of the "Buyers" that find a list of reasons why an offering is sub-standard.

Then they want to buy it.

[ifyouloveit]

@cumos55:
"
There was this buyer that was unhappy with the fact he paid $75 for a book I bought for $5 at a Thrift store...."

Dying to know, how did he find out you paid $5 at a thrift store for the book? Or was he unhappy that you wouldn't let him have it for "Best Offer", lol 🙂

[cumos55]

This buyer saw me at a Thrift store... and mentioned  that he was unhappy with the fact that I did my shopping for books  to sell on eBay  at a Thrift store.

I tried to explain things to him....

I buy my inventory at Thrift stores, charity sales throughout Winnipeg,  and then southern Manitoba.

What this buyer did not understand was that I find books to sell...many books...   I mght find the book he wants... or maybe not....

He is looking for only one book.  He can spend hundreds of dollars looking for this one book..with a very low probaility of finding the book.....while he can pay much less  if he buys the book  from me or another bookseller...

This is the reality of the many booksellers that search for books to sell... more than one book, many books.... and not just one unique, and special book.

[mynewfindstore]

I think the most ridiculous one I got was a message AFTER the buyer purchased a dress....she said: These are my measurements: xxxxxx.  Please alter this dress to fit me.  Ah NO!  I told her that she would need to take it to an alterations person as we do not offer those services and IF we did, we would need YOU here to try it on and then there would be a significant charge associated with that service.  NOBODY does alterations for FREE!  I was shocked by this request!  I think this was in the early years of our selling too.....