Private Listings

[katzrul15]

We received an email today on an item

"would buy this if you make the listing private"

This is just a generic type item - nothing that would make me think "private" listing.....it is however, well priced and if sold at that price, for us, very profitable.

Any reason as a Seller to "not" do a private listing?  Do buyer who see that in a Seller's FB view that as a negative of some sort?  Think a Seller is "hiding" something?  Latest scam by a Buyer?

Sales are so slow, almost willing to try anything to move it along.  Any reason for me not to?  Is this a "thing"?  In all our years selling - never had anyone ask to make a listing private and do not think we ever sold anything "private".  Appreciate your insight(s).  Thx  

[donsdetour]

Most likely trying to get you to sell off of eBay if it is a scam.

https://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/stay_safe.html 

[d-k_treasures]

Nothing wrong with someone asking for a private listing - they could be buying it as a gift for someone who  knows their ebay account or that  you have it listed and the buyer is giving it as a gift.

All a private listing does is not give the item # of what was purchased in feedback.

[Anonymous]

@donsdetour I don't see why a private listing would be an indication of a scam.

[chapeau-noir]

I've had people ask me to make a listing private for several reasons, and one even asked me not to leave feedback.  No problems. 

[donsdetour]

"if it is a scam."

is what I wrote.

The private listing thing is preferred by some purchasers; mostly due to they do not know others except the seller and them can see their user name.

If it is a scam then they are trying for communication ( usually thorough email and not eBay messaging). Just saying.

[katzrul15]

Okay - just trying to be careful as the item is about $250 and for us that is kinda pricey - we do not sell a lot valued over $100 per on here.  

I will go revise this and see if they purchase.  Appreciate your insights - just had never had anyone ask us.  Had never thought about buying on an account and that is shared with someone else, etc.

I think I was confusing this with a Seller making their FB private.  

[Anonymous]

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@donsdetour wrote:

"if it is a scam."

is what I wrote.

The private listing thing is preferred by some purchasers; mostly due to they do not know others except the seller and them can see their user name.

If it is a scam then they are trying for communication ( usually thorough email and not eBay messaging). Just saying.

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@donsdetour  ah, missed the "if". Thanks for the clarification, easy to miss small words here and there.

[doug_5857]

I sell American coins and most if not all my listings are all private. Buyers like the such don't want others to know they collect coins or figure out who they are or where they live.

[buyselljack2016]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

Okay - just trying to be careful as the item is about $250 and for us that is kinda pricey - we do not sell a lot valued over $100 per on here.  

I will go revise this and see if they purchase.  Appreciate your insights - just had never had anyone ask us.  Had never thought about buying on an account and that is shared with someone else, etc.

I think I was confusing this with a Seller making their FB private.  

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Last I knew, seller feedback could not be "private"

[katzrul15]

@buyselljack2016 - yes, sorry - trying to multi-task - correct, you can make it private, but if you do, you cannot sell, etc - making FB private = bad/hiding something, making listings private, not bad, etc

https://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?FeedbackOption2

I changed it over to private and my mistake was to reply to his email.  Have now received 3 additional emails about how he can pay me direct to my paypal account today, blah blah blah.....needs it to ship today.

Need to go change it back as soon as off this webEx meeting.  And report him as a Buyer..........if you reply even once, they pepper you with emails. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

"received 3 additional emails about how he can pay me direct to my paypal account today, blah blah blah.....needs it to ship today."

Alas, that is a sign of a scammer, even though asking for a Private listing usually is not.  Put him on your blocked-bidders list so he can't purchase.  

 http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BidderBlockLogin

[mtgraves7984]

I changed it over to private and my mistake was to reply to his email.  Have now received 3 additional emails about how he can pay me direct to my paypal account today, blah blah blah.....needs it to ship today.

@katzrul15 

Your response back to them... "BBL, BBL, BBL". I'm glad you thought to ask here, and I'm glad you updated us. Good going!

[katzrul15]

Thanks - did BBL, but he is still emailing me.  How is that possible?  I have him blocked and I checked the box thingee to say no emails from thosed blocked....even went to check to be certain e-bay had not changed something there recently...?

I did not reply again....just keep deleting.  I can report him for soliciting to do business off e-bay, as essentially that is what this is?  Unfortunately, I keep deleting his emails, but e-Bay would have them, can see them, correct? 

There needs to be "this is a SCAM" button on the email somewhere so you can just click that and be done with it.  

[slippinjimmy]

It's possible because you responded to one of their messages BEFORE blocking. For the next x days they can still contact you and then the block will kick in. "x" = ?? 60 days??

There used to be a report button in messages but eBay removed it a few years ago. Probably because of the massive quantity of reports, too many silly ones that were making it impossible to deal with real ones.