Problem Buyer

[barbarellamanor]

So, a buyer began messaging me immediately after I listed a collectible record (45 rpm) to make offers. This always strikes me as suspicious because the "make an offer" option is there, and you can try multiple offers and include a message. Then the buyer won the auction after I explained that the offers made were no where near what the item would fetch at auction. Having paid about $200 more than their original offer, once the record arrived, said that it was not as described and requested a partial refund, and got testy when I offered only a  return. It seemed like the buyer was trying to pay what they originally offered, right? By the way, I could have argued that the flaws pointed out were included in the grading of the record, but I thought it would be easier and better just to get it back, and auction again. Then on my next collectible record, the same eBayer jacked up my auction by sending the bids very high, and then retracting their bids - 3 times, same auction, and luckily did not destroy the auction entirely, an honest buyer purchased it and the sale was flawless. On my next record auction, I made some profile changes - No offers, blocked this bidder as well as other profiles that appeared to be created by the same ebayer, and reported the activities to eBay. At the very end of the auction, the same ebayer swooped in and won, with an entirely new profile. I thought about refusing to sell, which is maybe what I should have done. I sent it and the buyer is again claiming the record has issues not described, which is not true. I am refusing the return. I have also not yet received their first return, and it was requested about three weeks ago. I have mostly read that eBay will side with the buyer, but I have been on eBay for over 20 years and never experienced anything like this. I have also recently thought that the reason that there are so few records in this particular niche on eBay is not because they are that rare but because people have encountered this buyer and given up, which if true, is hurting eBay sales.  Any suggestions on how to proceed with eBay would be appreciated. I plan to make another complaint now and hope that through previous messages and a review of this buyer's activities, eBay will see the abuse of the platform and end it. 

[the_fancy_fox · Accepted solution]

If the first Id was blocked, and you knew the second id was the same buyer, why didn’t you cancel the sale with “problem with the buyers address”.  The buyer is circumventing your buyer block. You’re allowed to cancel. 

[downrightspecialkids]

I would not have shipped the second one, and if you refuse a not as described return, ebay will refund them and let them keep the item, so you lose your money and item. 

[goodbrakes]

I would not refuse a return or eBay will step in and give them the refund and they get to keep the item.

I never give partial refunds and always tell the Buyer to start a return through eBay. 99% of the time they all of a sudden just don't want to mess with you any more and crawl back to the pit they came from.

Happy New Year and don't let a rotten apple ruin your day. 

[barbarellamanor]

So actually the rats won, and so did I. Yes, I should have canceled the sale, which I wasn't aware was an option since I've never dealt with scammers, thankfully.  However, I called ebay, who knew this was possible? While the return was ostensibly "en route, " the buyer contacted eBay for their refund, as if I had received the package and was stalling. I received a message from eBay that the seller had opened a case, and it was now closed because eBay decided in favor of the buyer and granted a refund because the buyer provided proof that the return had been delivered. When I called eBay, they confirmed that there was no confirmation of delivery, and I confirmed that I had not received a return, AND eBay refunded me as if the sale had gone through with no problem. So,  a desirable outcome was achieved.

Helpful elements that I would like to share, you can cancel any sale, and you can cancel any bids during the auction but I would wait until almost over to be effective (be cautious of bidders with no feedback or private) and calling eBay is an effective means of getting the problem solved. 

In hindsight, I could not have foreseen the debacle created by this buyer, but I could have cancelled the second sale. Thank you to ebay community members who responded and weighed in on this.  If I have a strange situation with any auctions in the future, I will turn here or call before deciding any actions. 

[gurlcat]

I'm curious about the 'early stages' with this buyer.  How many times did he write you during the auction (and particularly before he started bidding)?  Also did you reply to each of those messages? I know you mentioned one reply you gave him (about the record's likely fetch value), but was that in response to his first message or a later one? And what did you reply to any of the others?  

I realize I sound real scrutinizing and sizing you up for judgement -ha, no, I just find this particular kind of buyer very interesting.  Well that's the nice way of putting it.  I got one like that on my very first auction here (for a pickled cyclops piglet of all things!), and I've had many more since then, and read about many more here in the forums.  I'm always interested in stories about these freaks, from a sort of "forensic" perspective.  Like what we can learn about how to deal with them.