Problem with a buyer and a learning experience

[airplanealy]

I’m not a pro eBayer. I’m just selling off items of value in preparation for a cross country move to med school. 

I “sold” a $1300 piece of electronics to a guy. We messaged back and forth and I answered all the question he had and uploaded a video of the item turned on and functioning perfectly. Right before he purchased it, he messaged me asking if I would take $300 less than listed prices and his nonprofit would send me a donation receipt for 3x value. I said absolutely not that’s tax fraud. If he wanted the item he could go through proper channels and purchase it like any other eBayer and not to send me his phone number or personal email like he had just done. 

He purchased the item at BIN and sent me messages over the next 7 days saying “I’ll pay tomorrow” or “I’ll pay ASAP please keep holding the item” or “My internet is bad I’ll pay soon (Sent from my iPhone)” On day 5 I warned him he needed to quit promising payment and asked for a date he planned to pay and that if I didn’t get payment by day 7 I would open an unpaid item case. Radio silence. 

I filed the unpaid item case. 10 hours before I could close it, I get a message saying he is having PayPal trouble and can’t pay for the item just yet and thanks for continuing to hold the item for him.  By now I’m over dealing with this buyer. 

The next morning still no payment. I also noticed he updated the eBay shipping address to the the items manufacturer repair dept complete with an RMA. I go ahead and close the claim thinking it’s highly likely I’m going to get an Item Not As Described claim. And, I won’t ship to a non-pp address. 

Not 10min after the case is closed, he opens an Item Not Received case against me saying the item was sold to him and he wants it. I called eBay CS twice. Both reps said yes the case was in my favor and they verified no payment had been sent. I asked for the case to be closed on the phone. 2nd rep said it was and I would revive a message saying it was closed. 

No message has come, the case shows “You contacted Customer Service. Awaiting response”. Should I keep calling until they close it? 

[pjcdn2005]

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@slati_2013 wrote:

Set your "Unpaid Item Assistant" for 4 days and you won't have any of these issues. I don't understand why every eBay seller does not have this turned on.  

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Some sellers prefer to decide when to open an ui on a case to case basis.

 I don't see how you think that the automatic item assistant would have changed anything.  The buyer opened an item not received claim after the unpaid item case was closed...they could have done that whether it was in 4 days or whether it was automatic or not.

[wesk_36]

"Right before he purchased it, he messaged me asking if I would take $300 less than listed prices and his nonprofit would send me a donation receipt for 3x value."

If it's his non-profit organization, he's corrupted and dishonest. OK, it doesn't rank up there with high crimes, but it does reflect his dishonesty, lack of integrity,  and his willingness to manipulate his receipts. Maybe just the tip of the iceberg and  indicative of corruption of his "non-profit". 

[mis76can]

As a buyer here on e-Bay; I shake my head reading your story.

It's spoil-sports like the one you're dealing with who give the rest of us buyers a bad name.

You say that he has filed an Item not received case.  'Sounds like nothing but a retaliatory reaction on his part and I don't think it will have a leg to stand on.

Stick to your guns and keep the pressure on this 'buyer'.  It sounds like he's playing a game he has played on e-Bay before!

[airplanealy]

Looks like the case finally closed out. It still shows that CS is reviewing the case on my eBay account. But, the CSR I just spoke to confirmed the case was closed in my favor today. They said wait 24 hrs for it to reflect that on my eBay account. 

I appreciate you all for your advice and taking the time to help out a newbie!

[turquoisetulips]

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@airplanealy wrote:

I’m not a pro eBayer. I’m just selling off items of value in preparation for a cross country move to med school. 

I “sold” a $1300 piece of electronics to a guy. We messaged back and forth and I answered all the question he had and uploaded a video of the item turned on and functioning perfectly. Right before he purchased it, he messaged me asking if I would take $300 less than listed prices and his nonprofit would send me a donation receipt for 3x value. I said absolutely not that’s tax fraud. If he wanted the item he could go through proper channels and purchase it like any other eBayer and not to send me his phone number or personal email like he had just done. 

He purchased the item at BIN and sent me messages over the next 7 days saying “I’ll pay tomorrow” or “I’ll pay ASAP please keep holding the item” or “My internet is bad I’ll pay soon (Sent from my iPhone)” On day 5 I warned him he needed to quit promising payment and asked for a date he planned to pay and that if I didn’t get payment by day 7 I would open an unpaid item case. Radio silence. 

I filed the unpaid item case. 10 hours before I could close it, I get a message saying he is having PayPal trouble and can’t pay for the item just yet and thanks for continuing to hold the item for him.  By now I’m over dealing with this buyer. 

The next morning still no payment. I also noticed he updated the eBay shipping address to the the items manufacturer repair dept complete with an RMA. I go ahead and close the claim thinking it’s highly likely I’m going to get an Item Not As Described claim. And, I won’t ship to a non-pp address. 

Not 10min after the case is closed, he opens an Item Not Received case against me saying the item was sold to him and he wants it. I called eBay CS twice. Both reps said yes the case was in my favor and they verified no payment had been sent. I asked for the case to be closed on the phone. 2nd rep said it was and I would revive a message saying it was closed. 

No message has come, the case shows “You contacted Customer Service. Awaiting response”. Should I keep calling until they close it? 

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I think you'll see the case closed very shortly ,, probably by tomorrow.. I'd take wastingtimes advice and relist this item with local  pick up only . High dollar items are great scam magnets  so I just wouldn't  want to  take the risk  of shipping it.    I'd like to play poker  with your would be buyer   sometime . It doesn't like he's got a full deck  . 🙂  Tulips