Retail arbitrage attempt's on my listings

[carolinavintage]

How do I get help when I believe that there is retail arbitrage occuring? In the last 24 hours I've had several extremely lowball offers, followed by badgering messages, demeaning my products and asking for very specific details that really can be obtained in the description or photographs. Followed by messages insisting that my listing is not authentic or really as great as I said, followed by extremely low-balled offers. Then it appears they have taken the image of my items, which are very rare and currently are no other listings just like them, and then created their own listing as if they were the ones selling my items. In their new listings, they describe the item in the way that tried to tell me my item wasn't tem was actually not. In other words, they've lied to me, told me my item was not something, then turned around and posted it as their own saying that it was actually what they said it wasn't. The problem is that this activity has caused my items to not be revisable or editable. Every time I try to edit one of the items that I believe has been the victim of a retail arbitrage attempt I receive an error notice that says "lds downstream error" if I try to revise a posted item that I do not believe is a victim of retail arbitrage I have zero issue with any kind of updates. I would like to take my rare items down off of eBay to protect them from being posted by a third party without my permission. But unfortunately, I'm not able to make those changes because I'm not able to edit these items. Additionally, I'm not able to figure out how to communicate with eBay about this issue, and from Reading through these community forum posts, it doesn't sound like eBay cares. I'm personally not comfortable or okay with a third party pretending that they own my item and are selling my item. I'm not comfortable with a third party using my photos and pretending that it's their photos and pretending that it's their item. This is just dirty, bad business, and not something that I'm interested in participating in. How can I get help for these issues?

[eburtonlab]

@carolinavintage 

One possibility worth considering: set an auto-reject threshold for offers, so low-ball offers are rejected immediately without bothering you.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/adding-best-offer-listing-using-reply-offer?id=4144#secti...

[carolinavintage]

Perhaps you misunderstood my question, my question was regarding getting help with retail arbitrage. I did not ask for help with how to respond to lowball offers. Additionally, you must have missed the part of my question where I articulated that I am unable to make any changes to my account, including thresholds allowed for offers. So you're response confuses me as it doesn't seem at all related to my question. 

The offer is not what's bothering me, what is bothering me? Is somebody taking my item pretending they own it and trying to sell it as if it were theirs. They do not have this item in their possession, I do. They are pretending they have it in their possession without my permission. That is what bothers me. It has nothing to do with a lowball offer. I explained the abusive tactic they were using to try to support their dirty sales model.  My question to help you better understand is:

1) how do I get support for Retail arbitrage.

2) I'm unable to edit the posts that are a victim of Retail arbitrage

[funfactorychannel]

There is nothing wrong with retail arbitrage. You have the right to buy from Walmart cheap items and then sell it for a higher price. You have no proof he does not have the item. You have only an assumption, albeit a good one, but still is just an assumption. 

there is something wrong with the buyer/dropshipper as a person.. BLock him. thats all you can do. If he continues then report buyer for harassment.

[reallynicestamps]

I've had several extremely lowball offers,

"Thank you for your offer. I am unable to accept it."

followed by badgering messages, demeaning ... very specific details ... insisting that my listing is not authentic ...followed by extremely low-balled offers.

Block.

You can also add Accept /Reject parameters to the Best Offer option.

So if you want $90 for the item, but would like to get $100, you can :

List at $100

Set Best Offer
Set $90 as an automatic Acceptance.
Set $80 (or whatever) as an automatic Rejection.

There doesn't actually have to be difference of more than a penny between Accept and Reject, but I like to look at how long my items have been in stock before Rejecting an Offer.

For Good Bargain Hunting Buyers, the automatic Rejection is polite and encouraging enough that they do come back with a higher offer, sometimes more than one.

For %^&* nitwits, they get discouraged by never getting accepted.

And you don't see any of the Rejected Offers or the attached Messages.

[reallynicestamps]

If they can't buy it, they can't complete their (fraudulent ) sale.

And that's their problem, not yours.

The advice on Best Offer parameters stands and will work.

2) I'm unable to edit the posts that are a victim of Retail arbitrage

Annoying and a lot of work, but :

Close the affected listing.

Relist it as Sell Similar with the appropriate revisions.

Block the nitwit arbitrageur.

[tarotfindsandmore]

Victim of retail arbitrage?? Seriously?  Retail arbitrage is not only legal but it's pretty darn smart, and an excellent business model, if you know what you're doing.  Retail arbitrage involves purchasing  items at a discount from a retail store and then flipping them for a profit.  In fact, that is exactly what most flippers/resellers who sell new items are doing.  That said, what you're describing is not retail arbitrage.  

What you're describing is drop shipping.  Drop shipping is also legal, and what may be happening when you say you're concerned about other sellers listing your items as their own. That too is perfectly legit but not a very wise move for most resellers, especially with used or vintage items where condition can cause problems.  As far as (potentially) stealing your photos goes, that too is permitted on eBay.  Your photos essentially become eBay's photos when you use the platform and eBay does allow other sellers to use what is now their photos.  

What you're experiencing is 100% legal and eBay will tell you the same if you manage to get someone on the phone.  Other sellers can see exactly how your store is doing and are just trying to take advantage of what they believe may be a seller who might be feeling the pinch associated with low sales. Neither eBay, nor any of your buyers/sellers, give a hoot about what you're comfortable with.   There is no help to be had because there is no actual issue.

The solution here is quite straightforward.  End your listings, edit them to get rid of best offer, and then "sell similar" your items at the prices you want you for them.  If you plan to send out offers on the new listings, don't allow counteroffers when you relist.  That will eliminate a huge majority of the lowball offers you're getting.

You'd probably benefit from a little research here.  Every single thing you're upset about is not only legal, but completely on the level.  In fact, if you purchased the items you are selling at a thrift shop, you are engaging in retail arbitrage as well so kudos to you. 

[fbusoni]

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@carolinavintage wrote:

In the last 24 hours I've had several extremely lowball offers, followed by badgering messages, demeaning my products and asking for very specific details that really can be obtained in the description or photographs.  Additionally, I'm not able to figure out how to communicate with eBay about this issue, and from Reading through these community forum posts, it doesn't sound like eBay cares. 

---

@carolinavintage 

While not a solution to your problem here, one short term fix might be to add the authors of these messages to your blocked buyers list.

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock?

(Presumably you are able to do so.)

You have room for 5,000 names.

And no, eBay does not care, and I'd recommend you not communicate with eBay about your concerns because nothing good will come of doing so.

[chevymontecarlo88]

You're thinking too much about this. Just block the suspected buyers as suggested and adjust/add minimum offer pricing where you don't have to get low ball offers. Once they send you a message, at that time you do have the option to block them. 

On the other hand, are your prices set too low? 

[fern*wood]

The usual reason that revisions aren't permitted on a listing is when offers have been sent and are still live.  Can you offer an item number of one of your listings that someone has copied and are selling at a higher price?  

[pickapaper]

@carolinavintage 

I didn't look at all your listing titles but two spelling errors I noticed in your titles are "Benton" should be "Bento" and "Weibul" should be "Weibull".

[albertabrightalberta]

@carolinavintage 

I'm not sure why you think lowball offerers are doing retail arbitrager. They may just be shopping for bargain basement prices. 

Those who insult you, accuse you of selling fakes or are otherwise PITAs earn a spot on your BBL. Don't even respond unless to counter with your acceptable price. 

"I would like to take my rare items down off of eBay to protect them from being posted by a third party without my permission. But unfortunately, I'm not able to make those changes because I'm not able to edit these items."

How is ending your listings protecting them from being posted by a third party? They can still steal your pictures and/or description from the ended listing. Or if they google the item, they would find it in a search. 

Is your concern stolen pictures? 
Are the questions you're receiving from buyer/sellers who have listings for the same item, possibly with their own pictures or description? 

[jenk56]

"2) I'm unable to edit the posts that are a victim of Retail arbitrage"

When an item has an open offer, ebay doesn't allow you to edit many of the aspects of the listing.  

What you can do is end the listing and list it again (using the sell similar link) and make the changes you want.   Once the item is ended all the offers go away.  I'm not certain about this if you use the relist link instead of sell similar.

If you only have 250 free listings each month you may have to wait until March unless you want to pay the fees.

[bill.purvis2012]

There are times when Ebay doesn't allow the seller to edit a listing. If there is an offer on it that is still in play is one of them. They will 'time out'.  So, most likely that is the reason you can't edit.  As for the other, other sellers can copy listings and it's not prohibited by Ebay.  In your case, I would block the person who is sending the messages, offers and be done with them. 

[ittybitnot · Accepted solution]

 Retail arbitrage involves purchasing  items at a discount from a retail store and then flipping them for a profit.  

@tarotfindsandmore 

Actually, for the purposes of eBay sales, the term 'retail arbitrage' has a different meaning.  In this instance, the seller puts up something for sale, and when it sells  they THEN  buy the product and have it shipped to the buyer.   That is different than buying products on sale, and then going home and listing them online and flipping them for a profit. 

That is different than 'drop shipping' in that it lacks a contractual agreement to sell the products of someone else.  Retail arbitrage as defined above is not allowed on eBay.  However, at the same time, eBay is not likely to help our OP @carolinavintage .