Suspicious Buyer Activity

[lat38]

Has anyone run into these situations. 1- A buyer makes a lowball offer, it gets declined, but he rapidly keeps raising the offer right up to the starting bid price saying that he really needs the item. The offer is accepted. When he gets it he immediately picks apart the condition showing various minor flaws even though other scuff marks were very apparent in the photos. He wants to return it for a refund which is immediately granted and a return label is sent through eBay. After all this he says a "friend" is interested in it, but at a cheaper price. I don't bite and tell him to just return it which he did. Sounds like he planned this from the beginning, that is, get it at a cheaper price like he tried to do in the first place. The way he went after the condition was over the top. As soon as I got the item back he was blocked. I don't believe I have enough on him to report him however.

2- I just ran into a similar buyer who upon receiving an item also picked the condition apart. He also gave lowball offers then increased to an acceptable one. He requested a refund which was granted and a label sent. He hasn't asked for a partial refund yet, but I expect he might. I'll see. I would appreciate responses to this.

[jonathankirkland]

Well I always make lowball offers on "make offer" lots, I don't consider that suspicious.

All you can do is say "open a case, return for refund" over and over and hope they either go away or send back what you sent them and in the same condition, that is the "BEST" you can hope for sadly. 😞

[mtgraves7984]

I would appreciate responses to this.

@lat38 

My kneejerk response is that you've done correctly in approving the Returns before refunding. Good work.

[Anonymous]

You waited too long to block. When buyers start acting weird like this, it's a good time to block...well before they buy it.

As far as your case, if the buyer files an Item Not As Described case, chances are, you are going to lose. eBay sides with the buyer on these nearly all of the time.

[lat38]

You're right. I did wait too long to block. It won't happen again.

[bonjourami]

Probably just coincidential..if you are not describing 'various minor flaws' in your description, and just counting on photos to show the flaws..you are opening yourself up for snad complaints.

[wesk_36]

Good that you received the item back, at least, from the first buyer.

[Anonymous]

---

@lat38 wrote:

You're right. I did wait too long to block. It won't happen again.

---

Low ballers don’t take buying seriously and are often an indication of problems to come down the line.

[lat38]

It's fine to come in with lowball offers, I can accept that. It's how fast his offers shot up and that he "needed" the item, NOW! That makes it really suspicious especially since there were several other items of the same brand and condition at better prices. 

[bimm_corp]

You're lucky he returned the item. These predatory buyers usually file a SNAD, complain to eBay who immediately issues a refund without any requirement to return the item. Here's some "advertising" on how to run the scam,

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping-Returns/Local-Radio-DJs-advertised-ebay-s-return-loophole/m-p...

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+get+free+stuff+on+ebay

[lat38]

Thanks for the reply. Mostly I haven't any problems with sellers. Just 2 so far. But it only takes a couple to mess things up.

[lat38]

Lesson learned!

[soh.maryl · Accepted solution]

Glad to hear this turned out well for you.

Would like to mention, however, that even "minor flaws" need to be described in the description.  It's not enough to point out that they were shown in the photographs.

Someone mentioned, a long time ago, that sellers need to take pictures as if there were no description, and to write descriptions as if there were no photographs.  This is so true.

[lat38]

Thank you. This will be my new policy.

[marcusdarnley]

That's why I never offer anything for "Best Offer"   I find that no one really uses it (at least for what I sell), and it's more trouble than it's worth to go through the back and forth of counter-offering and such.