eBay

livadia · ‎10-22-2018

So, I had an old pocket watch. Nothing special, missing all sorts of parts, and most likely gold-filled or gold-plated. Put it up on auction starting at 99 cents for parts or scrap.

Had two bidders. The winner outbid the initial bidder's proxy bid max and won the auction for $22.50 which ended yesterday. Since there was no response to the initial notice/invoice, sent a note today and reminded bidder that payment is due within 48 hours of auction close. (Unpaid bidder case can be opened tomorrow afternoon which I didn't mention in my reminder/invoice as I tried to keep things light and friendly as a nudge for timely payment.)

Get a message back from the buyer saying he will send payment by wire transfer on Wednesday. (?) I message him back, thank him for reply, but explain that unfortunately a wire transfer is not an acceptable method of payment and ask him if he'd like to cancel. No response.

High bidder (yep, you guessed it) has zero feedback. Account was opened in July 2018. He's left no feedback for any other buyers so I'm not sure if he's bought anything on the site up to this point or not. Have already added him to my blocked bidder list.

Wish the guy would just request to cancel but so far, crickets from his end. Yes, tomorrow I can file a Unpaid Bidder Strike, which of course ties my item up for another four days before I can offer it as a second-chance to the back-up bidder. I'd really not deal with the guy at all, but really my only option, I'm afraid.

However, anyone want to weigh in on what you'd do?

robot-hands · ‎10-23-2018

@livadia wrote:

However, anyone want to weigh in on what you'd do?

Yeah relist it now GTC and stop using auctions, that's what I would do.

mr_lincoln · ‎10-23-2018

@livadia I never use .99 starting prices on Auction even on Parts Only or For Restoration items and I use Auctions whenever possible, they're great. I am sure your sitaution does not occur very often so just wait the 48 hours and process the UPI ...

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

livadia · ‎10-23-2018

@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

A seller has every right to expect prompt payment as long as the terms are spelled out in the listing. But give them a little time. As a buyer, i would be annoyed if i rec’d two seller payment notices in one day on the heels of each other. Since Ebay sends reminders to pay, it can be overkill to send multiple invoices in addition to eBay’s messages.

"Terms" of the sale (payment required within 48 hrs of the auction's close) was clearly indicated in the listing. Buyer received eBay's notification/request for payment immediately after winning the auction. 36 hours later I sent the buyer a very friendly payment reminder. I don't consider that "overkill" or harassment, but to each his/her own.

@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

I would be more concerned about listing an item as scrap gold without knowing for certain if there is any gold content at all. There are shoppers who rely on the title and skip the description where you explain you assume that the item is gold filled or plated. My worry is that it is a SNAD in waiting. Better to not mention the word "gold" in the title if there is doubt.

Perhaps, but I am more concerned about the fact the buyer has zero feedback, has no intention of paying according to the terms of the sale not only within the stated time period, but with an allowable payment method. Further, when I made the buyer aware of the fact a wire transfer is not acceptable on eBay for this type of purchase and asked if he would like to cancel the transaction as a result, there's been absolutely no response.

Yes, he could be a "newbie" who doesn't know how eBay works, but he just as easily could be a scammer. If he thinks he's going to do a wire transfer to pay for his purchase, I don't know how he thinks he's going to facilitate that without my bank info which so far, at least through eBay Messages, he's not requested. Wouldn't be surprised however, if he's been trying to text me to obtain those details, but since I don't have a cell phone, good luck with that...

livadia · ‎10-23-2018

@castlemagicmemories wrote:
@livadia wrote:
Good suggestion @reallynicestamps, but the buyer is in Queens, NYC.
Queens is a veritable melting pot so the buyer could be foreign.

Yes that's very likely @castlemagicmemories given the person's stated last name. However, no way to determine whether the person actually lives in the US or not, however, from what I have been able to research so far, it appears the person does live stateside.

livadia · ‎10-23-2018

@turquoisetulips wrote:
As a buyer, i would be annoyed if i rec’d two seller payment notices in one day on the heels of each other. Since Ebay sends reminders to pay, it can be overkill to send multiple invoices in addition to eBay’s fanhu4eehuh -

Uh huh ,, then you'd just LOVE what I've been enduring lately . This has nothing to do with e bay but it has a whole lot to do with annoyance . My doctors office gave my address and phone number [without me knowing ] to some off the wall medical place where you need to fill out a 200 question form and then get pins stuck in your feet for the rest of the day . So here's the thing,, although it sounds like a blast - I don't want to go ! Doesnt matter ,,, because this place has been calling my cell phone 2 to 3 times a day for the past month and leaves me long winded messages in broken English .They even change up the number they call from to try and trip me up sometimes as well . They also have been sending notices by snail mail to my house asking me to call and make an appointment. I'm pulling my hair out !!! 😞 Tulips

@turquoisetulips, I hope you've let your doctor's office know how unhappy you are with their "decision." That's ridiculous!

livadia · ‎10-23-2018

@robot-hands wrote:
@livadia wrote:

However, anyone want to weigh in on what you'd do?

Yeah relist it now GTC and stop using auctions, that's what I would do.

Thanks @robot-hands, 99.9% of the time I used Fixed Price listings with Immediate Payment Required. It's very rare that I offer anything on an auction basis. However, I don't usually sell this type of item so didn't feel confident trying to come up with an appropriate fixed selling price.

I was advised by others who *do* sell this type of thing that the best/most common way to sell scrap gold items like this was to use an auction with a low starting price, and let those who do buy such stuff duke it out. All of that would have been well and good except for the fact there is no IPR possible when an item sells at auction and I've encountered a buyer who either doesn't know the process or is out to pull a fast one.

Nothing much I can do except open an Unpaid Item case if the buyer doesn't pay, let the clock run on that, close it and make a Second Chance Offer to the back-up bidder. If that doesn't work, then I may just relist at a Fixed Price now that I have a better idea of what bidders would pay for it.

livadia · ‎10-23-2018

@mr_lincoln wrote:
@livadia I never use .99 starting prices on Auction even on Parts Only or For Restoration items and I use Auctions whenever possible, they're great. I am sure your sitaution does not occur very often so just wait the 48 hours and process the UPI ...

Yep, that's what I plan to do @mr_lincoln as there really are no other options.

doubledz-a2z · ‎10-23-2018

I would put the item back on auction for 5 days so if your buyer does pay you can end the auction but at the same time it is advertised for sale. I would start the bidding at the price it last ended for.

coolections · ‎10-23-2018

I would follow the Ebay procedure and open the UPI and wait the allotted time. If the buyer doesn't pay, I would relist at the amount the first auction ended and not worry about it.

softersilk · ‎10-23-2018

@livadia wrote:
So, I had an old pocket watch. Nothing special, missing all sorts of parts, and most likely gold-filled or gold-plated. Put it up on auction starting at 99 cents for parts or scrap.

Had two bidders. The winner outbid the initial bidder's proxy bid max and won the auction for $22.50 which ended yesterday. Since there was no response to the initial notice/invoice, sent a note today and reminded bidder that payment is due within 48 hours of auction close. (Unpaid bidder case can be opened tomorrow afternoon which I didn't mention in my reminder/invoice as I tried to keep things light and friendly as a nudge for timely payment.)

Get a message back from the buyer saying he will send payment by wire transfer on Wednesday. (?) I message him back, thank him for reply, but explain that unfortunately a wire transfer is not an acceptable method of payment and ask him if he'd like to cancel. No response.

High bidder (yep, you guessed it) has zero feedback. Account was opened in July 2018. He's left no feedback for any other buyers so I'm not sure if he's bought anything on the site up to this point or not. Have already added him to my blocked bidder list.

Wish the guy would just request to cancel but so far, crickets from his end. Yes, tomorrow I can file a Unpaid Bidder Strike, which of course ties my item up for another four days before I can offer it as a second-chance to the back-up bidder. I'd really not deal with the guy at all, but really my only option, I'm afraid.

However, anyone want to weigh in on what you'd do?

1) Add him to the BBL and cease attempts at communication.

2) File the UPI at 48 hours and the final in 96 more hours.

3) Relist it at the price you want, at GTC with Immediate Payment Required (IPR). Forget auctions.

Understand:

1) He was probably just making up that story, but FYI, you may accept a wire transfer if the buyer suggests it. You just can't ask for one. But if it's to your bank, find out how much the fee would be to accept it. For such a cheap item, the fee may be higher. If it's Western Union, it's free to accept it. Wire transfers are risk free (it's a myth that a bank one allows scammers to steal your money) and there is no chargeback risk.

2) Putting stuff at auction does not mean the stuff will sell faster than at fixed price. Stuff can sell at fixed price immediately. Using IPR saves headaches and improves cash flow.

stickboy1974 · ‎10-23-2018

The first thing I would do is talk to your doctor and let him know what you are going through. Best case would be that he could get them to stop bothering you. Worst case would be perhaps he sould stop giving this place any more business.

An example - my doctor told me that a certain test was free - so I said sure. After a month, the company sent me a bill for a couple of a hundred dollars - so much for free. I contacted my doctors office and long story short - I did not have to pay anything and my doctors office no longer deals with this "free" service.

Second - contact your phone company and tell them. You have not had any dealings with them and now they are harassing you.

Third - and I hope e Bay is okay with this - check out nomorobo. Enter that into your search engine. The service is free for landlines. I am not sure if it can stop these particular calls, but it will stop a lot of telemarketeers.

Fourth - cell phones - get a blocker. There are enough for free.

Good luck

7606dennis · ‎10-23-2018

@softersilk wrote:
@livadia wrote:
So, I had an old pocket watch. Nothing special, missing all sorts of parts, and most likely gold-filled or gold-plated. Put it up on auction starting at 99 cents for parts or scrap.

Had two bidders. The winner outbid the initial bidder's proxy bid max and won the auction for $22.50 which ended yesterday. Since there was no response to the initial notice/invoice, sent a note today and reminded bidder that payment is due within 48 hours of auction close. (Unpaid bidder case can be opened tomorrow afternoon which I didn't mention in my reminder/invoice as I tried to keep things light and friendly as a nudge for timely payment.)

Get a message back from the buyer saying he will send payment by wire transfer on Wednesday. (?) I message him back, thank him for reply, but explain that unfortunately a wire transfer is not an acceptable method of payment and ask him if he'd like to cancel. No response.

High bidder (yep, you guessed it) has zero feedback. Account was opened in July 2018. He's left no feedback for any other buyers so I'm not sure if he's bought anything on the site up to this point or not. Have already added him to my blocked bidder list.

Wish the guy would just request to cancel but so far, crickets from his end. Yes, tomorrow I can file a Unpaid Bidder Strike, which of course ties my item up for another four days before I can offer it as a second-chance to the back-up bidder. I'd really not deal with the guy at all, but really my only option, I'm afraid.

However, anyone want to weigh in on what you'd do?

1) Add him to the BBL and cease attempts at communication.
2) File the UPI at 48 hours and the final in 96 more hours.
3) Relist it at the price you want, at GTC with Immediate Payment Required (IPR). Forget auctions.

Understand:
1) He was probably just making up that story, but FYI, you may accept a wire transfer if the buyer suggests it. You just can't ask for one. But if it's to your bank, find out how much the fee would be to accept it. For such a cheap item, the fee may be higher. If it's Western Union, it's free to accept it. Wire transfers are risk free (it's a myth that a bank one allows scammers to steal your money) and there is no chargeback risk.

2) Putting stuff at auction does not mean the stuff will sell faster than at fixed price. Stuff can sell at fixed price immediately. Using IPR saves headaches and improves cash flow.

Actually, I don't believe accepting a form of payment that isn't on eBay's approved payment form list is acceptable even at the request of the buyer anymore. At least not on the US site.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."