Why my Ebay stores always block everyone with private feedback

[certifiedcitynet]

Why would a legitimate buyer set his feedback to "private"? What is he hiding? Something is very fishy.

Our Ebay stores have encountered major problems with many if not most of these buyers, such as attempted extortion of partial refunds under threat of leaving fake negative feedback; cases inexplicably opened just one or two days after orders were placed; puzzling cancellation requests; returns demanded months after the return privilege had expired; or dozens or even hundreds of harassing messages.

We always look for red flags in order to avoid dealing with criminals and weirdos. Private feedback is one of them and invariably results in a block. These lowlifes are never worth the trouble, at least in our experience.

Heck, we blocked a creep today who demanded to see a coin in its PCGS holder because he did not trust us. Yet, we are supposed to trust him, an anonymous total stranger with almost no feedback? He is probably a crook himself, hence his paranoia and projection.

Some fellow coin dealers refuse to sell on Ebay due to the plethora of scammers and wackos. But our screening process dramatically reduces interactions with such undesirables. 

Curiously, our biggest spending customers NEVER set their feedback to "private". Or give us a hard time in any other way. 

[certifiedcitynet]

I did not say the YOU are nefarious. I said that, based on my experiences selling expensive rare coins, "many if not most" buyers who have private feedback turn out to be scammers, nutcases, and/or backbreakers.

I am speaking from my perspective. If I sold $5 adult diapers, I would no doubt have a different slant. 

[certifiedcitynet]

You did nothing wrong by making your feedback private. My OP was intended to alert sellers of expensive rare coins (and possibly other valuables) to the problems encountered with private feedback buyers.

[gloryglorygifts]

I think people might put their feedback on "private" because they may feel they are protected from ads, etc. or third parties getting their buying history. They have a false sense of security from doing that on other social media sites and may think it works here too. They aren't all weirdos and scammers. Sometimes they are just people trying to stay secure in their buying. 

[coolections]

If I was to buy a rare expensive coins you better bet I would want my feedback private. Also you are not understating ALL buyers have positive feedback so hiding feedback is a big waste of your time. You know you are losing a protentional of 10-20% of your customer pool. Lastly your are doing BIN so regardless of any type of feedback a person has they can still buy from you as you have no choice.

[certifiedcitynet]

Most of your points are valid. 

I understand that not all private feedback buyers will be trouble. But "many if not most" who buy valuable coins will be (based on my experiences), so I go with the odds and block them if they message in advance, which most private feedback people do (what do both behaviors say about their insecurities and thus mental health?). 

And a buyer's private feedback prevents me from seeing their feedback left for others, the main reason for blocking them. 

[buyselljack2016]

I suppose some may, but a real scammer has no need/reason to message you before purchasing. Just the opposite, but your account, your choice how to handle it 😁

The good scammers keep the lowest profile possible.

[itsjustasprain]

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@certifiedcitynet wrote:

Some fellow coin dealers refuse to sell on Ebay due to the plethora of scammers and wackos. But our screening process dramatically reduces interactions with such undesirables. 

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Since your listings are almost entirely Buyitnow I am wondering how much screening you can really do if a buyer with feedback set to Private does not contact you in advance for any reason. Do you simply cancel his purchase?

[rugerskick]

Anything that tweaks your gut reaction of something being off, always listen to it.  Always.

[joseh1445]

Very simple questions.  Are you a seller or collector?  That you sell items above $1,000,000, to me that's your attitude.  If I was selling what you are selling, I would not be here asking the questions that you are asking, furthermore, you have a very negative attitude.  Why?  I don't know.  But I have learn that you attract what you (I) think.  

Best of luck on your selling journey.  I really hope that you sell $1,000,000 of the stuff that you are selling or more.  

[retrogames10000]

I was not aware that you can open a graded coin holder - I thought the whole point of the case was that you had to smash it to get the coin so you can't swap out different grades..?

[vintagecraze50]

We have a selling and buying account. Many chose not have to their purchase shown on their buying account. We are avid buyers on here that pay promptly and buy a lot of stuff. 

[certifiedcitynet]

Good point! You cannot screen buyers who do not contact you in advance. You just have to endure their abuse for that purchase. But you can block them from future buying/bidding. 

[mn467462]

Don't listen to the haters. I understand your decision 100%. Once you've dealt with a bad buyer, you get so discouraged that you want to quit. 

[certifiedcitynet]

I am a full-time dealer, of course.

The point is that I want to see a buyer's "Feedback left for others" due to the many problems that we have encountered with Negative Nellies who have each left negs for many reputable sellers. This revealing feedback is not visible from those who have set it to private. 

I do indeed have a "negative attitude" about crooks, wackos, and backbreakers due to the time-wasting problems they cause, hence my pursuit to weed them out in advance. 

But just to be clear to anyone who is considering selling rare coins (or other pricier items) on Ebay, I estimate that 99% of buyers are wonderful. It is the unpleasant 1% whom I want to avoid. I increase my chances of doing this by not dealing with buyers who set their feedback to private. 

And I agree, not every buyer who makes their feedback private is an undesirable, but most are in my experience, at least those who order expensive rare coins. 

[certifiedcitynet]

In my experience, the "canned answer" critics tend to be those who buy and/or sell very inexpensive items, or even nothing at all. Those who post the most know the least yet purport to be experts about everything Ebay related.