eBay

ole1845 · ‎01-14-2022

There is something weird going on with zero feedback bidders. I just had an auction end with two zero feedback bidders driving the price up beyond normal and then not paying. That auction had several unique zero feedback bidders. It was an Apple Watch with a cracked screen. An item that people buy, repair and resell. Not typically something a newbie would be interested in.

Don't tell me everyone has to start somewhere. This is a real problem Ebay needs to address. I don't know if it's bots that are trying to disrupt Ebay or people who want to punish people who choose auctions over fixed price. Something rotten is going on.

dq3141 · ‎01-14-2022

Sport bidders.

Even with a cracked screen, you should be able to determine a fair price for that item, and just do a fixed price listing, with the immediate payment required option.

dbfolks166mt · ‎01-14-2022

I keep waiting for eBay to require instant payment upon completion of an auction like they do for BIN items. It would eliminate a lot of the sport bidding.

kabilab · ‎01-14-2022

When I first began selling in this account in 2013, I gave auctions a try, then determined they were not for me. I mention this because I have no manner by which to gauge the problem. It seems to me, though, the solution is simple: Switch to BIN, roll with the situation or sell on a different platform.

sparclit · ‎01-14-2022

You can block bidders with the ebay seller settings. Check this page. I think you will find something useful.

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/blockedbuyeractivities

And also you can offer second chance for second highest bidder if the highest bidder doesnot pay.

doc-holmes · ‎01-14-2022

@dbfolks166mt wrote:
I keep waiting for eBay to require instant payment upon completion of an auction like they do for BIN items. It would eliminate a lot of the sport bidding.

I've heard this a couple of times. How would it work? Obviously not everyone can be online for when an auction ends so I assume you would have to provide a payment source to make your first bid. So, in this scenario am I giving eBay permission ahead of time to charge my payment source without knowing how much the sale price ahead of time?

ole1845 · ‎01-14-2022

I can't block every zero feedback bidder. Plus I don't know they won't pay until they don't pay.

I like to mix it up between Buy It Now vs Auction. Popular items can get bid higher with an auction when a couple people really want an item.

Bottom line; Ebay has a problem with zero feedback bidders who don't pay. Seem like they could easily resolve this by making them confirm they know they need to pay and to prove they aren't a bot.

ckimodog · ‎01-14-2022

I would avoid auctions right now and just list all items at a fixed, buy it now price with immediate payment required box checked as well. Until ebay comes up with a solution to this problem, it's the best way to avoid sport bidders.

dq3141 · ‎01-14-2022

@ole1845 wrote:
I can't block every zero feedback bidder. Plus I don't know they won't pay until they don't pay.

I like to mix it up between Buy It Now vs Auction. Popular items can get bid higher with an auction when a couple people really want an item.

Bottom line; Ebay has a problem with zero feedback bidders who don't pay. Seem like they could easily resolve this by making them confirm they know they need to pay and to prove they aren't a bot.

You think there are bits roaming the site randomly making bids?

dbfolks166mt · ‎01-14-2022

@dbfolks166mt wrote:
I keep waiting for eBay to require instant payment upon completion of an auction like they do for BIN items. It would eliminate a lot of the sport bidding.

I've heard this a couple of times. How would it work? Obviously not everyone can be online for when an auction ends so I assume you would have to provide a payment source to make your first bid. So, in this scenario am I giving eBay permission ahead of time to charge my payment source without knowing how much the sale price ahead of time?

Your analysis is correct. You would provide a payment source just like buyers who have that setup for their BIN purchases. As a buyer you should know what you bid on the item and/or what your max bid was set at. I buy on several other online auction sites and my accounts on those sites are setup exactly like that. Once an item I have bid on ends my account is billed in a matter of minutes.

slippinjimmy · ‎01-14-2022

The only problem with zero feedback buyers is that there are NOT ENOUGH OF THEM!

FYI - My last non-payer (more than a year ago probably more than 2) had just shy of 1000 feedbacks!

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep

lamber9347 · ‎01-14-2022

If eBay can't force a seller to complete a transaction, and that happens more and more, then how can they force a buyer to do so?

fashunu4eeuh · ‎01-14-2022

Just in case you haven't done so, to help slow the non-payers, make sure your Buyer Requirements are set to their strictest levels to block serial offenders. See link below for instructions. Also be sure to add all non-paying bidders to your Blocked Buyer list. (Doing these two things does not solve the problem, but it can mitigate some of it. It won’t hurt and might help.) The third step is to ensure the non-payer gets the non-payer strike from eBay. This helps all sellers who are savvy enough to use the Buyer Requirements.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/setting-buyer-requirements?id=...

thedancinghampsterstore · ‎04-13-2022

I wanted to add some feedback to this thread. I typically only do BIN in my store, but maybe a few times a month I do auctions. I have seen more and more what I believe to be bots bidding on my most popular items the first day (with zero feedback) and then the price rises, and the bot will win the auction at the last minute. When I go to prepare the item, I see they have no address on file, so I've been canceling the listings as "problem with address" as clearly this isn't a real person if they haven't paid or answer my messages within 24 hours. If they were a real person, and had just won the item at the last minute they should have paid for it immediately like most buyers do, and they would have an address on file. Once my listing is canceled for no address, I do my second chance offer, and I've had much success with real buyers (with high feedback typically) paying for the item. Another tip is that you can cancel and block these 0 feedback bidders immediately when you see them starting up on bids on a hotter item. The names of the bots are extremely easy to spot. Usually its a nonsense word and number, and their profile is created the day your listing starts.

I do believe that EBay can have a credit card on file for bidders, so they would be immediately charged if they won. I think they are avoiding that because of potential credit card fraud cases, but I would think eventually as these bots become more and more prevalent they will institute some protections for sellers. I also hope they listen to sellers so we can block 0 feedback bidders (not BIN) in the future. I do have the highest protections set, but it doesn't help with these bots/sport bidders. I hope these tips help some of the casual sellers here on Ebay!