Hi @trazer13
My take is this is not a scammer.
What they likely are is nervous. Because you don’t accept returns, and you are a new seller. That’s two potential strikes against you, especially if this buyer has been burned in the past. The shopper is more apt to be looking for reassurance (that you are upstanding and will treat them fairly) rather than looking for ways to scam you out of a low-risk modestly priced item.
Consider: they are willing to take a chance on you, but it seems you are not returning the courtesy. They are showing an interest in your item, enough to reach out to take your measure as a seller, and yet your first response is to block them.
Basing business decisions on fear of what might happen instead of figuring out how to clinch the sale disregards the very purpose of listing your item on eBay. We are all here to sell and make a profit, not to collect IDs for the Blocked Buyer list. A buyer asking a question is not an indication of nefarious intent. Just the opposite, usually.
In 15 years of selling on eBay, i have never encountered a fraudulent buyer. (There are four names on my block list.) Have encountered some fraudulent eBay sellers, yes. But scamming buyers? No. Not to say that bad buyers don’t exist. Scamming is sadly with us, but i take what steps i can to minimize my risk of selling here. It includes the following:
1)Free returns, 2) avoid listing items in high-risk categories like gaming, designer goods, electronics, computers, smartphones, etc. 3) keep abreast of all the policies, 4) set my Buyer Requirements to their strictest levels, 5) use fixed-price listing format with Immediate Payment Required (when appropriate, with no Best Offer), 6) hone customer service skills, 7) have a plan in place on how to handle shrinkage if it occurs, 😎 Set aside working capital which includes funds equal to my highest sale in case of an unexpected return, 9) calculate estimated shipping costs, package dimensions/weight before listing goes live.
A word on free returns—they are not for everybody, but work well for my eBay selling. Overall, it is better to have some kind of return policy rather than risk bogus Money Back Guarantee cases that can erode one’s standing on eBay.
Each seller must decide what their risk tolerance is—prior to listing an item. eBay is not set up to manage risk after the sale. It has policies in place to penalize sellers who fail to follow through with a transaction, without buyer request.
Online selling isn’t for everyone. I would urge you to regroup, decide whether or not you can accept the inherent risk of potential loss, weighed against the possible monetary gains. But whatever you decide, wish you much success and good luck.
