trying to contact buyer for local pickup. Messages won't go through because buyer has bad contact

[augman]

Buyer bought item for local pickup but I am unable to contact them. I'm guessing their info is wrong or missing since it is a newly registered buyer. I've tried the eBay help but as you know, it's no help. Is there a number I can call. 

[jerseyboymusic]

Was it the 3 wise men that sold yesterday!?!?!?

[caldreamer]

EBAY does NOT have a phone number for you to call.    Only way to get in touch with EBAY customer service is to go through HELP screen and request callback.

[slippinjimmy]

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@augman wrote:

Buyer bought item for local pickup but I am unable to contact them. I'm guessing their info is wrong or missing since it is a newly registered buyer. I've tried the eBay help but as you know, it's no help. Is there a number I can call. 

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What do you mean by "can't contact them"?

What happens when you try to send them a message?

[itsjustasprain · Accepted solution]

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@augman wrote:

Buyer bought item for local pickup but I am unable to contact them. I'm guessing their info is wrong or missing since it is a newly registered buyer. 

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@augman : Is it wrong info or missing info? If you go to the Order Details for your sale you should see your buyer's phone number there under his contact info section. For the first two weeks following the sale there will also be an encrypted email address for them that will work to send them a message. (After the first two weeks the encrypted email address will go away but the phone number will remain. You can also follow the Contact Member link found on their feedback page.)

[augman]

Thank you for all your answers. Yes it’s that sale of the wise men. I know it’s a holiday- I understand if I takes a bit to hear back BUT in my experience it’s a bad sign when attempts to message to arrange pickup keep bouncing back and don’t even go through. The problem is not on my end since my other  communications are going through. I did get a callback from eBay after navigating around a bit. eBay  recommended I just wait for them to contact me-  I just don’t want the customer to think I’m unresponsive to their purchase! Thanks and Happy New Year! 

[sterling*n*steel]

Have they paid already? Or paying on pick up?

[adamcartwright]

@augman 

What do you mean by "messages won't go through"?

You are receiving an error message when you send a message?

[femmefan1946]

For reference, the buyer has four days to pay.

Most pickup items are paid on pickup.

After that, the seller can Cancel the transaction with no fallout and relist.

It is also possible to set your Seller Preferences up to cancel Unpaid transactions automatically after 96 hours.

In addition, even Paid transactions can be cancelled WITHOUT REFUNDING if they are deemed Undeliverable.

Now, whether or not a Local/Pickup item would come under this is an interesting question.

Here is the policy.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy...

With Undeliverable items the transaction is cancelled, the buyer does not get a Strike, but the Seller is not required to refund the buyer.

Most would, but it is not actually required by eBay.

[fern*wood]

Just to be clear, you are using ebay messages via "contact buyer"?  I don't ever recall those bouncing back or showing as undeliverable. 

[slippinjimmy]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Most pickup items are paid on pickup.

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Not in my experience in the past 5 years (since Managed Payments). I haven't had a local pickup sale since then that was not paid through eBay in advance (not to say that it never happens but it's probably mostly with Auctions rather than Fixed Price).

In the PayPal days almost all my Local Pickup sales were paid in cash at pickup.

[stainlessenginecovers]

@augman  Ebay messages do NOT bounce back. Find the order and click 'message buyer' as well as you can click the blue transaction number and it will show you the buyers phone number. 

[ron802]

eBay has removed their customer service telephone numbers. They're hiding from users as always. The only way you can talk to a live person is to go to the automatic chat feature under "contact us" and keep entering "have an agent call me". No matter what the auto robot asks, enter that till it gives you an estimate on a call back and verifies your number.

Be prepared for a call back from their foreign call center. I can't remember the last time I spoke to a rep. here in the US. I have nothing against foreign call centers, but they should be staffed by people that can clearly speak whatever language is required. On 12/31 2024 I spent a VERY frustrating 15 min. trying to get help from a rep. that could only speak in broken English. HORRIBLE background noise. She must have been in a room with dozens of other reps. I think she's going to pass the question along. Might have ordered sweet & sour pork with fried rice. Not Sure.

Good Luck

[femmefan1946]

This is why the Chat is better.

No problem with accents. I write Standard English but don't always speak Standard English*.

The rep has time to understand the question.

The rep doesn't have to deal with your emotional breakdown.

The rep can keep asking you to explain the entire problem until you answer it.

And you get a transcript so you can compare what you thought you were told with what you were actually told.

*If ye dinna ken fit ah'm oan about, ah can blether oan for hoors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF2jN3MgCYY