Beware this eBay buyer . . .

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gbesq

·Oct 19, 2020

Her eBay name is robswatches1. I recently listed a watch for auction sale on eBay with a reserve price. About midway through the auction she submitted her first bid - $10.00 over the prior bidder. So far so good. Then nothing for several days. Shortly before the auction ends she rushes in and submits a series of five bids in rapid succession, each bid $100 more than the bid before it. Obviously, she's trying to figure out the reserve price. When she hits the reserve, she submits a final bid for $29 over the second highest bidder at the last second. So she wins the auction and, you guessed it, doesn't pay and doesn't respond to my messages. I went back and reviewed her feedback and, sure enough, two negative reviews in the past year for doing exactly the same thing. I also discovered that she is based in Norway, but the provided shipping address is for a male individual living in New York state. I have opened an unpaid item dispute and will report negative feedback. In the meantime, I can't repost the watch for sale, can't withdraw the item, and can't make a second chance offer to any of the other bidders. Fortunately, I didn't ship the watch, but still . . . infuriating. Sellers beware.

Edited: Oct 20, 2020

 

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Davidt

·Oct 20, 2020

How was negative feedback left for a buyer?

I barely sell anything on eBay now as it's so skewed in favour of the buyer. Unpaid items, opening item not received cases to try and get items for free, all with absolutely no recourse.

For an honest seller it's debatenle whether it's worth the hassle anymore.

 

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michael e

·Oct 20, 2020

Out of three auctions I ran last week only one got paid for, so it means sellers have to wait two weeks to relist, and then another week for the auction to run its course, it is a pain but I am well used to it now. My eBay blocked bidder list has 100s of people on it.
I usually put the non paying bidders name on the next auction in the hope other sellers will block them too.

Edited: Oct 20, 2020

 

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padders

·Oct 20, 2020·Oooo subtitles!

Why do they do it? Do they hope people will post without the payment being made?

 

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JwRosenthal

·Oct 20, 2020

Somone needs to develop another auction platform that can compete with eBay- they have really gone to shit. Just base it off of eBay from the mid 00's- that was fine! Sellers could leave feedback, PayPal or any other means of payment was fine, they acted as a neutral party and didn't intefere with the items or auction.

 

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michael e

·Oct 20, 2020

Also, with the new managed payments you have to wait 4-5 days for the money to hit your account, where before it was pretty much instant.

 

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rob#1

·Oct 20, 2020

Did someone say OFBay? 😉

 

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Spruce

·Oct 20, 2020·Sunburst dial fan

rob#1

Did someone say OFBay? 😉

Well, this forum seems to have or have had an auction section although it’s never been active during my membership

 

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padders

·Oct 20, 2020·Oooo subtitles!

Spruce

Well, this forum seems to have or have had an auction section although it’s never been active during my membership

The auctions button just links to ebay, there are no auctions hosted locally on here AFAIK.

 

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Peter_from_NL

·Oct 20, 2020

What would be the purpose of bidding, not paying and not getting an item? I miss the point here. What is this person trying? Are they so naive as to think you send the watch without the payment or so?

 

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michael e

·Oct 20, 2020

Arno (NL)

What would be the purpose of bidding, not paying and not getting an item? I miss the point here. What is this person trying? Are they so naive as to think you send the watch without the payment or so?

A free adrenaline rush of winning the auction I think.

 

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yande

·Oct 20, 2020

Horrible company to deal with. 12% fees, even on the Postal costs, and now, (during these Covid times.) this:

• If a buyer opens an ‘Item not received’ request for an item we will resolve the request and refund them after 3 business days, unless the request is closed. We will do this without requiring the buyer to ask eBay to step in and help.

 

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gbesq

·Oct 20, 2020

michael e

A free adrenaline rush of winning the auction I think.

That is certainly one possibility. Another is that she wanted to discover what the reserve was and, upon doing so, decided that she didn’t want to buy the item. I also won’t be surprised if she circles back to me in the next few days and tries to negotiate a price lower than her bid. I’ve had that happen with other auctions. Usually the would be buyer says that they’ve had an unexpected change in their financial circumstances, can no longer afford their winning bid, but would gladly purchase the item for $x dollars less.

 

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wristpirate

·Oct 20, 2020

Actively trying to burn an item? Knowing once it is relisted there is a greater chance of it selling for lower

 

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gbesq

·Oct 20, 2020

wristpirate

Actively trying to burn an item? Knowing once it is relisted there is a greater chance of it selling for lower

Yep, another possibility.

 

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mjb

·Oct 20, 2020

The only time I got burned was when I was trying to be a nice guy... sold a camera in March. Winning bidder delays payment, and after a few days emails me to say that he really wants it, but was laid off, waiting on final check, etc. This was corona-time, the guy was in NYC and I felt sorry for him, so I let him lead me on for two months before I said "put up or shut up" at which point he stopped responding to me. By that point, I couldn't open a case with eBay, it was too late, so I'm out auction fees. I sent him a nice email explaining that he owed me a lot of money, and never heard back. I sent a note to eBay and they actually refunded me the fees. I about fell out of my chair.

Relisted it and sold it for more money, so I guess Karma does come back at ya.

 

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Wryfox

·Oct 20, 2020

I stopped international sales years ago. Reduced my headaches by 90% easy. Don't think I lost a dime by doing it either.

 

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Dan S

·Oct 20, 2020

What is stopping you from re-listing? I have never had to wait a week for a non-paying buyer. Cancel the sale and re-list immediately. I know I've done this in the past, has something changed?

 

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gdupree

·Oct 20, 2020

Dan S

What is stopping you from re-listing? I have never had to wait a week for a non-paying buyer. Cancel the sale and re-list immediately. I know I've done this in the past, has something changed?

To my knowledge if you cancel the sale, your fees are not refunded, and I have read that cancellations are tracked by eBay and might negatively impact your record as a seller if it is done frequently.

 

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Dan S

·Oct 20, 2020

gdupree

To my knowledge if you cancel the sale, your fees are not refunded, and I have read that cancellations are tracked by eBay and might negatively impact your record as a seller if it is done frequently.

Aren't listing fees trivial? Like $1? The first time this happened to me, I contacted eBay support, and they told me to just re-list.