eBay buyer suspicious? (1 Viewer)

[BlakeWR85]

Hey guys, I'm selling a book on ebay, I noticed the bidder has zero feedback, then I looked at their profile, it says they just joined today. To me, it seems funny that someone would create an account and bid on something the same day I guess it happens, just a rare occasion to have somebody's first bid ever to happen on one of your own items. Is this something not to be worried about, or have you guys ever had problems with bidders like this, what do yous think?

 

[Gideon]

this has happened to me with several outcomes realized:

1. Buyer checked out and paid for item and I was his first positive feedback
2. Buyer had no idea that shipping was additional and tried negotiating after the fact - unpaid item reported and refund finally granted for fees
3. Buyer threatened me with negative feedback if I didn't give free shipping - filed complaint with eBay and was given refund for fees
4. Buyer never paid - refund given for fees
5. Buyer insisted on paying via money order for a $3 transaction - negative comment left for me, I filed complaint and was given fee refund and feedback removed

I email new or low feedback users when they bid on my items to make sure they understand eBays terms and the terms I've listed on my item.

 

[ecuriel]

I tend to avoid auctions that allow zero feedback bidders. I find it odd to see the first auction someone desides to bid on is a super rare item. As Chuck Berry would say, "Too much monkey business."

 

[thebritfarmer]

I tend to avoid auctions that allow zero feedback bidders. I find it odd to see the first auction someone desides to bid on is a super rare item. As Chuck Berry would say, "Too much monkey business."

I agree with that to a degree but we were all 0 feedback bidders at one point and every single one of us was given a chance by a seller.

 

[kogu]

I agree with that to a degree but we were all 0 feedback bidders at one point and every single one of us was given a chance by a seller.

This is true, I think. After all, we all had to start at one point.
Konrad

 

[theBaron]

I understand your wariness, but on the other hand, I think I joined eBay and bid immediately on an auction. I would fall into Gideon's Situation Nr. 1.

If I'm not mistaken, you're allowed as a seller to make it a condition of your auction that buyers with no feedback may not bid, or have to pay with PayPal, and other restrictions. Or has eBay changed those rules/features?

Prost!
Brad

 

[ecuriel]

I agree with that to a degree but we were all 0 feedback bidders at one point and every single one of us was given a chance by a seller.

For inexpensive items I can understand, however, if I were a seller, I would feel alot more comfortable selling to an experienced ebayer. No different with zero Feedback sellers, I will avoid, especially on higher priced items.

 

[BlakeWR85]

Thanks guys, I was on the fence about this one. I guess I was just weirded out for the first time in 6 years that I had someone bid on one of my items for their very first time. I guess a prostitute could say the same thing about a virgin
(moderators: let me know and I'll edit that out if it's inappropriate, I just thought it really resonated with my situation).

 

[marco55]

The reason I first joined ebay was to bid on an item.
Mark

 

[kogu]

I can't see any other possible reason to sign up and register with ebay unless you want to bid on items.
Maybe one just wants to sell only, but in that case I think a seller with 0 feedback would be just as "bad" as a buyer with 0 feedback.
Konrad

 

[ecuriel]

I can't see any other possible reason to sign up and register with ebay unless you want to bid on items.
Maybe one just wants to sell only, but in that case I think a seller with 0 feedback would be just as "bad" as a buyer with 0 feedback.
Konrad

Here one possible reason. Someone is selling an item on ebay. Not much activitity going on. Ebay seller calls a friend to register and be a shill. Bidding goes up, shill pulls his bid, buyer pays more than if no shill. I know this happens.

 

[Napoleon1er]

I agree with that to a degree but we were all 0 feedback bidders at one point and every single one of us was given a chance by a seller.

I totally agree. If no one will let him/her buy, he/she will never get feedback, and be stuck with 0, unless he/she buys something small and useless, just to get a feedback. Maybe they have been searching for a certain rare set, saw it on Ebay, and signed up. I would hate to make someone lose out just because they were late to sign up. If there was a problem, I would just fight it to the end, and make sure no one ever bought from the crook again.
-Sandor :salute:: (love the new emoticon)

 

[BlakeWR85]

I totally agree. If no one will let him/her buy, he/she will never get feedback, and be stuck with 0, unless he/she buys something small and useless, just to get a feedback. Maybe they have been searching for a certain rare set, saw it on Ebay, and signed up. I would hate to make someone lose out just because they were late to sign up. If there was a problem, I would just fight it to the end, and make sure no one ever bought from the crook again.
-Sandor :salute:: (love the new emoticon)

That would make sense if it was a rare item, but it's just a mass-produced physics textbook, so not too exciting. Maybe a student didn't like their college's bookstore prices and decided to check out ebay

 

[spartan71]

As I remember, As soon as I signed up at ebay, 5 minutes later I was buying something. The attraction of all the auctions in ebay, made me sign up. And the rest has been history. Mostly ( I have had a couple of sellers that were pushy for A positive feedback, when it took them a bit to ship the item, If someone asks to be paid fast, they should make an extra effort to ship it fast), good to great.

 

[Gideon]

I used to block bidders with feedback below 5 or 10 but I was contacted by a lot of low feedback bidders asking to be allowed to place bids. I loosened up and let them in but when I see a low feedback buyer, I contact them to make sure they understand both eBays policies and my policies and, lastly, that they understand how feedback works - namely, when to issue a positive, a negative and a neutral.

 

[BlakeWR85]

Update: Well it's day 4, no payment yet, I sent an invoice, maybe later I'll send them a message through ebay. I mean c'mon, 4 days?

 

[ecuriel]

Update: Well it's day 4, no payment yet, I sent an invoice, maybe later I'll send them a message through ebay. I mean c'mon, 4 days?

Thanks for the update.

 

[BlakeWR85]

New Update: Day 6 no payment, 3 messages sent. I just opened up an unpaid case with ebay, sick of dealing with it.

 

[BlakeWR85]

Got an ebay message today, she said that she hasn't been on ebay for awhile and that she already got the book at a bookstore, so she doesn't need it anymore :rolleyes2: Transaction cancelled, final value fees credited back to me. Sorta makes me untrusting of people with zero feedback now

 

[thebritfarmer]

Got an ebay message today, she said that she hasn't been on ebay for awhile and that she already got the book at a bookstore, so she doesn't need it anymore :rolleyes2: Transaction cancelled, final value fees credited back to me. Sorta makes me untrusting of people with zero feedback now

Are you kidding? She definitely needs some negative feedback. I can't believe how stupid some people are.