People still add to the BBL? Really? Why?
It does nothing. It is not enforced.
I put my effort into working with customers, not against them.
@mjwl2006 wrote:I have to tell you that whenever I utilize ebay's Report-a-whatever webform, I envision it zipping across fibre optic lines of communication that become increasingly frayed until they end attached to some server surrounded by buzzing flies in a landfill. That's about the maximum amount of satisfaction to be gained from reporting anything for any reason: an imaginary cartoon a la The Simpsons.
I'm not so sure about this. The problem is that to us, at this end, it seems absolutely nothing is being done, and of course we never get any direct follow-up to our "reports" from eBay, which is their policy. That in itself can be frustrating. However, the fact is that buyers are regularly kicked off the site and sellers are hit with downgrading and restrictions (or turfed out entirely) for policy violations.
We never really know whether a particular report is the final straw that will end a buyer's or seller's bad behaviour on eBay. And we have no idea exactly how many such reports or complaints it takes before that happens. So my own policy is to report things such as blatant copyright violations (a particular bugbear of mine), or egregious listing violations when I see them if I have the time and inclination.
I don't expect every report -- or for that matter many -- will be handled properly and thoroughly, or in the way we'd like it to be dealt with, but overall I think the reporting system does help to keep the site safer for buyers and maintain a more level playing field for sellers. Just IMHO. 
@neatjerseys wrote:Have to agree with Elmwood. Unless the buyer is ruthlessly interfering in you business, I wouldn't bother with placing anyone on the Bidders list. In most cases deals that don't go well is due to miscommunication or error.
That is what I believe.
I am on a Facebook eBay board. 5000 members. The following words will get your post deleted: scammer, blocking, thieves, cheated, etc. Any negative remarks about eBay or buyers, will get your post deleted.
All we are allowed to post is how to do things right. How to get things done for the customer. How to make everyone come out a winner.
Utopian? Not at all. Customer focused and progressive.
Like Neatjersey says, unless you are being targeted, the BBL is pretty much just a retaliatory kind of thing: "There! I just showed you! HA!". Really? Is that good business?
Hello 'dutchman48',
<<I was under the impression if they were blocked, they could not email you>>
If he has bought from you recently he can send you a message through a previous mailing until this option 'wears off'.
<<.... if I unblocked him he would buy 2 items ... someone with a dormant account buys both items and pays immediately...
I have reported the purchaser as well as opened a case with Ebay>>
Just out of curiosity, what kind of case did you open for someone who has paid for his items?
I'm not being flip, I just didn't think it was possible.
Your story sounds similar to what happened to a seller I know. A buyer in Yorkshire bought a small ($10 USD) item
sent cheap-o post, and after only about a week filed for a INR refund. The seller refunded and mercifully he got
no feedback.
Then a few weeks later "someone" from the same Yorkshire town bought another of the items and AGAIN filed for
refund as soon as the system allowed. Again, the seller refunded out of fear of reprisals.
There is no way to 'prove' they are the same person, but reporting your suspicions might get an asterisk beside
the buyers' ids. I understand if you are hesitant about mailing the items to the second person. Did you phone ebay
to express your concerns?
The thing is, ebay will always do what makes them the most money without really costing them any. If a buyer
does this to a lot of sellers, and they all report it, the cumulative effect may get the problem noticed.
But the occasional sneak who thinks himself clever by finding a work-around to get a forbidden item, however
infuriating to the seller, will not get booted as a result, especially not if the buyer is generally problem-free in
other transactions.
If you blocked that buyer, obviously it is 'enforced' because he had to find an alternate way to buy the items since his
own ID was blocked. Ebay cannot close off the ISP completely because spouses and family members often share
a computer and may have very different buying habits. Unless, of course, there are too many complaints about
the numerous IDs all from the same ISP.
As others have stated, a lot of the reasons for blocking is the result of petty disagreements between users, but if
you truly fear a possible fake INR, well, if you have called ebay and are expected to send the package, if it happens
again ebay will surely take you seriously the next time you call to say "I told you so".
I am assuming that when the buyer initially said he would buy your items if unblocked, (and you had blocked him
because he stole from you), that you very sweetly explained in your reply that you just couldn't accept his proposal,
not when the postal system seems to have such terrible trouble locating his address.
I wish you a good outcome all the same. 
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