Venting

[lady.stark]

Got a message from a buyer yesterday asking to send an offer on one of my items. Said his "old" computer would not let him send an offer. It is immediately followed by another message from another user ID asking if I can hold the item for him until today because he will have the money then. Then he buys anyway at full price. I know they are the same person because the name of the buyer matches the user ID of the first one. Anyway, I write to him thanking him for his purchase and telling him I would only ship Tuesday as today is a holiday.

Today, got 2 messages from the buyer asking for a cancellation, because of a "family emergency". I was upset (because it was quite a large amount) but did not say a word and sent the cancellation request and refund.

After that, I decided to check my sites preferences to see if the first ID was blocked for a specific reason. And I discovered that BOTH were for too many UID and no PP accounts. How did he manage to buy anyway, I have no idea, but it really sucks!! Both were added to my BBL immediately after that!

[hlmacdon]

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@lady.stark wrote:

After that, I decided to check my sites preferences to see if the first ID was blocked for a specific reason. And I discovered that BOTH were for too many UID and no PP accounts. How did he manage to buy anyway, I have no idea, but it really sucks!! Both were added to my BBL immediately after that!

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A blocked buyer can always use the guest checkout, or simply go on creating new accounts. It is frustrating but you are probably better off not having sold to the individual in the end.

[momcqueen]

Oh brother! What a sad sap that is. 

In the end, you are better off not to have a buyer like that.

Just to put one additional layer of 'get lost' between you and he, make sure you have checked the box that designates 'Do not allow Blocked Bidders to Contact Me'. It won't protect you from a Guest Checkout but it may discourage that user from choosing you if they cannot message you first. Although there are ways around that too.

[lady.stark]

I can't believe this... he just sent another 2 messages telling me he took care of the emergency and to unblock him, that he would buy the item again even with the increase in price. Seing I did not respond, he just bought under a new ID created today under a woman's name (but with the same last name and address). What should I do? I don't want to deal with a return later if he changes his mind again!!

[momcqueen]

OH MY GOSH. 

Well. This is a pickle. eBay probably won't give a hoot you've blocked him and would tell you to ship anyway. Try calling Customer Service for advice and see what actual directive for procedure that they give you. What's your handling time on the item? Can you sit on it until after Board Hour on Wednesday and ask what to do there? 

[momcqueen]

Don't cancel just yet. I think you'd get a defect if you did. 

[lady.stark]

My handling time is 3 days. Fortunately, I changed that recently from 1 to 3 when I forgot one package at home when going to work. And with the new rule about late shipments, I was going to do it anyway. I'll try to make it to the board, but since I work at 1 p.m., I hope the thread will be open before that.

[momcqueen]

I think the new ebay Canada Chat person said he was going to open the thread Tuesday night so we could get started with posing our questions to be answered on Wednesday. 

[momcqueen]

Besides, given the history, you're probably due to get a cancellation request for it from him in about six hours anyway. 

[rose-dee]

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@lady.stark wrote:

I'll try to make it to the board, but since I work at 1 p.m., I hope the thread will be open before that.

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Wow, I think this buyer is well within "Report a Buyer" territory.  Unbelievable, and you have my complete sympathy.  

But I wouldn't wait for the Board Hour on Wednesday.  Try messaging one of the new "Pinks" directly tomorrow morning and mark it "Urgent".  See if you can get a response before Wednesday.  

I do recall that one seller asked if they couldn't run the Board Hour the way Raphael was doing, and I believe they agreed to do that (i.e. to open it up early and leave it open for several hours).  So if you don't get a personal reply by then, you could try on Wed. morning.

I'd say this is somebody who should be summarily booted off eBay, but that's just IMHO.  Best of luck, please let us know how this ends.  

[rose-dee]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

Don't cancel just yet. I think you'd get a defect if you did. 

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If I'm not mistaken, I believe a seller can cancel using the reason "problem with buyer's address" to avoid a defect.  If I recall, the only cancellation defect these days is for an item being out of stock, or the seller being unable to ship for reasons of their own doing.  

This is something 'lady-stark' could ask the "Pinks/Blues" about, although even if allowed without a defect, it wouldn't solve the problem of making this buyer go away permanently.  

[Anonymous]

Be sure to use mail service with tracking number or you would be screwed.

[reallynicestamps]

What you have here is an Unwanted Buyer.

You can also use Problem with Buyer's Address.

You use Fixed Price listings, so it is possible to add Immediate Payment Required and /or Block buyers who do not have active Paypal accounts.

And consider what would be the actual harm to your account if you did get a Defect. If you don't have any now, how much room does your account have for Defects. It's a percentage of sales I believe.

[hlmacdon]

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@mjwl2006 wrote:

OH MY GOSH. 

Well. This is a pickle. eBay probably won't give a hoot you've blocked him and would tell you to ship anyway. Try calling Customer Service for advice and see what actual directive for procedure that they give you.

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Latest policy seems to be the seller has to prove the buyer intends to harm or disrupt the seller's business with respect to the reporting of blocked buyers creating new accounts. The policy as stated below is asinine in my opinion. Then again I've had the joy of discussing with a supervisor why ebay allowing a user to create new accounts to make **bleep**/death threats should be sufficient grounds for an account cancellation, to which I was told, and I kid you not, that buyers get a lot of rope. While such things are typically tomfoolery from a bored, or perhaps not all together there buyer (like lady.stark seems to be dealing with here), there is this small thing where a buyer can request the seller's personal information.   

From a semi-recent US weekly chat:

"When it comes to taking action for Blocked Bidder/Buyer Avoidance, if we see clear intent that the buyer is circumventing your block to disrupt or harm your business, we do have protections available. If a buyer purchases an item and you have reason to believe it's the same member you've previously blocked, we suggest reporting the buyer but completing the transaction. If the transaction happens to result in a defect or negative/neutral feedback, we can then review and take appropriate action per our policies. 

You can decide to cancel the transaction but without the proof of clear intent, our options may become limited. However, keep in mind that a seller initiated cancellation could result in a defect."

[lady.stark]

Well, got 2 other messages from buyer this morning asking for cancellation. Supposedly, the "son" got into account. Yeah, right, an account created the same day... I could almost find this funny if I didn't have to loose time and PayPal's $0.30 each time. But I guess it's better than having to deal with a return later because he (or she) has worn the boots to the core and now want to send them back.

I just don't know what it will do to my account if I cancel again... I know the buyer requested it, but... I'll try to contact one of the "blues" today to see if they can help. I'll also report the buyer. I know, I know, maybe it won't even be read, but at least I'll get the opportunity to vent a little more.

[lady.stark]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:
You use Fixed Price listings, so it is possible to add Immediate Payment Required and /or Block buyers who do not have active Paypal accounts.

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Payment is not the issue here. If it was only that, it would be less frustrating. He paid each time. And each time he wanted a refund.

As for blocking buyers without a PayPal account, I already have that in place. That is what blocked him the first time, but he found a way around it (or created one, I don't know).

[momcqueen]

Cancelling at the buyer's request should not affect your standing but it may look like suspicious activity on YOUR part. You definitely need to Report this person. Don't waste time with the online version of Report a Buyer. You'll have to call Customer Service, and emailing eBay Canada staff seems like a good idea.

Multiple purchases by a Blocked Buyer followed by multiple cancellations can only be construed as disruptive... because it is. You lose time and money. Insertion fees too.

[ricarmic]

I've also dealt with similar problems in the past.

One never knows what exactly is going on in the buyers lives.

If it were me in this situation, I would pretend that I didn't realize they had come back under a different id, I would communicate with them as though they were a new customer and I for certain would send with tracking.

A few years ago someone purchased two big lots from me over a couple days, both the payments failed. One PAYPAL covered and the other ($600) I burned for. The same buyer came back the next year under yet another ID and bought another $700 lot. I called PAYPAL and eBay and said this is going to be a loss for you if I ship because it was before and I got the blah blah blah answer so I figured fine for me I was trying to help you and I shipped with tracking. Very much to my surprise the payment stuck!!!  (That buyer also showed up with 5 ids over time, there was a trick that I could tell it was the same person).