Zero feedback buyers

Anyone knows what's up with these?

 

They generally have no feedback; some have 1-2 pseudo-positive, but it seemingly was left when sellers couldn't leave negative feedback. (the information usually says "never paid," "no communication," or something in the vein thereof)

 

As for the buyers, are they trolls or something? I don't get the purpose, when the seller can easily do a second chance offer. Of course the latter is a bit hit and miss; so I'm guessing they're teenagers having fun forcing sellers to relist?

 

For bad/zero feedback sellers, it's more ostensible. Unless I'm wrong (or unimaginative when it comes to fraud); they're probably trying to scam vulnerable buyers not enough eBay literate to pursue a PayPal dispute. But buyers? I don't get it.

Message 1 of 24
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Zero feedback buyers

Up with them?  Zero feedback buyers are usually just buyers who haven't purchased with ebay before or else they makes purchases as a guest rather than sign up for an account. I rarely have problems with zero feedback buyers.

You don't mention non payers but if that's what you are referring to, I haven't found that zero feedback buyers do that any more than other buyers.

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Zero feedback buyers

"Zero feedback buyers. Anyone knows what's up with these?"

 

I could be wrong, but... doesn't everyone start out with a big fat zero?

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Zero feedback buyers

We should welcome these new customers, for me most were great, I guess if notice anything bad on feedback have option to cancel bid or auction? Then block and relist but never had more then a few turn out bad.

And yes we all started with zero feedback, my first purchase and sale the seller and buyer really trusted in me and explained the steps,  now have over 1200 sales .

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Zero feedback buyers

True.

 

It might be confirmation bias, but I'm seeing a lot of zero-feedback buyers bidding on my items, compared to earlier. (maybe around six months ago) -- and when they win an auction, no communication at all, when I assume that in 2014 most people check their e-mail daily. According to Google, I'm far from being the only person experiencing such a phenomenon. 

 

Btw, "these" is grammatically correct. Smiley Happy

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Zero feedback buyers

You can't Block zero feedback bidders, and as others have said it would be a bad business decision to do so.

 

You can:

Block bidders with Strikes for non-payment.

Block bidders who do not have an active Paypal account.

Set up automatic UID claims after 96 hours.

Use Fixed Price listings with Immediate Payment Required.

Always check that your shipping charges are in fact showing, particularly for US customers.

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Zero feedback buyers

You can also monitor the feedback of auction bidders to cancel the bids of those with the 'false positives'. Note that these are not allowed by eBay and are often left by less-than-professional sellers.

If you cancel a bid, be sure also to Block the bidder or he can re-bid in the last few seconds when you cannot Block him.

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Zero feedback buyers

mcrlmn
Community Member

I was a zero feedback buyer once.

I'm sure I struck fear in the hearts of many an auction seller.

I was here to bid, and bid I did; like crazy. I had a blast bidding on numerous coins and currency daily.

I was piecing a collection together for my daughter's Christmas gift.

I was always there for that last minute bid and obviously saw  'Pay Now' highlighted when I won.

Unless it's an 'Automatic Bid' I see absolutely no excuse for not paying immediately.

 

When I paid I was always rewarded with Positive Feedback, and upon receipt I did so in kind.

Cred is important to me, but dignity and moral fiber are secondary to the more self-absorbed.

So far so good despite one counterfeit and one DNR resulting from a opened envelope Canada Post thief.

 

As a rookie seller I've had 4 Non-Payment cases in 3 weeks, and about half the buyers never leave feedback.

If I took my sweet time getting around to shipping or never left feedback I'd incite a response.

But negativity in any form is not conducive to my endeavor.

 

It is what it is. Suck it up and move on.

There's good and bad on both sides of the fence.

The only thing you can control 100% is yourself and how you go about your affairs.

 

 

 

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Zero feedback buyers

I didn't mean to irk the sensibilities of anyone; perhaps I didn't express myself correctly. 

 

It's evident that it is normal to have no documented feedback when starting on eBay. I was mostly merely wondering why suddenly so many zero feedback buyers have started bidding on my items. Since most of these are of a non-negligible higher value than my listings of the past, I am increasingly paranoid about the forthcoming transaction(s). 

 

For example, I read somewhere that some scammers use disposable eBay accounts to bid on smartphones; and as as possible, 

an easily winnable "item not as described" PayPal dispute is opened. Once this has been resolved at the seller's detriment, communication is either completely suspended, or another resembling but non-working phone is sent back by the buyer.

 

 

 

 

Message 9 of 24
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Zero feedback buyers

Those with zero or low feedback spook me too... and my items are nickle and dime.

Thanks... As if I'm not paranoid enough already!

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Zero feedback buyers

I was mostly merely wondering why suddenly so many zero feedback buyers have started bidding on my items.

 

EBay has been advertising on US television.

It's Christmas gift season.

Mobile bidding is the latest craze.

 

All of which means that new buyers are suddenly conscious of eBay (although the brand is probably known to them from mentions on TV etc.) and come here to see what is available for their gift list.

If they are bidding on a mobile device, they may not be as consciously aware that they are shopping, entering contracts, and actually buying.

Also the mobiles give less information than desktop/laptop machines.

 

So you get a newbie, surfing the site while waiting for the bus, or watching the kids , or ignoring the prof, bidding (possibly thinking he is putting the items into a cart which will later be abandoned) and later discovering the item they looked at was not what it seemed to be.

 

Never put down to conspiracy what can be explained by stupidity or laziness.

 

It's best not to get your knickers in a twist. A non-paying bidder should have a Dispute opened and closed and get that Strike which will fend off more useless bids to other sellers. We're all in this together.

 

The scammers are a different group. Probably much less widespread, but more dangerous. If they win they still have to send 'something' back to the seller to get the refund. Blocking overseas countries like Russia, Israel, and China would stop a lot of this fraud.

 

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Zero feedback buyers


@mcrlmn wrote:

Those with zero or low feedback spook me too... and my items are nickle and dime.

Thanks... As if I'm not paranoid enough already!


You'll probably find that those who have been selling for a number of years on eBay have no bias against zero FB buyers.  It's also easy to forget that many "0" FB buyers don't yet know exactly: 

 

1) How to process payment; 

2) How to communicate directly with a seller (eBay doesn't really make this easy these days); 

3) What the whole procedure is from start to finish. 

 

We were all nervous newbies at one time.  Give them some slack, help them out by communicating first and letting them know things are under control at your end, and you might find you make some repeat customers.  For example, one new buyer I had recently was not paying after 5 days -- I sent her a note asking if she'd like to cancel, as I figured she'd done a "whoopsie", and she was so delighted to be treated kindly and fairly (and be off the hook) that she came back a month later when she really did have some cash in her Paypal account. 

 

Remember too that if newbies do silly or stupid things, it's actually the well-seasoned buyers who know their way around sellers and know how to circumvent the rules if they want to! 

 

BTW, I have noticed quite a number of 0 or low FB buyers in the past few months.  Perhaps it has to do with eBay's advertising, or perhaps many of the longstanding buyers have gone elsewhere.  Who really knows? The main thing is to think of a "0" as the new girl on the block who has just dropped into your store for the first time. How would you want to treat her if you were a B&M store owner?

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Zero feedback buyers

Always careful with a low feedback buyer.....

 

 

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Zero feedback buyers

I am a loss for words, zero feedback is a new customer period,, that's the number one goal of any company to get customers in the front door.

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Zero feedback buyers

I welcome new customers, I have some good customers with FB of 15 and even up to the 30s where I am ALL of their feedback, some have been buying for years and only from me. Would have been too bad if I had blocked them when they were starting.

I think Cumos comment may have been misunderstood. While I welcome a 0 feedback buyer. I may treat a 0 feedback buyer buying a $200 item differently than one with bigger feedback. Depending on the country being shipped to and the popularity (ie desirability to steal) of the item, I may choose to use tracking when I normally wouldn't etc.
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Zero feedback buyers

mcrlmn
Community Member

I've got 6 sellers that couldn't be bothered to leave feedback on my 24 item purchase list.

That's okay, I received my items and gave them great feedback.

 

I guess they just don't give a...

So I guess I won't give a... about them in the future.

 

Pretty trivial I know, it's just feedback, and takes time and effort..

I should be more understanding and less self-centered.

After all I did get what I wanted. I should be grateful for that.

 

Perhaps that's the reasoning behind the 11 buyers on my sold list not leaving feedback.

Maybe feedback is a diminishing trend.

 

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Zero feedback buyers

I have an item that had sold 3 times to zero feedback buyers. I never get payment. It is so annoying. Anything i can do to prevent this from happening again?
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Zero feedback buyers

You would have to sell it as a buy it now with immediate payment required.  I believe that you can only set that requirement on the advanced form.  The immediate payment required doesn't work when you accept an offer.

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Zero feedback buyers

Although you are an experienced seller, you got out of it for about a year.

And you have switched from inexpensive bike parts to high value electronics.

 

Honest bidders may be avoiding you because those are clues that an account has been hijacked.

Since you have been buying during that time, the suspicion would not be valid, but there it is.

 

You will do better by adding the Immediate Payment Required, although I don't think it applies to Best Offers, even accepted ones.

 

That false positive could be removed (and you could get a pinkslap) if the deadbeat complains.

 

File the Unpaid Item Disputes and give the deadbeats Strikes.

Then opt for an automatic Block against any bidders with Strikes.

 

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Zero feedback buyers

mcrlmn
Community Member
The only 'Zero feedback buyers' that concern me are those that create an account at 1AM that day, and log in to purchase a 2015 Twenty Dollar banknote for $25; paid immediately.

I've 'sold' 3 with almost the exact scenario as above.
Sure, I'm mail you this 2015 $20. banknote, and I'll even give you your money back if you don't mind waiting a few days. Hope you enjoyed shopping on eBay.

I've sold many items to 'Zero feedback buyers' with no issues at all.
But same day at 12:30 -1AM they weren't asking for my $20 to slip into their wallet.
I've also sold those same 2015 Twenty Dollar banknotes to established buyers with no issue at all.

Pay attention to 'Red flags'.
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