Buyer Cannot "Commit to Buy"

[rose-dee]

Hi, 'jt' -  Is it possible your listing is missing shipping details for Canada (i.e. somehow not included when you posted the listing)?  If this is so obvious as to be ridiculous, then just ignore me, I'm grasping at straws! 

Other possibilities (I'm just throwing these out to hope one of them might stick): 

• Is your buyer in Canada but registered on, or shopping from eBay.com?  She could try logging into .ca and see if that solves the problem
• Does she by any chance have a P.O. Box address?  I once had a buyer who couldn't process the transaction because it turned out I had blocked P.O. Box addresses on my exclusion list (on the basis that I thought it might be trouble with signature confirmation, physical box size, etc.).  Once I removed the offending exclusion, things went through without problem
• Do you have your preferences set to accept only confirmed Paypal addresses and/or Paypal account holders?  Ask her if she's set up with Paypal, because I think that might possibly prevent her from purchasing if you're set up to accept Paypal only (either across the board, or for this particular item). 
• Check your blocked bidder preferences - you know, the ones that block anybody with minus FB scores, more than 2 strikes in a year, etc. etc.  Is it possible she fits into any of those categories?

If none of the above could be the problem, maybe someone else has an idea.  My guess is that it must have something to do with a disconnect between your preferences/requirements and the buyer's set-up on eBay or Paypal. 

I really hope this isn't another eBay glitch.  Just what we sellers don't need when sales are tough enough to come by.  

I hope this gets sorted out for you. Best of luck!

[toby_le_pue]

Would it be possible she has 2 or more strikes for unpaid items.

[jt-libra]

rose-dee, all good ideas. I checked all my preferences and the listing itself and don't see anything out of the ordinary.

It's possible that toby is on to something ... the possibility of 2 or more strikes. Although that's a sensitive issue and I hate to insult her if that's not the case. I'll get back to her and see if we can sort this out. It worries me a bit that perhaps this has happened before and potential buyers have just moved on.

BTW, as I was checking the listing, I noticed ... for the first time ... that above the Price in our listings on .com, eBay has added "Price Trending at $...." Seriously? Before the buyer even has a chance to read the description and find out the condition and other details, they're being told, essentially, what the item is worth, according to other sellers.

[recped]

It's possible that toby is on to something ... the possibility of 2 or more strikes. Although that's a sensitive issue and I hate to insult her if that's not the case.

You can check your Blocked Buyer Activity Log to see, no need to query the buyer.

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerRequirementsActivityLog

[jt-libra]

You can check your Blocked Buyer Activity Log to see, no need to query the buyer.

You're right, of course. It did cross my mind to check the log but, since it doesn't show User ID's, I didn't bother.  But then it occurred to me to check the date but no one tried today.

In any event, I haven't heard back from her, so she's probably moved on.

[rose-dee]

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@jt-libra wrote:

You can check your Blocked Buyer Activity Log to see, no need to query the buyer.

You're right, of course. It did cross my mind to check the log but, since it doesn't show User ID's, I didn't bother.  But then it occurred to me to check the date but no one tried today.

In any event, I haven't heard back from her, so she's probably moved on.

---

Aha - I thought this might be one of the possible problems, and it makes sense that she's now disappeared.  I have a feeling many buyers aren't aware of how their non-paying activities are affecting their ability to buy.  I'm actually surprised that eBay doesn't have a message/warning system telling you (and a buyer such as this one) the reason why they're being blocked.  That would have saved you a lot of time and trouble. 

By the way, maybe you or 'recped'  know -- how does a seller access the Blocked Buyer Activity Log?  I didn't even know it existed.  Where is the link found?  

Good luck to you -- hopefully you'll get a better buyer very soon! 

[rose-dee]

Whoops, sorry!  I just clicked on 'recped's link, and I see the "Blocked Buyer Log" is under "Preferences".  

I seem to learn something new here almost every day...

[jt-libra]

Yes, I find it really interesting to see how many people have attempted to purchase something but have been blocked because of strikes. Some months, it can be a dozen or more.

So, as long as sellers keeping filing UID's, at least some buyers will be "punished".

I also find it interesting to see how many people from countries I don't ship to have attempted to purchase. It almost makes me tempted to broaden out from North America but, to be honest, I don't want the stress from worrying about shipping delays and trashed DSR's or claims, and I don't have time for numerous e-mails explaining shipping, etc..

[rose-dee]

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@recped wrote:

It's possible that toby is on to something ... the possibility of 2 or more strikes. Although that's a sensitive issue and I hate to insult her if that's not the case.

You can check your Blocked Buyer Activity Log to see, no need to query the buyer.

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerRequirementsActivityLog

---

Hi 'recped'  -- I just took a look at my own Log, and found that the information was identical to the details in the link you posted above, so I assume you took that link from my seller/preferences page?  But how did you do that, or is this some sort of weird coincidence?  Or are these logs viewable by anyone on eBay?  If so, that means a buyer would be able to check his/her own history of being blocked from purchasing - is that right?  Or would the link you posted (a generic link to the Log?) take me to my own history log?  Sorry about all the questions, but now this has me intrigued! 

Here's what I got when I went to my own "Preferences" tab (same buyer FB score, same item - the antique pattern): 

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerRequirementsActivityLog

[rose-dee]

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@jt-libra wrote:

I also find it interesting to see how many people from countries I don't ship to have attempted to purchase. It almost makes me tempted to broaden out from North America but, to be honest, I don't want the stress from worrying about shipping delays and trashed DSR's or claims, and I don't have time for numerous e-mails explaining shipping, etc..

---

You're absolutely right -- some places just don't seem to be worth the time, trouble and expense to sell/ship to.  I've basically blocked out every place except Canada, the US, countries in western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and a few others with reliable postal systems, like Japan and Taiwan.  

Frankly, I get so few sales from outside Canada and the US that it's been hardly worth the effort anyway.  I now charge exactly what the shipping cost is to the outlying countries, so although I still offer to sell there, I imagine the shipping is a deterrent.  Those who really want the item will pay for the shipping so that it can be delivered quickly and that makes for a happy transaction. 

[jt-libra]

Or would the link you posted (a generic link to the Log?) take me to my own history log?

That's right.  Sellers can only see their own log.

[jt-libra]

"Those who really want the item will pay for the shipping so that it can be delivered quickly and that makes for a happy transaction."

I recently had an enquiry from a lovely lady in Japan (where I don't ship) who wanted one of my items.  She knew what the surface shipping rate would be and that it would several weeks to reach her, and she was fine with that.

It worked out well -- she received her parcel this week and was delighted.  And I made a new "friend" through the course of our e-mails. 

[luminites]

Did she tell you she lives in Canada or did you base that on where she's registered? It's possible her primary shipping address isn't in the US or Canada.

[westernstargifts]

I received an email tonight from a buyer asking why I wouldn't let her bid as she had no strikes in the past 12 months and has good feedback (as they all do).  I checked my BBL and she was not listed so I tried the log to which recped posted a link.  She is listed there as having too many unpaid item strikes. 

I checked the buyer's FB and she has made tons of purchases recently so is obviously not blocked from buying many other sellers' products.  I gave her the benefit of the doubt and put her on my Exemption list just in case this is a glitch.  I don't want to miss a sale or miss out on gaining a good repeat customer because of a glitch.

Thanks for the link recped.  I didn't know about that feature.