eBay

smo2go · ‎10-01-2012

I have been dealing with a nightmare buyer over the last four days. Some background:

1. Buyer made a best offer, which I accepted (when buyers use "buy it now, I require immediate payment).

2. The following morning, the buyer messaged me to ask that I send the item immediately so she could get it by Monday (this was a Thursday).

3. I responded immediately (within 5 mins of receiving her note) that she had to pay for the item and if she wanted it there within a few days, she would have to pay the Fedex charges (since I just use regular parcel airmail).

4. I received no response. The next day (Friday) I sent a follow-up requesting that she pay for the item.

5. Friday night she finally responds by saying that she is not going to pay for the item and doesn't want it and she doesn't care if I report her.

6. On Saturday morning I received a note saying the money had been deposited in my Paypal. I assumed some kind of error, as her email used very "colorful" language and was emphatic that she didn't want the item.

7. Trying to keep my cool, I immediately refunded it and then sent a request to cancel the transaction (as the eBay policies say to issue the refund before sending the cancellation request) so that I could receive my final value fee credit and be done with this awful situation.

8. Buyer declined to cancel and sent me several more "colorful" emails.

9. I thought "fine" - that I would just wait for the four day period to run so I could open an unpaid item case - that period was up a few hours ago.

10. When I tried to open the unpaid item case, I couldn't - the error message said a cancel transaction request was pending - even though it is not - she declined and that case is closed.

11. I am desperate here as I am only an occasional seller (as in, I've only sold four items on eBay) and so the final value fee is about $60 and I don't want to be charged for it.

Any ideas as to how to deal with this? I have tried searching everywhere in the so-called help section with no luck and I also tried calling but I didn't get through after almost two hours on the phone.

Thanks.

dmil8030 · ‎10-01-2012

Hello 'smo2go',

It's about those Louboutins, isn't it. Near as I can see, the mistake you made was in point 7, where you hastily snapped off a refund and then sent a request for cancellation because you wanted to wash your hands of it. I would think a wiser course of action would have been to send a friendly note to the buyer beforehand to inquire if she did indeed want the shoes or would she prefer to cancel and be refunded. Getting smart with people rarely works - on anybody - and not only will you be paying the fees but now you risk getting a negative.

With any transaction, to get your fees back you must either open an unpaid dispute or have the buyer agree to a cancellation. You can only do one or the other, ever, - cancellation or unpaid case.

Your buyer paid. Just because someone uses "colorful" language does not make for a bad person. Moreover, you initially accepted her offer Wednesday night, - which she found out Thursday morning. So what are you doing sending a nag note for payment the next day?

Now I'm not privy to your emails so I cannot comment on what either of you may have actually said to the other. I'm just replying to your version of events posted here. Based on your story, I've got a theory, -- anyone who buys shoes like that has a substantial social life. I'd guess she was out on the tiles Friday evening, then rattled off a response to you when she got home. Come Saturday morning when things always look clearer, she regretted her decision, her email and possibly her words. So she paid. That's how I'd see it, but you're welcome to see it differently.

She paid for the item she bought. In my view, she was right to refuse your request for cancellaton. If you choose to sell only to people you like (or who are like you) that's fine, but I doubt you'll turn a good trade. For 550 bucks I'd have reaaallly sweetened her up, but that's me.

So now what to do about all this. For starters I'd suggest sending a note of apology expressing some sort of contrition, and move heaven and earth to avoid her leaving a negative. Right now, a negative and low DSRs would squash your selling career like a bug.

Then maybe try calling ebay again - the upper right corner here gives you the Customer Service option where you can get a phone number & code, and very pleasantly explain that you and the buyer had a mix-up. See if there isn't something they can do to help you get those fees back. And of course, familiarize yourself will the information here:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/cancel-transaction-process.html

and here:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/unpaid-items.html

Good luck with that. 🙂

scifan57 · ‎10-01-2012

In regards to mutual cancelation requests, it's considered best practice to use them only after you have contacted the buyer and ascertained that they will accept the cancelation request. This way you're less likely to run into the situation that you did. In regards to the refund you made, if the buyer pays, you are required to ship the item.

femmefan1946 · ‎10-01-2012

I agree with dmil.

The reason you are stuck is that you have only two ways of ending an unwanted transaction.

The first is used when the buyer does not pay within 4 days (96 hours).The Unpaid Item Request is a sledgehammer. If the buyer does not pay up, she gets a UID Strike, which makes it harder to buy from thousands of sellers who have Blocks against bidders with Strikes.

A bidder who loses a UID cannot leave feedback.

But you have another choice.

You can request that the bidder agree to a Mutual Cancellation. This should only be used for friendly, calm (sober?) bidders. An MC releasses both parties from the transaction. You get your selling fees back, she has no bad marks, and both can leave feedback.

However, you only get once choice. Once you asked the bidder for a Mutual Cancellation, and she refused, you cannot move to a Dispute.

At this point, the transaction remains open, she owes you the money (but you have no tool to force her to pay back the refund) and should she pay again, you owe her the shoes. And both of you can leave Feedback. She can also leave you Detailed Seller Ratings.

With only 4 sales, you haven't seen your DSRs yet. If she gets nasty, this ID may be poisoned as a selling account. (FWIW, I have 7 accounts on eBay and there is really no problem with opening another when you want to.)

heidilynn0_3 · ‎10-01-2012

May not be possible after being restricted..

"

If your account doesn't meet the standards, you:

Need to resolve all issues on the account before buying or selling with other accounts

Can't register for a new account

Can't use an existing eBay account to avoid buying and selling limits or other policy consequences"

helena9538 · ‎10-01-2012

In the meatime...if there is an unpaided item thing going on...Do I have to wait the four days and than close...in order to put my items back on? So many days of wasted nothing...If someone could answer that it would be great:)

Helena:)

smo2go · ‎10-01-2012

Actually, it turned out to be a case of spending a lot more time on the phone with eBay customer service and eventually getting connected with someone in billing who was able to review the correspondence between the buyer and I and then immediately issued the final value fee credit.

I guess it's just a case of getting connected with the right customer service agent.

scifan57 · ‎10-02-2012

I'm glad you received the final value fee credit for the listing. Now all you have to do is wait and see if your buyer decides to leave negative feedback and trash your DSR ratings. I hope it doesn't happen because negative feedback at your feedback score can be devastating.