How many non-paying bidders to you have?

[totallytextiles]

I have noticed a large uptick in non-paying bidders recently. In total, I think 4-5% of my buyers are non-paying.Is this the general average? I would love to hear from other sellers as well as eBay staffers with some statistics on this issue. Thanks.

[wheezerlou]

I have a ridiculously high amount of non-paying bidders, probably 20 %. I have stopped taking bids from bidders with 5 or less feedback unless they email first. So many ignore this and I will cancel their bids. I am becoming very discouraged and may start selling to canadians only.

[momosworld]

We average about 200-250 non-paying bidders a month, the category we sell includes many young buyers so we have to take that into account unfortunately. Really sucks to be honest....

now a depressed momo...

[mondocanuck]

I agree with the point that a NPB should not be allowed to leave feedback! It doesn't make sense to me that a deadbeat bidder has the power to leave an honest seller negative feedback when all that seller was trying to do was get the money that was promised to him! I've never had that experience but I'm waiting for the day when it happens! I also don't like the chargeback by Paypal. The seller gets screwed in 3 ways. First, he's out his posting fees, he's out the money due to him by the NPB then, to add insult to injusry, he gets nailed 10.00 by Paypal! Do the people who have the power at Ebay to change these policies ever read these comments?

[shooger]

No.

[aabros]

to answer the original question: 3 per week.

[atticmania]

I hope that Ebay is reading these great suggestions ....... a NPB should not be allowed to leave retaliatory feedback. I am also very hesitant to leave a Neg for NPB's because I know there will be one left for me in return. Knowing that so many sellers feel the same way leaves me questioning the accuracy of feedback.

[amberwoodottawa]

Feedback is not an accurate measurement of one's selling or buying history. As an example, in December I received 34.62% feedbacks from customers (fortunately all positive). Did the other 65.35% not like my products/service and decide to not leave feedback?

No! It simply means that of the people I sold products to in December, only 34.62% participated in eBay's feedback program. In January, 62.5% of my customers left positive feedback, so there is no formula for my products and customers.

It would be a far more reliable tool should it be mandatory to leave feedback for every purchase.

In other words, one could not purchase a new product until they have left feedback for a seller for product previously purchased. This of course is not practical as people are often making multiple purchases per month and likely have not even paid for one item while bidding or purchasing another.

The feedback system only reflects feedback left for a Buyer or a Seller which can be from 10% of his sales or from 90% of his sales.

By human nature, there is more of an opportunity for someone to leave negative feedback when the least bit disatisfied than to leave someone positive feedback or write them a letter of thanks, so clearly the opportunity for receiving negative feedback is relatively high.

This is especially true given the almost anonymity and somewhat removed position between the buyer and the seller living perhaps thousands of miles apart and corresponding through the somewhat impersonal email system.

If used properly, it is a better system to have than not to have however. I have someone who left me a neg this week complaining about a product I sold him yet I have at least 50 positives form other people who received the identical product.

If someone takes the time to review all your positives against the negative(s), they will realize that it is likeley the isolated case from some disgruntled buyer or scam artist.

Malcolm

[spidermanuj]

Wow! only 5-10% on average for you guys? My average is about 50% NPB. I always thought that was the average for all eBayers. I wonder what is the reason for all these dead beat bidders. May be because most of my buyers are all young kids like momo's.

I am depressed like momo now....

[amberwoodottawa]

spidermanuj
If 50% of my winning bidders turned into NPB I would be depressed also.
I honestly dont know what to say except a complete review of how you are listing your items, your target market and terms should probably be reviewed as this must not only be depressing but totally time consuming as well.

I havent had a chance to look carefully at your listings but would suggest that there is probably some room to make a change or two and perhaps lessen the number of NPB that you get by attracting some new buyers.

A quick glance at them and they look very professional although if I were living in Canada or the US I must admit that I would be totally confused at your quoting everything in pounds INCLUDING shipping costs from Canada.

It is also confusing to suggest that the goods might be shipped from Canada OR India and then tell Canadians that purchases are subject to GST and (where applicable) PST.

I think what may be happening is people are not fully reading your terms and when the auction is over they are being charge for thins they may not understand. As an example, if you had to ship from India, the buyer in BC or California is being hit with higher shipping costs when he though he was purchasing frm a Canadian company.

Or A guy in BC is wondering why he is paying GST and PST as your listing s appear to be from a company that is not located in Canada, even though in small print it states that it is, people seldom analse our listings that carefully.

So afetr the auction, the unexpected charges perhaps are sufficient enough for them not to want to complete the transaction?

Do you ever receive any emails from buyers backing out of the deals telling you why?

Malcolm


Malcolm

[spidermanuj]

Hi Malcolm

Thanks a lot for all your valuable input.

If you notice most of my auctions are listed on eBay UK or eBay Australia. That is where my target buyers are mostly. So I try to list the auctions in the native currency of my target buyers.

I think removing the PST and GST terms is a very good idea. Since I hardly get any customers from Canada - I think PST/GST terms are more or less useless and will cause less confusion.

Once again I appreciate your valuable input.

[amberwoodottawa]

I hope some others on this board can offer some suggestions as a NPB average of 50% is far too high for anyone to have and try to run a business.

I know that my persoanl experience selling into the UK has been very positive, although I cleary have nothad the experience you do with your items and the volume you would do there.

Good luck!
Malcolm

[ajandjamie]

Hi Spidermanuj - wow 50% NPB rate would have me tearing my hair out! I took a look at your auctions, and also specifically your winning bidders. It looks like a high proportion of your winning bidders have zero feedback, or are very new to ebay.

One thing i find with new bidders is that they just don't read the complete listing, they just go ahead and bid. It's quite likely that when they find out that they face a $35 US shipping charge that they hadn't read, they back out of the deal.

Knowing that many of your buyers are new or first-timers, it might be a good idea to change your listings (which are very nice and well done) to focus on the shipping charges and final details more clearly or prominently, so that the bidders are fully aware of them. You may loose some bidders who are scared away by the shipping costs, but it would only be the NPB who you would lose, the ones who back out after becoming aware of all the terms & costs.

A UK buyer might not be so thrilled in the end to learn that they will face customs charges on an item coming from Canada or India, when at first glance they thought the item was located in the UK - it might help to put Canada as your item location up top in all of the listings to avoid any confusion (although i know my listings say Ontario, then USA...some glitch due to being registered on the US site, so there may be no way around it)

I hope your numbers improve, hang in there!

[systemagic]

I'm guessing that Spidermanuj's high default rate may have something to do with the target demographic. While, at first blush, tea drinking cricket players don't seem like an uncivilized sort, the sporting gents in England are also world famous for their hooliganism and many Ausie sportsmen seem to take pride in their raucous outlook on life. Perhaps, no matter how ill-equipped they are, this particular market niche may already be somewhat batty.
If this is the case what can be done about it? Include a bonus can of beer if they pay within ten days?
At the end of each auction I include the words: "We subscribe to eBay's Non-Paying Bidder Program. (These last words are linked to the policy). Please don't bid if you're not going to pay." This was recommended at eBay's On The Road. I don't know the actual efficacy of including this statement but I currently have only one NPB and two other possible NPBs. Perhaps, for more ribald sportsmen, "Please don't bid if you're not going to pay" should be replaced by something like "We'll have your balls if you don't pay for your bats".

[zarzuella]

"I bought three identical auctions but only wanted one, so I erased the other two from My eBay so it only shows one now."

LOL 🙂

Ah, the wonder of computers!

[spidermanuj]

Perhaps you are right systemagic.

My target buyers are young players and sports people. They tend to life casually. And most of them are new to eBay. I will make some changes to my template according to the wonderful suggestions that I got in this board and will update you guys on the progress.

Thanks a lot.
Manuj