Are deadbeat buyers part of the "new normal" now?

[master-jack]

I haven't sold on ebay in a several years. I just started up again with a few items last week. Sold 3 computers, 1 to a Canadian buyer and 2 to US buyers.

The first US buyer messaged me 5 minutes after auction end with a "I can't pay for 7 days. You'll have to wait."

I responded that I do not agree to those terms and you should've made your intentions known prior to bidding as 48 hours to pay is the normal and expected practice. I then cancelled their transaction. I sent a second chance offer to a Canadian buyer and wouldn't ya know it? Paid within 10 minutes.

The second US buyer was even more ridiculous.

 

I responded within 5 minutes. He remained silent. A few hours later I sent a second inquiry asking what his intentions were. Still no response.

Are auctions archaic on this site now? Doesn't seem to be any recourse for these dead beats. Why can't sellers leave negative feedback? This second guy had 200+ 100% positive feedback. After reviewing his "Left for Others" feedback, it was apparent he's a 'Karen'. Every 3rd or 4th feedback left was neutral or negative. He appears to complain about everything. I'm taken back at how people like this are able to maintain accounts with good standing. I don't remember ebay being like this in it's formative years.

[recped]

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@master-jack wrote:

Are auctions archaic on this site now? .

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Yes!

Items which have a known value are best at Fixed Price with Immediate Payment Required.

Especially for this kind of stuff, it brings out the crazies who bid on multiple listings and end up picking the one they actually follow through on (if at all). Also tends to bring out all the scammers.

[femmefan1946]

Auctions are less than 15% of transactions. Buyers dislike waiting seven days to learn they have been outbid, so the only bids are from thrill bidders and scam artists.

That 15% is even smaller because most sellers will add either a Buy It Now price or will accept Best Offers, both of which turn the auction off.

Use Fixed Price. You can add Immediate Payment Required and your listing will stay up for 30 days or until someone actually pays.

The deadbeats who forced you to cancel got Strikes against their buying accounts. Most sellers have activated an automatic Block on deadbeats with Strikes. Go to your Seller Preferences or Buyer Requirements to set those up.

In addition to the Strikes, the deadbeats cannot leave feedback.

Don't leave any for them either- it will only show as a positive and if one were to complain to eBay about a 'false positive' you will get a Defect.

[pjcdn2005]

There does seem to be a lot of buyers who don't pay for auctions.  Since you cancelled right away the buyers won't get a strike.  There is an option to cancel on the 5th day after the purchase for 'unpaid item' which will give the buyer a strike.  If you set it up to be automatic,  eBay will automatically cancel for you after 96 hours.

You can set your blocks so that buyers with 2 strikes in the last 12 months won't be able to buy from you. (Selling preference  / blocked buyers)

[leaky-bucket-labs]

just curious if ebay is holding your money after a few years not selling.

thanks

[mrdutch1001]

I personally would be real PO'd if OP didn't get payouts withheld at least initially, and have listing limits/restrictions...

I was away from eBay for 6-1/2 months and have had to start all over again with the above mentioned payout holds, listing limits/restrictions...It really sucks but is doable...Patience is key!

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Good point pj.

@master-jack   In future, if you continue with Auctions, you can cancel immediately On Buyer Request with no fallout- neither to you nor to your deadbeat customer. But the deadbeat can leave feedback.

If you opt to have an automatic Cancellation (formerly called Unpaid Item Dispute) after four days, eBay will process it automatically and give the deadbeat a Strike. And he can't leave feedback.

Or you can wait four days, manually start the dispute, wait another four days for him to (not) pay, and he gets the Strike plus no feedback.

Of the three choices, unless you feel strong pressure to get the listing back up, I personally prefer the automatic one. YMMV.

We help each other as sellers to hand out those Strikes, since many sellers have set an automatic Block on bidders/buyers with Unpaid Item Strikes.

The dispute/strike process is much more useful and effective than feedback, since most sellers do not have a chance to see buyer feedback before the item is sold.

[master-jack]

Yes, they are. I’m getting strung along a little. First it was bank info. Days later they wanted ID. Now, I’m in a holding pattern. This new system doesn’t strike me as very ‘seller friendly’.

[reallynicestamps]

It isn't . Two of my four accounts had problems and I have been consistently selling here since 1998 under one ID or another.

The ones with the problems were the oldest and most active accounts too.

[evilknee]

I have had numerous plain auction winners ghost me by not paying and not returning messages. Just like Countries have stopped crime by locking up criminals, Ebay could stop this by rational punishment against the buyers who repeatedly and systemically waste the honest sellers time, and the honest buyers efforts to participate in auctions, and win and purchase the items we sell. What kind of auction and offers you list does not solve the problem. The problem will be solved when ALL of us join forces, and together stand against this irresponsible leadership by Ebay in regards to treating sellers better, and holding buyers accountable.

the system which has zero consequences for auction non payment is the problem. Fix that and this goes away. It is that simple. You have to cause the solution. You have to not take Ebays position as acceptable. You are the solution to this problem. The more people insist this change, and inform Ebay they will leave the better our chance to do this quickly. The amount of time and money this wastes is simply staggering. Ebays business plan fails when there are no consequences for bad buyers.

[mrdutch1001]

" The problem will be solved when ALL of us join forces, and together stand against this irresponsible leadership by Ebay..."

The wee percentage of sellers that will choose to make a stand on this, is so tiny in that sea of millions...

It is what it is and no amount of "taking a stand" is going to change this world we now live in...

This isn't unique to eBay...this is the result of what society has become...

We learn to accept,adapt,adjust and carry on....OR ------------------

C'est la vie!

Qiue Sera, Sera!

[femmefan1946]

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM FEBRUARY 2022

The problem with zombie threads  is that the information and  advice  is oftenout of date or inaccurate.

EBay allows sellers to use Fixed Price listings, which make up over 85% of listings, more if we included Auctions with an optional  Best Offer.

FP Listings have1/10th the number of Unpaid Items that the no longer popular Auctions do.

Fixed Price listings can have Immediate Payment Required which leave the listing visible andactive until someone actually pays.

Auctions can automatically Cancel as unpaid after 96 hours with no further action on the part of the seller.

Sellers can opt in their Selling Preferences or Buyer Requirements to automatically Block bidders with Strikes for Unpaid Items.

And of course there is simply not using the out of date Auction listings which buyers do not like. It is interesting to note that for many Auction sellers, their items are selling at theopening bid with only one buyer having any interest.

There is a program in beta testing to require bidders toregister avalid credit card number before accepting a buyer. I would predict this will be dropped when eBay realizes that they have insulted their honest customers who go elsewhere.

[byto253]

Good points.  I do think the hammering of all auctions is to harsh.  Auctions are just a tool in the sellers quiver and have  place.  I selectively use them for 5% of so of my listing and have not had a problem with unpaids.  Usually these are for items that I have a floor price but the top end is not certain.  Other circumstances are when I would like to move an item in a crowded field - an auction tends to stand out and is often successful.  But I never have a starting price lower than I am willing to accept.  

[evilknee]

spoken like a ebay bot would, and not helpful at all, just like any ebay mouthpiece. Dead Beat Buyers can EASILY be removed, if ebay goes back to consequences for failure to complete sales.

Without consequences, some humans will always skate away from honorable conduct.

[femmefan1946]