Need help crafting refusal to lowball offer buyer who now wants to buy

[hallscrystal]

The last time this happened, I blocked the buyer, they used their friends account and surprise surprise the item arrived "damaged" and I had to refund. They both had good feedbacks, too, which surprised me. I think it maddened them when I blocked them after answering the same question for a lowball offer 3 or 4 times.

Do not want to go through that again so I want to refuse this buyer. They offered 57% of value and now want to buy the item at full price ($140).  Zero feedback.

The message I got this morning in all caps was that I have to change the currency from CAD to USD - "so they can pay".

All I need to know is how to gently but very firmly tell them I am not completing the sale.

For example:

Hello,
Unfortunately it is our store policy to not sell to new eBayers with zero feedback.

Please continue to search eBay as the items may show up from a different seller.
Sincerely,

[ricarmic · Accepted solution]

If they haven't purchased yet it is an option to block them now. Some folks are kind enough to tell us in advance they will be a problem.

Really there is no good way to tell them with lotsa words that you don't want to sell to them, simply blocking them and not responding to any further messages will probably do it.

If you are worried about the alter ego thing happening*, take the item down for a while so they forget about it and relist it again later.

*As a note, we tend to focus on/amplify the bad things that happen to us, I can't count how many times folks have proclaimed here that they won't sell anymore to whatever country because they lost an item sent to that country. I don't know your category but the odds are not high of "multiple alter ego" events happening. I've blocked several folks who've been a problem pre purchase over the years and so far the alter ego thing hasn't happened to me. 

[hallscrystal]

Thank you!

[femmefan1946]

Cancel for Problem with Address.

You are not required to explain yourself. Ever.

[hallscrystal]

"If you are worried about the alter ego thing happening*, take the item down for a while so they forget about it and relist it again later."

Well, I took the item/s down that day and this morning received a message:
"Please let me know if your (items) are available".

[reallynicestamps]

The buyer and his friend are both on your Blocked Bidder List?

Do you also have the automatic Block against bidders with Strikes for Unpaid Items?

You are never required to answer any query. Or any offer.

It may be polite, but these are problem buyers and you don't want to encourage them.

You may also find using Fixed Price/Immediate Payment Required helps. Most problems with payment seem to come from Auction Listings.

Remember that all buyers have only 100% positive feedback. Sellers can only leave positive feedback or no feedback.

The important FB is Left for Others.

[ricarmic]

I'm assuming it is from a different id?

You can at least tell if it is from the same province from the question, I can't remember if it shows the postal code there or not.

If you think it is related you can simply block this one as well with no response.

You can use your judgement about relisting, a lot depends on how long you are ok sitting on it. 

Once it is relisted, you can simply ignore any of the blocked IDs if they send a note. If they're finding further alter egos, you still have the ability to cancel via "problem with address" which doesn't count against you, and as long as you have a way to explain if ever contacted by eBay the "link" to the problem buyer you should be fine. (Even if not in the very WORST case you'd end up with a defect, and that's the disaster situation, very unlikely to ever occur).

I rarely have had folks try to contact me more than once, I don't remember the last time they tried a 2nd time,  a long time ago I have had them apologizing and saying they won't do whatever they did wrong again (right!!!!) and I just ignore them.

These situations are such a pain and such a drag on time, hopefully the simply ignoring works.

[hallscrystal]

Thank you.

I have not yet blocked them, they are new eBayers - just joined in May 2021 with zero feedback. When I took down the items I thought that would be the end of it...

(The other buyer and his friend was in August 2020. I had blocked the original buyer for multiple lowball offers, then the friend - same city and same unique questions - bought the item full price then claimed it was damaged). Luckily the refund was only around $60.00 CAD.

All items are fixed price with immediate payment. I will check on the automatic block (although it would not be applicable here).

The thing is they may just have tried a low offer "nothing to lose by asking" but I can't afford $200.00 to find out if they are legit. And, I think they were reading the price as being in USD when it is CAD so their offer might have been about 70% of the listed price (not 57%).

[ricarmic]

Two main goals are reduce the risk and the amount of your time it takes,  so if sitting on it longer works for you that is probably the best for both those goals.

If you need the $$$ sooner, blocking anyone who makes the spider senses tingle does not take much time, it may prevent a legitimate buyer which is a risk in and of itself, but everything we do bears some risk....

[hallscrystal]

Thank you.

They sent the question from the same ID (I have not blocked them). They are in the States so shipping will be high as well.

[hallscrystal]

Thank you.

No rush to sell, I have tons to get listed. I think I will just reply the items are no longer available. Then if they get some feedback it may work out at a later date (but I will not say anything about that at this point).

Appreciate all the replies!

[hallscrystal]

And, just to clarify, I do not have the "best offer" option enabled on my listings.

Some folks ask anyway, though pretty rare.

[reallynicestamps]

I find it useful when dealing with Best Offers to state clearly and specifically that the offer (accepted, declined or counter-offered) does NOT include shipping, if* there is a shipping price noted.

And keep in mind, shipping is paid by the Buyer not the seller, so if she feels the shipping cost is reasonable, you don't have to think about it.

It costs what it costs.

I think I will just reply the items are no longer available.

No.

Seriously. Block them first.

Then stop communicating.

*I use Free Shipping  a lot.