More Ebay Troubles- Quite a Rant Here. . . .

[shamrockgirl18]

OK, I think it is total bullsh*t that Ebay sellers are no loner able to leave negative or even neutral feedback for buyers.

In the past few months I have had 5 people win auctions, and never pay for their items. Some of them do not even respond to my messages and emails at all, and the other ones send messages w/ excuses and lame apologies about thow they didn't think it would end up being so much and they can't afford it.

I was getting tired of this, so in my most recent auction I even put a notice in the description that said:

"This item is being re-listed due to a non-paying bidder. Please, if you do not intend to pay for your items, then do not bid on them"

It was a polite plea for people to be considerate of the sellers. Everytime we have to relist an item, it costs us more money. I am not a big Ebay seller that can afford to throw away money and I depend on the price of my items to help me. . . .um. . .LIVE!

When someone does not pay for their item, the only thing a seller can do is "report unpaid item" to Ebay. We then get transferred to a page with tips for how to "work it out".

How are we supposed to work anything out w/ someone refusing to pay? Go to their house and demand the money brandishing swords or other weapons????

Now I have listed this lot of dolls TWICE and both times the winning bidder refused to pay. So now I still have the dolls, I am out the money or listing the item (twice) and I will not be getting the money the person bid for it either.

Ebay needs to stop neglecting the sellers- they are the backbone of it.

[miniwendy]

Yuck. Between problems like that, and the ever escalating fees... :lol:

[Corwin]

Yup that's one of many reasons I don't sell. I never like the idea, I have earned my 100 percent feed back rating. The only time I couldn't pay was when work didn't pay me for 3 days the seller was great about that though so I bought some more items. :lol: I Think its totally unfair to sellers, on the other hand, I had a transaction where i never received the item, long story short, they had a family emergency and said they would shut down there store, and if i didn't quit bugging them (after to emails) they said I deserved neg feedback. They reopened there store four days later and are still selling to this day. I still Think you seller should be able to leave negative feedback though. I see why eBay did this but there has to be a better solution.

[Lynette Smith]

I wasn't aware that negative feedback for purchasers wasn't possible any longer. It's been a while since I sold anything. The first year I never did anything when people failed to pay. Last year I never had a single nonpayment (knock on wood).

I did have a sale outside of Ebay to a purchaser who had already bought something through ebay. I shipped the item after receiving the first half of the money because I didn't want to have to go out and find two boxes (it was 28 pounds of quilt fabric!) to portion it out, so I went ahead and mailed it. Then things went hectic for the other party. There was a tornado in her small town and a friend was killed, etcetera. We had been exchanging email back and forth for a couple of months, so I felt okay about doing it.

While going through my fabric to find stuff for her, my house accidently caught fire. I put it out preet much by myself before the first emergency vehicle arrived, but several items were ruined by the incident. So I became disgruntled when the second check failed to materialize (no pun intended). If I hadn't put out the fire (which was only lit at the time to warm the living room while going through fabric for her quilting business, and I was only out of the room to fetch more fabric) my 1941 house would have gone up like kindling, so the principle was very important - not the pecuniary issue.

I sent a formal email notifying them of potential action in small claims court, with the intention of having jurisdiction be in my home state. Boy I got a response so fast that it made my hair spin!

It turns out that she had mailed a second check (registered) but had the adress mixed up and a check revealed it had gone uncashed. She was profusely apologetic and promptly sent a replacement.

I googled tornado and found that there had been a tornado with a fatality in her town, so I choose to believe the rest of the situation. When I sent an email that went unanswered is when I got upset. She thought the issue resolved, and hadn't read it.

I got a degree as a paralegal and checked into the whole issue. Any sale involving interstate communication (mail, telephone, internet, and all the new permutations) are subject to federal law. Under federal law you may sue in the jurisdiction of the purchaser, the seller, or any state where such communications may have taken place (an internet cafe while on vacation, for example). Because of distance, this helps the complainant alot at puts the defendant on the footing of showing up at small claims court or facing automatic summary judgement.

This is rather heavy handed. But sometimes one needs to be heavy handed. Usually the threat alone will shake the money loose from an honest person. An unsrupulous person will not care, in which case a list of potential fees which may be charged (filing fees, and any fee which can be associated with litigation - excepting time lost from work).

I'd probably post a disclaimer saying that a bid constitutes a legal contract and that breach of contract may be pursued though litigation if warranted. It's just a little reminder to let them know only to bid if they are serious.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

[KathieB]

When I had my publishing company, a small museum in Alabama ordered books for its gift shop but didn't pay. I found out through other dealers that this was the turkey's modus operandi. I called the small claims court in AL and got the papers for filing a complaint, filled them out and faxed a copy to him with a note that one of my associates would be in his area in the near future so would be able to appear in court (we were in Virginia). I gave him one week to pay up before filing. I had the check in three days. I had no intention of actually filing, as I had no associate and it would have been too expensive to go to court in his state, but my bluff worked.

[shamrockgirl18]

Thanks for 'listening' to my rant everyone. I have had smooth transactions for the majority (as a seller and a buyer), but the few bad ones always remind me how unevenly Ebay treats their sellers and buyers.

On the other hand, I haven't had a bad experience as a buyer in a while- the most recent bad experience earned me a refund so no $ was lost, just patience.

[chesterfieldzoo]

I haven't sold much on ebay so I haven't had any problems yet. I have a bunch of stuff to get rid of so I figure I will sooner or later have an issue.

I can't believe ebay will not waive the fees if you have a nonpaying bidder. Greedy bay.

[doogster]

I actually do wish sellers could leave negative feedback as appropriate. As Corwin stated some of us take our feedback rating as buyers seriously, having deadbeats getting positive feedback just cause them;s the rules really make our rating meaningless. Back when it counted I got sellers to change a listing based on feedback. Doubt I could do that now.

[Lynette Smith]

A good bluff can work wonders, Kathie. But if a transaction is carried out electronically, you don't have to file in their state. You could, if you wanted to, then they would have to pay travel expenses!

Having trained as a paralegal I know most things are settled out of court, both civilly and criminally.

To be convincing that it is in their interest to pay up it is best to paint as graphic and grim a picture as possible.

I think its terrible about the lop-sided feedback situation. Last year I sold a pattern to a store and shipped it out. While I went to a convention she couldn't reach me, complaining the item wasn't received. When I returned I tracked things down and found that I had indeed shipped it. She wouldn't be mollified, though it was an uninsured purchase. She left negative feedback saying the seller wouldn't do a thing. Actually, I mailed her a replacement pattern at no cost. Future buyers won't know that though. I value my approval rating.

[Esther]

I'm sorry for your problem with non-paying buyers. I had that problem once with a book I was trying to sell.

I think the big problem came because some sellers were leaving "revenge" feedback. I left negative feedback for a buyer once when a musical instrument I received was cracked and useless (the description said it was in good playing condition). The seller left me negative feedback...which I didn't deserve. I paid the guy over a hundred dollars and didn't even demand my money back. (I was rather green to ebay at the time, or I would have).

[champagne]

I haven't had many problems but I am still waiting on an item that they keep saying is in the mail. I wrote back and told them for the 2nd time that I will leave negative feedback if I do not recieve it by the end of the week. His reply was lame again. I will wait till Friday and if not this will be the first time I have left negative feedback and I am glad that they cannot retaliate but I agree there should be something Ebay can do for non-payment. As a buyer I have always paid in less than 24 hours.

[Merry]

I'm sorry for your non-paying customers. That would drive me nuts!!!

I do not sell on ebay, but I always pay immediately!

[Wolfie]

This is why I never sell anything or buy anything on ebay!

[justmesue]

Sorry about the troubles. Ebay should have some kind of program in place, whereas if you report the item as unpaid, it should be relisted for free. I think that would be fair.

As a buyer, I always pay within hours our winning the auction. I have not sold much, so no problems there yet.

[Cricket]

I don't do Feebay anymore, I left when this feedback thing was announced. Luckily, while selling and buying there I only had ONE go bad, and that was as a buyer. Once they took away the seller's right to leave FAIR feedback, I saw the writing on the wall. Evilbay is now unfortunately full of deadbeat buyers (mostly new users) who are taking advantage of the "thrill of bidding" but no follow-through.

OK, so I see why Eat-MeBay did this, retaliatory feedback from nasty sellers, but they left NOTHING as an alternative for decent sellers to report non-paying bidders that other's could see. At the very least, they could put a tag on user profiles that say how many non-paying bidder reports a person has, possibly with the status of that report (Pending, final, resolved/removed)... Sort of feedback, but something sellers CERTAINLY should have the access to. Sure would cut down on this problem.

[Missymew]

Buyers who don't pay also create problems for other buyers. Several times someone outbid me on an item on Ebay, then about two or three weeks later the seller relists because the buyer didn't pay. So, I go through the process again. A couple of times I'd bid on items I'd really have liked to have had sooner, but had to wait until the seller realized that they weren't going to get paid.

I can't, for the life of me, understand why someone would bid on something that they can't pay for.

-Susanne

[rodentraiser]

well, one thing you can do if a buyer doesn't pay, is to report them to ebay - i believe they do waive your listing fees.

also, if someone doesn't pay for the auction they won, you have an option for offering it to the next bidders in line.

i recently had an item sell on ebay and i sent the buyer an invoice on the 25th of march. she sent me a letter saying she hadn't received the invoice until the 15th of april and could she still buy the item, i then sent her an email saying of course, as soon as paypal had received her payment i would ship it out. haven't heard a thing since.

i'm not too upset, i really like my item and wouldn't mind keeping it and then, i still have it too. not like i really lost anything - i only spent 35 cents in listing fees on this one.

but i am puzzled - this person has over 400 positive feedbacks, so what is actually going on here, i have no idea.

[bookmarm]

we don't sell much on evil-bay, but we do buy...always pay quickly and have 100% rating. I'm angry about these issues because they harm us all and the honest transactions.

[Wee Obsession]

if the buyer gets a certain amount of strikes(disputes) against them, they get suspended.....maybe only temporarily. Sometimes I feel that EBAY IS enabling some to GET AWAY WITH IT due to the fact that bad feedback is now banished.

When you start and finish a dispute you get ONLY the commision fee back....not your listing fee and any other trouble you went to.

Hasn't happened often here...but every now and then......it does help to read ALL their feedback!!!!

When trouble arrises. I go back to the most recent feedback/item sellers and ask the previous sellers if they know what or have heard from the buyer.

[tcmorrison]

I agree it is absolute bull that a seller can't leave negative feedback for a non-paying bidder.

I have NEVER not paid for an item that I bid on. People get a clue...DON'T bid more than you can pay!!! Or are willing to pay! I have plenty of times paid more than I wanted to for an item, but I bid what I could/was willing to pay. And got some things that I really wanted. I too have a 100% feedback and rarely take longer than 24 hrs to pay once I am invoiced. If I do take longer than 3 days, I will message the seller with a date and if I have an issue, I explain. Most sellers will work with you, IF you keep them informed AND it's not a bunch of lame excuses. I even had one seller ship the item to me before I even paid. And didn't even tell me until after she had done it. Course I would have a problem paying as quickly as I would've liked too that time. I messaged her letting her know that the payment was going to be like 10 days after auction was over and that's when she told me that it was already shipped. She could've really lost there, IF she wasn't dealing with someone honest.

As for selling on ebay, I have no intentions of ever doing it. If I don't need it anymore, I give it away, or if it's mini stuff, I'll sell it here. Almost a year ago, I had a bunch of dollhouses to sell, I sold almost all of them here. And the couple that I didn't, I've kept. I am honestly afraid to sell on ebay or craiglist with all the scams and non-paying. I'll deal with people I know I can trust.

Terri

[Windsor]

I dont sell on ebay at all anymore. What bothers me the most is that when a buyer pays with paypal ( i think its the only accepted payment method now??) they can get a refund for just about reason. So you're out of the item and the money, and the 21 day hold is absolute crap!