[DARK_M3]

I will try to be brief but include the actual written interaction so that you may get the whole scoop and help me decide what to do here...


I am fairly new to selling on ebay. Been buying for awhile but not selling. Anyway, I recently sold a couple items on ebay. Both camera lens's. The first was a lower dollar amount and sold without incident. It sold for $130. The second is the lens I have in the for sale section here on the forum and it's a higher dollar item ($2k... retail $2.6k).

Well that lens had 10 "watchers" so I was thinking "great!... going to get interesting come bidding time around the last 5-10 min from the close of auction". Well as it turns out, I get one bid. Meh but cool because I sold it for what I wanted to get anyway as a minimum price.

Here's where the problem begins. My understanding is that aside from home/auto, an ebay action is a binding contract.? Here's how it went...

My inbox (ebay):

Dear mr.humperdink,
Payment sent. Thanks! super excited for the lens!!
- timberswiss3

I go on to congratulate etc. and inform the buyer (timberswiss3) that I don't see the funds in my paypal and to doublecheck on his/her end...

Dear mr.humperdink,
I don't understand. I sent it yesterday and it shows on mine. Perhaps it is being held because of your feedback. Let me try to send payment again
- timberswiss3

Okie dokie... standing by...

Dear mr.humperdink,
I can't send another payment I suppose it has to do with the PayPal hold that they do because I noticed you don't have selling feedback.
-timberswiss3

Sounds reasonable I guess... I am after all a new "seller". So now what?

Dear mr.humperdink,
I feel like this happens often to me, I buy the lens and send the payment but PayPal has to step in the way and hold the payment until I give feedback. I honestly really would give you feedback to have the payment clear to avoid all this but I can't because if I give positive feedback that stops me from opening up a claim with eBay. Like if something is wrong with the lens.
- timberswiss3

I don't really see how leaving any feedback will prevent someone from opening a claim if something is not right. Now I start to get a bit irritated and grow a little suspicious. So I check out this buyers ratings (which show 100% positive BTW). Here's what they have... NOTE: The top comment is mine as I left it before I realized there was no $$ in my paypal account...



Whoa!... wait a second. What's up with all great feedback and then recently, 3 terrible reviews about no pay etc.?? Now I feel as though I am starting to get played.

Next email...

Dear mr.humperdink,
Yeah it's Paypal. This has happened more times than I care to remember. I know payment will clear when I give positive feedback but I don't want to put you in a position where you have to send the lens before the payment clearing even though that's what PayPal wants so if you send me a request to cancel the transaction we can cancel it and I'll get refunded my money. Read below to find out how annoying and obtrusive PayPal can be sometimes.
https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?c...ypal_holds_faq
- timberswiss3

So I go on to check the link he/she provided and it looks legit but why would I get one payment so smoothly and then this buyers payment just not show up?? I mean ebay/paypal held my last payment too but at least I could SEE it in my paypal account. ?? Took a day to try to decide what to do... do I open a claim with ebay? Do I simply cancel the transaction (which I can't see other than what it says on ebay about this person being the bidder?

Dear mr.humperdink,
Hey it's been a while since we last talked have you thought about what you wanna di? Waiting on your answer...
- timberswiss3

My response back yesterday:

Dear timberswiss3,
If all it takes for the money to clear is you leaving me positive feedback then that makes the most sense if you really want the lens. The lens is perfect and it seems like you were pretty excited about it.?I would sent a request to cancel payment but the problem is that there is no payment being held at all. Let me contact eBay and/or PayPal first thing tomorrow to find out what I should do. Thanks.
- mr.humperdink

Then today I get this response from him/her:

Dear mr.humperdink,
No problem I can provide copies of the email PayPal sent me to back this up. But if there is still confusion I think it'd be best if I walked away from the lens. Perhaps the problem is mine and the payment will clear with someone else
- timberswiss3

So this really sucks. It seems he/she is willing to just pull out of the deal provided I cancel the transaction with ebay so they can get their money back from paypal? Was he/she attempting to scam? Does ebay have a shitty policy regarding selling stuff? I don't get it.

What would you do? Cancel, relist the item and move on? File a claim with ebay and try to get the $$?

[persian54]

Report suspicious buyer

Cancel and relist

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by persian54

Report suspicious buyer

Cancel and relist

Forgive my ebay ignorance, but I see the "relist" option but nothing to "cancel" this existing transaction. Should I simply relist?

[MadDog]

Originally Posted by persian54

Report suspicious buyer

Cancel and relist

+122394810990815491241985989081908589845

[smyles]

Hm, usually negative feedback on ebay is indicated by red circle/minus. I can't remember if you can change feedback after you've left it, but it looks like the buyer scammed people into leaving positive feedback w/o him actually sending $$.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by smyles

Hm, usually negative feedback on ebay is indicated by red circle/minus. I can't remember if you can change feedback after you've left it, but it looks like the buyer scammed people into leaving positive feedback w/o him actually sending $$.

This is exactly what I was thinking too. I guess in a way he scammed me into doing the same exact thing. Then by giving me that link that says that ebay wants me to ship the item while they hold the funds?? That doesn't seem right at all. Especially since I don't see the fund being held anywhere lol

[persian54]

Originally Posted by DARK_M3

Forgive my ebay ignorance, but I see the "relist" option but nothing to "cancel" this existing transaction. Should I simply relist?

Yes cancel it and relist so you don't have to pay new listing fees (unless rules have changed?)

[Maestro]

yeah it is a scam, Paypal does not hold up anyone payment, they make money on the transaction. To settle your curiously, ask him to take a scream shot of the paypal page where it shows that they sent the payment. There should be a payment status on his account page. Also Ebay would show a similar transaction summary.

I would also report him to email on what his scam is and see what they will do.

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by smyles

Hm, usually negative feedback on ebay is indicated by red circle/minus. I can't remember if you can change feedback after you've left it, but it looks like the buyer scammed people into leaving positive feedback w/o him actually sending $$.

eBay doesn't let you leave negative or neutral feedback for buyers.

Also paypal will hold the funds but it will show the transaction on your paypal I don't think it actually shows the money in your balance though.

[DARK_M3]

Re-listed the item. I will report him and be done with it. Thanks for the feedback.

[ABQ325i]

I have an eBay business and we get this a lot.

It's a scam where they try to convince you with fake emails that they have paid you but Paypal is holding onto the money before they release it to you. That's crap, if anything Paypal holds it once it reaches your account then after the buyer receives it, you get paid. Sometimes they will resort to threatening you with negative feedback unless you ship it immediately. Since they can't leave feedback until they pay then I do not get worried about the threats.

Open an unpaid item dispute, do not use the cancel transaction option where he has to accept, because if he doesn't accept it then you get hit with the selling fee's and it is a major pain to get them back.

Seller's can't leave negative/neutral feedback as bmw325i said, this is just other seller's giving you a heads up because he has been successful in scamming them.

The best way (IMO) to sell on eBay is to list with fixed price requiring immediate payment. We also use best offer, but that takes away the immediate payment requirement if an offer is made and we accept.

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by ABQ325i

I have an eBay business and we get this a lot.

It's a scam where they try to convince you with fake emails that they have paid you but Paypal is holding onto the money before they release it to you. That's crap, if anything Paypal holds it once it reaches your account then after the buyer receives it, you get paid. Sometimes they will resort to threatening you with negative feedback unless you ship it immediately. Since they can't leave feedback until they pay then I do not get worried about the threats.

Open an unpaid item dispute, do not use the cancel transaction option where he has to accept, because if he doesn't accept it then you get hit with the selling fee's and it is a major pain to get them back.

Seller's can't leave negative/neutral feedback as bmw325i said, this is just other seller's giving you a heads up because he has been successful in scamming them.

The best way (IMO) to sell on eBay is to list with fixed price requiring immediate payment. We also use best offer, but that takes away the immediate payment requirement if an offer is made and we accept.

Ah man.. I wish I had read this about 15 minutes ago! I did do an unpaid item dispute but did so through the "cancel transaction" funtion.

Ah well I guess I will see what happens. I was able to relist the item with no fees or anything. Anyway, thanks for the feedback!

[19G20]

Ebay has become a joke, I use it a lot and if you are selling some that is of high demand people will bid on it either to jack up the price so they will sell what they are selling and win your item and not pay or they jack up the price and bid and win so the going price for the item is high and their item sells for more. Most likely the guy has two accounts and uses one for bullshit, I experienced this through the selling of my iphone. Adjust bidder settings and and post again on buy it now.

Good luck!

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by 335itwinsedan

Ebay has become a joke, I use it a lot and if you are selling some that is of high demand people will bid on it either to jack up the price so they will sell what they are selling and win your item and not pay or they jack up the price and bid and win so the going price for the item is high and their item sells for more. Most likely the guy has two accounts and uses one for bullshit, I experienced this through the selling of my iphone. Adjust bidder settings and and post again on buy it now.

Good luck!

Thanks for the input!

[N55]

Definitely re-list and move on. I think there is an option in your account or listing to ban a specific user from bidding on your auction(s).

P.S. 10 watchers isn't much. A lot of people hit the watch button and forget, or have bought something else.

[Augenbrauezug]

I freakin hate eBay. I listed an iPhone for sale not to long ago, first few attempts people tried to scam me. I didn't understand the eBay policy and I ended up paying them almost $200 for my listing fees. Phone finally sold for like $450, I paid $200 for it new and another $200 to try to sell the thing on eBay. Craigslist for me from now on.

[ABQ325i]

Originally Posted by N55

I think there is an option in your account or listing to ban a specific user from bidding on your auction(s).

There is.

There is also an option to restrict buyers who have received 2 or more unpaid item strikes in the last year.

To add buyer requirements to your listings:

Click My eBay at the top of the page. You may have to sign in.
Click Site Preferences under the Account tab.
Click the Show link in the Buyer Requirements section.
Click the Edit link.
Select your buyer requirements.
Select Apply above settings to current and future listings.
Click Submit.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by Augenbrauezug

I freakin hate eBay. I listed an iPhone for sale not to long ago, first few attempts people tried to scam me. I didn't understand the eBay policy and I ended up paying them almost $200 for my listing fees. Phone finally sold for like $450, I paid $200 for it new and another $200 to try to sell the thing on eBay. Craigslist for me from now on.

how the hell did you get charged $200 in fees?!

[DARK_M3]

Originally Posted by ABQ325i

There is.

There is also an option to restrict buyers who have received 2 or more unpaid item strikes in the last year.

To add buyer requirements to your listings:

Click My eBay at the top of the page. You may have to sign in.
Click Site Preferences under the Account tab.
Click the Show link in the Buyer Requirements section.
Click the Edit link.
Select your buyer requirements.
Select Apply above settings to current and future listings.
Click Submit.

Just did this. Very handy...

[Augenbrauezug]

Originally Posted by persian54

how the hell did you get charged $200 in fees?!

It came out to like $165... I'm not really sure. It was my first and last eBay experience and I guess I didn't understand something about what I was doing. What was more frustrating was 2 of the attempted sales eBay even e-mailed me saying that the person who won my item was scamming me, but yet they still charged me for the auctions. One of the e-mails said that the buyer wasn't even a registered eBay user [how the hell does eBay let someone bid if they aren't a user?????], and they even charged me for that auction!

[DARK_M3]

Anyone tried quibids? For buying stuff I mean?

[ABQ325i]

No, but I know people who have spent money without winning anything. You pay 60c per bid and the bids increment in pennies.

Their ads are also misleading, they tell you what the winning bid was and how much the person saved, but they don't tell you how much they actually spent on bidding.

I'm sure some people get good deals, but not everyone.