The Ebay excuse...

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Has anyone else noticed of late a trend where buyers who win an auction and then do not respond for days and then state they were out of town due to a family emergency or illness? I have sold 5 items on Ebay in the past month and three buyers gave me this sob story. I send an invoice no later than 24 hours after the auction then wait 3 days to send the next (polite) follow up. There's no way they all tell the truth with this excuse; it's like the old "dog ate my homework routine". I've had these excuses before but it's really picked up recently.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I have gotten that excuse a lot lately too. I don't sweat it too much though as nearly every one of them has had great feedback. I emailed one guy three seperate times about payment and never heard from him...he never contacted me until I filed with ebay. After that he emailed me within the hour saying that he was out of town on business...it still took him more than a week to pay. When he did finally pay I gave him positive feedback and the jerk never even left feedback for me.

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Posted By: Dan P.

I just finished dealing with a bozo like this. After 4 weeks, 3 emails, no reply and no payment I started the process of getting a refund of my commission and leaving him negative feedback. All of a sudden, the following day I finally got a response. He said he mailed the check 3 weeks earlier and tried contacting me on the status of the transaction. I got a ton of lip from him and negative feedback on my account from him (my 1st negative in over 500 transactions). Then he emailed me saying he got his checking statement and the check he claims to have sent didn't clear (maybe because I never got it). He said he'd resend the check. That was over 2 weeks ago so I finally relisted the card.

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Posted By: Kenneth A. Cohen

In this day and age, the out of town excuse seems pretty lame to me. Doesn't almost everyone check email while on a trip?

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Posted By: Adam

I just got a guy who wanted me to take a photo of an item with a local newspaper in the background that was dated today before he would send payment. I did it for him, but what a waste of my time.

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Posted By: Bill

I'm guessing the guy had already won the auction before he suddenly decided he wanted to make sure you had the card? I love people like this.

Change your socks, drink water, and drive on.

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Posted By: Adam

Yes, indeed he put in a last minute snipe to win it. I sent him an invoice maybe 20 minutes after he won. Then 2 days later he asks for a photo.

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Posted By: David Smith

I'd say get used to it until the economy improves, or at least the "appearance" of the economy improving.

I think people are seeing the stock market having big swings back and forth and then hearing about the sub prime mortgage problems and the declining sales of houses and property values and do stupid stuff anyway, like bid on eBay items. After they have bid on and won something, they have a talk with their significant other and find out that bidding wasn't such a good idea, at least in the other person's mind and so they just ignore the whole thing and hope it goes away.

Either that, or it is kids having their last bit of summer fun before they have to go back to school.


David

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Posted By: Steve Murray

I had a fellow here on the board (Hi Charlie) ask me for similar "proof" that I had a card. Recall it was something like he wanted me to write his name on a piece of paper and scan it with the card. Thought it was a little odd but I complied. No biggie.

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Posted By: Jim VB

Just for fun, I'll play the other side for a second. For the record, I'm a buyer much more than a seller.

Recently, two different Ebay auctions came up in different searches, about a week apart. First, the seller listed a T206 Cobb red back (PSA 5 or 6 I seem to recall). He had no scan, but promised to provide one and/or answer all questions 24 hours before the close of the auction. Exactly one day before the close, he ends the auction because "the card is no longer available." A couple of days after he lists the Cobb he lists a mid-grade 1952 Mantle, exact same story, no scan, questions answered 24 hours before, ends the auction one day early because "the card is no longer available."

I saw two possibilities. Either he is using Ebay to attract offers and then selling outside their system OR he never really had either card and is using their listing to attract people to his other listings (which are decidedly inferior.)

In either case, if he ever really had something I needed, I'd want some proof that he had the card before he got my money. As a buyer, you have no leverage until you win the auction. The guy doesn't answer questions. He says so in the listing. All you could do is buy the item and then ask before you pay.

I realize that doesn't apply to you guys from this board, but just thought I'd give you the buyers perspective.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

especially if you are granting people the option to pay by financial instrument sent through the mail.

I will go on the contrary limb here and state that I find it unreasonable for a seller to pester me with payment inquiries during the first 5-7 days after an auction closes. I also do not appreciate the sellers (invariably of $10 items) who insist on having an email relationship with me. Give a buyer a week to get his act together; a lot of people have more or less set days when they close their ebay deals. If a buyer has good feedback and a long history of deals on ebay, you are not likely to be the first default, so relax. If you don't have something in a week or two, then remind and schedule an unpaid item filing.

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Posted By: Rob

don't forget too ... just cuz a bidder placed a bid at the end of the auction, doesn't mean they were at their computer. Could've been a snipe from a 3rd party service. They actually could've been camping in the wilderness while the bid was placed. Just something to think about.

Rob

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Posted By: David Goff

I sell a lot more than I buy also. When I sell, I do not state when the payment is due simply because 9 times out of 10 I will not get it during that time frame without harassing the buyer about where money is(and I do not want that to happen..not good business). I always send out an invoice about an hour after the auction ends and I give the buyer up to 2 weeks to pay. If they have not paid in the time frame, I then send out the payment reminder. Usually the buyer pays, if they don’t then I will wait another week to file a complaint to eBay to get my fees back.
As a buyer, I also hate it when someone sends me a payment reminder a couple of days after the auction ends. Do they need the money that bad? Even if the buyer has low number feedback, you should give them the benefit of the doubt.

Just my 2 cents worth....

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Posted By: Neal

Yes. I too have noticed this lately. Especially when one regular buyer from me use to pay so damn quickly,now I am waiting 4,5,6 days. People for some reason have been paying very slow. At times I have to email out a 2nd invoice to remind them! Not sure what's up!

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Posted By: Joe D.

I am not a regular seller on ebay -

but when I do sell, my wife really doesn't know anything about the cards / where they are / or even that I am selling them.


My one fear would be to somehow meet an untimely death while I still have active auctions going on eBay.


Think about it. Not only would I have been robbed of more years to enjoy life.... but while I am lying there in my coffin... someone, somewhere is leaving me negative feedback on eBay.

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Posted By: Larry

Wish I knew that bidder's eBay ID, so I could block them. Two days after the auction ends and their first response after invoice is to have you waste your time scanning a current newspaper along with the card........sad.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

So the latest...

One of my auction winners from 8/22 who was "out of town" decides to send me a personal check for about $70. They pay for certified mail, signature required, a total of $5.10. I got the check on Sept. 5 and cannot deposit it until the evening of 9/6, a Thursday. Now in my auctions I always state I prefer Paypal and can only mail on Saturdays (my job makes it difficult to get to the PO from 9-5). You know what happens next: I get an e-mail yesterday (Friday) asking if the card had been sent yet.

Why not use Paypal, spend less than $5.10 in postage fees and get your card about 10 days quicker? Ebay is a real pain to sell on sometimes....

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Joe, that is a sick thought -- and something I have thought about myself.

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Posted By: Rick McQuillan

I have noticed more problems lately. Many of these late payers have purchased items for 6 dollars, or 9 dollars, yet it takes them a month to pay. They don't respond to emails or invoices, yet they keep bidding, winning, and paying for other auctions. I can see waiting a week or so to pay for a $500 item, but waiting a month to send ten bucks? They can wait as long as they want, but at least send me an email telling me that you will be paying for your auction.

Here is a unique thought - if you don't have the money to pay for something then don't bid.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Rick