Yes, another eBay thread

[Eric72]

I had a comic book priced at or near FMV. Someone wrote me shortly after 2 pm, offering $25 for a $90 item.

Roughly 90 minutes later, they sent another message:

[Exhibitman]

The level of duplicity and aggression on eBay has gotten worse.

FWIW my answer to that answer me demand would have been “ok. Go f*** yourself.” Then block and mock on social media

[bnorth]

After many many years on eBay I have noticed about 1 or 2 out of every 100 transaction is a PIA. I like when you have not had any problems for a few hundred transactions and BAM you get nailed with 4 or 5 morons in a week.

I have been lucky on eBay lately. USPS has taken weeks on a few items I sold and not a single buyer complained to me about it.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by bnorth

After many many years on eBay I have noticed about 1 or 2 out of every 100 transaction is a PIA. I like when you have not had any problems for a few hundred transactions and BAM you get nailed with 4 or 5 morons in a week.

I have been lucky on eBay lately. USPS has taken weeks on a few items I sold and not a single buyer complained to me about it.

The ratio sounds about right. About the only thing close that I’ve ever had before was a situation where the buyer clicked BIN, paid $4k, and I shipped it. Shortly after shipping it, the buyer claimed that their account had been hacked and demanded a refund.

After some time on the phone with eBay, they finally agreed not to ding me for it, and I kept the cash.

But it was definitely a weird situation, and had me a bit freaked out about losing out on both the sale and on the piece.

Although I suspect some might suggest that at 5x market value, the only way it could sell was because of a hack!

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by bnorth

After many many years on eBay I have noticed about 1 or 2 out of every 100 transaction is a PIA. I like when you have not had any problems for a few hundred transactions and BAM you get nailed with 4 or 5 morons in a week.

I have been lucky on eBay lately. USPS has taken weeks on a few items I sold and not a single buyer complained to me about it.

Dont' jinx yourself Ben

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The level of duplicity and aggression on eBay has gotten worse.

FWIW my answer to that answer me demand would have been “ok. Go f*** yourself.” Then block and mock on social media

I certainly felt like giving that person an “answer” that had shock value. In the end, though, it wouldn’t have been worth it. Besides, they were probably looking to get into a petty back-and-forth. Not taking the bait was likely the best “f*** you” I could have responded with.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

FWIW my answer to that answer me demand would have been “ok. Go f*** yourself.” Then block and mock on social media

You beat me it...

[bk400]

From reading this thread, I realize that I am probably the best buyer in all of eBay.

[Balticfox]

Here are a couple of my "curious" experiences on Ebay:

1. About two years ago I tried to buy a vintage M.I.B. Monogram slot car motor from a seller. He was evidently using Ebay's International Shipping Program but didn't know it! He ended up cancelling my purchase a day later after these PMs:

"But your shipping address is in Illinois so what’s going on here dude I got screwed out of a classic Frame somehow not that long ago and I think I sold it to you and for some reason it was shipped to Canada somehow but I shipped it to Illinois first and then it got lost and I had to give the money back on it maybe I should just end this auction and not even sell it to you because somethings seems really screwy about this I don’t ship out of the USA,look at the screenshot at the address."

I replied that I'd never bought a racing frame from him or anybody and that the last time I'd even been to Illinois was in 2001. His response:

"OK so if you didn’t get this frame from me then who did look at the screenshots I’m sending you I don’t know what kind of scam you guys got going but I’m not playing these games with you guys no more and that’s the bottom line I’m ending the sale on this and I’m refund and your money I’m not playing with you guys no more and you will be reported to eBay. So again you tell me why both of these addresses on these auctions are the same and you’re in Canada scam somebody else dude I’m not playing this game for real I’m a block you off of buying from my staff I hate to do that but I’m not getting fucked here."

Several weeks later he apologized after being enlightened by Ebay and told me he'd be glad to sell me the item. I ignored him since I have no patience with stupidity.

When Ebay asked me to rate my "transaction" including seller communications a few weeks afterward, I rated it very honestly. He then asked Ebay whether my feedback could be deleted because I'd not lost any money. When Ebay forwarded his request on to me, I refused to change my feedback because whether I'd lost money wasn't one of the questions and I'd given very precise answers to the questions that had been asked. I also mentioned that his stupidity deserved to be rewarded. Well Ebay deleted my feedback anyway.

2. Sellers often list premium coins incorrectly. For example they label Fightin' Warship or Space Coins as Airplane Coins. When I'm so inclined, I point out to the sellers that their listings are incorrect. Evidently I did so twice in about five months to the same seller. Apparently he didn't care whether his listings were accurate or not and was so annoyed with me telling him his listings were incorrect that he blocked me. C'est la vie.

[ALBB]

I see the point, very annoying no doubt

but if that kind of thing was done at a show in person ..." Im looking for xx on this item ", " hmm,Id maybe offer yy" " OK ,Ill sell it ", " well wait I said maybe..would you do zz "

Its wheeling/ dealing/ chiseling /squeezing ..
Im quite sure its done by many many collectors...looking for the best deal

[BioCRN]

I don't mind someone asking questions, making offers even if I don't have that option enabled, making low-ball offers (which I will deny), reasonable requests after purchase, etc.

...but get weird or even slightly sketchy and that's a block. Do weird stuff after purchase, cancel and maybe block.

With all the easy and straightforward sales, I don't have the patience to deal with trying to figure out if someone is socially awkward on the internet or trying to get away with something.

It's one thing to lose a sale, it's another to lose money and time on a crappy "buyer."

[raulus]

Originally Posted by ALBB

I see the point, very annoying no doubt

but if that kind of thing was done at a show in person ..." Im looking for xx on this item ", " hmm,Id maybe offer yy" " OK ,Ill sell it ", " well wait I said maybe..would you do zz "

Its wheeling/ dealing/ chiseling /squeezing ..
Im quite sure its done by many many collectors...looking for the best deal

Interesting take. I suspect the dealer on the other side would quickly tire of your offers constantly being soft and/or withdrawn.

And in this case, there was no “maybe” about his offer. When you make an official offer on eBay when a seller is selling with BIN but taking offers, they give you a big warning that this is binding and not just some trial balloon that you’re floating. In my case, I even click the button to require payment when an offer is made, so he had to put his credit card in just to make the offer. So it’s not like he would be surprised that he was actually going to have to pay if I accepted his offer.

Now if he had just messaged me to ask whether I would take $500, but then backed off, that would be somewhat different, although I’m not sure that I would have been any less inclined to block him once he made clear that his initial offer was just an attempt to keep negotiating down.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by ALBB

I see the point, very annoying no doubt

but if that kind of thing was done at a show in person ..." Im looking for xx on this item ", " hmm,Id maybe offer yy" " OK ,Ill sell it ", " well wait I said maybe..would you do zz "

Its wheeling/ dealing/ chiseling /squeezing ..
Im quite sure its done by many many collectors...looking for the best deal

Recent experience on one of my cards: I posted a Bo Jackson RC for sale below market ($10). I got this PM from a bottom-feeder:

"Howdy! I’d be a buyer at $7. Thanks for considering"

My reply:

"Yes, but I am not a seller at $7."

I thought it was pretty funny. The bottom-feeder did not:

"Rude response. You need to learn common courtesy and communication skills."

My reply:

"Yes, I suppose that is true, but it does not change the fact that your offer was ridiculously low. I know that because while you were busy being offended, someone else bought the card. Your loss..."