Ebay triple whammy...

[zektor]

WTF is going on lately? Never have I had so may non-paying bidders as I have recently on ebay. This week it was a low blow, with three people that won three seperate auctions...that all didn't pay and all will not reply to emails. Jeez, one guy won a Neogeo Pocket game for a freakin' dollar and will not reply or pay. And with all of the time that you waste and all of the trouble you go through aggravating yourself, you cannot even sooth the pain by providing these people with a negative feedback for their wrongdoing because of ebay's idiotic update on the feedback system.

Just venting, but it really is bull. I think I am going to stop selling on ebay entirely.

[ryborg]

Yeah, I'm right with you. While this is the most profitable time to sell, with people buying gifts and all, it also brings out the worst customers who don't understand ebay at all. It's not just you, it's happening to everyone. Just this week, I've received THREE negs and a neutral, none of them my fault in any way. This is on top of all the usual BS sellers have to deal with.

I wouldn't quit selling right now, however, because even with the shit economy, people still have to buy gifts for others. I'd keep at it through the holidays and reassess when they're over.

[megasdkirby]

I wouldn't quit selling right now, however, because even with the shit economy, people still have to buy gifts for others. I'd keep at it through the holidays and reassess when they're over.

Agreed. Hell, I've been pondering quitting Sears, but I don't because now is the time for massive sales.

I would say, just as ryborg mentioned, not to quit now and hold off until after the holidays. Then think things over.

You could also try listing at Chase The Chuckwagon.

[zektor]

Right now ebay is great for the buyer (new set shipping standards, so worry of negative feedback) but HORRIBLE for the seller (no neg feedback for buyer ability, shipping standards, significantly higher rates between ebay and paypal). I know I am beating a dead horse here, but what is ebay thinking lately?

[megasdkirby]

They are also buncho of hypocrits.

They demand that an auction have "fair shipping" yet when one is reported for shipping abuse, they do NOTHING to stop it. WTF?

And all those deadbeat buyers are ruining everything. I've noticed an increase in n00bs not paying, which is ridiculous.

Eventually Ebay will revert to what it originally was...right after they kick Donohue's ass to the curve.

[Dark_Sol]

Donnow about deadbeat buyers, but i recently got a deadbeat SELLER. I've paid quite a mass of money to one person and he does not respond for 2 weeks already, although he promised to ship and was very positive in the beginning.

[megasdkirby]

Was it billsportscardz? That guy got NARU'd quickly and it was his own doing.

But I agree that sellers aren't always honest. I've had sellers charge me for something and never send the item, stating that I must have "gotten it by now". Funny thing is that when I ask for Delivery Confirmation, they ALWAYS state that they "forgot" to put it. Or sellers not stating the complete truth in their listings...or using horrible shipping methods, circumvating fees, etc.

But to be fair, the increase in problematic transactions have increased alot ever since the feedback changes for both buyers and sellers. And I know Ebay knows this, but as long as they get money, they don't give a damn. :(

[Dark_Sol]

no, not Bill. And yes i know he was pwned off ebay :)

[evil_genius]

I've gotten screwed a few times too recently but I am trying to keep it in one thread which I will be updating soon.

[Kitsune Sniper]

One guy in the UK hasn't paid me yet, and I need the fifty bucks. >_<

)@#&@#)$&@#$@

I wish I had a stable job, dammit. ;_;

[Tupin]

Yeah, I'm right with you. While this is the most profitable time to sell, with people buying gifts and all, it also brings out the worst customers who don't understand ebay at all. It's not just you, it's happening to everyone. Just this week, I've received THREE negs and a neutral, none of them my fault in any way. This is on top of all the usual BS sellers have to deal with.

I wouldn't quit selling right now, however, because even with the shit economy, people still have to buy gifts for others. I'd keep at it through the holidays and reassess when they're over.
Wow, THREE negs in one week at none of your fault?

Then again, I've read your blog and the general nature of a lot of your buyers seems like that.

[ryborg]

Wow, THREE negs in one week at none of your fault?

Then again, I've read your blog and the general nature of a lot of your buyers seems like that.

Three negs AND a neutral AND some Canadian just stole $445 worth of goods and money from me. Best week ever, huh?

I also just got a notice from ebay saying that if my feedback doesn't improve in the next 30 days, I'm suspended permanently! They ignore the content of the feedback and the thousands of other positives I get. A few experienced buyers this week said I was the best seller they've ever dealt with because I personally ensured they got their item on time (last-minute birthday gift and football jersey for Sunday's games). Clearly, I am a problem seller, one ebay doesn't want.

I don't want to bore everyone here with details, but I will be updating the blog within the next day or so with full disclosure.

[savageone]

I haven't had too much trouble lately, but then again everything I've been selling is just cheapies that basically go for the cost of shipping. I also doubt I sell nearly as much stuff as you guys. The NPB reports are really annoying (especially if someone has won multiple items), and they also take way too long, but they do work. I don't always feel good about it but I file them every time an item is not paid for, thankfully I've been lucky and it's not been often. Why sellers can't leave a negative, especially when an item was never even paid for, is still baffling.

I am starting to regret NOT becoming a powerseller when I had the chance. eBay fees, ridiculous, yada yada. _Everyone_ agrees there. I've seen a lot of sellers with shipping fees higher than $4 lately, so there must be some way around that. But it doesn't really affect me since I've always used $3-4 for US shipping (usps first class).

On feedback: I still haven't had anyone leave a negative (or threaten to, or any such thing) despite the new system, so as of a few months ago I've made it a whole decade on eBay on without a negative. Pretty swank, but also pretty meaningless I suppose.

[Tupin]

Three negs AND a neutral AND some Canadian just stole $445 worth of goods and money from me. Best week ever, huh?

I also just got a notice from ebay saying that if my feedback doesn't improve in the next 30 days, I'm suspended permanently! They ignore the content of the feedback and the thousands of other positives I get. A few experienced buyers this week said I was the best seller they've ever dealt with because I personally ensured they got their item on time (last-minute birthday gift and football jersey for Sunday's games). Clearly, I am a problem seller, one ebay doesn't want.

I don't want to bore everyone here with details, but I will be updating the blog within the next day or so with full disclosure.
eBay can suspend people with bad feedback, even if they have thousands of happy buyers and pages of positive feedback, three negatives and a neutral is enough to warrant a suspension?

[ryborg]

I am starting to regret NOT becoming a powerseller when I had the chance.

I was a Powerseller for years and I never got anything out of it. I actually got so sick of the spam email and telephone calls that you couldn't opt out of that I told ebay to cut me loose. I later re-applied and was accepted when ebay announced the Feb 2008 changes, which give small discounts to Powersellers.

Unfortunately, ebay gave me the Powerseller boot in late summer, when you had to maintain a 4.5 star rating in all categories. My "Communication" was a 4.4 at that time, even though all buyers automatically received an email with full tracking info at the time of shipment and I responded to all legitimate emails.


eBay can suspend people with bad feedback, even if they have thousands of happy buyers and pages of positive feedback, three negatives and a neutral is enough to warrant a suspension?

You bet. A good friend of mine had to leave town suddenly for a death in the family, which led to him getting four negs in one month from buyers who couldn't wait 4-5 days for their item to be shipped. Before that, he was a 99+% seller with star ratings higher than me. Ebay suspended him for 30 days, then when that 30 days was up, he was suspended permanently because he didn't improve during those 30 days (when he wasn't allowed to sell). Great system ebay has, yes?