Do you respond to unsolicited ebay sellers?

[c0ldb33r]

I got this email from an ebay seller today. I have bought some turbografx/PCE stuff on ebay lately, but not from him. So, I was surprised to get a message over ebay - I've never had someone contact me on ebay like this.

Is it safe to assume this is some type of scam?


Hello. I noticed that you had bid, won some Turbo auctions and I just wanted to let you know that I have a great selection of extra Turbo/Pc Engine items available (a couple currently listed on eBay) including some that are boxed as well as some new items. Please give me a shout to let me know if your interested in anything specific (include your e-mail address or simply uncheck lower left box) or have any questions when you have a moment. Pictures are always available and I will list it on Ebay with a 'Buy It Now' price for you. You can check me and my feedback out (please do) under my Ebay User I.D. turbozone4u . If not, then please disregard this e-mail and I really apologize for taking up your time. Thanks, Marc

[Rickstilwell1]

That's quite odd. The only time someone told me about their ebay listing first was on another website. I wonder how they were even able to tell that you bought the items, unless they were tracking the same item as you and lost the auction because you won.

Actually, that had to be it. They must be tracking items that are similar to their own for sale so they can go to people and try to make money. "Hey don't buy theirs, buy mine"

[Cornelius]

Never had that happen to me. It is almost legitimate target advertising, in my opinion. I wouldn't assume it is a scam, though I would definitely be cautious with any dealings as a result of that email. I never really had looked into it, but it is disappointing to me that eBay allows anybody to contact you through your profile page. That said, this sort of thing shouldn't happen in the future since all bidding is now anonymous. Similar methods could still be used to contact sellers, though.

[ProgrammingAce]

It's happened to me before for items i *didn't* win, which seemed even stranger because if i didn't win it, they can't see my name in the bidding history.

[Joe West]

No, i dont respond unsolicited ebay sellers.............

[Felixthegamer]

I have had this happen too. I spoke with the seller in e-mail and we made a deal. He told me what time he was going to put the BIN on e-bay. I was on, bought it and paid. The items arrived and everything worked fine.

If you don't feel comfortable doing it, just pass. If it is going to cause you worry, just pass. I figured that since we went through e-bay, I had all the protection of buying anything else. Of course, the guy had great feedback too.

[c0ldb33r]

...Of course, the guy had great feedback too.
yeah that's a good point. It's just a weird way of doing things.

The guy that emailed me had a 98%.

[jcalder8]

I've had it happen once and it was a scam so I didn't respond to it. But if he is willing to list the items on E-bay with buy-it-now prices that you two agree to I'd have little concern with it.

[badinsults]

Running a website dedicated to the Super NES, I occasionally get ebay sellers who want to advertise their wares. I basically say if I am in the market to buy things, I will be seeking the auctions, not the other way around. Unsolicited emails advertising auctions is spam in my books. And then I have my policy of no advertising on my site.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I've never had it happen to me, and I've never done it either.

[ooXxXoo]

It has happened to me....I was bidding on a Kisado converter a few years back, but didn't win....Next day got a message just like it.....From a guy in Canada, saying that he had a converter for sale as well....Long story short....paid $100 shipped and days later the converter was received without problems....I was skeptical at first too, but decided to give it a shot....
...
...

[Daria]

That looks legit to me, and if he sets up the sale as a BIN like someone else mentioned I don't really see the problem. He's just being smart and promoting his auctions to people he knows are interested in his product. Seems like with all the power sellers on ebay now, it would be a good personal way to compete. You know he's not just a faceless vendor with too many transactions going on at once.

edit: Wow. His shit's expensive.

http://shop.ebay.com:80/merchant/turbozone4u_W0QQ_dmdZ1QQ_in_kwZ1QQ_ipgZ50QQ_sopZ12

[c0ldb33r]

edit: Wow. His shit's expensive.
Yeah I noticed.

He messaged me again today.

[Mayhem]

Yeah I've had this occasionally but in the past, I can't say it's happened in the last 12-18 months, certainly not since eBay went to hiding bidders' IDs in the history.

[ryborg]

Yeah I've had this occasionally but in the past, I can't say it's happened in the last 12-18 months, certainly not since eBay went to hiding bidders' IDs in the history.

Yeah, this is what I was thinking, since basically all bids are anonymous now. Is ebay.ca different?

[scooby105]

I've sent these kinds of messages to eBayers before when I used to sell stuff on eBay a coupel years ago.

If I have something somewhat rare that I'm looking to sell, I'll check completed listings and then send the 2nd or 3rd place bidders a message and see if they're interested in purchasing the item.

[ooXxXoo]

Yeah I noticed.

He messaged me again today.

Wait a minute...I'm positive that's the same guy I was talking about..I can clearly remember the wooden table....Altough, he's stuff wasn't that expensive then...

[Press_Start]

Yeah, the same guy messaged me too. We've talked twice in the past in trying to work out a deal, but his prices were too high.

He goes to say he can "wait" for the best price. I wished I'd told him he's like every other greedy seller who waiting for their lottery-winning lobotomized monkey to come. LOL

But seriously, I figured he was working out a deal "under the table", so to speak, as a way to get around paying out Ebay/PP fees.

[carlcarlson]

I actually used to do this when I first joined ebay (like 10 years ago). I was selling guitars and it was a good way to test the waters before going to the hassle of setting up a listing and then watching it not sell.

I thought ebay had taken measures to prevent this kind of thing now, but I guess some people have figured out how to work around it. I'd say it's fine, just sure you know what you're doing.