ebay question non paying bidder with sob story

[beachbaby]

I recently just started selling items on ebay and sold 8 items right away. 7 bidders paid right away, no problem. the 7th bidder i had to invoice twice, She e-mailed me back saying she was delayed because her son-in-law had a leg amputation and she would send a money order right away, I e-mailed her back telling her I would hold the item until she could send payment. Today she e-mailed me saying she was confused and already owns the item and can we work this out so that it "doesn't her her ebay credit". If I don't report her as a non paying bidder I am out my original listing fees and final value fees as well as the cost of relisting the item. I've never had to deal with this before. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Not too have lack of compassion--but she says she will pay you after her sons leg is amputated--but poof--she already has the item.

If I couldn't pay for an item for any really really really good reason--I think the last thing I would mention would be "don't tell on me so I don't get a bad rating". If she couldn't pay related to reasons of her son and his amputation--that is one thing. But to bid on an item and say oops, my bad, already own it--can we just forget about it? That isn't right. She prevented other buyers from either bidding on it in the first place, or outbidded someone who would have bought it.

Not sure of how many details she gave you--but if your gut feeling is that she is just giving you the shaft--then by all means report her.

IMHO, I would report her and get my fees back and leave feedback accordingly. Say "Gave time to pay due to unforeseen circumstance, then buyer renigged b/c already owned item." That way if she rebuts and says you were uncaring--then people can see that you already gave her a chance. Save that e-mail in case she disputes your feedback.

 

[MommyBoo!]

Check her bidding history. I wonder if she bid on another one at a lower price?

 

[jwfla422]

As Mommyboo! said check her bidding history and I would also check her feedback, if she has other negs then I would report her as a NPB, otherwise you can do a "mutual agreement not to follow through with the transaction" if she has good feedback and you feel she's being "straight" with you and still get your final value fee credit back. You won't be credited the listing fee but you can either offer it to the next bidder down (if there is one) or relist it and if it sells you wont' have to pay a second listing fee.

 

[beachbaby]

jwlfla422 how do you get a mutual agreement? If i leave a negative feedback that she didn't pay can she leave a negative feedback for me? I have all of the invoices I sent and also her emails. I'm very new to ebay and not sure how to proceed. I would like to continue selling as I'm tryin to ebay my way to at least part of a DVC membership. I'm just nervous about leaving someone a negative feedback but DH says I "should get a backbone." The buyer has a feedback of 3 all good in the past month. Any advice would be very helpful.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

3 isn't all that many--you should check her history on bidding to see if she bought the same item.

You can PM me--and I can help you look if you like.

Like I said--to have a "crisis" moment and then do a 180 b/c she already has the item--something isn't quite right here.

 

[elfbo]

I would tell her to pay you for the listing and final value fees and leave it at that. That way you arent out of your money, and the bidder gets a lesson in not bidding for things they dont want to buy.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Originally posted by elfbo
I would tell her to pay you for the listing and final value fees and leave it at that. That way you arent out of your money, and the bidder gets a lesson in not bidding for things they dont want to buy.

Good suggestion