New policy annoys buyers

soolin · 6 February 2018 at 10:50PM

I knew it would happen !

I am selling a collectable widget, part of a larger set and got a message from a potential buyer asking me if I had the rest of the set and if so could we arrange a deal for the ones they wanted. I replied saying I could list them on eBay and then do a combined invoice for the ones they wanted - all the time trying to ensure that eBay could see I wasn't looking to sell outside eBay.

They replied saying they wanted the stuff quickly and didn't want to wait for auctions so could I just tell them what I have so they could choose the ones they wanted and offer me a price.

Obviously this got me nervous so I just responded a bit vaguely suggesting again that I listed them and they could buy the ones they wanted. I've just had a stroppy email telling me basically I could stuff my items and they would find a better seller who could just simply tell them what they had and negotiate an immediate payment and get the widgets shipped without messing around with auctions and such like. The message ended up telling me I had no concept of customer service and I'd cost myself a potential £100 sale.

I'd love to reply explaining that I would have loved to sell direct but I'm not prepared to lose my account but I daren't even do that. It's a shame that she didn't use a bit of common sense and use my business contact details to contact me privately, but it can't be helped.

I understand that eBay don't want to lose selling fees, but I couldn't even risk discussing which ones she wanted so that I could list them as a single lot on eBay. It has definitely forced us to be less customer friendly overall.

ElefantEd · 6 February 2018 at 10:55PM

That's really dumb. Last year I listed a few wargaming figures; someone was interested and bid on some; I messaged them to say I had some more, we discussed over several messages exactly what they wanted and how much, at the end of which I put up a listing on BIN and he paid. A result for everyone: ebay got their fees, I sold more without any extra effort, the buyer was happy and we both saved some postage.

It seems bonkers that ebay can't see that this is better all round! OK, a few people would try and get round the rules, but most normal buyers probably wouldn't want to (as they lose ebay protection, though not paypal's).

Dox · 7 February 2018 at 12:08AM

Would it have helped to list them as BIN items with very high prices and a facility to make a best offer, explaining to the potential buyer that you have to do this to be in line with ebay's very tight rules for sellers?

POPPYOSCAR · 7 February 2018 at 12:19AM

When did this start?

I had several people asking me if I had more of certain items and asking for prices in December.

I agreed the prices with them and listed as BIN.

Did not have any problems.

Brynsam · 7 February 2018 at 1:04AM

soolin wrote: »

They replied saying they wanted the stuff quickly and didn't want to wait for auctions so could I just tell them what I have so they could choose the ones they wanted and offer me a price.

Seems a classic opportunity to list as BIN items (giving a price a bit above the price you'd be happy to accept) with the facility to make a best offer, as previous answer has said. Why complicate things?

forgotmyname · 7 February 2018 at 3:22AM

The complication appears to be the buyer wanted to see the items before buying but were too impatient to wait for a listing to go live whether a BIN or auction.

Simply a message what have you got send me pictures and or descriptions and prices etc.

With a buyer like that i would wonder whether its a competitor trying to get me banned for trying to deal outside ebay.

Brynsam · 7 February 2018 at 9:39AM

forgotmyname wrote: »

The complication appears to be the buyer wanted to see the items before buying but were too impatient to wait for a listing to go live whether a BIN or auction.

The buyer didn't want to wait for auctions - that I can understand. OP's post makes several references to the buyer not wanting to wait for auctions, but there is no mention of BIN.

Surely it's just as quick to list as BIN items - they go live immediately - as it is to send a message. Equally, a 'best offer' can be accepted immediately, so it would have been just as quick as trying to transact via a message, whether through ebay or off ebay. I can see why the buyer was both bemused and fed up if they only got 'vague replies' (OP's description) instead of something positive such as 'I'll list these now as individual BINs with best offer option so you can decide what you are willing to pay and I can then consider your offer'.

That would have kept the buyer happy and been well within ebay rules.

Charles80 · 7 February 2018 at 11:43AM

What was the buyers feedback like?

To buy from a BIN takes no time at all.

To say stuff your items sounds like you were lucky they didn't buy any of your items, a potential problem buyer who I'd probably block.

charlies_mum · 7 February 2018 at 8:10PM

I hav a friend who has just had exactly the same problem which also lead to losing a large order

Sellers are so afraid of losing their account that some have switched off their message receiving option.

I had three items listed on auction with no watchers and a buyer contacted me to see if I would do a deal off eBay. I said that I would end the items and relist as a buy it now so that he could buy them. I did that and got a warning off eBay even though the sale went through hem and they got their fees

That warning is now sitting on my account and if another buyer contacts me about doing a deal I could face a restriction

Soolins buyer is lucky she got a reply at all.

soolin · 7 February 2018 at 8:13PM

Just to clarify, this 'collection' consists of around 50 pieces as far as I can work out, there are also later re issues that increase that number. Buyer asked me specifically to let them know which ones I had as they only wanted the ones they were missing - and they wanted to negotiate a total price with postage for just the ones they choose.

They didn't want me to list on eBay, they just wanted me to sell them an undisclosed number of just the ones they wanted via a PayPal invoice. - Or at least that is the impression I got from the message as it was all 'urgent' and 'please let me know by return what you have'

These are not good sellers , they rarely sell on eBay so I didn't want to list the 20+ ones I have as any that the buyer didn't want would just be a waste of my listing fee. They were also hassling for an immediate response, no messing around with BIN's and requesting invoices , they just wanted me to supply a list of the ones I had so they could buy just them.

I thought it imprudent to even send a list even If I made it clear that I would then list the ones they wanted on eBay as sellers have been suspended for less.

theoretica · 7 February 2018 at 9:25PM

A seller once did a 'BIN for theoretica only' for me. I don't know if this might be an option still with current policies.

New policy annoys buyers

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