Blocking zero bidders

payless

My son wants to sell a phone ( brand new - long story) worth about £150

I would prefer to sell it as a BiN, but looking at recent BiN sales for this phone , 70% have been by brand new / zero rated bidders

Appears more chance of getting a real buyer if I list as an auction ( although still no guarantee ) , as stops its being closed out early by a waster

In my settings I can block negative rated bidders, is there any way of blocking , say below 5+ or new bidders??

( I know we were all new bidders once- never had a problem with new bidders before, but as its a new / popular phone I'm sure I would this time)

Niteflyer

I don't believe that you can block 0 rated bidders but you can cancel their bid if you wish.

But why not talk to the bidder first, there are LOTS and LOTS of GENUINE new people joining eBay every day, they will have 0 feedback but deserve to be able to buy just the same as you or I.

You could also be losing yourself money by cancelling these bids.

Matt

soolin

You cannot block zero feedback buyers.

Your thoughts about listing though are spot on, sell on a standard auction, no BIN and set seller preferences to exclude overseas bidders. Maybe add a small piece into the auction to ask zero feedback users to contact you before bidding just so you can establish contact, if they don't contact you then just pull the bid if you feel uncomfortable.

I have recently three mobiles, I achieved top price for all of them, and I didn't get one single enquiry about shipping overseas or ending auction early. One of my buyers had only three feedback, paid instantly through paypal and left positive feedback within hours of the phone being delivered.

One last thing, make sure your son uses a selling account that has good feedback, and always photograph the actual phone, never use a stock photo.

Soo

smcicr

maybe add something into the listing that asks bidders with less than a certain amount of feedback to email you first before bidding?

payless

Thanks

Yes If I list , it will be on my account (good feedback) - he's not old enough for his own , although these days most of the stuff brought/ sold via ebay seems to be his .
( funny how I always seem to pay the fees! )

Although might try a local freebie paper first

It was a recent birthday present, that was stolen and replaced by insurance - but now prefers another model (typical teenagaer)

payless

Cheerrs Niteflyer / smcicr

trouble is

1. that would not stop them if I listed as a BiN ( my preference)
2. Last minute wasters ( albeit could always second chance it)
3. OK , if a zero rated newbie contact you and say.." yes were great people " what do you do?

surely most people don't suddenly join ebay for an expensive phone ! people who have not used ebay before would surely be put off buying at that level anyway

soolin

payless wrote:

Cheerrs Niteflyer / smcicr

trouble is

1. that would not stop them if I listed as a BiN ( my preference)

You will be almost guaranteed problems if you go with a BIN option.

Soo

Niteflyer

The only thing to remember is, even if you do go for the BiN. Not ALL eBayers (even new, 0 rated ones) are bad.

Now days you are just as likely to be ripped of by a hacked account (with a feedback of 800) as you are a new user.

Matt

payless

looking at some recent sales for the particular phone I was going to sell

Without really looking I found a particular 1 day old/ zero rated newbie, who this morning( 3am) purchased 8 different phones ( some diff models) from 8 sellers all on BiN all within 10 minutes

edit and 4 more sold to another - with a very similiar name , at 2am

edit ...another with 7 , and another with 3 , another with 5 , yet another with 5 ( the last newbie purchased £1400 worth of phones)

All day old newbies, all between 12mid night - 4am, and thats just looking at some of the buyers of a particular single model !

payless

Suppose placing "immediate payment required" option would get around the majority of the problems?

Hintza

payless wrote:

Suppose placing "immediate payment required" option would get around the majority of the problems?

Yes; I have never had a problem (yet) using this option. And I use BIN in all my auctions.