Advice please...winning bidder refusing to pay

Glitterari

I was selling a text book on ebay and had a message from a bidder asking there was any highlighting or written notes in the book. I then had a second message from the same bidder saying

"I did not mean to bid on book that you are selling.
I will not be purchasing the item if my bid wins".

This person has two feedback. I replied stating that there were no notes or highlighting in the book and pointing out that if you bid and win you buy and if she did not I would send a non-paying bidder alert to ebay.

I got another message back telling me that I was "quite unreasonable", but however she "may buy the book if the price is right".

I replied pointing her in the direction of buying on ebay and gave her a couple of links, including the one on what to do if you bid on something that you don't want. I also told her that you cannot bid on an auction then attempt to negotiate a price.

Of course, she's my highest bidder and has won the auction (despite other people making bids after her bid, she still won).

I have invoiced her and today I had another message from her saying

" I was not negotiating, I was simply saying" and that's it.

She hasn't paid for the book, and I don't think she will. Obviously after 7 days I will open up a dispute but I've noticed that you can't leave neg or neutral feedback for buyers now?

If she had been polite in the first place and asked me to cancel her bid, i would have done so but she didn't even after I sent her the link telling her how to go about cancelling a bid.

I am thinking of just offering the book to the next highest bidder, but I take it I can't do that until I've opened the dispute in case she does decide to buy it?

I have almost 400 feedback so a negative from her isn't going to do too much damage...(i hope!) and I'm not a regular seller, just clearing space!

Any advice much appreciated!

borders_dude

If she dont pay in a week start a dispute.

Wouldnt loose too much sleep over the matter tbh.

Buyers like the one you mention do my head in!

Dont get rid of the book to anyone else just yet. See how things pan out first.

OnceUponADream

I would wait until you open the dispute then offer second chance to the next bidder.

You can't leave a neg now but the buyer will get a strike against their account - this could result in their account being suspended/closed.

*Scarlett

Don't offer the book as a SCO until the dispute has been closed. If they pay and you can't send it you can be reported as NPS and negged.

If the buyer does not respond to the dispute after 7 days you can close it and get your FVF back - they should not be able to neg you or if they do it is certainly removeable.

If they reply to the dispute, they are still able to neg but it should be removeable on appeal providing they do not specifically blame you for the failure of the transaction.

Don't be tempted to leave a neg comment as a positive on feedback as this can be used to remove any strike issued to buyer.

mikey72

Why didn't you cancel the bid, then block the buyer in the first place?

fablad75

If they've already said they're not going to pay, personally I would offer the book to the next highest bidder right away - you don't want that person to lose interest or buy it somewhere else. Apart from giving them a non-paying strike, there's absolutely zilch that you can do about it. eBay is all about protecting the rights of the buyer - at the expense of the seller.

cyberbob

fablad75 wrote: »

eBay is all about protecting the rights of the buyer - at the expense of the seller.

What rubbish I say that as a Seller. You can't force people to buy things