Potential Awkward Seller

ViJay_3

I bid for a second hand Blackberry mobile phone on Ebay. The auction didn't hit the reserve, so the the auction finished without any result. However, the seller then sent me a second chance offer for the price at which the auction finished: £32:01. The final price was £39:51, including postage (I skipped over the fact that the postage was perhaps a tad inflated - the sale was below the upper limit I'd set myself of £40). I accepted the second chance offer and processed the sale. The seller wanted payment by cheque or PO, so I emailed him to request his address (no response received as yet).

While I was processing the sale, it appears the seller sent me and email stating that he would accept £50 + postage for the phone. This would make the final price £57:50, nearly £20 more than I'm paying now and definitely above the upper limit I'd set myself.

It's still early days so this might sort itself out but what are my options?

frivolous_fay

Reinstate that you accepted the second chance offer based on what you bid, and that if he chooses to inflate the price, he's guilty of fee avoidance... a reportable offence.

Depending on how seasoned a scumbag your seller is, that may or may not work to scare him into behaving

soolin

Firstly, are you sure the SCO came via the original seller as there are some scams around especially as you've been asked to pay by non paypal methods.Does it show properly in your ebay rather than just by an email?

Secondly even if it is genuine are you completely happy with the seller and their previous selling history to pay using a non secure payment method?

Take care, just because something is a bargain don't be tempted to risk money you can't afford to lose.

Soo

culpepper

Do SCO's come as Emails? I always thought they came as ebay messages!
It does sound fishy ,if it didnt meet the reserve why is he offering it for less and then more? Dont buy it at either price is my advice !

ViJay_3

soolin wrote:

Firstly, are you sure the SCO came via the original seller as there are some scams around especially as you've been asked to pay by non paypal methods.Does it show properly in your ebay rather than just by an email?

Secondly even if it is genuine are you completely happy with the seller and their previous selling history to pay using a non secure payment method?

Take care, just because something is a bargain don't be tempted to risk money you can't afford to lose.

Soo

The SCO came to my email account and I then logged into Ebay to see if it was there too. The email from the seller asking for the extra money was also sent via Ebay.

The seller has 100% feedback (although not much of it).

frivolous_fay

He's just chancing it. Set him straight on not breaking the rules... make it clear you won't bother buying if he's going to jerk you around.

soolin

ViJay wrote:

The SCO came to my email account and I then logged into Ebay to see if it was there too. The email from the seller asking for the extra money was also sent via Ebay.

The seller has 100% feedback (although not much of it).

Has he sold before or is his feedback all as a buyer. If he has sold before has he always taken paypal previously?

A second chance offer should be showing in your 'bidding' list as available to buy it now, it should also have all the same terms and conditions as the original auction, so the payment terms will have to be the same, you can't change them for a SCO.

An email even via ebay offering you a second chance offer, is not a legit SCO, it is only legit if it shows in your bidding as available to BIN.

Soo

ViJay_3

soolin wrote:

Has he sold before or is his feedback all as a buyer. If he has sold before has he always taken paypal previously?

A second chance offer should be showing in your 'bidding' list as available to buy it now, it should also have all the same terms and conditions as the original auction, so the payment terms will have to be the same, you can't change them for a SCO.

An email even via ebay offering you a second chance offer, is not a legit SCO, it is only legit if it shows in your bidding as available to BIN.

Soo

Yes I know. I went into Ebay and bought it as a BIN.

I have since had the following emails from him.

The first via Ebay:

Assume you agree to £50 including posting? I had reserve of £50.
If you agree please posr to (address omitted for privacy).

Then I received this direct to my email a/c:

Hi There,

Please disregard my previous message I will post you item upon receipt of funds.

It seems ok but as you say...asking for a cheque is quite dodgy. The seller is here

EDIT: I've also emailed one of his previous buyers (who also bought a phone) to see how things went. It looks ok, as both parties left postive feedback.