A listing attracts my attention the other day-the seller is asking a flat $5 for insured USPS shipping-not bad, and the item isn’t being bid up as much as similar items. Only problem is the seller has zero feedback-registered on the first of February. Hey-everybody is a n00b at some point, so I’m still OK with that, and then I see the seller doesn’t accept PayPal-only cash, check, or money order-still not a deal breaker. I hang out, snipe the item (no software-old fashioned last minute bidding :D) and send the guy an email letting him know that I’ve won, and will send him a money order via US mail. For a little better feeling, I run the guy’s addy for a phone reference-not found. Then I ask him via email for a phone number (meanwhile no email contact whatsoever from him-kinda odd) and he sends me a phone number that (a) doesn’t cross reference to the address shown, and (b) is never answered-it rolls into voice mail. I’ve left a message-no call back, so I sign on tonight to send him another email, and I see that he’s no longer a registered eBay user, and has no other auctions running. WTF?
So-if you were me, would you send the money order for $40 and trust good karma to see this through, or be thankful you weren’t hosed and forget that the guy exists (assuming he really does)? WWTTMD? What would The Teeming Millions Do?
Cut and Run! I have had a bad experiance with a vendor that lost their ebay “Registered User” right after I sent my money in. It was only a few bucks, but still!
I only buy from sellers who have at least SOME feedback. Even half a dozen feedbacks as buyer is enough for me, assuming that they’re all or mostly all positives. I can understand someone wanting to only give out a voicemail or answering service for a phone number. However, I would NOT send any money to anyone who is no longer a registered eBay user under these circumstances. I think the seller is very likely to rip you off.
Yeah, I’d just forget about it. Since he’s not a registered eBay member anymore, he can’t report you as a nonpaying bidder, nor can he leave feedback. If you send this guy any money, you might as well have just flushed it down the toilet and been done with it.
I agree with the others. Everything about this is suspicious.
In general, serious sellers make at least a few purchases to first increase their feedback a little. And no Paypal? It’s understandable for large-volume sellers with their own checkout systems, but Paypal is the only reliable method for low-feedback sellers and this guy’s not offering it. Another red flag. Finally, his account disappeared altogether? Definitely just forget it.
I think it is hinky … the loss of registration is very offputting to me.
and as to only buying from people with feedback. If you wont buy from someone without feedback, and everybody else refuses to buy from someone without feedback, then how is the poor schlub you are boycotting for lack of feedback going to GET feedback if nobody will buy from him?
Most eBay sellers start with making some small purchases, just to get some feedback.
Mind you, I’ve seen sellers who won’t sell to someone with zero FB! Most will though. I made a purchase from someone brand new, no problems. Everyone has to start someplace. I wouldn’t have bought anything pricey, though.
I think not accepting paypal is silly, but I’ve seen powersellers who won’t. Some people have a big problem with their fee structure and boycott them - google “paypal” and I think the paypalsucks.com site comes up near the top.
And yeah, I wouldn’t send any money to someone NARU either. That’s asking to get ripped off!
I expect sellers to have bought a couple of things from eBay first. In this way, they know how a buyer feels, and they learn how the system works.
Oh, and I don’t do PayPal. I’ve heard too many horror stories. I’ll send a money order or a check. If a seller only takes PayPal, then I’ll just have to find someone else who sells that item. There’s always an equivalent item coming up for auction pretty soon for me, as I don’t buy anything really rare or valuable.
Thanks, all. You’ve confirmed my suspicions, and thankfully I didn’t mail the putz any $. As of today, no reply to the last email, so this one goes into the auction shredder, for sure.
Regarding PayPal-I used to use them, but their fee structure for accepting credit/debit card payments was way too high, so I only use PayPal to accept bank transfers-they’re free. Otherwise a buyer can send a check or money order.
Potential eBay seller here. Actually, I’m a potential half.com seller, but after reading some of the forums there, it seems that eBay may be getting ready to close up that shop. (Or maybe it’s just that a few users are really pissed off about the lack of feedback from the company?)
I’m getting the feeling that some buyers won’t even consider buying from a virgin seller. It’s been suggested that new sellers should buy some stuff first to get some feedbacks…I understand that logic. But, hell, I’m not interested in buying anything. It seems like a bit of a Catch-22 to me. Yeah, I realize that I’d be an unknown quantity as a first time seller, but, like bonobo_jones said, everyone has to start someplace.
I sympathize with new sellers and try to go out on a limb a bit and help them get started. I have been the first buyer on more than a few occasions. However, there is usually a way to confirm like emails and a location being given. Those that are new, list their location as USA and don’t accept Paypal are just not giving the buyers anything to believe in IMO.
I emailed them this evening just to go on record about what had transpired, in case the seller dumps negative feedback or complains that I failed to complete the deal.
Small companies sometimes set up eBay accounts to liquidate overstock, deregister the account when it’s no longer useful, then set up a new account the next time they have overstock and deregister that account when it’s no longer useful. A local wholesale subsidiary of a company headquartered in China has done this.
WWTTMD? What would The Teeming Millions Do?