I need some ebay advice - winning bidder won't pay up

[INVSTOR]

I sold some expensive toys for my son on ebay. There were 49 watchers by the end of the auction and the winning bidder, after making several bids is now saying, 'I'm not sure what's going on, I never bid on the item, I just came across an email for payment."
I can't do anything for another day but do I use the unpaid item assistant or do 2nd chance offer to the second highest bidder??
Thanks, I haven't used ebay much.

 

[devank]

Report to the ebay. I never used the 'unpaid item assistant' but this may be used to report this issue.

I think you can offer to the second highest bidder if you are happy. Do it quickly and otherwise second highest bidder may think that something is wrong with the product.

 

[pennyk]

report it as an upaid item. If you are happy to accept the bidders excuse, then you can close the report pretty quickly, and you should get a refund on your fees.
Then you can relist.

I think 2nd chance bidding is only when you have multiple of the same items and you can then give the highest bidders an opportunity to buy it as well. But its been a while since I've sold on ebay, so I may be mistaken about that.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I haven't done an eBay auction in a long time, but when I did, often sent 2nd chance offers to the underbidder(s), and they often accepted.
Was good too, a $1200 final auction price would get $3-$4000+ worth of sales from the 1 auction at times (had multiples of the same item).

Considering you had 49 watchers, the 2nd highest bid should be close to top bid.
However, if it was only 2 bidders bidding up the price, the 2nd highest bidder may think it's a fix.
Would be better foryour situation if there were multiple bidders at the top end to get a 2nd chance offer accepted.

You could claim an unpaid item dispute (UID), and get your listing/sales fees back, but likely the 2nd auction will not receive as good a result when re-run, as this causes questions as to why in the buyers minds.

 

[wylie]

You can report as unpaid and then offer to the underbidder at the price they bid. If it is close to the top bid then I would do that, and do it quickly before the ybuy something else.

You can only offer to one underbidder at at time and they have 24 hours to accept. In the past I have messaged the next one under that and told them that I will be sending them an offer if the first one is not taken up.

You don't need to have multiple items to do this.

 

[Bird Dog]

What is fair and reasonable..

What is also fair and reasonable when making a second chance offer under such circumstances is to offer the price of the winning big against the third bidder when they stepped out of the bidding.
EG: Your highest bidder had artificially inflated the price against the second bidder and is now not paying up so to me, that negates the price.
By taking the third bidder (who was technically the only other true bidder against bidder # 2) as the competitor is the only reasonable method.

Example:
Bidder # 1 (false bidder) = $150
Bidder # 2 =$149
Bidder # 1 =$148
Bidder # 2 =$147
Bidder # 3 =$146

So, the second change offer should (based on the above scenario) be $147 and not a cent more.
Or you could just relist but run the risk of buyers walking away on suspicion of a suspect auction result.

It's also very likely (given its a children’s toy) that young Johnny has gotten a hold of Dad's account details and bid on the items. At the very least, they should wear the cost of listing the items.
This story had me LFMAO...
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/eBay-Harrier-fighter-Jet-Online-Auction,news-10090.html

cheers
B.D

 

[INVSTOR]

Thanks all, what a pain! I've been trying to see the bidding history but not sure if it is kept after auction. I think the winning bidder made the winning bid about 2 days before the auction finished. Surely they would have gotten an email saying they were the highest bidder at that point? I'll offer to second highest bidder, and then relist if I have to as I have to pay for this auction no matter what, but parts of the new relisting is free.

 

[Beef_Hooked]

I do a bit of trading in old vehicles of a particular make and model, not to make money but to trade up and expand my very small stable of usually fairly nominal worth rustbuckets. It gives me an excuse to spend large amounts of time out in my mancave

In the last few years I've noticed a lot of bidders outbid all others to stupidly high prices then go and have a look. Meanwhile genuine buyers are covering their bases and paying for local inspections (usually 2 to 300 odd bucks) when they can't get to the location easily, and are making bids suitable to the condition of the vehicle.

Many times the sky high bidder ends up pulling out claiming that the description of the 60 year old car is inaccurate when the seller clearly states "this is an old car and condition reflects 60+ years of service and or neglect".

I find most enthusiasts feel a community style obligation and provide accurate descriptions and want fair prices if they feel their beloved vehicle will continue to be used and loved, for future generations to admire or if they are helping a fellow enthusiast out with spare bits and bobs. But the past few years there has arisen a growing set of dodgy ebay characters who run from one latest must have fashionable item to the next looking for quick bucks. MG's to Ducati's to XYGT's to Group A's to teardrop caravans - etc etc ....

They are obviously looking for that one in a million as new R.I.P. Grandad, much loved, one family owned bargain to add a couple of zeroes to and flip, but their actions have put off the genuine buyers and stuffed the seller around. When the second bidder is offered a chance, as devank says, it looks like the item is defective and not worth buying. Then the same car is re-listed again and again after being "tarnished" by these oxygen thieves.

Frustrating and one of the many reasons I do not use ebay any more other than for small dollar items that I can't be bothered chasing up in real life.
Now I just go straight to club and enthusiast websites and look for their For Sale section. Contact the seller directly and off we go for a look-see.

Sorry there is no practical help at all in this post but just felt like a vent.

Feeling much better now

Cheers,
Beef.

 

[Ausprop]

don't go and resell it only to find the first person pays, because then you will cop it. just open an unpiad dispute, then if you close that off relist it.

 

[Beef_Hooked]

Haha finally I feel that someone is listening:

Sellers on eBay targeted for welfare fraud

Then again I could well be delusional.

Cheers,
Beef.

 

[Ausprop]

they've been reporting this for ages, surprising it is news? the only winner on ebay is ebay itself... they make about as much profit if not more than the retailers on each sale and no GST and offshored

 

[Spades]

Email highest bidder and let them know that it's no problem but unfortunately you have to file an unpaid dispute to reclaim listing costs,to which they'll have an unpaid item strike against there ebad account.

If you want to block this buyer from bidding in future,go to preferences in my ebad.

If your happy with the second highest bid,offer a second chance offer explaining highest bidder has renigged etc.

Also if the bids are close eg:2nd:35$,3rd:34$,4th:33: etc and your happy with the prices,offer second chance offers stating again that the highest bidder has renigged and first in best dressed as you have sent offers to 2nd,3rd,4th etc.

If you think you could maybe get a better price relist.

If you want to do a search on the highest bidder and see what they've bidded on,when you sign in,click advanced next to the search button.
Click by bidder on the left and enter bidders username.Check/tick boxes-Include completed listings (last 30 days) and as high bidder only.

 

[wylie]

Also if the bids are close eg:2nd:35$,3rd:34$,4th:33: etc and your happy with the prices,offer second chance offers stating again that the highest bidder has renigged and first in best dressed as you have sent offers to 2nd,3rd,4th etc.

I'm sure you can only send to one underbidder at a time, but happy to be corrected.

 

[Spades]

I'm sure you can only send to one underbidder at a time, but happy to be corrected.

Nope,you can send multiple second chance offers,works for me

 

[christos]

Email highest bidder and let them know that it's no problem but unfortunately you have to file an unpaid dispute to reclaim listing costs,to which they'll have an unpaid item strike against there ebad account.

The other reason to file an unpaid dispute is so the deadbeat buyer cannot leave negative or neutral feedback. Its stupid I know but because buyers can leave negative/neutral and sellers cannot (stupidest ebay rule ever) do not give them any opportunity to do this.

I have seen happen - deadbeat buyers who do not pay or complete the transaction but then leave negative/neutral feedback about a transaction that has never gone ahead! Its stupid and very unfair to sellers

 

[Ausprop]

the other thing that sucks is if you want to refund someone, then you send them the money back and then do a transaction cancellation request they can just say no and that's it - you can't raise an unpaid dispute from there. so you get a deadbeat that got their money back and then you cop the sellign fees. you can ask for that money back but its a big rigmarole. Selling is really hard on ebay and really there is no point of buyer feedback when you cant leave negative buyer feedback

 

[wylie]

Nope,you can send multiple second chance offers,works for me

I wonder why I couldn't do that last time? I had only one item and I wanted to send to second and third bidders, but could only send one at a time and wait the 24 hours for them to accept or decline. Curious.

 

[INVSTOR]

Thanks Spades for all your advice. After this is sorted I couldn't be bothered using it again. I bought some furniture off ebay 6 months ago and it's really wobbly and crappy. After finding out my parents almost bought something off the same sellers from an advert in the paper and didn't end up buying it as half was missing, I decided to leave negative feedback. After that the person sent me a nasty email calling me names.

 

[boomtown]

If you read the buyer's history you can pick out negative comments in their "positive" feedback. Onto the blocked buyer list.

I also carefully check to see what they have bought in the past. Eg if they look like bogans (have bought a home tattoo kit) - onto the blocked buyer list.

 

[ShellTee]

Unfortunately I was the winning bidder on a pair of childrens pink pj's. I did not bid on them. I had no idea I had won till I received an abrupt email from seller demanding payment. I realised that my clever 5 year old daughter had jumped on computer and bid on them herself. I obviously left ebay logged in.

I paid for them and learnt my lesson. Don't leave computer accessible to very computer literate kid!