Arghhh! Not sure what to do - highest bidder 0 feedback, and made no contact - opinions please

[BigBadMouse]

I've asked bidders on my listings to email me before bidding if they have less than 10 feedback.

I've just noticed that someone has put a bid which has met the reserve on one of my items but he has 0 feedback. He hasn't emailed me prior to bidding. He has been a member for 8 months.

The item is collection only so anyone bidding is likely to be local to me. Last winning bidder had FB score of 4 and emailed me before bidding, I checked where he lived (5 miles away) and said OK bid away.

Not sure what to do with this guy. Don't want to irritate him as I really need to sell this but at he same time I don't want a genuine bidder to lose out if he wins and turns out to be a scammer.

Do I email him and politely ask him to somehow (?) prove to me he is a genuine bidder. If he's not particularly local then I've no real idea of what to do. Its a high value item and I always get too cagey when selling them. If is was something cheaper I would let it go.

Advice please from anyone with brain which more in gear than mine

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

I wouldn't worry for now, everyone has to start somewhere with an ebay account. plus can't you always offer second chance if it falls through?

[Youcannotbeserious]

E-mail him and just check that he intends to pick the item up........

You can cancel the bid if there is enough time and he doesn't reply to you.

Just be friendly, and state that you do like to check e-bayers with low feedback numbers (blame past bad experiences) and also that you do need the item to be picked up.

In future, you can block bids from people with zero feedback..........

You can also require a bidder to have a paypal account. THis does mean you have to pay the fees, but it does mean you can demand immediate payment and then the onus is on the buyer to pick up.

[BigBadMouse]

yeah, you see that is what I'm thinking, surely any decent scammer would have sorted themselves out with some feedback first.

I agree everyone has to start somewhere and I feel a bit bad about making people have to email first. If it wasn't so important that it sold soon I probably wouldn't be so worried

It doesn't finish until Sunday so plenty of time to sort it out before then

[DaddyJ]

Depends on the item.
If it's a big ticket mobile phone for example
DEFINITELY email him and urge him to reply
otherwise remove his bid.

I sold a popular Nokia recently and
was astonished at the number of imbecillic fraud attempts.

[Youcannotbeserious]

Yeah.. DJ has a point. Mobile phones seem to attract dodgy bidders... don't know why...

You've asked him to make contact, he hasn't so you send him a nice e-mail.

No harm if he's pucker!!

[BigBadMouse]

No it's not a mobile phone thankfully.

I've sent him a nice email so we'll see what happens

[itsahardknocklife]

My listings clearly say UK bidders only, but someone from Germany won something last week. At least she had a the decency to email me soon after the end of the auction to ask for a postage price rather than just pay the UK amount, which would not have covered it.
Maybe your bidder just didn't read the listing properly. I wouldn't worry until the end of the auction, if they are the winner.
However, I think you can cancel bids on your own listings - you could do that.

[Youcannotbeserious]

To be fair, I am forever asking questions of buyers because I haven't read the whole description..........

[BigBadMouse]

Oh the questions we have had for this one . I made a point of making the listing really clear and easy to read yet someone asked me if they were near us as they were in Blackpool - listing says we are in Cornwall.

I'm a cheeky sod atm so all the people who ask silly questions get their questions added to the list of 'questions and their answers' you can place at the bottom of your listing .

[EachPeachPearMum]

What is it? I agree, some of the questions people ask are odd... but I ask plenty myself, as I don't like to be disappointed when the item arrives.

[blueshoes]

Oh, btw, for self-collection items, better to insist on cash-on-delivery and not accept paypal. This is particularly as your item sounds pricey (more than £50 for reserve).

The problem with paypal is the buyer can invoke chargeback by claiming he did not receive. Even if he did collect and he signed an acknowledgement of receipt, I understand that is not good proof of receipt for paypal who will refund nonetheless.

Not saying it will be a problem though. Just something to bear in mind for future.

[BigBadMouse]

Well, I emailed him days ago but had no reply. I didn't cancel the bid as I am a stupid softey who likes to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Now he has won.

Just about to send an invoice stating prefer cash on collection.

It sold for £100, next bid down was £85 but Dh doesn't want to sell for less than £100. So I guess if I hear nothing then it will be a case of relisting.

It was a metal car trailer btw.

Any pearls of wisdom greatly received...

[BigBadMouse]

Oh well just sent the invoice and discovered the bidder is in Southampton. We are in Cornwall so think it pretty unlikely that he's going to drive all that way just for something he could find much nearer.

[itsahardknocklife]

oh dear. did the auction end today?

[BigBadMouse]

Yes, 9pm this evening . Other (boat) trailer sold for a good amount though and buyer is coming to collect in a few days

[laura032004]

Don't give up all hope. Perhaps he's in the Forces and regularly travels between Portsmouth and St Mawgan or something [wishful thinking emoticon!]. I looked at other things he's bid on, and he's bid on a few trailers recently, so he really seems to want one. Yours is the only one he's won btw.

[Walkthedinosaur]

Sorry to be the bringer of gloom and doom, we sold a bike on Ebay, the guy buying it had zero feedback and was in Spain, we emailed him during the auction to confirm that he was a genuine bidder, he replied 10 mins before the auction ended that he was, he won the auction and the bike went for £400, again we corresponded by email and he confirmed that he was genuine and was happy to buy the bike, and then that was it, we heard no more and go no money, by the time we'd left enough time to pass to give him the benefit of the doubt our second chance buyers had gone on to get bikes elsewhere. It was a real PITA especially because at the time we were selling we really needed the money. We're adament now that we accept no bids from people with feedback of less than ten on high value items. I just get the feeling this guy was messing about right from the start.

[blueshoes]

Sorry BBM, hope he gets in touch with you soon. Congrats on your other item selling for a good price. Who knows, even if you have to relist, it might be a blessing in disguise.

[BigBadMouse]

laura - how did you find out what he had bid on previously? I seem to be able to do that with other bidders but not him

Thanks for the good luck vibes blueshoes.

I put on the listing that contact should be made within three days of theauction ending and I have pointed that out when I sent the invoice. Does that seem fair?

[blueshoes]

yes, fair. But whatever time limit you put, you cannot open a non-paying buyer dispute until 7 days anyway in accordance with ebay rules. Then I believe another 7 days for the procedure to pan out.

So all-in-all, if your buyer does a runner, it will take about 2 weeks before you can do a second chance offer or re-list. Hope it does not come to this.

[laura032004]

His ebay history

[BigBadMouse]

Thanks Laura and blueshoes. I'm assuming this guy gets a round a lot as the trailers he has bid on seem to be scattered around the country a bit.

Think I'll prepare myself for a relist in two weeks' time and be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't come to that

Thanks for all your advice.

[BigBadMouse]

Help - what do I do now then? He has just sent me this message

Hi,

My sincere apologies, i have been away and not able to view my mail. Unfortunately i am not able to get to Cornwall. I do apologise for this mix up and hope you are able to find another buyer.

I am most sorry for not being able to contact you sooner.

Not looking for revenge but I do want to be able to recoup my fees and relist ASAP.

I'm going to trawl through ebay and see what help I can find on there but I know MNetters give a far better service.

[sixlostmonkeys]

mutual withdraw from sale - ask him nicely to complete his end of the process

[BigBadMouse]

Glad you said that as that is what I have just done. Any idea how long the process takes once he has confirmed he has agreed the same?