Sold a smartphone - suspicious of winning bidder :(

[rubybricks]

I sold a high value smartphone and when I went to check out the buyer's history my heart sank - they are a business dealing in used phones, why would they want my (locked) brand-new factory sealed model?

They don't appear to have purchased any other new models.
Their feedback is 97. something, they've sold very little despite being registered as a business seller.

What is worse, the positive feedback they have received is littered with comments like "utter timewaster" "don't bid on items if you don't intend to pay" "nasty man!" etc so I am panicking a bit about completing the transaction. They in turn have left at least 10 negatives for sellers with otherwise unblemished histories.

What I'm anticipating is being ripped off at some point and paypal refunding the transaction - even though what I am sending is a brand-new, unopened phone. I wonder if it would be worth cancelling the transaction, refunding the money and taking the negative feedback (my first in over 300 transactions) - rather than do business with someone I really don't like the sound of?

If I post it next day special delivery then even if I obtain proof of delivery, I will have an anxious 45 day wait to find out if something is wrong with the phone (which they as a phone business will have opened and presumably unlocked). Can't explain it, I just feel so uneasy about this, would be really grateful for some advice, TIA

[myfirstkitchen]

If you're worried it's not worth worrying for 45 days? For that much money I'd cancel and block.

[HoneyDragon]

I'd cancel. If they send a return I doubt it will be what you sent them

[rubybricks]

Oh thank you so much for replying, myfirstkitchen and HoneyDragon! Yes, I know you're right, it's not worth the hassle and the feeling of 'I told you so' (that I would tell myself!) - I will invent an excuse and take the hit of the final value fee, but it's a cautionary tale!

I think in future (if I sell again on ebay) I will put a BIN on but accept best offers, that way I can check bidders out to my satisfaction!

[fergoose]

if they pay, refund them. If they don't pay file a non paying bidder dispute. You can send them a cancellation request to get your fees back.

Another way to sell would be cash on collection only - no comeback that way

I agree, add them to blocked bidder list too.

[rubybricks]

Thanks fergoose - they've paid. Will email and refund - and investigate how to block bidders forthwith.

[rubybricks]

Cash on collection would limit the pool of potential bidders somewhat - am really out in the sticks

[fergoose]

trouble is, if you sell a high risk item like a mobile, even if you security mark and take IMEI number anyone can buy it, claim not as described and return a different item, and paypal will refund them in full. And then your only comeback is police and/or small claims court.

[rubybricks]

Gosh well I've been lucky in the past, have sold several phones over the past five years or so with no real issues. But my senses were on high alert over this one! Don't fancy instigating small claims action in different jurisdiction either.

Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate it.

[WeAreEternal]

I had the same problem as you, but it was for another expensive item.
The buyer only had 20 feed backs, and most were nutural with things like 'time waster' and 'slow payer'. There were also some negatives with things like 'nonpayer' and 'no payment, no messages'.

I had a bad feeling but I didn't want negative feedback and the buyer had already paid, so I decides to send the item.
But before I did I made sure I took lots of pictures of the item and the packaging, and photos of the details (as you would the IMEI number in the settings on the phone)
I took the pictures on top of a copy of that days newspaper and made sure the photos were time and dated.
I then sent the item special recorded delivery.

Thankfully it all worked out fine.

But my reason for being so cautious was that I was scanned previously by someone who bought a mobile phone from me and then claimed it was broken, when they returned it, it was clearly a different phone, and even though the IMEI number was different because I couldn't 'prove' it PayPal refunded them.