I need an opinion regarding E Bay

divina126 · #1 2010-07-21, 6:18pm

I'm not sure how to diplomatically resolve an issue with one of my customers. Since I started this person has been my only customer up until this past week. She claims that this person follows her everywhere she goes and ups the bids on just the items she bids on. She said:

"I am having problems with a bidder-Og-she seems to be following me to every site and running my bids up and backing out.Watch the green bead coming up and the blue one in 2 or 3 days.sorry to complain but she has done this to me on LOTS of beads!!"

Then she sends me this:

"What would you charge me to make me this bead and the others I have a bid on?I'm tired of Og and her trying to get just the beads I bid on.Let me know and we can work out a plan of action."

Now this offends me. I put those beads up to try and earn a living. I have been starting the bids low and the highest one has gone to was $18.00. To me it sounds like she want to get them at whole sale. I dont want to under cut myself but I want to keep this customer on good terms. What would you guys say? I want to say life is tough all around if you want it that bad keep bidding. I'm not very diplomatic...

Karen Hardy · #2 2010-07-21, 6:26pm

I say that she's trying to get them for less.

Your best recourse in this instance would be to
start an ETSY store, and list beads there too.
That way, if she wants to buy something
at the full price (rather than try and get a deal on ebay)
she can do it right then and there.

...And if the person who is "following" her does bid, and
then backs out - you can offer the bead to her as
a second chance offer, and block the other person.

GlassGalore · #3 2010-07-21, 6:53pm

Aren't bidder id's on eBay encrypted and random from the buyer point of view? So how would this person know it's the same other bidder all the time?

evvybuns · #4 2010-07-21, 7:11pm

Tell her to report the other bidder to eBay as a shill bidder if she thinks that is what is happening. If there is a problem with this "other bidder" retracting bids, eBay can verify this supposed problem. The problem is in her court, not yours.

Carolyn M · #5 2010-07-21, 8:37pm

I just say I only sell auction style on ebay, no custom orders. It's pretty simple, and makes my life easy

Elizabeth Beads · #6 2010-07-21, 9:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassGalore

Aren't bidder id's on eBay encrypted and random from the buyer point of view? So how would this person know it's the same other bidder all the time?

I think Ebay takes your user name, reverses it and puts stars in the middle.

My Ebay name is lizbusa, so my bids would appear to you as a*****l

I figured this out when my husband won an item I was watching - then gave it to me as a surprise.

divina126 · #7 2010-07-21, 9:11pm

Ya just looked and found out that they live in the same state though they are 5 hours away from each other. Going to do a check on them the lady that complained uses a p o box so im thinking they are both her.

dicrodi · #8 2010-07-21, 9:25pm

It seems to me another bead artist was dealing with a person who had the same story, it didn't end well if I remember, I'd stay away from this..this was a while back but it seems like the exact same song. Dicrodi

divina126 · #9 2010-07-21, 9:51pm

I dont know, she gave me this sob story about how she is now a disabled firefighter and that my beads were priced "just right for the economy". What i do know is that i was so excited that i was selling my work and now im sick to my stomach over the whole thing.

Kalera · #10 2010-07-21, 9:59pm

I think she is preying on the probability that you are a newer and less experienced beadmaker, to try to get your work for far less than it's worth. I would suggest playing dumb, and saying something like "Thank you so much for following my auctions! My auctions are selling for far below what I normally ask, but if you would like I can list some with buy-it-now at my usual prices. Take care!"

And then if she wants them for less than you list them for, stop responding.

Kalera · #11 2010-07-21, 10:00pm

Oh, and consider putting your ebay link in your signature... it helps buyers here find you on eBay!

Rareripes · #12 2010-07-21, 10:32pm

It used to be that only the seller could see the bidders whole Ebay name but other people bidding could not.Maybe thats changed.I did a true auction maybe 5 years ago..the first set I was selling on Ebay and the minimum bid was 1 cent and I was going to pay shipping as well.Okay..you all don't be laughing at me..I know..but i just wanted to see if anyone would buy my beads.The woman that won the auction had written to me and i told her..yes I was paying shipping but that I was going on vacation a week after the auction was over and i clearly stated in my auction that I needed payment within 5 days so i could ship before we went to the country.At day 6 after receiving nothing from her..I emailed and asked her about payment.She got mad and said i was awful anxious to get rid of my beads and she was going to pay my invoice immediately but she felt I didn't deserve good feedback because i was pushing her.I told her I had always had 100 % positive feedback and this was not my fault..but like a dummy again..I sent her a focal bead i had made to apologize to her..which she did not deserve...but she gave me great feedback and that was the last time i have sold a bead to anyone.I give to friends,family and teacher gifts and any other gift occasion my kids or grands need to have a present for.Eventually if i feel I am good enough to sell again..I think I will go a different route.

evvybuns · #13 2010-07-22, 7:37am

This is a very confusing story!

If I'm interpreting everything correctly, your buyer is l***i. She is complaining about another eBay bidder 0***g. That's HER problem.

Tell her that you have no control over free-market forces. You're falling prey to a whiny sob story. Her being a "disabled firefighter" is irrelevant.

cghipp · #14 2010-07-22, 8:19am

If this was really a problem, surely she wouldn't be stupid enough to keep bidding "out in the open." Anyone with some sense would start using a sniping service. The tone of her letter rings false to me anyway. I would IGNORE.

kk5336 · #15 2010-07-22, 8:21am

Isn't that what eBay is all about?

Kathie

www.goodomendesigns.com
www.flickr.com/godesigns

Laura B · #16 2010-07-22, 9:13am

Just tell her if she wanted to buy it outright the bead would be $x.xxx

What would you ideally like to sell it for? Make that the pseudo Buy It Now price.

That will make her realize what a bargain she's getting when she DOES go through with the auction process.

divina126 · #17 2010-07-22, 10:25am

Thanks guys, I told her that if she was having a problem with this bidder following her that she should report them to ebay. I also told her that I sell my beads to a consignment shop that cant buy them all and that what was left over I put up on ebay at a much lower cost and in the future i would put a buy it now option so she wouldnt have a bid war. I put some up with a buy out of $35 is that the normal price range or is it too high?

cghipp · #18 2010-07-22, 11:17am

Make it however high it has to be to shut her up!

PerfectDeb · #19 2010-07-23, 4:02am

sounds scammy to me

SuzyQ · #20 2010-07-23, 4:25am

I was going to suggest putting a bin price on them and being done with it. But I see that's been covered

divina126 · #21 2010-07-23, 4:30pm

Ok now this "OG" has bid and won up to $200 worth of my beads and has only paid for one. I just sent her a message to please pay. What do i do if they dont?
Should i contact ebay now or give her another day or two? And is there a way to contact ebay with a complaint but not leave negative feedback? I know shes on because she keeps bidding on my stuff.

Alaska · #22 2010-07-23, 4:37pm

Ebay has a nice outline of their procedures.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/unpaid-items.html

AKDesigns · #23 2010-07-23, 4:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by divina126

Ok now this "OG" has bid and won up to $200 worth of my beads and has only paid for one. I just sent her a message to please pay. What do i do if they dont?
Should i contact ebay now or give her another day or two? And is there a way to contact ebay with a complaint but not leave negative feedback? I know shes on because she keeps bidding on my stuff.

Why are you stressing so much when your buyer has great feedback on eBay and she just won these auctions today? I suggest you also put some policies in your listing because there is nothing in there about how soon you expect payment.

Flonche · #24 2010-07-23, 4:47pm

Divina, this story sounds familiar to me. I swear I have heard it before, I just can't remember when or I would be able to search. The buyer was using the same arguments to get custom beads without having to bid, etc.

AKDesigns · #25 2010-07-23, 4:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flonche

Divina, this story sounds familiar to me. I swear I have heard it before, I just can't remember when or I would be able to search. The buyer was using the same arguments to get custom beads without having to bid, etc.

It's not the same customer.

Flonche · #26 2010-07-23, 4:55pm

Ah ok.

Kalera · #27 2010-07-23, 5:07pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by divina126

Ok now this "OG" has bid and won up to $200 worth of my beads and has only paid for one. I just sent her a message to please pay. What do i do if they dont?
Should i contact ebay now or give her another day or two? And is there a way to contact ebay with a complaint but not leave negative feedback? I know shes on because she keeps bidding on my stuff.

Why would you complain? How far overdue are the payments? I usually ask that buyers pay within 3 days of winning, unless they are bidding on more of my auctions and want to combine, in which case I only ask they pay within 7 days of the first auction they won. I wouldn't sweat it unless she goes a long time without paying.

divina126 · #28 2010-07-23, 5:23pm

First auction closed on the 17th and the others on the 19th. I just figured that if shes on ebay bidding on my items why couldnt she just pay at the same time.

Kalera · #29 2010-07-23, 5:36pm

Is she bidding on any other auctions that haven't closed yet? I wouldn't worry about it quite yet.

divina126 · #30 2010-07-23, 5:59pm

yep shes been bidding everyday since the 13th and has 9 items awaiting payment. im just a bit excited is all when she pays i will have enough to buy a cricket