My First REAL Issue With An Ebay Buyer **Cases Closed**

[Loyalty32]

Just so you know up fron this will probably turn into a long read. I'm so frustrated right now, I don't even know if this rant will even make sense to anyone else. So if you make it to the end you are true "Benchie" in my book!

I started listing my Andre Dawson Collection on Ebay 100 auctions at a time on May 9th. Most people pay within a couple of days of winning. A bidder xpos, won a few items the first week and I noticed as soon as my second wave of auctions was listed he had already bid on a few so I figured he would probably pay for everything together after the second wave ended. No big deal. So I wait a couple of days after the second wave ends and still no payment. He has now won 16 auctions total. I send the buyer a message asking when can I expect payment. He gives me this story about how he tried to deposit $7,500 into is account and it's missing. It's floating around in "Paypal space". He also said Paypal is working on the issue and has allowed him to use the eCheck payment option while the issue is being looked into.

So he sends me an eCheck on the 27th. It is set to clear between June 4 - 8. I can live with that. No problem. The guy continues to bid on my auctions from week #3. He wins another 28 auctions. That brings the total auctions won to 44 and right around the $500.00 mark. It's been 5 days or so since weeks #3's auctions have ended and I figure the guy will send another eCheck when the first one clears in a couple of days or Paypal will have worked out the issues with his account and he will just make an account to account transfer. Now, I've had a funny feeling about this since the whole "money is floating around in Paypal space" comment.

I've been sent a few messages by this guy telling me not to worry his the money will be there and everything is on the up and up etc.. Today I get this message...

"Dear ebayers,

My dad has a deal or deals with you, and I don't
know if he paid or not. You might already know
that he's a veteran who was severely injured in
Afghanistan and lost a leg also. Last night a
blood clot caused him to have a mild stroke and we
don't know when he's coming home again from the
hospital. If you are willing to wait for me to
pay, I don't know how to do this or how long it
will take. If you want to cancel that's okay too.
Personally I think that you should cancel the
transactions and cancel the paypal check too, I
don't know how all of this works. His bank account
is frozen and on paypal it still says pending, so
it probably won't go through now. On behalf of my
family, we are sorry for this inconvenience.

Kevin"

My first thought was damn, I'm sorry to hear that. Then I read it again and I'm starting to think BS If my father had a stroke yesterday, the last thing on my mind is contacting people on Ebay that he won cards from. Also, now his bank account is frozen? The son "thinks that I should just cancel the tansaction"?

We are talking 44 different auctions over 3 weeks and $500.00. It looks like I won't be seeing the money from the 28 he won last week but what about the eCheck that is pending? It is set to clear between June 4th & June 8th. What are my options here? Just in case someone out there sees something I don't.

It looks like I can wait out the pending eCheck, if it clears mail the cards to Canada with using Express Mail so it can be tracked. The only sure way I'll be protected. If it doesn't clear, well that is obvious.

Any feedback is welcome. I know jaderock sold to this guy to. I wonder he he got paid yet?

Thanks
Craig

 

[mlbme22]

Wow- that is very frustrating. I had an issue with sending a package to Canada where I didn't do express (with tracking) & they buyer said they never received item & filed a claim with paypal. I had proof of shipping (receipt showed that I shipped the item to ther person in Canada) but lost out on over $100. Not sure if they ripped me off, but have never had anything not arrive.
Anyways, I would wait to see if the check clears. So you are out all the final value fees you had to pay on the auctions the guy won? How do you get that money back if he doesn't pay?
Sounds very fishy-
I have bid on some of your Cubs Dawson cards, but keep getting outbid.
Will continue to bid-
Best of luck
Mike

 

[jaderock]

I have not gotten paid either, it does say "June 8th," but it's also just $6, so it won't hurt too bad.

I don't mind the story...it could very well be true. The only issue I thought of was "this is a new ebayer who looks like he will crash and burn based on his frenetic buying in a short time period."

Only thing I would advise on in situations like this is after the 1st or 2nd batch, I would politely tell him to not bid (or block him if necessary) until the 1st batches are paid.

That said, you have to give him props for helping the prices of your auctions -- he probably bidded on way more than he won; therefore, boosting the final selling prices on many cards.

Not a Registered Used is probably in his near future.

It's part of selling/trading, things happen, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

 

[bdink25]

Craig, sorry to hear about this situation. I would just hang it out until the eCheck thing expires and go from there. It really sounds fishy to me. I don't really like sending to Canada. I talked to my buddy at the PO and he says the Canadian postal service is nothing like ours. A lot of the areas that the mail gets delivered to is really remote. The only way anyone gets any mail in those places is if someone goes to town. So far(Thank God) I haven't had any problems. I wish you the best..... Butch

 

[Loyalty32]

mlbme22 - I believe I will be refunded the final value fees. I'm not 100% sure about listing fees though to be honest.

jaderock - I can't help but wonder if you would be so quick to "give him props" if you were the one now down $500 in sales? I've seen a few of your rants, so I doubt it. I will follow your advice on not allowing people to carry over payment past 2 weeks though.

Thanks
Craig

 

[Loyalty32]

Butch - I'm thinking about not allowing Canadian bidders on my auctions in the future. I hate to do that but it's just not worth the risk it seems.

Thanks
Craig

 

[timfsu2k]

Wow Craig, that really does suck. I'm not an experienced ebay seller so I'm not sure what all your options are. Maybe relisting? Looks like you won't be getting paid anyway so maybe you should just cut your losses with this guy and file a NPB with ebay.

 

[Loyalty32]

Wow Craig, that really does suck. I'm not an experienced ebay seller so I'm not sure what all your options are. Maybe relisting? Looks like you won't be getting paid anyway so maybe you should just cut your losses with this guy and file a NPB with ebay.

Tim - That is looking like the only option I'm going to have. I guess I'll wait and see what happens with the eCheck and go from there. I already put him on my blocked bidder list.

Thanks
Craig

 

[jdshuskers]

If the eCheck clears, you're fine (at least for the auctions that were covered with that payment). Once it's cleared, it's in your account and you can send the items. As for getting your final value fees back, you'll need to file a non-paying bidder claim for each auction. Good luck, Jeremy

 

[jrchoholic83]

Butch - I'm thinking about not allowing Canadian bidders on my auctions in the future. I hate to do that but it's just not worth the risk it seems.

Thanks
Craig

That's what I had to do. I'm sure I lose a little in sales, but the pain of shipping outside the US is too great.

Jeremy

 

[sandman43103]

Even if he pays, you still run the risk of his filing a claim through Paypal and getting his money back, that way.

My advise would be to cancel all his echecks, disregard his bids, accept all worthwhile Second Chance Offers and file NPB alerts to get your fees back on the rest.

 

[mrmopar]

Let me know if I was runner up on any. Most of my bids were on Expos cards. I'll probably take ones he outbid me on.

Here is what I would do. I would file NPB alerts on all auctions he won. Get your fees back and help knock this guy off ebay. If the echeck clears, I would wait for him to respond before refunding it. The guy put you through hassles, so a little payback is OK. Depending on the amount, you might even consider keeping it for your troubles. Sounds like it won't clear though.

I don't believe his story myself, because I have heard way too many as a seller in the past. Call me heartless, but even if it's partially real, it sounds fake. How is it that so many people who bought items from me can't make it to the bank/PO or had heart attacks or family deaths? The odds are just too great for all to be true and the topper was the "A" who ripped me off for a bunch of Brett Favre cards before ebay. Claimed he was in a wheelchair and gave a ton of excuses before he just stopped communicating all together. I'd love to put him in one if he really isn't!

 

[Meliah]

Let me know if I was runner up on any. Most of my bids were on Expos cards. I'll probably take ones he outbid me on.

Here is what I would do. I would file NPB alerts on all auctions he won. Get your fees back and help knock this guy off ebay. If the echeck clears, I would wait for him to respond before refunding it. The guy put you through hassles, so a little payback is OK. Depending on the amount, you might even consider keeping it for your troubles. Sounds like it won't clear though.

I don't believe his story myself, because I have heard way too many as a seller in the past. Call me heartless, but even if it's partially real, it sounds fake. How is it that so many people who bought items from me can't make it to the bank/PO or had heart attacks or family deaths? The odds are just too great for all to be true and the topper was the "A" who ripped me off for a bunch of Brett Favre cards before ebay. Claimed he was in a wheelchair and gave a ton of excuses before he just stopped communicating all together. I'd love to put him in one if he really isn't!

I agree, after being on ebay for a long time and doing many sales I have heard tons of excuses over the years and they have made me rather jaded now.

When you're selling as much as you are right now Craig you're going to have a few of these pop up. I'm just sorry to see that this one involves so many auctions at once.

 

[mintman2]

Butch - I'm thinking about not allowing Canadian bidders on my auctions in the future. I hate to do that but it's just not worth the risk it seems.

Thanks
Craig

Per my comment in your other thread..........ebay/paypay policies have made it most unfavorable to ship outside the US.

Personally I wouldn't send the cards whether the echeck clears or not and I would file every kind of "protest" with ebay/paypay I could. And I wouldn't wait, as soon as you can file claims DO IT. You waited enough !

 

[bjbsue]

I also sold a card to this guy and my e-check is supposed to clear on June 8. If he is having such a problem with Paypal, why does he continue to bid on so many auctions? Sounds like one big lie to me. But, like jaderock, I only sold him one card for a couple of bucks so it won't be a huge loss. I would be highly pissed if I lost $500 to one guy.

Sue

 

[Loyalty32]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I do appreciate it.

Thanks
Craig

 

[lprimus]

I agree, after being on ebay for a long time and doing many sales I have heard tons of excuses over the years and they have made me rather jaded now.

When you're selling as much as you are right now Craig you're going to have a few of these pop up. I'm just sorry to see that this one involves so many auctions at once.

I have had similar experiences over the past few years when I sold off the Giambi collection and other stuff around the house. It's always amazing how these "events" seem to pop up and people can't pay.

Craig, from what I recall, you should be able to get all your fees back and be able to relist the cards again.

Good luck!

Jason

 

[89Giants]

I feel your pain. I just had a buyer email me this morning "I injured my leg I wont be able to pay you until monday at the earliest, thanks." LOL I had no idea an injured leg impairs your ability to use a computer. He has perfect feedback and i'll probably get paid but still, why the lame excuse.

 

[ian_kell]

Funny how no one ships outside the USA. There are a few of us who are decent

 

[Loyalty32]

After speaking with Paypal, I decided to just cancel the eCheck per the sellers request. It probably saved me the hassle of having to refund it later. I also filed the non paying bidder claim with eBay.

Now I guess I just have to wait until the bidder responds, or doesn't respond?

What a mess...

Thanks
Craig