eBay, etc. General Question/Answer Thread

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Could I get some advice?

I just had my first zero feedback buyer, who did an immediate payment using the BIN on a NWOB $400+ item, which also had an OBO.

-They created their account the same day they did the BIN
-Their PP account is eligible for seller protection on paypal
-Their address is a real residential house
-The IRL name associated with the ebay account has a slightly different FIRST name, from their paypal account (it's sorta like a variation of the first name--not a nickname)
-THEIR EBAY USER NAME HAS 10 RANDOM LETTERS AND NUMBERS at the end...just like those fake/weird/wtf accounts you see on twitter :sad:
-They've been somewhat responsive via messaging. I contacted them to double check that they understand I don't "offer" returns, and that I would be fine with cancelling the transaction if they didn't understand that.

I'm well aware this could be a honest 1st time buyer who found my item and registered same day to buy it.
But I've read a few horror stories on PF about zero feedback buyers & scams.

I'm not going to include signature confirmation (I think @BeenBurned is right about avoiding that).

Is there anything else I can do to protect myself?
 
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Could I get some advice?

I just had my first zero feedback buyer, who did an immediate payment using the BIN on a NWOB $400+ item, which also had an OBO.

-They created their account the same day they did the BIN
-Their PP account is eligible for seller protection on paypal
-Their address is a real residential house
-The IRL name associated with the ebay account has a slightly different FIRST name, from their paypal account (it's sorta like a variation of the first name--not a nickname)
-THEIR EBAY USER NAME HAS 10 RANDOM LETTERS AND NUMBERS at the end...just like those fake/weird/wtf accounts you see on twitter :sad:
-They've been somewhat responsive via messaging. I contacted them to double check that they understand I don't "offer" returns, and that I would be fine with cancelling the transaction if they didn't understand that.

I'm well aware this could be a honest 1st time buyer who found my item and registered same day to buy it.
But I've read a few horror stories on PF about zero feedback buyers & scams.

I'm not going to include signature confirmation (I think @BeenBurned is right about avoiding that).

Is there anything else I can do to protect myself?
I'll start at the end and work my way forward.
  • For a $400 item, you don't need s.c. and it won't help as long as tracking shows delivery.
  • Not all buyers feel comfortable with negotiation. If the BIN is reasonable, they just do it.
  • The ebay user name sounds like a guest account ID that ebay generates for them. It's not required that people join and there's nothing untoward about buying as a guest. If they like ebay and have a good experience, they might change their name to a more meaningful one and make future purchases from sellers on the site.
  • They're responsive, the transaction says "eligible," the shipping address is valid
I don't see any red flags.

I print my shipping labels through the paypal transaction and the address is automatically done with the shipping address so there's no chance of error.
 
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I'll start at the end and work my way forward.
  • For a $400 item, you don't need s.c. and it won't help as long as tracking shows delivery.
  • Not all buyers feel comfortable with negotiation. If the BIN is reasonable, they just do it.
  • The ebay user name sounds like a guest account ID that ebay generates for them. It's not required that people join and there's nothing untoward about buying as a guest. If they like ebay and have a good experience, they might change their name to a more meaningful one and make future purchases from sellers on the site.
  • They're responsive, the transaction says "eligible," the shipping address is valid
I don't see any red flags.

I print my shipping labels through the paypal transaction and the address is automatically done with the shipping address so there's no chance of error.

BeenBurned- Is printing the shipping label through PayPal different then buying the label using PayPal and printing from the eBay screen?
 
BeenBurned- Is printing the shipping label through PayPal different then buying the label using PayPal and printing from the eBay screen?
I think it's probably the same. But I've never done it through the ebay transaction. I've always done it through Paypal. And the tracking number automatically posts on the sold item.
 
I'll start at the end and work my way forward.
  • For a $400 item, you don't need s.c. and it won't help as long as tracking shows delivery.
  • Not all buyers feel comfortable with negotiation. If the BIN is reasonable, they just do it.
  • The ebay user name sounds like a guest account ID that ebay generates for them. It's not required that people join and there's nothing untoward about buying as a guest. If they like ebay and have a good experience, they might change their name to a more meaningful one and make future purchases from sellers on the site.
  • They're responsive, the transaction says "eligible," the shipping address is valid
I don't see any red flags.

I print my shipping labels through the paypal transaction and the address is automatically done with the shipping address so there's no chance of error.

Thanks so much @BeenBurned. Beyond helpful!
 
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BeenBurned- Is printing the shipping label through PayPal different then buying the label using PayPal and printing from the eBay screen?
I always print my ebay labels through ebay. The tracking is usually automatically uploaded from ebay to paypal. If you buy your labels through paypal instead, I think you have to manually input the tracking into ebay. I also like to print the ebay packing slip. However, if you print through paypal, it gives you an option to print a scan form. I don't think you can get a scan form from ebay. If you are top rated in ebay, you'll get a bigger discount on your labels if you buy them through ebay.
 
I always print my ebay labels through ebay. The tracking is usually automatically uploaded from ebay to paypal. If you buy your labels through paypal instead, I think you have to manually input the tracking into ebay. I also like to print the ebay packing slip. However, if you print through paypal, it gives you an option to print a scan form. I don't think you can get a scan form from ebay. If you are top rated in ebay, you'll get a bigger discount on your labels if you buy them through ebay.
No, you don't have to manually do it; it's done automatically. And you can also print a packing slip through paypal.

I think both ways of getting the label are identical and AFAIK, both give the same discounted prices. (ETA: I don't have free shipping or 30 days returns so I don't get further discounts.)
 
I would appreciate advice on an ebay NWT purse I received smelling strongly of cigarettes. The seller agreed to the return and to send a prepaid shipping label. To protect myself do I need to notify ebay before I send it back in case I don't get a refund including shipping? The seller doesn't have much feedback, and I am new to returns.
 
I just had a buyer opened a eBay return request after almost 2 months! How is this even possible? The eBay Money Back Guarantee is for 30 days from the delivery date only? It did give me an option to decline without further action. And I could also add comment on why I declined. However, it said that the comment wouldn't be shown to the buyer. All very strange! The buyer is never going to win the case as they were talking rubbish and contradicting themselves in the reason for return. Anyhow, that's another story for another day. Waiting of the PayPal case to be opened! But I have their eBay return request message and eBay message to back me up so I will be fighting this.
 
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I just had a buyer opened a eBay return request after almost 2 months! How is this even possible? The eBay Money Back Guarantee is for 30 days from the deliver date only? It did give me an option to decline without further action. And I could also add comment on why I declined. However, it said that the comment wouldn't be shown to the buyer. All very strange! The buyer is never going to win the case as they were talking rubbish and contradicting themselves in the reason for return. Anyhow, that's another story for another day. Waiting of the PayPal case to be opened! But I have their eBay return request message and eBay message to back me up so I will be fighting this.
If they are claiming counterfeit, I believe they can go as long as 180 days.
 
Why would a buyer make all their feedback private? I can’t look at this buyer’s FB left for others or their feedback that’s been received. It says the eBay member has chosen to make their feedback private. This buyer is asking me to save her/him $1.25 on a $8.90 shipping charge (which is the actual charge to ship it). It raised a red flag for me because the item is $88.00. He/she wants me to cram it in a smaller box (no!) to save $1.25???
I’ve never seen total private feedback.
 
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Why would a buyer make their feedback private? I can’t look at this buyer’s FB left for others or their feedback that’s been received. This buyer is asking me to save her/him $1.25 on a $8.90 shipping charge (which is the actual charge to ship it). It raised a red flag for me because the item is $88.00. He/she wants me to cram it in a smaller box (no!) to save $1.25???
I’ve never seen private feedback.
Some sellers make the feedback private on their buying account so people can't see what they've bought to flip.
 
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