Hi- I just listed a bag on eBay and I have a very interested buyer who first asked me if I would sell the bag to her at half the price. She said that she has always wanted this bag and can't afford to spend over $100 for it. I told her no and she is now asking if I can sell her the bag at the listed price and allow to do a layaway plan. (I would be able to set the terms for layaway.) Honestly, I'm a very fair seller (almost too fair) but I just listed the bag yesterday and I'm fairly certain that I can make over the asking price. There's currently a $400 bid for the same bag. Would anyone consider selling an item for the starting bid, before the auction ends? If I decided to sell the bag to the seller, is it legal to end the auction early? Also, has anyone ever sold an item as layaway? Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
Need some advice from the eBay experts
- Thread starter keywi100
- Start date
So, she "can't afford" to pay over $100, but now she can? She wants to do a layaway plan?
If you want to do a layaway plan, I would insist that she give you no less than 20% down (make a contract that she doesn't get this back if she flakes, or you'll be screwed). I would inform her that you will NOT remove the listing until the deposit is rec'd. Protect yourself. Establish deadlines and be firm.
I would also make HER pay the additional .30 for each transaction fee on PP. Or, if you want to the safest route, accept downpayment in form of a money order/ bank transfer.... Go from there?
If you want to do a layaway plan, I would insist that she give you no less than 20% down (make a contract that she doesn't get this back if she flakes, or you'll be screwed). I would inform her that you will NOT remove the listing until the deposit is rec'd. Protect yourself. Establish deadlines and be firm.
I would also make HER pay the additional .30 for each transaction fee on PP. Or, if you want to the safest route, accept downpayment in form of a money order/ bank transfer.... Go from there?
I do lay away for expensive items such as Hermes Kelly and Birkin. I asked 20% down, and usually the rest paid via bank transfer. So far I have no problem, I guess I am lucky to have such as great buyers.
You can sell to a buyer at the opening bid price and end the sale if you want to: that's a legitimate reason by eBay rules. However, this is a buyer with two visible red flags. One is lowballing you to start with, and the other is needing a payment plan on an inexpensive item. Someone is not in a position to pay for the goods, is the basic story here. Do you want to get into heavy lifting to sell this bag (lots of email, possibility of them not paying, other strange things)? Is it your only likely buyer? If she defaults, what happens to the payments made to that point? This is a situation where the benefit to you is unclear, from these facts.
I would stay away. Because if she cant afford it now, chances are she cant afford it later either. The last thing you need is her deciding later that she needs the money more and then cancelling the transaction, or worse, filing a fraudulent SNAD once she gets the bag just because she wants her money back. I have read too many horror stories here on TPF about ebay, and you can never be too careful. I would just politely tell her thanks but no thanks. JMO.
I agree with what others have said - there's nothing wrong with doing a layaway plan, so long as the terms are clearly specified and the buyer puts down a non-refundable deposit. However, if the bag you're selling is now (and perhaps was in the past as well) going for more than she's offering, I'd probably just wait for the auction to run its course.
Everyone- Thanks for the feedback!! I'm going to let the auction continue. Hopefully, I can find a good seller that will pay in full. Reading your posts makes me nervous about setting a layaway plan. I don't want to go through a bunch of back-and-forth emails for this item. I'm a fairly new seller so this information is very helpful.
BTW- I know that most buyers on eBay are bargain hunters but buyer was pretty balsy to offer me half of my starting bid...lol.
BTW- I know that most buyers on eBay are bargain hunters but buyer was pretty balsy to offer me half of my starting bid...lol.
*LOL* I agree, that was pretty ballsy. I am glad you decided to continue with the auction. Hopefully you find a good buyer! Good luck!
As a seller you are not protected if the item is not paid for all at once. I tell them to save there money and buy it when they have the money. But I do 30 day listings.
I agree I would go one step further and block this buyer. Maybe it's mean, but she raises red flags from the get go. I have sold VERY little. The one buyer who asked a bunch of questions from the get go (what if I don't like it, blah, blah, blah) and seemed "hesitant" gave me the most trouble. Hesitant beforehand =trouble later.
This ^^^. I don't think I would entertain a layaway either. Better to be safe than sorry.