Sold item on eBay- no feedback buyer

[expatwife]

I need help. I had an LV speedy with heat stamped initials listed BIN with the best offer option.
I did state in my listing that if a buyer has no feedback to contact me first.
A buyer buys the bag without making me an offer. I think it's strange as the bag is definitely not worth BIN price, especially being heat stamped. I just wanted some room to negotiate the price.
I wrote the buyer saying she has no feedback, I want her to tell me more about herself.
She paid right away as well.

I'm really uncomfortable with this transaction. I'm positive it's a scam.

What are my options?
Can I request a cancellation of transaction because she didn't contact me first?

Thanks a lot!

 

[BeenBurned]

You can request contact prior to purchase but there's no rule to enforce it and if you cancel the transaction after the buyer has paid, you aren't following through on your obligations and the buyer is certainly within her rights to leave negative feedback.

Just because she's a newbie doesn't mean she's a scammer. Why are you so positive it's a scam?

Not all buyers make offers even when there's a b.o. option. Some are uncomfortable negotiating and they either pay full price or hit the back button. In my experience, there are 2 types of buyers; one does as I just stated and the other never pays full BIN on a b.o. They always negotiate.

I don't see anything that appears questionable and if the PP details page show as "eligible" for seller protection, ship the item she paid for and include s.c. if the total payment was $750+.

 

[expatwife]

Ok. That's great you have faith in eBay buyers. But let's consider a different scenario. The buyer is a scammer. There is always a chance right?
How do I protect myself, that's my question. Thanks!

And for why I think it might be a scam - a person has no feedback
-doesn't contact me even though I ask to
- buys it now, when she could save at least a $100 on a purse with someone else's initials

Any one of these things would have been fine. But the combination...

 

[IrisCole]

Ok. That's great you have faith in eBay buyers. But let's consider a different scenario. The buyer is a scammer. There is always a chance right?
How do I protect myself, that's my question. Thanks!

And for why I think it might be a scam - a person has no feedback
-doesn't contact me even though I ask to
- buys it now, when she could save at least a $100 on a purse with someone else's initials

Any one of these things would have been fine. But the combination...

Well there is always a chance, but there's just as much chance as someone who makes an offer being a scammer. Honestly, most transactions on eBay go off without any problem. Just follow BB's suggestions above to protect yourself.

 

[poopsie]

There is no way that I know of to completely protect yourself when selling on Ebay/accepting PP. The way Ebay has obfuscated buyer feedback you are no better off with a buyer that has some than with a 0fb newbie. Your only options are to refuse to sell the bag and get a ding as a nonperforming seller or ship the bag. I no longer list anything of value on Ebay. I use Shop-Hers for higher end items. Their take is more but after you ship the item to them you are done. They take the returns.

 

[BeenBurned]

Ok. That's great you have faith in eBay buyers. But let's consider a different scenario. The buyer is a scammer. There is always a chance right?
How do I protect myself, that's my question. Thanks!

And for why I think it might be a scam - a person has no feedback
-doesn't contact me even though I ask to
- buys it now, when she could save at least a $100 on a purse with someone else's initials

Any one of these things would have been fine. But the combination...

If you're that skeptical of a buyer just because she has no feedback, perhaps you aren't cut out for online selling.

You didn't comment on what the PP payment says. Does it say you're eligible for seller protection? Does it say "okay to ship?"


Believe me, I'm pretty attuned to when my spidey sense says that something is amiss. But I don't see anything questionable that would raise my radar in what you've described.

 

[expatwife]

Ok, so I guess eBay is catching up with all the schemes. I just called them. The rep looked into the buyer, and told me that because the buyer has no feedback and the item is expensive, they advise me to cancel the transaction. He assured me that no negative feedback will be left. I gladly followed his advice.

So for those of you who are ever in my shoes, don't feel forced to do anything just because someone thinks you have to follow a certain procedure. Trust your instinct. Call eBay and explain the situation. I think they started realising that cancelling the transaction is much better than being involved in a scheme.

 

[expatwife]

I am cut out for eBay. I've been selling for quite a long time. I just have good instincts and know when there is a red flag.

There was definitely a red flag, otherwise ebay would not have advised me to cancel the transaction.

 

[BeenBurned]

Ok, so I guess eBay is catching up with all the schemes. I just called them. The rep looked into the buyer, and told me that because the buyer has no feedback and the item is expensive, they advise me to cancel the transaction. He assured me that no negative feedback will be left. I gladly followed his advice.

So for those of you who are ever in my shoes, don't feel forced to do anything just because someone thinks you have to follow a certain procedure. Trust your instinct. Call eBay and explain the situation. I think they started realising that cancelling the transaction is much better than being involved in a scheme.

Ebay reps are notorious for giving bad and/or incorrect advice and this is one of those cases.

Ebay wants to encourage new membership and every one of us, whether we have 10 feedbacks, 100 feedbacks or 10,000 feedbacks started without any feedback.

My first experiences were as a buyer and I'm sure glad I didn't have sellers who canceled my purchases just because I was new.

I'm not selling on ebay as I don't like a lot of their policies and changes but I do sell a lot of Bonanza and my conservative estimate is that 75% of my buyers have had 0-feedback and 10% aren't even Bonz members but found my item(s) through google. And in nearly 2000 Bonanza sales, I have yet to come across a scammer. (There are many non-payers but no scammers for me.)

 

[expatwife]

Well, if you're right, I'll fight with eBay. I better be safe than sorry.

I didn't sell not because she had no feedback, but she didn't contact me, her email address was weird, and she BIN. Once I ship the item, I have no recourse, and I potentially can loose both the bag and the money.

If you personally didn't come scross scamming doesn't mean it doesn't happen. You can read through yhis forum...

 

[Love Of My Life]

OP, one can't put a price on their "instinct"..

This was the right decision for you, for others they can do as they like & one just
never knows... its not worth being vulnerable when you sense that "red flag"

 

[IrisCole]

Ok, so I guess eBay is catching up with all the schemes. I just called them. The rep looked into the buyer, and told me that because the buyer has no feedback and the item is expensive, they advise me to cancel the transaction. He assured me that no negative feedback will be left. I gladly followed his advice.

So for those of you who are ever in my shoes, don't feel forced to do anything just because someone thinks you have to follow a certain procedure. Trust your instinct. Call eBay and explain the situation. I think they started realising that cancelling the transaction is much better than being involved in a scheme.

If you didn't want to sell to this person, that's fine, but keep in mind that the eBay rep whom you spoke to is incorrect about this - because the buyer paid, they can leave negative feedback, and eBay will not remove it.

 

[uadjit]

Maybe the bag was for someone with the same initials?

Anyway, nothing you described seemed terribly red-flaggy to me. You can request 0 fb buyers contact you but that means nothing to eBay.

Typically a buyer could still leave negative fb and you'd get a defect on your account for cancelling/refunding but I did the same as you after calling to ask about a security concern and I didn't get a defect. The buyer didn't leave fb but I am not sure whether that was due to eBay or the buyer's choice.

 

[Love Of My Life]

If you didn't want to sell to this person, that's fine, but keep in mind that the eBay rep whom you spoke to is incorrect about this - because the buyer paid, they can leave negative feedback, and eBay will not remove it.

If the buyer does leave feedback & it cannot be removed, would think
the OP is prepared for this either way

Which is the lesser of two evils... negative feedback or a possible scam??

The seller probably has a decent record with ebay so she may have a shot
at getting the feedback removed... The buyer has no history with ebay & the
buyer may not even know she can leave feedback... IYKWIM

Hopefully the OP will let us know what happens..

 

[Ceeyahd]

Well, if you're right, I'll fight with eBay. I better be safe than sorry.

I didn't sell not because she had no feedback, but she didn't contact me, her email address was weird, and she BIN. Once I ship the item, I have no recourse, and I potentially can loose both the bag and the money.

If you personally didn't come scross scamming doesn't mean it doesn't happen. You can read through yhis forum...

I understand you feel uneasy, but you are kind of defensive about the opinions offered... Yet asked for opinions. I always sent that requested 0 or less than 10 feedback contact the buyer first deal... No one ever asked a question, or denied me the opportunity of the purchase or bidding. What would ask a o feedback buyer, just curious?