0 feedback bidders Thoughts?

[11dustyattic]

Just wondered how others feel about a bidder registering a new account and bidding on a higher value item? I usually cancel and block, just not worth the risk. But am I being too paranoid? Love to hear your thoughts, experiences

[gutterpunkz05]

When ever I have had trouble from overseas, it has always been a low FB and relatively new account.

Just this minute cancelled a $500 bid from an account created in the last 24hrs in China.  So another one on the list.

Don't need the hassle of overseas sales at this time.

[tazzieterror]

Everyone's gotta start somewhere, and sometimes that's something with a higher value I suppose.

I used to worry about ZFBs, but apart from the occasional non-payer, I never really had any issues.

Can you pop a disclaimer in your listings asking low or zero-feedback bidders to send you a quick message prior to bidding? Then just cancel those who don't message first.

And those that you do hear from, ask a customer-centric question that would likely elicit a response.

If I were selling a camera lens, I might ask "Have you checked to make sure this is compatibly with your camera - which model do you have?" Or for a pair of sneakers, "Have you worn other Adidas shoes in a US11? They tend to run slightly small." etc.

You can often gauge a buyer from their response to messages like this, and at the same time demonstrate what a thoughtful, helpful seller you are!

[gutterpunkz05]

Well He is persistent, obviously can not figure out that the item is not listed for international sale,  So He is now blocked on 2 accounts,  at least the second one is a couple of  years old but still with 0  FB.

Wonder if He has got the message, or am I going to finish up blocking the extended family, etc.

[repentatleisure1952]

Yep...all sellers should block new buyers.

[springyzone]

---

@gutterpunkz05 wrote:

Well He is persistent, obviously can not figure out that the item is not listed for international sale,  So He is now blocked on 2 accounts,  at least the second one is a couple of  years old but still with 0  FB.

Wonder if He has got the message, or am I going to finish up blocking the extended family, etc.

---

I hope you don't mind me chipping in, even though it is a while since I was a seller.

Everyone does have to start from somewhere so on the whole, we never worried unduly about zero feedback buyers and were happy enough to sell to them.

However, there would be some exceptions to that if I were selling these days. First off would be for overseas buyers when my item was not listed for international sale. Especially when that buyer had zero feedback and bid without asked me if I would be willing to post to their location. And not just on a regular item, on a high priced item.That's about 3 or 4 iffy things right there.

On a high priced item I would expect a buyer to read the ad, to exercise caution before bidding and paying as you'd think they would be invested in making sure everything went well. I would expect a new buyer to be very careful.

If that buyer then went and bid on another account after being blocked, that would annoy me. An account that is a couple of years old but still with zero feedback and no evidence of any activity of all is another thing that strikes me as out of kilter a bit.

So basically, it isn't the fact alone that the person is a zero feedback person that would cause me to block them, it is the accumulation of questionable behaviour. I'd block this one, for sure and the whole family if I had to. I'd report them to ebay too if they kept giving me hassles. 

For regular items of low to medium value to aussie buyers though, I'd have no problem with ZFB.

[pancaket52]

I agree with you - I have had more 0 Fedback Buyers these last 5 weeks than in the last 10 years. All new and joined the day of the sale. Have had no problem with yet. 

But... they were all domestic and not international. I too would have problems with international buyers who had just joined. 

As has been said - we've all got to start somewhere - and I'm sure a lot of people have never needed to buy online before and it's been a whole new learning curve for them.

[gutterpunkz05]

Hi Springy,   0  FB  in itself is not a problem,  as it is simple enough to block all buyers with 0  FB.

Over the years I have sold plenty of electronics to China and most other parts of the globe, and I dare say some would have been to low FB accounts, however at this time I am not shipping any items internationally as you can be sure as eggs, that as soon as the item is overdue and buyers hit INR, the perfect english will disappear and I will be left scratching my head at google  translations.

This particular bidder, raised sufficient red flags on top of the 0 FB  to trigger bid cancellation with the reason being provided as 

- Item not for international sale, bidder in China -

I do'nt think I could have made it any clearer but then he just changed account and tried again.  Ah well so far he has only cost me time. 

[tazzieterror]

If you're not selling overseas, how are international members able to place bids?

[lyndal1838]

Just saying in the listing that you do not post internationally does not stop them from bidding.

You actually have to block them in your postage options.