Buyer is reneging on purchase, fees question

[sherw00d]

Hi, an item I listed has sold (a fridge for $300) but the buyer has responed noting that his wife clicked 'buy' without checking the dimensions listed in the ad and he doesn't want it. Will I be charged a fee for the sale, and if so , how much - can I claim this from the 'buyer'?

Thanks

Andy

[sarahs_preloved_booksnbits]

If you 'cancel order' with the reason - buyer requested cancellation, you should get a full refund on the fees. 

[foxette-in-sox]

Just looking at the bidding history, the buyer has bid twice on different days so I'd be checking their

feedback to see if they have a habit of doing this. Whilst sellers aren't able to leave red negative

feedback, some do leave negative feedback by writing a negative comment next to the postive green

dot and you MAY pick it up in their feedback left by other sellers.

You could also wait 4 days and open an unpaid item dispute-up to you if you want to cut the buyer

some slack or not by requesting they agree to a mutual cancellation.

[countessalmirena]

You can report an unpaid item 4 days after the "sale"; this gives the buyer the opportunity to pay. This is the link to do so.

Once you've opened that unpaid item dispute, the buyer has another 4 days to pay.

From eBay's Resolving unpaid items page: "If it's been more than 4 days since the listing ended, you can select Report an unpaid item", and "After opening a case, the buyer has 4 days to respond or pay for the item. On the fifth day, you can close the case by going to the Resolution Centre and selecting Close case. Under Have you received payment from the buyer?, select No. The unpaid item is then recorded on the buyer's account, the final value fee will be credited back to you, and you can relist the item."

If the buyer does not pay, then you can close the report/dispute, and the buyer wil receive what I can't help thinking would be a deserved non-paying bidder strike. After all,  your listing very clearly stated the dimensions:

Dimensions are 73W x 152H x 65D it’s also very heavy, they made things properly in the 50’s and probably had 3 or 4 people employed to deliver them , or a trained gorilla. You’ll need one or the other to take it away, really.

Just be aware that you have to be careful about including phone number or other contact details. eBay will assume that sellers who include such contact information on their listings, or in messages, or within Best Offers, etc. are actually trying to complete a sale outside eBay and thus avoid Final Value Fees. When you relist, ensure that your listing is free of any such details, as eBay penalises the average seller on eBay if they display contact information in their listings. See the Member-to-member contact policy for details.

To make your phone number available for your buyers, eBay say:

Find your seller’s phone number

Sellers can choose to share their phone number before and/or after a sale. If your seller has opted to share their number, you’ll find it in one of these places should you need to contact them:

• On the Find answers page by selecting Other once you’ve chosen Contact seller from a listing. You’ll see an option to view the seller’s phone number if they’ve opted to share it.
• On the contact form on the Find answers page once you’ve selected Contact seller.
• If you respond to an email sent by your seller, you’ll see an option to view their phone number if they’ve opted to share it.

... bute note that:

Not allowed

• Posting or displaying contact information in a listing, including email, phone number and mailing address, without the permission of eBay or except as required by law.
• Including, requesting, offering, or referencing contact information or an offer to buy or sell an item outside of eBay within a listing, Best Offer, email message or other communication with an eBay user or any other place on the eBay site.

[*tippy*toes*]

Stuff them. Wait 4 days from the time they hit the buy button and open an unpaid dispute. Then go back 4 days later (it has to be more than exactly 4 days later to the second) and close it. You get your fees back, the buyer gets a well deserved strike. I'm sick of pandering to buyers who have an oops moment. Teach them a lesson.

[sherw00d]

Thsnk you for such a full response. Buyer says he will cover any costs but I guess we'll see.. I'll do as suggested if not. I've noted your advice regarding phone numbers etc, much obliged.

Best Regards

Andy

[foxette-in-sox]

---

@sherw00d wrote:

Thsnk you for such a full response. Buyer says he will cover any costs but I guess we'll see.. I'll do as suggested if not. I've noted your advice regarding phone numbers etc, much obliged.

Best Regards

Andy

---

arghhhhh *runs around tearing hair out*

Andy, how on earth are you going to get your costs out of the buyer ?

Sewussly my cute little buttercup, you need to either open an unpaid item dispute or request a

mutual cancellation or whatever the heck they're now called so you get your fees back from EBAY.

Love and squirrels

Foxy

[countessalmirena]

@sherw00d, please do choose either CANCELLATION (on the basis of buyer requests it) or REPORT AN UNPAID ITEM, as the wise foxette-in-soxette has reiterated. Unless you do one or the other, you WILL be charged a final value fee by eBay.

Your listing costs and the hassle of having to relist are costs for which you won't be reimbursed by eBay, so you could try asking the buyer for a modest payment in respect of that; however, let's just say that I have my Greek comedy and tragedy masks on standby in anticipation of the buyer's response.

It's best to just wear the cost of relisting and having your time wasted, and go through either of the avenues mentioned to get your final value fees credited. Cancellation (reason: buyer requested cancellation) or Report an Unpaid Item. (Select I sold an item      • I haven't received my payment yet.)

Cancellation pros

• FVF credits actioned more quickly (if YOU the seller initiate the cancellation and choose the reason "Buyer requested cancellation", and assuming that the buyer's not already paid - otherwise the fee credit won't be actioned until the refund has been given)
• Seller able to list as soon as cancellation has gone through/been agreed upon

Cancellation cons

• Buyer has no consequences
• Buyer can leave feedback (UNLESS they (the buyer) request the cancellation; however, buyers have only up to an hour after the purchase to cancel the order themselves, and you the seller have 3 days to confirm or deny the cancellation - and the buyer can then not leave feedback or DSRs)
• Also with buyer-initiated cancellations, FVF credits will take 7-10 days

Report an Unpaid Item pros

• FVF credits will be given after Unpaid Item closes
• Seller can request a refund rather than a credit, by contacting eBay using the Have Us Call You option
• Buyer may receive an invisible Unpaid Item strike on their account; it only takes 2 unpaid item strikes for a buyer to be blocked from bidding on sellers who have set their Buyer Requirements to block buyers who have 2 or more unpaid item strikes
• Buyer cannot leave feedback
• Seller may be eligible for insertion fee credit as well (see eBay's Fee credits page for details)

Report an Unpaid Item cons

• FVF credits will only be actioned after the Unpaid Item dispute closes (8 days from the date of the transaction)
• Seller must remember to manually close the Unpaid Item dispute 4 days after initiating it (and up to 36 days after the listing - although it certainly seems mad to wait that long!)
• Seller can only relist after the Unpaid Item dispute is completed

[enigmabear]

I think there is about as much truth in that as there is in the wife story

[*tippy*toes*]

Cancellations can actually take longer than an unpaid item dispute. If the OP goes the UPI route, they can have the case closed and fees back in 8 days. If the OP sends a cancellation request, if the buyer doesn't accept it (which most don't), it takes 10 days to time out. 

Even if the buyers asks to cancel and you tell them to accept the request when sent, most think "get stuffed, too bad, I'm in the clear, why should I go to the effort of hitting the accept button?". 

Go the unpaid item route. No mess, no fuss. If the buyer gets snarky and decides to leave neg feedback, it should automatically remove once the case is closed. If it doesn't, you call eBay and they will remove it while you are on the phone (you have to be very clear that it's from an unpaid item).