Lesson learned the hard way: a buyer can accept an offer but not pay!

[curatedclosetclearout]

I have stopped auctioning items due to having some buyers not pay for four days, or not pay at all. Similarly, I don’t have ‘allow offers’. I just do buy it now listings. But today I learned the hard way that when eBay prompts you to send offers to interested buyers, it’s possible for a buyer to accept but not pay. Exactly like an auction. So now I have to wait a minimum four days before I can cancel due to non payment and relist the item. So I will never be making offers again either. Have you ever had a buyer accept an offer (when eBay prompts you to make offers to interested buyers), and then not pay? How can a buy it now item be sold if they haven’t paid?

[padi*0409]

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@brickworksmarket wrote:

Why ?

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Perhaps to preserve any credibility you may have.........................

You seem to post a lot on things you have very little idea about.

[brickworksmarket]

I just checked the latest seller update but it was the US version and they are making buyers go through checkout to secure the offer otherwise the item remains for sale. Maybe next quarters seller update for Australia may include it. 

[brickworksmarket]

Why would I care what credibility I have when if you go through who has the most kudos it is the same posters giving each them to each other. 

[repentatleisure1952]

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@brickworksmarket wrote:

Why would I care what credibility I have when if you go through who has the most kudos it is the same posters giving each them to each other. 

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You spend time doing this?

Btw... padi is correct.

[padi*0409]

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt?"

Attributed to Abraham Lincoln.

[springyzone · Accepted solution]

It's a complete mystery to me why any buyer would accept an offer if they don't actually want the item.

But then, there are none so queer as folk, I guess, and you get all sorts using ebay.

Whether that should stop you from ever making offers, I don't know. I hope not. Perhaps continue to have your Buy it now listings, but if you do get the occasional prompt to send offers, give it another go. Not all of us are non payers & if someone is watching your item, then an offer might be just the thing to prompt them to buy.

It worked on me this week, anyway. Not that I accepted the offer but I made an offer on an identical item with another seller & I probably would not have done that except the original offer made me think-yes, I was going to buy one of those. It had been in my watch list for a while. But I quite often do buy from offers, they are always a little bit exciting to get. (I live a dull life.😁)

[curatedclosetclearout · Accepted solution]

Thanks, appreciate everyone’s understanding. In summary, I think the solution is:

1. When I see a prompt from eBay suggesting I make offer to interested buyers, be aware that it’s possible for a buyer to accept an offer but not pay for it.  The item may be off the market for minimum four days.

2. Many sellers find that most buyers do pay, and offers can help drive up sales on eBay overall as well as your own items 

[sugar249]

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@curatedclosetclearout wrote:

Thanks, appreciate everyone’s understanding. In summary, I think the solution is:

2. Many sellers find that most buyers do pay, and offers can help drive up sales on eBay overall as well as your own items 

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Definitely use the offer option,  I tend to send them every couple of weeks, this thread reminded me to send some off (14 in total 23 interested buyers), did it last night before going to sleep land.   Already today I have had 2 additional sales on these offers.  Thats money in my pocket.

[domino-710]

Just also be aware - if the item is just BIN - the buyer may or may not pay - unless of course - immediate payment is ticked.

Not limited to offers.

[padi*0409]

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@brickworksmarket wrote:

Why would I care what credibility I have when if you go through who has the most kudos it is the same posters giving each them to each other. 

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I would hasard a guess that those members gave an actual solution to a members problem rather than a guess at something they knew very little about.