Why on earth are sellers not able to leave negative feedback on buyers who dont pay?

[hippyma]

I have recently returned to selling on eBay after a bit of an absence.  I never had a problem with people not paying;  and now it seems to be a regular occurrence.  There is no consequence to these time wasters.  OK, there is no cost once the seller fees are refunded, but it is the inconvenience and potential missed sale while the seller goes through the process of lodging an unpaid item dispute.  I have had two buyers in the last week saying "they have no recollection of buying" or "i made a mistake when buying" - the second one after they put an offer in which I accepted.  I am really not happy.  

[padi*0409]

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@hippyma wrote:

There is no consequence to these time wasters.

Yes there is, if the seller opens an UID and the buyer doesn't pay they get a strike on their account, more than 2 of those in 12 months and they are banned from bidding or buying from any seller that has their blocks in place.

I am really not happy. 

Sellers haven't been able to leave negs or neutrals for buyer for at least 10 years, they were misused then because buyers would leave a retaliatory neg for the seller. In any case negs for a buyer won't work if a buyer bids on an item in the last few seconds of an auction, or indeed if they go through the BIN process - you would still have to open a UID in both cases.

The UID and strike system works well for sellers so long as they have their BBL set up. 

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[countessalmirena]

@hippyma,

Set up your Buyer Requirements as per this post. The most important of those requirements is:

Spoiler

Buyers with Unpaid Item strikes

☑ Block bidders and buyers who have received   ②  Unpaid Item strike(s) within   ⑫   month(s)  

This requirement can help you avoid bidders and buyers with a history of not paying for the items they have agreed to purchase.

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You may want to read through this thread as well... but it's primarily a sympathy thread rather than a practical one.

When it comes to non-paying bidders, your best approach is to have a policy in place. This post goes into that in some detail and I think it would be well worth your reading it, so that you can avoid the worst annoyances of non-paying bidders.

[shoppingbag*]

I truly sympathize, I used to get non paying bidders. Then I changed to BIN only. No more non paying bidders, just people who want to buy one minute and then change their mind the next. I really cannot fathom this type of erratic behaviour. They don't seem to know what they want from one moment to the next. I get things like "do you offer combined postage?" It's in the listing if they would care to look, but I just say "yes I do" Then I never hear from them again. Can I pay Monday? I answer "that's fine" I never hear from them again. I will come and buy that for sure next week if you still have it. Never heard from that one again. I want to buy four of your items, can you send them in one box? "yes I can" (after I went and paid $5 for it. which I don't charge the buyer for) This one got back "I'm still thinking about it" then never bought. One wanted a heap of stuff and I offered to pay for the signature on delivery, suddenly they were gone, that one is a bit suspicious. I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who attracts these, in my opinion, very strange people. They must have very confusing lives.. I'll go there, no I won't!  I'll wear that, no I won't! I like that, no I don't! ETC. ETC.  They must spend their lives in total confusion. Me, I see something I want I just buy and pay for it, and never have second thoughts.

Your buyer with no recollection of buying, maybe Dementia, very dangerous to have an eBay account.