topic Re: Protocol Question in Selling

Protocol Question

kizbear — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:08:28 GMT

I had an item listed. A ebayer bought a couple of itmes from me (instant payment and free postage) and requested a third item at a cheaper price as all the items would be posted together. I changed to listing to "For...ebayers name....

Another ebayer has come along and bought the item with instant payment.

Is it unreasonable to request the buyer cancel the transaction?

Do I have the right to cancel the transaction and refund the money as it quite clearly states that it was for a specific ebayer?

Advice appreciated.

Re: Protocol Question

elusiveeditions — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:25:41 GMT

I don't think you're supposed to do that... ie, list an item for a specific buyer.

Well, actually you can- I've done it before in similar circumstances- but I did it with the buyer on the phone and online at the same time. As soon as the listing was up, they clicked and paid.

If someone else comes along and pays for it in the meanwhile.... well, that's the risk you take. I wouldn't try to explain to the new/actual buyer that "You weren't meant to buy that b/c it wasn't meant for you'. It's not really their fault.

Interested in what others will say here, but I'd admit here that I took a risk that backfired somewhat. Since the new buyer has paid, sell it to them and apologise to the buyer you set up the listing for.

It's not your fault that another buyer came along, but then again you took a punt doing this in the first place.

Good luck 🙂

Re: Protocol Question

harley_babes_hoard — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:29:36 GMT

yes you are totally allowed to list items for specific people.

Yes you are within your rights to ask the other buyer to request cancellation as it was a private listing. Just be careful cancelling if you initiate it because if you select the wrong option you can end up with a defect on your account. select buyer made a mistake, then refund the money.

Re: Protocol Question

kane1417 — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:38:02 GMT

My understanding is, (and what I would have done in your situation) the 2nd buyer who bought the item with instant payment is the rightful purchaser of the item and you should proceed with the sale to them.Even though your first buyer had an interest in his (3rd item) ,it appears he did not purchase it buy it now, instead of buying, he elected to negotiate a price.If the lisitng is active, that is what it is, It is active and available for first come,first served.Your first buyer should have bought the item, and then asked you to alter the invoice for cheaper cost etc, after hitting the buy it now button, and not before.If you offer your first buyer this explanation I am sure they would agree, technically they had not purchased it, they only had the intent to purchase.

Over the years I have had similar requests, some buyers follow through with their intention to purchase, and others do not (they get me to organise multiple items in the one box, then disappear, without ever communicating again.Who ever gives you the money 1st, gets the item.

Other ebayers may see this situation differently,maybe wait for another few replys to come through, then you can make a better informed decision on what you want to do.Remember the first buyer (3 items man) can't leave feedback becuase they did not purchase it, however, 2nd buyer (who paid the $$) can leave feedback, be it negative or positive.

Regards.

Re: Protocol Question

harley_babes_hoard — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:41:57 GMT

Kane, not if the buyers name was in the title of the listing. (which it was)

In future to stop the same happening again, say the item is worth $30.00 make a listing with the persons name in the title but make the listing a buy now with increased price eg $300.00 with the best offer option, then tell the buyer to offer the correct amount and you accept it. That way you are less likely for some unwanted buyer to purchase it.

Re: Protocol Question

digital*ghost — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:49:14 GMT

Technically, the second buyer who bought the item hasn't met the terms of sale, since the listing was clearly stated as being for another member.

"Buyers who do not meet the seller’s terms as outlined in the item listing are not permitted to bid on or buy the item."

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/know-buyer-policies.html

Whether or not eBay would see it that way and support you where needed if they refused a cancellation and so forth is a bit of a different matter - they are notorious for supporting buyers who breach eBay policy by bidding on or buying items when they shouldn't.

The best thing to do to start with is contact the second buyer and explain that the listing was for a specific member and listed at a negotiated price due to prior purchases and hope that they are reasonable enough to agree to a cancellation.

Edit: For future reference, one tactic to avoid this possibility is to list the item at a ridiculously high BIN amount with the best offer feature enabled, then instruct the buyer to offer the negotiated amount. It's unikely someone will come along and BIN a $10 item if it's listed for $500, and you will then be in full control over the offers you accept.

Second edit: ....or, what harley said.

Re: Protocol Question

harley_babes_hoard — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:49:59 GMT

get outta my head Digi

Re: Protocol Question

digital*ghost — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:53:59 GMT

@harley_babes_hoard wrote:
get outta my head Digi

....but mine is a scary and confusing place sometimes , I like to take my leave of it every so often and go visiting.

Re: Protocol Question

sueken4812 — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:07:58 GMT

In the past I have got it around it by listing the item with exorbitant postage .... say $50.00. Then when the correct person buys it, tell them to wait for invoice, and you can remove the postage for them.

In this case I would be contact the 'buyer' and telling them it was a private listing for the person named in the title.

Thank them for their understanding, if they get narky offer them a discount on another item.

Re: Protocol Question

elusiveeditions — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:20:56 GMT

Well, turns out I was entirely wrong OP- please ignore me and listen to the sellers with bigger numbers next to their names 🙂

It doesn't seem very sporting to list an item with "For XXX only- Nobody Else!"... it's probably the closest you can get to trading outside of ebay w/out trading outside of ebay, but if it works then great.

True, the 2nd buyer didn't read the listing properly, but I wonder how you'll get away without exasperating them/copping a defect.

Very interesting!

Re: Protocol Question

digital*ghost — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:29:25 GMT

@elusiveeditions wrote:

It doesn't seem very sporting to list an item with "For XXX only- Nobody Else!"... it's probably the closest you can get to trading outside of ebay w/out trading outside of ebay, but if it works then great.

eBay used to have a facility whereby a seller could create a private listing, viewable only to the member it was for, unfortunately they stopped allowing it because people were abusing it in some way to manipulate feedback scores (or so I have read in the past, the function was a little bit before my time).

This sort of thing could also be avoided if eBay would introduce, and/or expand, the options for discounting item prices, either before or after an item has sold, but for now, sellers have to work with the (lack of) tools they get, and truth be told, negotiated - exclusive - prices for package deals, repeat custom, etc, is a regular occurrence in most fields of selling, professional or casual.

Re: Protocol Question

treasuress.4207 — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 09:05:57 GMT

It's a sticky one. IMHO it comes down to a matter of ethics. Good luck sorting it tho.

Re: Protocol Question

kizbear — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 11:37:32 GMT

Thank you all for your suggestions, advice and support.

I cancelled the transaction after notifying the buyer that I would, and the money was refunded. I explained that it was listed for another buyer and I had put "for........." specfically for that buyer.

I also offered a discount on another simiular item to make up for her dissapointment.

She replied with a lot of abuse and that she was going to tell the whole of facebook how unethical I am.

I replied that I didn't know why she would buy something that was listed for another ebayer, but I understood her disappointment and offered my sincere apollogies.

Another message of abuse, more about being unethical and I she say's she has reported me to ebay. I'm sure they will enjoy her messages to me.

I have seen items put up for specific buyers, understand that some negotiation has gone on and think, this is for someone in particular, nothing to see here and I move on.

It''s just common sense and Ebay still get their fee's

I personally think I would have been unethical by not honoring my first buyer. I see it as going into a shop and putting something aside, then the shop sell's it to someone else before I come back with the money before the agreed timeframe

Someone was going to be upset, I have just tried to do the right thing.

As this buyer is so upset with my customer service I have made sure she doesn't make the same mistake of buying from me again by blocking her.

As she said I have lost a valuable customer and this is indeed sad, as none of us can affort to loose an instant paying buyer. I can do without abusive bullying buyers though.

Life' too short.

If faced with the same situation, I would tell the first buyer "if" they buy the item I will give them a discount vial a paypal refund, but only if they got in first to buy the item.

Thank to you all once again.

Re: Protocol Question

clarry100 — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 20:02:35 GMT

If we get a situation like this we send an invoice directly to their PayPal account since we already have their PayPal email address from the prior transaction. I know it's considered an off eBay transaction but it just saves all the hassles talked about above.

Re: Protocol Question

harley_babes_hoard — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 20:43:14 GMT

I would be keeping that hush hush clarry

Re: Protocol Question

phorum_junkie* — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 22:20:08 GMT

If you do want to list for a specific buyer I would give it a one word title and put a question mark as the description after telling the chosen buyer what I was doing, if somebody else then went in and purchased you could send them a printed page with a ? and they couldn't complain it was not as described.

Re: Protocol Question

joxamara — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:29:01 GMT

"If faced with the same situation, I would tell the first buyer "if" they buy the item I will give them a discount vial a paypal refund, but only if they got in first to buy the item."

Just tell the buyer to purchase, but wait for an invoice before paying - you can adjust the price in the invoice before they finalise. I do it all the time. just remember to NEVER use the re-calculate button before you send cause it isn't re-calculate, it's "rest to original price/postage"

Re: Protocol Question

kizbear — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:34:53 GMT

I have been trying different things to see if it makes a difference to sales.

At present I am trying buy it now with instant pay, so they don't have an option of waiting for an invoice, otherwise I would have done that. Thank you for the suggestion all the same.

For the record, purchases have picked up. Don't know if it's because of the buy now, pay now or because things are just picking up a little anyway.