topic Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders? in Selling

Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

whatagoodprice — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 03:36:32 GMT

I like many sellers are annoyed with the constant array of non-paying buyers.

Although eBay does compensate final value fees (by using the unpaid item dispute process) listing fees for fixed listings are not refunded.

All buyers receive is a strike which is nothing compared to the consequences handed out for those who participate in shill bidding - no restriction on buying/selling on eBay no tutorial which buyers must complete so they understand that non-payment is unacceptable.

Perhaps if eBay fined non-paying buyers between $2-$5 every time they refused to pay it would stamp out this practice of non-payment. This would also save eBay effort and the money raised could be donated (at eBay's discretion) to benefit local charities.

I look forward to other buyer's opinions on this issue...

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

trulyspecialgoodies — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 03:53:34 GMT

And how would you suggest that eBay enforce this?

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

kopenhagen5 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 04:24:37 GMT

IMO very difficult to enforce as mentioned.

The strikes work well, I would rather see automatic strikes issued for non payment and not cancelled transactions. 3 strikes and your out for 3 months. Something to that effect.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

foxette-in-sox — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 04:51:22 GMT

If they won't pay for their item then how do you think ebay is going to get them to pay a fine or whatever?

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

***super_nova*** — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 05:04:53 GMT

I guess they could hunt them down, slam them against the wall and take the $. Or, as have been suggested previously, before anybody was allowed to bid they would have to pay bond. However, if I was told that I am not allowed to bid unless I pay something up-front, I would have never started to buy on eBay.

Actually, I think the way it is works pretty well; it is up to each seller to decide if they allow non-payers to buy from them, and how many strikes they think is OK. It would work even better if all sellers would go through the disputes, and had some blocks in place.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

davewil1964 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:57:22 GMT

This was all gone through a couple of months ago. I'm not wasting my time dragging it up - go look for it. The above posters have covered the salient points.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

shepherdsrule — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:55:22 GMT

Never work, but I do think the strikes received by NPB's should be visible the way feedback is for sellers.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

digital*ghost — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:58:11 GMT

I guess they could hunt them down, slam them against the wall and take the $.

eBay Hires Goons To Steal Your Lunch Money - be careful, they're licensed to wedgie. :^O

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:04:38 GMT

...... before anybody was allowed to bid they would have to pay bond. However, if I was told that I am not allowed to bid unless I pay something up-front, I would have never started to buy on eBay.

Oh yes you would, so would anyone who really wanted the item (a can presume they all really want something they are bidding on, not doing it just because they can - for free, to amuse themselves, to pass the time, for something to do.

I shop on the auction site where all memebers have to pay deposit, otherwise you can't start bidding. I guess that company is smart - it just doesn't want time wasters and cheapskates.

If you don't win you are refunded everything but the $10.

There is also an amazing US seller, on Ebay, they couldn't care less about the negs, they operate just like any store, profits are the first priority. They sell totally faaaaaabulous gear, one could just about have EVERYTHING on their site! And they are very busy and very succsessful.

As much as they can't charge up front (being on Ebay), they deduct 20-30% of everyone's refund if they are wasting their time. That fee also takes care of those who buy something for the weekend and then they want the refund on Monday.

There are also B& M stores in US with a doorman at the door, if they know you you can go in and if they deem you are a bit iffy you need to give the imprint of your credit card , just like hotels do at check in, and the fee is $100US for browsing, shopping comes on top with $100 deducted from the final total.

And I have never heard of establishments like the above ever going broke or closing down because no one want's to shop there and doesn't agree to their conditions.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

digital*ghost — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:16:31 GMT

Elitism stops plenty of people shopping at certain establishments, obviously (re: doormans who think you're a bit "iffy" looking etc). That's fine for individual business to make those kinds of decisions, but every decision eBay makes, it does so on behalf of many sellers, and I'm guessing if one B&M store knocks someone back because they look iffy, they're doing nearby shops a favour - not quite the same in eBay's case. If eBay turns someone away, they're turning them away from hundreds of thousands of sellers, not just the one who thinks they look iffy.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:29:57 GMT

digital, Ebay can't see the customers, and no one is saying they have to turn customers away.

I was just merely pointing out that places like that do exist, online ones can't see if one looks "iffy" (just a figure of speech), they just want to ensure I guess that they get the returns on their investments sooner rather than later, waiting for non paying bidders to pay, and wasting time with too may relistings.

Nothing elitist about them, anyone who pays can bid.

Cheers,

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

patchoo78 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:33:12 GMT

I must look pretty iffy looking.. I went into a cupcake supplies shop once and after I said I was only looking, the assistant had her eye on me the whole time I was in the shop... They can get knotted, I wouldn't have paid $20 for a cupcake pan anyway! :^O

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

thecatspjs — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:42:59 GMT

Never work, but I do think the strikes received by NPB's should be visible the way feedback is for sellers.

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Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

zanadoo_56 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:46:34 GMT

Same here patchoo. I went looking for ceramic tiles to redo my bathroom Saw some I liked in one shop. The saleswoman looked me up and down and announced, "These tiles are VERY expensive." Grrrrr.

So I didn't have the income of a rock star....but then again I only had a very small bathroom so the tiles were totally affordable. 🙂

I didn't buy them though. Snooty staff should get a store's own reward - No Sale!

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

digital*ghost — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:59:52 GMT

digital, Ebay can't see the customers, and no one is saying they have to turn customers away.

I was just merely pointing out that places like that do exist, online ones can't see if one looks "iffy" (just a figure of speech), they just want to ensure I guess that they get the returns on their investments sooner rather than later, waiting for non paying bidders to pay, and wasting time with too may relistings.

Nothing elitist about them, anyone who pays can bid.

Cheers,

All I was trying to say, or rather the primary point I was trying to make, is that asking people to pay a deposit to shop on a site like eBay would stop people from shopping here, especially because it's less and less becoming the kind of site where you can find that one unique thing or bargain, and it rarely is the place that provides a unique, boutique experience.

There's only two ways an idea like this could be implemented - charge members a deposit before being able to bid on or buy items (but then there's the issue of how much, when - if ever - does it get refunded should the buyer never default etc). Though there might be a lot of things here people see and 'have to have', more often than not these days there's nothing special about getting if from eBay over anywhere else, and people will go elsewhere if there's unnecessary obstacles.

The other, possibly more workable way, would be to fine NPBs and prevent them from purchase unless and until it's paid, at least that only puts obstacles in the way of people who don't pay for items they purchase (not that I would support the idea).

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

patchoo78 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:09:27 GMT

Same here patchoo. I went looking for ceramic tiles to redo my bathroom Saw some I liked in one shop. The saleswoman looked me up and down and announced, "These tiles are VERY expensive."

Aww they did a "Pretty Woman" on you... A fav quote from Absolutely Fabulous comes to mind when that happens: "You can drop the attitude, you only work in a shop you know" :^O

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

jameshouseofstyle — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:44:31 GMT

Arrogance and presumptions on the part of shop people is a different subject altogether, a very real problem all the same, awfully off putting.

But I think the OP wanted to know if there was a way of implementing some sort of payment for non paying bidders.

That is a very real problem on Ebay and it does cost sellers time and money - and no matter how many they block from buying - there are always heaps of new ones.

It is not the same as people browsing in the real stores and not buying. They have a different problem there - shoplifting.

Just yesterday I saw a buyer with almost a whole front page of f/backs saying the same thing:

bids but doesn't pay

We have in our settings that no one with 2 or more strikes can't even bid - this person was obviously able to bid, not only that, she won the auction, so I can only imagine that all those sellers never bothered to open the case - and that doesn't help either.

It definitelly creates the illusion that on Ebay that is OK, bid to your heart's content and if you don't pay - big deal!

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

2106greencat — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:02:06 GMT

Only if the sellers do not do the right thing. The system works, but the seller has to learn to work with the system

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

davewil1964 — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:20:35 GMT

Last time I went car-hunting I didn't see anything but the backs of running 'sales' people in 8 lots. And I was well-dressed - laddered t-shirt, lumber jacket, green happy pants with gold stars, ugg boots and a beanie. 😉

The bloke at lot 9 was happy, especially when I paid cash (bank cheque) for the Brockie. I always wear my rattiest clothes when I buy expensive stuff - I want to talk to salespeople, not order takers or snobs, especially when (then, at least) I probably earn more than them.

Re: Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

phorum_junkie* — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:30:08 GMT

A non paying bidder costs next to nothing except possibly a listing fee and a few seconds of time. If you have all your blocks in place it is not something that happens to you very often.

What about the cases where somebody comes here after buying something and we all say DON'T PAY, it's a fake or the seller is a scammer or whatever, why should they have to pay a fine?

Aside from anything else just how do you think ebay are going to fund the whole thing, it would need a well staffed department, extra customer support people and an awful lot of programming to implement. I for one would rather pay the occasional 20c or 50c re listing fee for the very few non payers than see a huge overall rise in fees across the board to implement an idea the would be so counter productive and probably see many buyers heading for the hills.