But even if you see the strikes a buyer can just click BIN or bid in the last seconds of an auction.
Doesn't prevent anything.
Setting your blocks stops serial non payers, not feedback.
Have you set blocks on your account ?
Hello, ,
That might seem like a clever way to get around eBay's restrictions with regard to leaving negative feedback for a buyer, but unfortunately it really makes you vulnerable to action by eBay. All it takes is one buyer complaining to eBay, and an eBay rep is likely to manually check the feedback in question.
(In fact, all it takes is one eBay member seeing your post and deciding to report you to eBay. I am not the sort of person who looks for sellers cocking a snoot at eBay policities, but these are public forums, and it's no secret that many eBayers read the forums without necessarily posting on them. It's reasonable to assume that some of these people may report eBay members on the basis of what they see posted.)
I truly understand your frustration about being unable to give negative feedback to bad buyers. The idea has several times been mooted by several different people that an automatic visible strike should be given to non-paying bidders. (I'm not against the idea.)
But given that you are an eBay seller, and that part of your livelihood involves surviving in eBay's landscape, the very last thing you ought to want to do is get into eBay's sights... true? That means that it's best for you to somehow work with eBay's policies rather than thumbing your nose at them, tempting though it may be.
In Leaving feedback for buyers, eBay instruct sellers how to leave feedback, by referring specifically and solely to "positive feedback". This help page is part of "Seller Performance", so it's worth taking note. If a seller's seller performance is detrimentally affected, that puts your business at risk.
In Feedback Policies, it's clearly stated under Feedback manipulation policy that "Members can't exchange Feedback solely for the purpose of increasing Feedback scores, gaining eBay privileges, or enhancing their reputation on our site. Neither can they influence another member's Feedback through a series of repeat purchases, or by leaving negative comments with a positive rating." (Bolding is mine.)
In Member-to-member contact policy, under Feedback comments containing inappropriate content, eBay states that "Negative Feedback comments left by a seller that directly contradict a positive rating" is among the sort of feedback that may be removed. (Note that where eBay says "may" in this context, the literal meaning is more accurately "will be if we become aware of it".)
Of course, it's not the end of the world if the feedback is removed... but that's not the end of it. On the same page is the following:
"Make sure you follow these guidelines. If you don't, you may be subject to a range of actions, including your messages being blocked, limits of your buying and selling privileges and suspension of your account."
Is the satisfaction of giving a non-paying bidder an under-the-table negative comment worth the risk of your selling privileges being limited and your account being suspended?
Besides, your "warnings" are of no practical use whatsoever to other sellers, given that eBay usernames are hidden (masked username ID) to anyone other than the buyer and the seller in that particular transaction. For example, on your first page of feedback that you've given, anyone other than you (and the buyer concerned) would see this:
โ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธBEWARE NO PAYMENT, NO COMMUNICATION, TIME WASTERโ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธ Buyer:n***s
During past month 3x 2018 HOT WHEELS โ16 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R RED SPEED GRAPHICS 2/10 JDM BISIMOTO (#192483142146) -- View Item
n***s's identity is hidden; other sellers cannot add this person to a blocked bidder list because the identity of that eBay member is unknown. Thus, your positive with a negative comment is really only for your own satisfaction...
As infuriating as it is to have your time wasted by non-paying bidders, I would urge you to avoid putting your own account at risk. Think of it this way... If you go through the steps of reporting an unpaid item (aka opening a case), your non-paying bidder receives the strike and will find himself less likely to be able to buy on eBay. (I hope your buyer requirements are set at the highest level, to protect you from buyers who have 2 or more strikes against them. Some of the tightest protective settings you can have are:
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.
Buyers with policy violation reports
Block buyers who have 4 Policy violation report(s) within 6 month(s)
This requirement can help you block buyers who have been reported to have violated eBay policies.
Buyers who haven't gone through phone verification
Block buyers who haven't gone through phone verification.
It's not the same visceral sense of satisfaction as you'd get from hurling a few nice round red negatives at the non-paying bidder (so like the shape and colour of rotten tomatoes), but it won't leave you vulnerable as a seller and it will probably help you to be less affected by non-paying bidders. To put it as simply as possible - there will always be people who bid and don't pay. Don't give them any more real estate in your thoughts than the bare minimum...
