Blocked a buyer; they created a new account and bought item

[everard6920]

I blocked an international buyer two days ago, as her initial question was about a SNAD return on an $8 notebook.

Now she's created a new ID and purchased the item. I do not want to complete the transaction. Last time this happened, eBay told me I should. What's the point of a blocked list if they're allowed to make a new account and buy the item anyway?

 I found this on the US site:

"You can't use another account to buy or bid on an item if you're on a seller's blocked bidder or buyer list."

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/unwelcome-buying.html

But naturally, our own site's policy fails to mention anything about this:

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/unwelcome-buying.html

Does anyone have any experience with this? She's already sent payment via Paypal . . . if I simply refund her payment, I'll receive a defect.

[thecatspjs]

!. Ring eBay Again.

2. Request to speak to a supervisor.

3. If one is not available ask for a call back.

4. Quote the published policy over the phone = provide the webaddress if needed so they can view the policy 

5. Do not argue. Just be firm and insistent regarding them applying their own policy.

6. Do get into the ins and outs about why you have blocked the buyer.  You have and thats it, and eBay are obligated under their own terms and conditions to honour that you have blocked them.  .

If you email, or deal with the reps that answer the phone in the first instance you will not get any satisfaction IMO.

[thecatspjs]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

6. Do get into the ins and outs about why you have blocked the buyer.  You have and thats it, and eBay are obligated under their own terms and conditions to honour that you have blocked them.  .

If you email, or deal with the reps that answer the phone in the first instance you will not get any satisfaction IMO.

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Sorry meant to say

6. do not get into the ins and outs about why you have blocked the buyer ....

[cq_tech]

The sheer hypocrisy of eBay's disgusting treatmernt of sellers has once again left me utterly speechless. The sellers pay all the fees yet eBay sides with the buyer, in breach of their own policies. I'm beginning to suspect that eBay doesn't even know the meaning of the word "ethics". They're two-faced bloody hypocrites, one and all.

[character_parties_aus]

I'd sooner wear a defect and not post the item as at least you save money that way. My question to EBay then would be if you block the latest ID what happens if they create another one?

[everard6920]

This morning I took the following actions:

1. Refunded the buyer's payment in full.

2. Sent the buyer a (polite!) message explaining that they are not permitted to create another account to circumvent a block, with a link to the policy. I told them to contact eBay if they had any questions about this.

I will receive a defect. If the buyer leaves negative feedback, then I'll go to war to get it removed (I'll also reply to the feedback stating that the buyer's other account was blocked).

So over this. I haven't done anything wrong.

[character_parties_aus]

I think that's the right move.

[clarry100]

This is just so wrong that you are forced by ebay's own lack of policy adherence to beat yourself up over something you never did wrong in the first place.

Surely there has to be some recourse with the ombudsman in cases like this.

[everard6920]

They are just so frustrating to deal with. It's like there's a big sign on the screen in front of them: "when resolving a problem, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BUYER".

All they cared about was that this policy-breaching buyer wasn't going to get their item and that they might be dissatisfied with the site because of that. That is mind-numbingly stupid, because the chances that this buyer spends more on this site than I do monthly (with selling fees, etc) is very, very unlikely.

At least now that I've refunded, they can't give me the "WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS POST THE ITEM" spiel.

Off to work for the day. Have a feeling I'll come home to a negative, but I feel better about that than I do about compromising and going ahead with the transaction.

[cq_tech]

If it makes you feel any better, I had a somewhat similar situation last September where a buyer I'd not had time to block had purchased my lowest-priced item in order to leave negative feedback (and possibly even claim INR, as I use large letters for that item) so before I did anything I contacted ebay, who told me to do the same thing they told you - to send the item or wear a defect.

Needless to say, I ignored eBay's advice and refunded the buyer's money, and of course a couple of hours later I had a big fat red dot and a defect, as well as another defect for cancelling the sale. I took up the matter with eBay and upon providing documentary evidence that this buyer was indeed going to neg me regardless, they removed the negative feedback. However, the defect for cancelling the sale still remains but I wear it with pride, knowing that I would have copped one no matter what i did, but at least it cost me no money.

I understand your frustration and anger, but because of eBay's ridiculously unfair policies, there's nothing you can do to have that defect removed. I genuinely feel your pain, but you can feel satisfied in the knowledge that although you now have a defect, at least you're not financially out of pocket by one red cent when it could have been so much worse.

[digital*ghost]

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@everard6920 wrote:

All they cared about was that this policy-breaching buyer wasn't going to get their item and that they might be dissatisfied with the site because of that. That is mind-numbingly stupid, because the chances that this buyer spends more on this site than I do monthly (with selling fees, etc) is very, very unlikely.

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The irony is... eBay is responsible for creating the reason you blocked the buyer in the first place.

I hope your buyer knows how to do the right thing (at least some of the time), but if not, then  I hope you get someone at eBay who can understand sense, and is prepared to uphold the site's policies without causing too much frustration (these days, t'is truly the best we can hope for in some cases, sadly).