Buyer initiated transaction outside eBay

[huatao1975]

Good evening everyone. I had a strange case recently when a buyer used eBay like gumtree and eBay are not happy about it.

I "sold" a camera for $700 (listed as $749.95 + postage). A buyer insisted on paying by cash and pick up for $700. I agreed and sent him an offer of $700, so he can accept the offer, then when he pays up on pick up, I can then mark the item as "payment received" and "sent". So the item can be counted as "sold". But what actually happened next was kind of strange.

Buyer did not accept the offer.  But he sent a separate email saying in the email that he would accept the offer.  I asked him to click on accapt offer button, he said he can't (eBay glitch). Then he said he was going to come over after work.

I didn't want the item to be bought by someone else, so I unlisted the item.

Buyer came, with only $450 cash. He tried to bargain, and get the camera for $450, I said no. Then he tried to get further discounts, I said no and said we agreed on $700. He then pulled out his phone and tried to send over the remaining $250 via mobile phone  bank transfer. A friend of mine got her camera stolen right in front of her by a scammer using a fake "bank app", I thought I was going to lose this $250 but still let buyer go with my camera (I kept his $450 cash).  10 minytes later after he left, the transfer actually reached my bank account so transaction was successful.

Today I got an email from eBay, titled as "Warning - Offers to sell outside of eBay". So basically eBay caught this transaction outside eBay, and warning me not to do it again.

My Question: How would you handle situations like this and how would I avoid it (transaction outside eBay) next time. Are mobile phone based bank transfer during pick up safe (I know my friend said it's not safe but I would like to hear how other people think) ? Thank you.

[padi*0409]

Be VERY VERY careful with a promised internet bank deposit in the future, hopefully they didn't do it by credit card and will now try a chargeback for it. Always accept cash (preferably) or Paypal only for pick-ups.

Regarding the warning from eBay, take that very seriously, if they should suspect another off-eBay sale they will restrict or possibly close your account. They are becoming increasingly paranoid abour possible off-site transactions. 

[huatao1975]

Thank you for the reply. I would like to manually link the item to this "buyer" and mark the item as paid and sold. But as said buyer didn't authorise, is it something I can do by myself ? I can contact eBay and ask them to create a cash transaction for me. Is it possible ?

[padi*0409]

I don't think you can because you said you'd ended the listing, so there's no option to mark it as paid for or picked up.

You could try phoning eBay, but it might be better to let sleeping dogs lie as you've already had a warning for an off-site transaction.

[countessalmirena · Accepted solution]

That whole scenario certainly put you in a vulnerable position!

You tried to ensure that this followed eBay's procedure, but from what you've said, the buyer just wasn't having it. You can't force a buyer to co-operate, and I must admit this is a difficult situation. Of course you want to close the sale... I think what I'd have done was point the buyer to the Buy Now button when he arrived (to get him to click onto that button from his phone or tablet), explaining that unless the sale is done on eBay, your account will be red-flagged by eBay with a warning and possible suspension. It's hard to imagine that a buyer would refuse to complete the sale on eBay given an explanation of that sort.

Well done on standing your ground with the price! Some buyers are certainly chancers...

Well, had I been in your position, and not managed to get the buyer to complete the purchase steps on eBay, I would probably have contacted eBay on the spot (using the Have us call you option), explained that the buyer, for whatever reason, had been antsy about completing the purchase steps on eBay, and I wanted to report that the goods had now changed hands and been paid for in person, so that eBay could mark the listing as sold and invoice you as appropriate.

I wouldn't have given the buyer the address prior to the purchase being made on eBay. That would have eliminated the problem of the buyer coming over and putting you on the spot.

(Giving the address is already a violation under eBay's straitjacket memeber-to-member contact policy.)

You might want to read through this thread and this thread (especially the post to which I've linked directly), as they contain valuable information about how to handle pick-up sales as a seller, and how to avoid a policy violation for contacting an eBay member.

[padi*0409]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

. I think what I'd have done was point the buyer to the Buy Now button when he arrived (to get him to click onto that button from his phone or tablet), explaining that unless the sale is done on eBay, your account will be red-flagged by eBay with a warning and possible suspension.

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The OP couldn't do that countess because they'd already ended the listing.

[huatao1975]

Thank you for your excellent answer.

Of course, no address unless sold-on-ebay will eliminate such tricky situations. And I would probably add cash means banknotes, not some banking app transfer from a phone.

Lesson learned (again).

[huatao1975]

I eneded the listing because buyer was not able to accept offers. I think that was a mistake from my end. I should've said no to the "buyer":  "Accept the offer or else no sale." I doubt he really had technical difficulties,  I think it's more likely that he wanted more discount later and he didn't want to "officially" lock himself in a fixed price. I went soft on him and got the troubles as consequences.

[tazzieterror]

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@huatao1975 wrote:

I eneded the listing because buyer was not able to accept offers. I think that was a mistake from my end. I should've said no to the "buyer":  "Accept the offer or else no sale." I doubt he really had technical difficulties,  I think it's more likely that he wanted more discount later and he didn't want to "officially" lock himself in a fixed price. I went soft on him and got the troubles as consequences.

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You're exactly right here - they've invented the technical "difficulty" to allow room for bargaining later on.  If a similar situation were to present itself, reduce the listing's BIN price to $700 (+ postage if applicable) which makes the item available to *anyone* for the same price you're offering the individual.  Puts some pressure back on the potential buyer to follow through with the purchase or risk missing out to someone else.

[springyzone]

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@huatao1975 wrote:

I eneded the listing because buyer was not able to accept offers. I think that was a mistake from my end. I should've said no to the "buyer":  "Accept the offer or else no sale." I doubt he really had technical difficulties,  I think it's more likely that he wanted more discount later and he didn't want to "officially" lock himself in a fixed price. I went soft on him and got the troubles as consequences.

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I think you've answered your own question.

You're 100% right. The minute someone on ebay starts trying to push you to concessions that aren't within the normal procedures is the very minute you should see a red flag.

I've been there (in reverse) as a customer, with a seller whose paypal was 'playing up'. So I know how you feel. We tend to try to take people at face value and help them out but that can be when things go pear shaped. For me, it meant the seller got to keep my bank deposit money and I never received my items. For you, it means that your whole ebay account has been put at risk. 

So if there is any next time, it is a valuable lesson to stand firm.

As you have discovered, these people usually have their own agenda.And it's not to help you. Not at all. It's about more money in their pocket.

I would say he didn't hit the buy it now button as he was leaving his options open to walk away if you wouldn't come down in price and you had nothing on him to issue a non payment strike if he did that. Because you had no official sale, he thought you might be more vulnerable & worried about missing out.

These people are often trouble, not worth the effort. Next time, just say no & if their paypal is broken, then they can buy when it gets fixed.