Cancelled Purchases Because Of Death In The Family

[arb_games]

I have just received my 3rd request in the past 2 weeks to cancel a sale due to the death of a close family relative.

I am not a heartless person, but I am also not stupid.  I know that this reason for cancelling a sale is being experienced by more and more sellers.

So what do I do?

Do I presume that all the buyers are telling the truth, or do I presume that more and more buyers are using this reason to get out of a sale.

[superscanner4]

I was given that excuse too by a buyer who became deregistered shortly after.

[junkyardmomma60]

arb_games, you may well be receiving fake sob stories BUT from one who had a healthy 19 year daughter collapse and sent to a hospital 40mins away and then transferred 31/2 hours the opposite way....

We spent a week with her to no avail.

I can tell you the last thing on my mind in those 8 days were not my selleing here & yonder or my buying either.

However I would not begrudge a seller or buyer for lodging a dispute against me.

Unfortunately there really are deaths everyday and I hope Karma is not watching those who cry wolf.

........momma

[kopenhagen5]

WOW momma, I hear ya, don't know if I could ever feel your pain.

arb, I think post no 4 hit the nail on the head. If there is any nonsense, let it stay on their side of the fence.

[beach_and_home]

If they have time to send you a message then they have time to pay.

[*sparklz*]

Look at the purchase history and check to see if they have left feedback during the time of there bereavement.

It is amazing how many still buy, pay and leave feedback after death but do not want to pay others.

What b&h said I agree.

It would take less time to pay then to send a message.

[phorum_junkie*]

I believe this buyer, as they are a long term buyer and have great feedback.  Besides, my instinct told me something was wrong - only wish I had listened to my instinct!!!!

I'm hoping somehow I can sort it out with eBay tomorrow, as I don't what this buyer to have suffer any more hassles..

It is very easily sorted out if they are genuine, just thank them for getting in touch and tell them if they make a payment within the next couple of days you will post their item off and ask ebay to remove the strike.

Issuing a strike and getting your fees back is just a normal ebay process, it is not a personal attack on the non payer, it is just the way the business works. If you can't be unemotional about a purely business decision then you probably shouldn't sell on ebay.

I have no trouble at all opening disputes and closing them again, I am also very happy to get them cancelled again if the buyer pays up while the item is still available.

[zanadoo_56]

I've had this excuse given to me by sellers too - why my purchase hasn't been posted, is the wrong one, forgot to include something, item damaged etc.

At one point the reasons were so similar that I wondered if selling on eBay included a drop down box of excuses and sellers could just tick one.  Please tell me it isn't so!!! 😮

[looking!]

Ha, ha. I have had some beaut excuses over the years.

The best one was from a guy in Qld who said he had been abducted by aliens and had only recently been released!

He never di end up paying.

[kayedonproducts]

I believe this buyer, as they are a long term buyer and have great feedback.  Besides, my instinct told me something was wrong - only wish I had listened to my instinct!!!!

I'm hoping somehow I can sort it out with eBay tomorrow, as I don't what this buyer to have suffer any more hassles..

It is very easily sorted out if they are genuine, just thank them for getting in touch and tell them if they make a payment within the next couple of days you will post their item off and ask ebay to remove the strike.

Issuing a strike and getting your fees back is just a normal ebay process, it is not a personal attack on the non payer, it is just the way the business works. If you can't be unemotional about a purely business decision then you probably shouldn't sell on ebay.

I have no trouble at all opening disputes and closing them again, I am also very happy to get them cancelled again if the buyer pays up while the item is still available.

phorum, I have emailed buyer and advise them to pay if item still required and strike can be sorted out.

Have to admit I take offence at your comment about the fact if I "cant be unemotional".  Everybody is different in their reactions to situations, and I did feel for this person.  I don't think feeling emotional at times means I shouldn't be selling on eBay - maybe by having some compassion, makes a buyer realise I care.  It is not my personality to come across as as a hard nosed business person, as I'm not.  I also think at my age, I have had enough life experiences to know most of the time if a person is not being honest, and trying to put one over me..

[phorum_junkie*]

It is precicely because I am now in my sixties with a LOT of life experience that I realise that emotion has no place in an ebay transaction. I can feel sympathy on a personal level but I will not let that alter the way I conduct what is purely a business transaction.

If I had believed and taken to heart every excuse including murder, rape, death, disease, hospitalisation, car wrecks etc etc etc that I have heard in over a decade of ebay selling then I would now be an emotional mess and my selling account would be down the toilet.

Unfortunately a lot of buyers blatently lie about why they have not paid and every time they get away without a non payment strike because they have played on the seller's emotions they are free to go on and do it again.

If a buyer is genuine then all they have to do is make the payment after the srtrike has been issued and it can be removed, no emotion involved just good business practice.