Dishonest buyer gets caught out...

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

So, I sold an item - woo-hoo! It happens, occasionally. Mind you, it took a lot more effort than you'd expect for a simple $25 item - numerous messages from the prospective buyer via both our Ebay store and our bricks-and-mortar business. But, the sale was made on May 11th, item sent to his nominated PO box, and all's right with the world, you'd think.

But, nup... Buyer contacts me on May 31st, saying he hadn't received the item. I provided the tracking number, showing that the item had been delivered on May 19th.

He messaged me again on June 6, asking where the item was. I again provided the tracking number and told him it was showing as delivered, and requested that he go to the post office and make enquiries with them.

He messaged me on June 8th, now asking for details of how it was packaged, which I provided, and again requested that he go to the post office.

He messaged me AGAIN today, now asking for details of what was written on the address label, which I told him. He also wanted to know whether our seller ID was on the label, which seems irrelevant - he either got the item or he didn't...

By now smelling a rat the size of a small family SUV, I just rang the post office in question - and they cheerfully confirmed that the item was picked up AND SIGNED FOR by him on May 19th! 

I've messaged him, giving him the bad news, and am awaiting his sub-literate, all-caps response even as we speak..., err, type.

I've also clued Ebay into the matter - stay tuned for the next thrilling chapter!

[south.coffee]

I cancelled an order yesterday using "problem with buyers address". They messaged me shortly after buying with their 'new' address. Despite good feedback history, nothing in last 12 months...

They never re-ordered. Account hack ?

[pnc75]

I have one at the moment that I'm VERY suspicious of. And her feedabck history is woeful.

Have you ever had any problems from ebay for using that reason?

[jellybirddesigns]

@pnc - I've never had an issue.

After cancelling the sale with the "address" reason, I usually add them to my BBL at the same time.

[pnc75]

Yes I was sure going to do that! Thanks, jelly.

[south.coffee]

From experience there are two distinct patterns between dishonest (scamming) buyers and buyers with a problem.

The scammer will open a case and never communicate directly with you and just play the waiting game and escalate to a return like clockwork to receive a refund and free item.

A buyer with a legitimate problem will always message you first as they want a solution of sorts and if they do open a case will happily respond to your questions in search of a resolution.

Thanks to this thread we have adopted the process of reading the buyers feedback Left for Others to determine if they could be a problematic buyer.

Secondly, after one buyer bought 3 items a week apart and opened 3 INR's a week apart with zero communication, we are now considering not selling to buyers with less than 10 feedback.

We are sick of the online 'shop lifters'.

[danieh_6]

Ehhh I wouldn't say thats all entirely true.

---

@south.coffee wrote:
From experience there are two distinct patterns between dishonest (scamming) buyers and buyers with a problem.

The scammer will open a case and never communicate directly with you and just play the waiting game and escalate to a return like clockwork to receive a refund and free item.
Yes I agree but I would say its more that the buyers will say in the case "item never arrived refund pls" or item isnt here yet refund. Some buyers who are new to ebay will say "just wondering where the item is" as its an option on communication.

A buyer with a legitimate problem will always message you first as they want a solution of sorts and if they do open a case will happily respond to your questions in search of a resolution.
I disagree, new buyers have legitimate questions but don't realize they are opening a dispute.

Thanks to this thread we have adopted the process of reading the buyers feedback Left for Others to determine if they could be a problematic buyer.

Secondly, after one buyer bought 3 items a week apart and opened 3 INR's a week apart with zero communication, we are now considering not selling to buyers with less than 10 feedback.
I don't know mate that sounds like a "You" problem and maybe use tracking (unless international shipping then i guess) we have 0-10 feedback buyers all the time at least a few a day and have no issues with them. Not defending the buyer, he's clearly trying to get free items.

We are sick of the online 'shop lifters'.

---