Flipping - here's one I haven't had before...

[stable05]

I have a regular buyer, buys cheap items of mine (mainly furniture), pays straight away with Paypal then I sometimes have 3-4 week wait for them to pickup even though I stipulate 5 days in my listing.  I tolerate it because they regularly buy items helping me to shift stock.  They have happily told me they 'flip' my items - that is they on-sell them on a different selling platform, most likely for more than I sold them for initially, using my photos.  Still I have no problem with that - good on them.

Then today, after making me wait a month for picking up their recent purchases, they ring and tell me they have on-sold or 'flipped' the items they bought off me and would it be OK for the new buyer (their buyer) to pickup from MY property and pay me the money they owe (so I would get to see how much the items went for second time around) and that my buyer will collect the money from me at a future date.

Now that's pushing the friendship...  I was able to come up with three reasons why this just doesn't cut it with me, how many can you think of?

[donnashuggy]

I would block them as a buyer if you feel uncomfortable. It is completely out of order as far as I am concerned.

[thecatspjs]

I wonder if you would make that comment Donna if you only had 19 listings ??

The OP has contributed to the "storage" expectation, and by the sounds of it, hasn't caused them too much grief until this point. 

How does a buyer "make a seller wait for a month" - communication setting some deadlines should have been initiated long before this point, if it was issue.  

[donnashuggy]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

I wonder if you would make that comment Donna if you only had 19 listings ??

The OP has contributed to the "storage" expectation, and by the sounds of it, hasn't caused them too much grief until this point. 

How does a buyer "make a seller wait for a month" - communication setting some deadlines should have been initiated long before this point, if it was issue.  

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I probably would. I would block someone that made me feel uncomfortable.

[thecatspjs]

I don't read a high level of "discomfort" in the OP.

Exasperation -  yes.

[dylan11235813]

They did ask I guess. I find it strange that the original buyer has no problem with you knowing the resale price. I personally wouldn't want random people picking orders up through a third party, handling cash, waiting for hours, this doesn't look right,  the listing goes on. It could be a good thing though if all the details are sorted (as cats I think has said)

[janeababe]

Well, heres my ten cents worth.....

Firstly, I want to say that you are selling your stuff very cheaply. No wonder you have repeat buyers.  🙂

You are doing all the work (taking the photo, listing, writing the blurb, paying the fees and now,  it looks like you are being taken advantage of AGAIN from this *thoughtful* buyer of yours to become the (free storage unit) for this onseller (flipper) and HIS BUYERS!!!

Gee, how long do you think you will keep this up? Im sorry, but I think your buyer has overstepped the boundary and I think he has a bleeping hide to ask this of you!

He is litterally making a huge profit off your generosity. If you like being walked over and taken full advantage of, then sure.....  keep on doing what you're already allowing to happen........ But theres no way I'd let it happen!

That aside.... I LOVE YOUR ITEMS....  wish i lived closer  LOL

[stable05]

Thank you everyone!  Some great ideas there.  No sure about the whole 'getting into bed with them' to make mutual gain.  Could be construed badly by other buyers/EBay as some sort of price pushing venture along the lines of schill bidding?  Think I'll just tighten my procedures a bit and insist on quick pickup.

As an aside, this came on top of another request from a different buyer this week asking if I would allow 'lay-by' of an item that they won (that is, allowing them to pay it off over a period of time).  They said plenty of other sellers have let them do this.  That request was a definite No!

Rant over...

[cq_tech]

I don't understand buyers who request 'lay-by' or the ability to pay something off over a period of time. After all, isn't that the whole point of credit cards?

[springyzone]

Boy, what a hide on the part of your buyer.

I don't blame anyone for onselling, but to expect that you will do all the storage plus the money collection and pass him on his profit at the end, when it suits him to collect it, is plain rude. And stupid of course as you would probably tell the new buyer the score.

There are a few things you should do

-in future, put up the price of your items. Maybe not hugely, but whatever you think of putting it on as, add at least 10-15%.

-next purchase from this buyer, explain that pick up is within 5 days or weekly storage fees may be charged. Heck, add that to your listing. And follow through with it.

-politely refuse to get involved in a third party transaction. State legal reasons, lie if you have to, but don't be a party to it.

You may find that once you put your prices up, this rude person doesn't buy as often. On the flip side though (so to speak) you'll be collecting more for your items when they sell, and obviously they will sell.

You might be like my sister and I used to be. We thought selling low would make it easier to get sales but I think a lot of buyers out there judge the quality by the price and think if a thing is dearer it must be better.

Have a good look at some other people's things on ebay and ask yourself-if I had that item, what would I have been game to list it for? I bet you find you would have listed it cheaper. Raise your prices.

[max-power-models]

Personally I feel your buyer is treating you poorly. Maybe find out what platform this guy is on selling your items, and list them there. As some pointed out start charging him a handling fee cause it seems your just storing them for him till he finds a buyer.

This happened to me, I used to give this guy a nice discount cause he was doing it tough and implied the items were for his private collection unti I saw them listed on ebay.

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@stable05 wrote:

I have a regular buyer, buys cheap items of mine (mainly furniture), pays straight away with Paypal then I sometimes have 3-4 week wait for them to pickup even though I stipulate 5 days in my listing.  I tolerate it because they regularly buy items helping me to shift stock.  They have happily told me they 'flip' my items - that is they on-sell them on a different selling platform, most likely for more than I sold them for initially, using my photos.  Still I have no problem with that - good on them.

Then today, after making me wait a month for picking up their recent purchases, they ring and tell me they have on-sold or 'flipped' the items they bought off me and would it be OK for the new buyer (their buyer) to pickup from MY property and pay me the money they owe (so I would get to see how much the items went for second time around) and that my buyer will collect the money from me at a future date.

Now that's pushing the friendship...  I was able to come up with three reasons why this just doesn't cut it with me, how many can you think of?

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"I always make it a rule to get there first with the most men"

Nathan Bedford Forrest