Non paying bidders with 0 feedback

[autoandroid]

Last week I had an item sell to a bidder with 0 feedback...as we all start out with no feedback, it didn't seem like a problem - everyone's got to start somewhere. However, this newbie still hasn't paid for her item, & despite some polite messages from me regarding the matter, she has not responded. So I opened a case yesterday. Now I notice another newbie bidder (different username, but joined eBay about a week after the original non-paying newbie & interestingly, their username contains the first four letters of the NPB's actual christian name) has put a bid on one of my other items. Am I being paranoid in thinking that this is the same deadbeat under a different name? The item ends on Sunday & I am now worried that it will be another NPB wasting my time.

[debonnairefashions]

I have two non-bidders at the moment and one is 0 feedback and the other is 100+ feedback. My 0 feedback opened their account over 7 days ago and purchased item early Saturday morning. I have just put a dispute in, but have not bothered contacting them as it would be no point. If they hadn't paid earlier, maybe never.

The other one made an offer a day ago and I accepted. Then they asked a question about the item. Wouldn't you ask before and not after. No, they just want to make sure that they have the item and asked questions then to decide if they want to buy. They could purchase other items and then decided can you cancel all and there would be no non-paying bid against them from ebay to let others know they do not pay.

The second one must be anoyying other sellers with their purchasing, asking questions and then wanting to cancel. Both people are from Western Australia and I have plenty of buyers from WA who pay.

In response to Ironlace 1973, if your 0 Feedback buyer is from WA. Maybe, these people are bothering others. I also have put in place to block now the 0 feedback buyers.

[springyzone]

It could be the same person, it is pretty hard to tell unless you are in a position to see if the real names & adddresses are the same. Even if they aren't, it would be possible for someone to have an account under a different name.

Probably the best thing to do is to put your blocks in for anyone with a couple of non payment strikes etc but otherwise, just take it as it comes.

If the winning bidder does not pay, just put in an unpaid item dispute. Don't weaken and cancel a sale for them.

I do understand people can simply open a new account if they get a couple of strikes but the point is, it's a hassle, & I presume they would need new email addresses or paypal accounts in order not to be caught out bidding on items where the seller had tried to block them. The more inconvenient you can make it for serial non payers, the better.

[stephystarfish]

I generally cancel bids & block bidders with 0 fb especially if they've only joined that day or in the last week.

You can either cancel the bid & block the bidder before auction ends, OR give them the benefit of the doubt, wait for the auction to end, then compare their name & address to the first bidder. If you suspect it's the same bidder, you can contact ebay.

[yeoldecoinco]

WHY are you so rude to everyone?

[davidc4430]

yeah everyone needs to start somewhere. but its best if they start with buying a few cheap items from chinese sellers to build a bit of proof they are real buyers and not one off scammers. if they scam a chinese seller i dont care.

[autoandroid]

My two 0 feedback non communicating non payers are from SA & northern NSW. Now I have another 0 feedback user bidding on an item, despite putting blocks in place. I have contacted them but had no reply (what a surprise that is). I am already presuming that this latest 0 feedback user will be another NPB. I am not going to cancel the bid because I want to see where this one supposedly lives. Interestingly, all the bids from these three 0 feedback users have been put on early on Saturdays as well. So perhaps it is the same idiot using a bunch of false names & addresses? 

[autoandroid]

I think it might be the same person, despite the addresses being in different states. They could be just using random names & addresses. I was able to find one of them, through googling their rather distinctive name & location in a small regional town, who has a profile on their work website. But maybe it's just someone using this person's name as a way to harrass them as well as annoy sellers on eBay!

I agree with you that it seems like a lot of effort to go to, setting up all these accounts just to annoy people. They need to get a life!