Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?

[whatagoodprice]

I like many sellers are annoyed with the constant array of non-paying buyers.

Although eBay does compensate final value fees (by using the unpaid item dispute process) listing fees for fixed listings are not refunded.  

All buyers receive is a strike which is nothing compared to the consequences handed out for those who participate in shill bidding - no restriction on buying/selling on eBay no tutorial which buyers must complete so they understand that non-payment is unacceptable.

Perhaps if eBay fined non-paying buyers between $2-$5 every time they refused to pay it would stamp out this practice of non-payment. This would also save eBay effort and the money raised could be donated (at eBay's discretion) to benefit local charities.

I look forward to other buyer's opinions on this issue...   

[thesoulyearns]

One good thing with auctions for non-PSers is that in Best Match, it is the auctions that can often take priority on the first or second page over BINs. How it works is, generally, an auction ending on two hours should be higher in the results than a BIN ending at the same time.

[versace_woman]

Re: "Should eBay start charging non-paying bidders?"

Absolutely.  I'm a frequent buyer on here (spent well over $5,000 in the past few weeks alone on Ebay) so any on here who've even heard of me, would have done so in the course of me buying their item(s) as I've never sold a thing on here.

When I win an auction (or click 'Buy it Now')?  I pay IMMEDIATELY as that's only fair.  Other buyers should, too.

[versace_woman]

PS:  My 'history' on here (just in case it's somehow 'relevant' and people are even vaguely interesting in even 'knowing' it?  😉  I joined here in 2008 - then promptly forgot all about the site.  Then just over a month ago, I was Googling 'Fisher Price Vintage Activity Centre'  online - and discovered all the hits for this were on Ebay.  I remembered I had an account on Ebay.  I then keyed in what I thought would be the most likely 'password' back then that I would have created - which turned out to be correct.  (But no... I didn't win that activity centre... but I bid on - and won - an even better one since.. 😉

But segue aside and moving right along...

The other day (yesterday, as I type this) was the first time that I've ever 'retracted' a bid.  Reason for this?  Was because I bid what I thought was '$20.00' on an infant's Nike Track Suit.  But due to some oversight on the 'dot' not going through?  Turns out I'd bid '$2000.00' instead of $20.00!  😉

PPS:  The Infant's Nike Track Suit is nice - but certainly not worth two grand 😉  Anywho... After adjusting my bid to a more 'reasonable' amount?  I'm still the highest bidder 😉  As for 'shill bidders'?  I've come across a fair few of them.  One can just hope that at least 'some' of them get charged Ebay fees for bidding on their own stuff.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

obviously they do not have 12 strikes, some sellers do not follow through. 

I am assuming that you do have your blocks in place?

Saying all that, there might be legitimate reasons why some people lately won items and did not pay.  Remember floods, fires, storms, power outages lasting days, over this summer?  In this moment there are many people in Victoria on notice as more fires have broken containment lines.  While my friend in Townsville is talking about torrential rain with road closures.

I think it is a good idea, when somebody does not pay, to have a look on map and see if there is anything happening/happened over past week in their area.

Given that you believe most sellers do the right thing  and don't leave negative positives but just open and close NPB disputes then the strikes are anonymous and do not appear on feedback

....... obviously they could have a zillion strikes because you are only apportioning and estimating your strike count on the negative positives that you can see and decided that some neg pos sellers did not follow through.... that is a flawed formula in my opinion but I guess it suits your argument

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Further to my previous, colic (FB7),

Like many you have fallen into a common misconception this is a posting ID :O:|

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Buyers should be required to have a safer form of payment mode on file with ebay (paypal) with a $20 bond.

 (where have I heard that before albeit with the shoe on the other foot???)

($20 so that it covers vehicle listing fees as non payers are most prevalant in this category  (@ ($18.50 for an auction listing with reserve

ebay is making a tidy tidy profit on NPB in this category 

while sellers are footing the bill but in many instances not selling a thing)

When they win an auction or commit to a buy it now sale the listing fees should be immediately secured in that bond.

If the buyer chooses to pay immediately or after a reasonable period then the bond can be released after payment.

If the buyer does not pay and a NPB dispute is filed and closed successfully then the listing fees should be refunded to the seller and debited to the buyers bond account.

The listing fee bond does not reimburse the seller for their time but does go away to making buyers more responsible for the commitments they have undertaken

The vehicles category on ebay motors is the best place to test run it. The fact that most pay cash or  by other is not a problem at all. The buyer should pay the full amount and when the seller marks the item paid then the money is released from hold but stays in the  bond.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

If you were wondering how many NPB strikes ebay will let a buyer have... check out this thread  remembering that some have the opinion that most sellers follow through with strikes and do not leave negative positive buyer feedback then those ones are anonymous then 

the neg/pos leavers on this guys feedback is only the tip of the iceberg  

http://community.ebay.com.au/topic/Selling/Buyer-Serial-Offender/600156750

[***super_nova***]

Given that you believe most sellers do the right thing  and don't leave negative positives but just open and close NPB disputes then the strikes are anonymous and do not appear on feedback

Actually, I do not believe that; I believe that sadly many sellers do not do the right thing.  But the point is that I really do not care if strikes appear or not appear, I have my blocks in place and the NPB cannot bid. 

What is it here on eBay, everybody is preocupied with coloured dots?  I buy on other sites, nobody there hassles about FB, as far as I know, rating is left only for sellers, if at all. 

And there is a big difference to coming into auction rooms, paying $50 bond and getting your number and when leaving getting the $50 back, and having to pay bond here, which would sit there for ever. Unless, the bond would be payable when you place 1st bid, and reverted to your PP if you do not win, but that would be rather complicated and messy.  What if people bid on number of items?  How much bond $1???  maybe some people would not care losing $1.  So how about $10?  So if you are bidding on 10 items you would have to have $100 in your PP even if the items you are bidding on/buying are worth only $2 each?  Or would it be bond paid just once?  So, you would pay $10 bond, bid on 20 items, not pay and lose $10?  Big deal.  Although, eBay could be doing very well out of this scheme, having all these bonds invested in short term markets.

When I bid for the first time on eBay it was for something very rare that I really wanted;  I opened the accoung specifically for that reason and had absolutely no intention of coming back here again.  If I would have to pay bond, I would have done it, because I really wanted it, but I would have also closed my account as soon as I could after the transaction, and would not be even looking at items on eBay, knowing I would have to pay another bond.

[***super_nova***]

If you were wondering how many NPB strikes ebay will let a buyer have..

I was not wondering; I know they will not do anything.  As said, over and over again, eBay gave us tools to protect ourselves, use them. 

[thecatspjs]

The tools that ebay have provided need improvement to make it an improved trading place for everyone.