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...   

[kymbolie]

Appearances do not count , it's what's in the hip pocket that counts.

[davewil1964]

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

Really? I would never have guessed. My point was that you go on about posting IDs and use one yourself.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

[/quote]

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. 

[/quote]

Actually if you believe that many sellers do not do the right thing then the blocks/system will not work either and NPB will be able to bid on your items because of lack of participation by many others

[/quote]

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. 

[/quote]

Becaus ebay pioneered online remote sales using the feedback system as their cornerstone of trust.

My figures show  and those of other posters, anecdotally anyway, that private sales on ebay outstrip any other venue by a country mile.

Private sales being those sellers that do not own a bricks and mortar business so therefore they cannot rely on the goodwill/trust that a b and m that also sells online might generate

 [/quote]

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.

[/quote]

what is all that about above I suggested that once an item WAS WON then the listing fee should be debited from a buyers bond and then recredited when they paid for the item..who mentioned taking a bond for bidding??? The point of the bond is that the money is accessible to be put on hold the minute the buyer commits to the sale.

I might add if the item is won then do you not think the buyer should have the money to pay for it?

The listing fee is (generally) a tiny tiny component of the entire price

[/quote]

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.

[/quote]

Unless a very rare item came up that you really wanted then you would have paid your bond to bid again??

If the buyer has a paypal account then the "bond" could just be the permission that the buyer allows ebay through paypal to put the listing fee component on hold in their account and release it once they pay.

If they do not pay and a NPB dispute is successfully processed then the listing fee goes to the seller just like the affirmation that sellers listing on the ebay US site give re ebay buyer protection ie. that ebay can debit their account if a claim is lost.

If the buyer has nothing in their account then it goes into negative that is why I prefer the bond option.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

Really? I would never have guessed. My point was that you go on about posting IDs and use one yourself.

The difference being that I do not require or expect other posters to chime in with " I can assure you that blah blah blah is really an experienced ebayer who prefers to remain anonymous so they can tell it like it is" the tactic

.....surprisingly:|...... (surely it is not premeditated)

 also knocks the newbies confidence for six then with a couple more insertions of the jack boot from the comrades the newbie either capitulates or bristles up and start yelling at others with their fingers in their ears singing laaa laaaa laaaa... then the bullying really begins

[the_hawk*]

colic have you ever heard the saying

Don't ask the question if you don't want to hear the answer

A bond system will never happen on ebay.

ebay are not auctioneers, they only provide the platform and the only payment method they can monitor is paypal, they dont know about all the other methods of payment including cash on pickup.

going by what you have suggested of taking the listing fees from this bond a dodgy seller could get paid in full and then cliam this listing fees from the bond.

gee that sounds a great idea and a sure fire way to chase buyers away.

ebay is the most successful online auction site so far for a reason, that reason is because ebay understand that the buyers are the most important part of the system.

with buyers comes sales, with sales comes sellers, its also the reason why many people fail in a B&M situation, they fail to understand who is important. 

[***super_nova***]

If the buyer has a paypal account then the "bond" could just be the permission that the buyer allows ebay through paypal to put the listing fee component on hold in their account and release it once they pay.

If the buyer has nothing in their account then it goes into negative that is why I prefer the bond option

Complicated, clunky, unworkable.  It assumes that people have PP account when they bid.  It assumes people have money in their PP account.  Most people do not.  It would not allow for spur of the moment bidding.   I prefer to fund my purchases with my CC for added protection (never needed it in all these years, but you never know), therefore I transfer any cash into my bank, and do not keep money in PP. 

[jblinnikka]

Yes! The non-paying customer should be charged. Although I think the amount should be the listing and final valuation fee of the unpaid item so as the seller is not out of pocket and ebay is not profiting through the fines at the sellers expense.. It should be charged to the non-payers account after an unpaid dispute is unsuccessful, and paid just as any seller would pay their bill. Unpaid accounts should then result in suspension from using ebay until the debt is paid in full, therefore teaching the time wasters a lesson 🙂

[pollywaffle007]

I think the Cat has it !!!!;-)

[phorum_junkie*]

I think the amount should be the listing and final valuation fee of the unpaid item so as the seller is not out of pocket and ebay is not profiting through the fines at the sellers expense.

How is ebay profiting? if you pay an insertion fee then you pay that fee regardless of if the item sells or not so why should the seller get that back if the transaction is cancelled? If you go through, and complete, the unpaid item process you get you FVFs refunded so you have no financial loss and ebay are out a minuscule amount for having to use their bandwidth to process the dispute and refund.

Nobody profits, the buyer gets a strike, the seller ends up in the same position as if the transaction never happened and ebay lose out on a thousandth of a cent (approx) :^O

[gothaccountant663]

The seller should also be able to leave a negative feedback to a non paying bidder, as it stands now you can only leave a positive