Sold to one eBay I.D. & got a message from another eBay I.D

[jenny_slipper1]

This week I sold to one eBay I.D. buyer (with 3 feedbacks and in Florida) and this morning the USPS Priority signature requested tracking shows it was delivered.  Almost immediately I received a message via eBay's message system from a totally different eBay I.D. (with 1 feedback) that there may be a problem with the item.  I immediately emailed (via eBay's system) the original buyer and ask that he verify that he sent the message and to email me with the original I.D.  

Question:  Should I answer the message from the unknown eBay I.D.?

[clarry100]

We had something like this once before. Although not reporting a problem.

Turned out it was a husband/wife situation and there were no problems with identity.

I would be inclined to communicate only via the ID who actually bought the item in case it introduces "security/provacy" issues with ebay later on as you have no transaction history with the other ID.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I had on of these these yesterday claiming they had received the item in the last month that had not worked. I checked my history and their was no record of the buyer so I politely sent a message back saying sorry that I could not see that they had purchased the item from me withing the last 3 months. Haven't heard back yet.

check your sold history to make sure they haven't purchased off you then send a message saying similar. then leave it at that.

[jenny_slipper1 · Accepted solution]

I went ahead and wrote back to the odd email saying: "I'm very sorry but my sales records show that this item was sold to another eBay I.D. and security issues prevent me from discussing it's sale with anyone but the buyer."  

Almost immediately I received a very curt reply from the actual buyer.   

I'm thinking it may be more or less a scam to avoid eBay buyer rules, e.g, attempt to get a partial refund or have me send them more than they actually bid on. 

I have offered a more than adequate solution so we will see.  Beware sellers.  

I've been buying and selling on eBay for 15 years yet selling to low feedback eBay buyers has only very recently become a nightmare for me.  I'm seriously thinking I will cease to sell to these folks.

[chameleon54]

I have always been a big supporter of low feedback buyers here on the boards, but my faith is being tested recently too.

I recently sent an untracked item to a 3 feedback buyer in the U.S.   At the earliest oportunity the buyer claimed item had not been recieved. I tried to reason with them, asking them to wait and see if it had been delayed in the post. It all seemed a bit smelly so a bit of internet searching shows they have been before the U.S courts on thirteen occasions in the last few years.

The case has not been resolved yet, but I can feel a sting coming on.

[jenny_slipper1]

Same here.  I sold a motorcycle helmet to a buyer with 3 feedbacks on January 4th of this year and continued to communicate with the buyer throughout the remainder of the month even realting to them we had had extremely bad weather here in west Texas right after I had mailed the item out. 

As we communicated through the month, the customer seemed to become increasingly impatien and, the fact that USPS tracking continued to show the item had been only been picked up, I refunded the buyer's full PayPal payment on January 30th.  On Feb 1st USPS tracking showed the package was dleivered to the buyer.  Since I had cancelled the transaction at eBay in order to get my fees back, I seem to now have no alternative but to contact the buyer and hope they will resubmit their payment.

I've have had much success selling to low feedback bidders in the past but it seems all the buyer and seller scams of late have everyone walking on eggshells. 

[davidc4430]

am i right, your in texas and you sold an item to a buyer in florida? is so why are you here on an australian board asking what to do? there must be a USA board you can access.

[pancaket52]

Hi Jennifer - Do you realise that you are on the Australian Community Boards?

(The bad weather in Texas gave it away)

While you are very welcome here be aware that some US Ebay rules can sometimes be different in Australia so the advice given may not be relevant to you.

Good Luck with your buyer, and I for one will be interested in how it turns out.

[lane-ends]

Sometimes it can happen when members have multiple ids and they send a message when they are accidentl;y logged into the wrong. ID. First step is  aheads up to incorrect ID and redirect them back to purchasing ID for further communication.  Scamming by low fb IDs is a seperate matter.

Sometimes low Fb IDs are victims of Ebays overpromising which they hold sellers accounrable for. eg if not arrived by due by date they assume seller is dodgy. Ebay seems to make the same assumption these days.

[jenny_slipper1]

I apologize to all.  I had not realized I was posting on eBay's Australian board although I had wondered why the greeting to me from the Board was a "G'day."

At any rate, from western Texas to you folks down under, a big howdy.  

I hope my solution helps a seller in Australia. 

Adios.