My eBay auction just ended, getting funny feeling about buyer, any advice?

[Laramie]

I have 79 feedback points on eBay with 100%. I was selling a Samsung cell phone. I normally put in my auctions I don't sell to buyers with zero or negative feedback but stupid me I forgot this time.

Item sold for 202.00. Buyer is just registered today and has zero feeback. I sent him an invoice and he immediately sent me a message saying, "when can you ship?"

I wrote back saying as soon as payment clears but it just seems like an odd question and the no feedback/just registered makes me leary.

Can I email him and tell him to not send payment and that I will relist? I kind of doubt I can since I think it's considered a purchase agreement (the auction) but I"m not sure. Thanks

[MaxxuM]

I would wait and see. If payment is not there in a couple of weeks then I would relist. You really don't have anything to loose - unless he gets angry and then gives you neg feedback. I only have 14 total feedback and have been a member since 2000 :) Maybe he just saw somthing he wanted and registered for it.

[Primm]

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt as well.

Maybe he really is a total newb and just saw something he liked, and signed up to buy it. Just make sure communication with him is prompt and clear, and you may be OK.

If he leaves neg feedback but doesn't pay, eBay will remove it when you win the unpaid item dispute, so don't worry about that.

[csm328]

The first time I ever used ebay, it was for a specific purchase. Maybe this guy is in the same boat? Wait the mandatory time and if you dont receive the funds (hope you're using paypal) then re-list and inform ebay.

[Michael_Lambert]

I agree with the above - Just make sure payment is a secured form. I try and make it clear in my postings that if the time is not paid for with in X number of days the item gets relisted.

[4x4rock]

If he pays and the fund clears, then ship the item.

I bought my first item like 1 hour after I registered too.

[bbulldog]

You do have to give him the benefit of the doubt. A sale in ebay is a legal contract, so if he doesn't pay then he has broken it, if you say don't bother sending the money then you have broken the contract and he will probably report you to ebay.

Anyway waiting a week or two should be no real bother, if he doesn't pay then you should be able to re-enter the cell phone at no extra charge.

my feedback goes over the 800 mark on buying and selling, not bad for a private person :-)

[deadpass]

we were all at 0 feedback at one time or another and someone took the chance on us and gave us the benefit of the doubt, it's time for you to do the same as well. Hope ya don't et burnt.

[SouthNola]

So --- have you received the money yet?

[Laramie]

Yeah, he sent paypal funds and I shipped via UPS immediately. Hopefully all is well.

[GilesGuthrie]

we were all at 0 feedback at one time or another and someone took the chance on us and gave us the benefit of the doubt, it's time for you to do the same as well. Hope ya don't et burnt.

Well said. Exactly what I was thinking when I was reading the thread.

I have my auctions reject bids from people with -ve feedback scores, but a zero I'll take. I actually try to help them to hold their hand a little. eBay is just as daunting for the buyer as the seller, because the buyer sends the money, and then has little but blind faith that they'll get their stuff. I think it's quite heavily stacked in favour of the seller, because the seller will always have the goods and the money at one point.

[S7000]

Gotta agree here...You were at 0 feedback too for your first purchase...You have to start somewhere. :) You're not going to send the item til it's paid for, so it's not like you'll be out of pocket hey. Just see how it plays out.

[Lightstream]

Trust your instincts.

Last big item I sold on ebay, I had a truly wierd feeling about the buyer. Everybody around me told me "it's ok". Yeah, right.

Even Paypal assured me that the payment had cleared - yes, the funds were available to me immediately, for whatever I wanted to do with them. You'd think it ends here, but it doesn't.

Long story short, I did the detective work. Turned out to be a phished/hijacked Paypal account, and I was literally hours away from losing $900 that I'd never see again. I held the shipment and waited for Paypal to send the unauthorized/fradulent funds notice, sure enough they did 36 hours later. Once I got that notice I knew I was off the hook because the item was paid for with fradulently obtained funds. I paid back the money and reported the whole issue to Paypal and ebay. Ebay pulled the username and gave me back my listing/final value fees.

Later sold the camera to a POTNer and for that I am glad.