Dear eBay Queen:

While I was on Thanksgiving Break at my daughter’s house, I received a bizarre email from eBay.  The email is below, and it is telling me I have a Buyer Protection case from March of 2010! What the heck is going on?

Notice: Your buyer tried to open a case. Please contact the buyer.

Dear (removed),

A buyer tried to open an eBay Buyer Protection case because the item hasn’t arrived yet. It was too soon to open a case, so we asked the buyer to contact you. If you haven’t already heard from the buyer, we recommend you get in touch with the buyer. Most issues can be worked out through email or a simple phone call.

BUYER            ID ITEM #                  LISTING TITLE CASE            ATTEMPT DATE

(removed)       270510656244                         Loving Family Doll Set                            2010-03-03

By working directly with the buyer, you’ll be able to provide good customer service, and may be able to avoid a case being opened.
Here are some ways to help avoid a case for an item not received:

• Ship with tracking (and signature confirmation for items $250 and above) and upload the tracking information right away.
• Print your shipping label on eBay or PayPal. Tracking information is automatically uploaded for you and your buyer.
• Ship within your stated handling time.
• If there’s a shipping delay, let the buyer know.

You can view a list of best practices for successful selling.

Thanks,
eBay

Please don’t reply to this email. It was sent from a mailbox that doesn’t accept incoming messages. If you have questions, please contact us.

What does this mean?  At first I thought it was a phishing email, then I checked my archives, I really did have a Loving Family Doll Set with that eBay number.  It sold, and I received positive feedback for it.  What is going on?

Amy T; Wichita, KS

Dear Amy:

I did a little checking, and there seems to have been a technical issue with eBay Resolution emails between November 17^th and November 22^nd.  Based upon the eBay boards and mailing lists I am on, there are quite a few people that have received the same kind of emails.  To be on the safe side, I would go to the eBay Resolution center just to make sure that your case mentioned above falls into eBay latest technical issue they are having.  http://resolutioncenter.ebay.com/

Dear eBay Queen:

I buy a lot of things on eBay, mostly on Buy It Now with Best Offer.  Best Offer makes me feel like I’m getting a deal while I’m spending money.  Today I received this notification from eBay while I was placing an offer.

“This is your third and last chance to make a best offer for this item. Improve your chances by setting a fair price. You have placed the maximum amount of offers allowed for this listing and cannot make another at this time. You may still Buy It Now, or wait 30 days before making another offer.”

Seriously, eBay? This is how you increase sales? Buyers can only make 3 offers and then they are shut out for 30 days unless they pay full price?  These rules have got to be made by people who know nothing about retail or eBay!

I was just about to buy some movie tickets, as I did last year when they were offering double eBay bucks. The price was $127. I offered $90, then $100, then $110. I’m guessing the next one would have done the trick. Oh well, my seller loses, I lose and so does eBay. Brilliant people who went to college, but never worked in a store!

Paige Fry

Dear Paige:

Thanks for sharing that with me!  I would say 75% of my items on eBay are Buy it Now with Best Offers.  I’ve never knew that there a warning given to buyers like that.

I think the best thing to do would be to save that little blurb and email it to the seller on your last or third offer.  If the seller realized that this was the last time in 30 days they would receive an offer from you, they might take it.

 Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 190605941442 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page. Do you like Christmas? Do you like to decorate your torso in Christmas?  Check out this Christine Foley Size SM Christmas Sweater Ornament! SOLD $287.00 HERE

Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? Email: questions@asktheebayqueen.com

2 Responses to “eBay Buyer Ghost Case is Open and a Little Insite on Best Offer from a Buyer’s Perspective”