eBay Arbitrage and Best Offer

resale

I received this best offer the other day.  The buyer made me a 20.00 offer on an item that I have listed for 44.99 and retails for 65.99.  I counter offered with 38.00 and they countered with 33.00 and this statement:

“Hi there, for resale.  This offer is the best I can do. I have no more wiggle room for resale  Hope you will consider.”

This is kind of weird to me.  I think I’ve heard every sad story about not having enough money, a buyers mother, grandmother once owned something and it’s her last dying wish to have this etc… But I’ve never had someone do this.  What do you think ab

Why eBay Should Allow US to See What a Buyer Purchases…

Once upon a time on eBay… I was able to see what buyers were bidding and buying .  I didn’t really use this to be a nosy person, more to see if they might be scamming me or trying to get something for nothing.

Example 1:

I had a buyer want to return a black cat cookie jar.  When I received it back, it was not the cookie jar I sent them, but a similar style, and a OWL.  I went and looked at their purchase history, I see they purchase the cat from me, a cat from someone else and an owl.  I messaged them and they apologized and told me they confused their purchases.  They paid to send the owl back, and it was over.  If that happened on eBay today, I’d have no proof to show the buyer what they did.

Example 2:

A buyer messaged me told me the silverware I sent was not in the wood box as shown, and it was 8 pieces short.  I was able to look up what they purchased, remind them they bought silverware from someone else, and then let them know that *my* item hadn’t even arrived yet.

I recently found Watch Count.

If you’ve not checked out this service.. you should.  It really helped me out with a buyer that thought I should finance their lace underwear for 30days.

mrsbspHello, Mrs. B here IF?? I Bid on these Persay? & Win them as well???? would you be willing to Wait for Payment on Nov 18th when My ss check comes in?? So Please!!!! let ME know either way ASAP!!!! Thanks Mrs BPs!! I would LOVE to have them.

I thought this was odd.  The underwear were under 10.00, so I went to check out their WATCH COUNT to see what they’ve bid on… Turns out they seem to be bidding on quite a bit.

mrsbsp6

 mrsbsp7

They’ve bid on 33 items and paid as much as 33.00 for a pair of underwear.  They also like baby blankets….  I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t want to be taken advantage of, so I thought I’ll just let them know I can not wait from mid October to November 18th for payment.

mrsbsp2

I responded with “I don’t know that I can wait a month for payment.”

I thought it would be best to not point out that they were still actively buying things without any money AND that social security checks come out on the first of the month.

mrsbsp4They responded with “thanks anyway i changed my mind i don’t want them now i’ii look somewhere elese alot cheaiper at that.”

So this kind of annoyed me.. I mean, don’t insult me by telling me you can buy “somewhere elese” lace panties  “cheaiper”so I responded with:

mrsbsp3I did a little checking, and it appears that all SS checks go out on the first.  eBay is not a layaway program.  I went and looked at your buying records, and see that you have enough money now to buy things… I see that “Mrs” B buys a lot of lace underwear and baby blankets.

I wish you much luck in the future.

They responded with..

mrsbsp5“WHY ?????? don’t you mind your own Dm’n BUSSINEss & DROP DEAD TOO AND KISS MY you know what !!!!!!!!”

You think that “Mrs” B means his lace covered “you know what”?

Sometimes Best Offer Annoys Me.

I really love Best Offer.  Without it, I’m not sure where my business on eBay would be.  Sometimes the message that buyers leave me are weird and a little ballsy. (can I say that?)  Maybe I’m looking at it wrong.

I was asking 19.99 with Best Offer (and free shipping)on this item, retail is 39.99. I was offered $10.00 and this comment:

buyitnow2“I just purchased 2 new bras one black Maidenform for $12”

So I guess you they feel 10.00 is a fair offer?

This item retails for 44.99, and I have it listed for 29.99 with best offer and free shipping.  The buyer offers 14.99, “because she can buy on Amazon for that price.”

buyitnow1“I got the black one on Amazon for this price but they didn’t have white.”

I countered offered on each, and responded: “with free shipping this is as low as I can go.” Do you have this happen to you?

Dear eBay Queen: I Gave a Good Seller a Defect! Help!

Dear eBay Queen:

I am a buyer, and I thought a pretty good one at that. I’ve never left negative feedback, and I really have never had any problems with any of the items I purchased until now.

I bought a new case for my phone, and when it arrived it did not fit my phone. I tried to contact the seller, but it gave me a list of options, and since it didn’t fit, I wanted to return it. I opened what I believe is called a return request. The seller while being very nice, I can tell she is miffed at me. She told me in a message that I could send it back, BUT that I have hurt her eBay account. After much back and forth as it turns out I selected DEFECTIVE and I should have selected did not fit. It truly is my fault because I did not order the right size model for my phone. What should I do?

Eating Humble Pie

Dear Humble:

I think if I were you I would message the seller and apologize. Let them know this is the first time you’ve returned something and you were confused by the options. Let her know that you will make it right by calling eBay and telling them what you did. I don’t know that eBay can correct the situation right then, but I know they can do it after the return is done.

To contact eBay go to the top of any eBay page and click on “Help and Contact” then go to the bottom of the page and click on the blue “contact us” button. You will be taken to another page where you click on “buying”, “after the purchase” and then “leaving/receiving feedback.” Then a “CALL” option will appear. Tell the representative everything you told me. Then let the seller know what you did, and return your item.

eBay returns system isn’t perfect, and it really can be confusing for someone that has never used it before.

 

Dear eBay Queen:

I’m a little frustrated. I accepted and offer on an item that I really just wanted gone. I should have known by looking at this chick’s PRIVATE feedback that there was a problem. She has left me SHIPPING instructions on how to ship her Starbucks mug. Here’s what she wrote:

“READ***READ***SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS*** 1. You must PRINT all the letters of my street address. It cannot say APT it must say APARTMENT. This means you are going to need to HAND print the label and take it into the post office. If you print the label online, you’ll get the abbreviation for apartment. 2. Since the Starbucks Mug comes in its original retail packaging, wrap all of that in bubble wrap 2 times. 3. Place bubble wrapped mug and packaging inside a #4 Priority Mail box with packing peanuts all around the item. 4. Place the #4 inside a Priority Mail #7 box with packing peanuts all around the #4 shipping box. Make sure both boxes are safe and secure with no rattling. 5. Seal the box and place the handmade label on the package. 6. Take the package to the post office and purchase postage and add a delivery confirmation. Any deviation from this can and will result in negative feedback.”

I woke up the next day with the following message: “I sent you a message last night attached to the PayPal payment. You have not replied. Please advise why you are not handling my issue promptly.”

What should I do about this? Your prompt help handling my issue is appreciated. 🙂

Stella A.

Dear Stella:

The first thing that strikes me about this, (other than she has lost her mind) is that the buyer is asking you to send an item to an address that is not authorized with eBay. DO NOT change the address. I would respond to her and let her know that you can’t change her address, but she can go into eBay and spell out APARTMENT on her address form, so that it will print that way on ALL sellers labels. I would tell her that by you changing the label you will be breaking eBay’s policy for you as a seller.

Your other option would be to offer to cancel the transaction because there is something wrong with her posted eBay address.

I would then immediately call eBay, ask them how to handle this, and ask them if you hand write the label if you will be protected under the selling policy. I would also point out that this buyer had threatened feedback extortion.

 halloween2015high3

Strange eBay Item of the Week: Item #: 310781360852. Halloween will be here soon. A search on eBay for “Halloween Costumes” yields some pretty interesting results. Basset Hound Dog Mascot Costume Suit Halloween Animals New and Ready to Ship SOLD: $750.00.