What about people with Zero feedback?

frankhardy

I have several vintage sets on Ebay right now. They don't end until Saturday night, so it's still very early. I have a bidder with zero feedback that has bid on four of my auctions that so far total over $1000. I have been selling for over three years, and this still bothers me. He keeps getting outbid and then he rebids. I know that everybody has to start with zero. I maybe just paranoid. Any thoughts?

easttexascardsandgames

Check to see what else he is bidding on. If he appears to be bidding on alot of stuff then I would contact him asking for his address, and phone number if he don't reply then remove his bids and block him from bidding on your auctions.

stevek

I have never had any problems with zero feedback buyers. Maybe just lucky. The problems I seem to have is the people with around 5 feedback. Not 100% sure why. Maybe they just received and got stung on some other items they bought from somebody else on ebay, and then are reluctant to pay for more.

Billa

I agree with easttexas, contact him and find out about him, and ask for verification. Everyone has to start at zero, but maybe he re-registered after negative feedback. Once upon a time, when I started, I put my first auction on and . . . got no bids, and I think because of zero feedback.

ctsoxfan

I have never had an issue with zero feedback buyers, but since the amount is somewhat high - I like the idea of asking for his contact information. You can tell a lot by the way he responds to this request.

Snowball

I agree check to see what the person's bidding on and also the past 30 days as high bidder. If person won a lot of high priced item then be suspicious.

I put up an item before and bidder use buy it now option and when I check the end of auction of ebay's email to me the name detail is "I GOTJOU". Check auctions won all high priced items like coins, barry bonds rc, pujols, etc. I complained to ebay and said that "I GOTJOU" is not a name. Bidder got NARU same day. After 3 wks put up same item same bidder (ebayID ending _789) won the auction. This time use a realistic name and had a hard time convincing ebay that buyer is not legit. I also got an email from another seller and told me that the person is playing around for sometime and leaves neg. and mentioned several of the NARU IDs. Bidded on all high priced auctions some snipe at last minute or few seconds. ISP used: aol and comcast.


NOTE: There are many legit buyer with zero feedback or low feedback. Some powersellers I encounter use many IDs and create new ones-- they keep on changing and use low FB IDs to get a deal so other bidder will think it's a shill. I also sold to a retired couple (they mentioned that they had 2 separate IDs and both IDs bought $$$ items on me and paid with postal MO mailed via priority mail) who likes to start selling on ebay. They mentioned that a lot of sellers require more FB to bid and I'm one of the few who allows 0 and low FBs.

WinPitcher

I think Frank is also concerned that it appears that this zero feedback guy could look like a SHILL.

easttexascardsandgames

I too have never really had problems with newbies it is power sellers I have had trouble when it comes to selling to them. Had one tell me that he could pay when he wanted to because he was a Power Seller. I ended up filing a NPB on him, which he response was "what do you think that is going to do to me." After he saw I was not going to let him bully me around he paid and left me a neutral saying I was impatient with payment. Took 23 days to get him to pay. His TOS says he leaves negs after 7 days of non-payment.

Golfcollector

I would not worry too much on sero feedback, the last one I had bought a $430 card and paid via paypal 4 minutes after the auction ended.

DirtyHarry

FrankH - nothing wrong with dropping him an email saying you are concerned about the goose egg FB, and just seeking a comfort level. If he wins, and your payment terms are met - no problemo. If he cancels his bids, and they are driving your auction pricing up, you can offer a second chance to the next highest bidder. I think you should let it ride unless you made a statement in your listing about blocking/cancelling zero FB bidders. IMO. Regards. Good Luck.

norseman

As a new member to this board, and as a new ebay buyer (2 positive FB's) and soon to be seller (0 sales as of now). What I'm hearing makes me nervous. You have to start at 0. On the 2 purchases I've made, I've paid with PP as soon as I knew I had won.

I have cards to sell, and having never sold on ebay before, was thinking of putting my first auction on ebay tonite. But, after reading this string, I'm having doubts that I will get a fair price. My plan is to start with some low $ items, and after building my positive FB's, moving to higher dollar items. But, if I'm going to get low ball bids, or no bids, due to my low FB score, maybe I should just sell what I can to a local card shop. Granted, they are fussy about what cards they will buy.

Any feedback?

frankhardy

norseman,

Since your feedback is low, I would definitely get you feedback higher before I sold any high dollar items. You will not get what you want. I know I personally would not buy a high dollar item from anyone with low feedback. I know that everyone had to start at zero, but reality is reality. I would not want to risk big bucks on a seller that I don't know squat about.

You can build your feedback one of two ways - either sell of bunch of low cost items, or BUY a bunch of items to get the feedback up there.

The main problem that I have with Mr. Zilch Feedback is that he has bid on FOUR items totaling over $1,000 (as I have already stated). That just unnerves me a little. Here is why. When I first started on Ebay, I was scared to death to buy even a cheap item. I had never bought anything online, and I was very hesitant at first. Having said that, I just bought cheap items. THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT I WOULD SPEND OVER $1,000 THE VERY FIRST WEEK THAT I WAS A MEMBER OF EBAY - I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD THE SELLER'S FEEDBACK IS! Either he has nerves of steal, or he has experience on Ebay!

frankhardy

By the way - welcome aboard, NORSEMAN, and good luck!

DirtyHarry

FrankH - maybe option #3 is that the guy has cashola and has been an Ebay voyeur. Nobody told him he can't bid on anything he wants to buy!! That's the gig. E-mail him.

Norseman - I concur with your concern and the advice FrankH passed along. Get yourself at least about 15-20 positive feedback before you start listing your goods of any value. Start by buying a dozen or so chump change items, so you get the positives on the transactions. Investing $100 or so up front in order to get a FB record is worth it in the long run. Regards and good selling.