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Messy Ebay Situation: Advice Needed

JimMeantJimMeant Posts: 342 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I recently had a 5 card 1968 OPC football lot for sale that was scheduled to end tonight. About 1 hour before the end of the auction, I received a new bid and an email message from the same bidder asking if I accepted a bank money order. I messaged back and told him that I only accept PayPal. He messages back and asks me to retract his bid. I messaged him back telling him to retract his own bid.

Long story short, he must have put in a large bid because as the auction was ending several other bidders jumped in but it was not enough. The faulty bidder won the auction. Now after multiple previous messages of back & forth communication, he does not seem inclined to answer me back.

What do I do next? Re-list? Can I do some sort of a 2nd chance offer to the underbidder? I've never been down this road before so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
-Collecting anything vintage

Comments

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭
    As the seller, I would have simply canceled his bid as soon as you realized there would be a problem. However, payment via a money order can be a very legitimate form of payment, and you will save the 2.9% paypal fee. What is his FB rating? If you are going to accept paypal only, you can offer a second chance to the underbidder(s), but only after you are sure the winner will not complate the transaction. If that doesn't work you will need to relist. Be sure to file an NPB if he doesn't pay, as you've already been charged by ebay for the FVF.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • charrigancharrigan Posts: 2,293
    Open a NPB case as soon as you can and relist. Very common situation, actually. You'll be fine.
  • JimMeantJimMeant Posts: 342 ✭✭✭
    Ok, I opened up a case in the resolution center. It says my cancellation is pending. Can I relist the lot immediately? Or do I have to wait?
    -Collecting anything vintage
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: JimMeant

    Ok, I opened up a case in the resolution center. It says my cancellation is pending. Can I relist the lot immediately? Or do I have to wait?




    A cancellation request is different from filing an NPB. He has to agree to your request or ignore it for you to get your FVF back. I would wait till the process is concluded before relisting, personally.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • StamkosFanStamkosFan Posts: 255 ✭✭✭
    Do you also have "buyer must have paypal account" under the bidder requirement?
    If not, you may want to check under your preferences and check that box so those who do not have a paypal acct cannot bid.
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    Good advice so far. I'd personally file the NPB case and send a second chance offer to the next highest bidder. If that doesn't work then I'd relist.



    Also, as mentioned, money orders can actually be fine. Just make sure everything is cleared before mailing out.
  • cardbendercardbender Posts: 1,831 ✭✭
    I'd accept the money order payment and save the 2.9% paypal fee.
  • 3 under par3 under par Posts: 110 ✭
    Originally posted by: cardbender

    I'd accept the money order payment and save the 2.9% paypal fee.




    +1



  • dhessdhess Posts: 37 ✭
    Originally posted by: MULLINS5
    Good advice so far. I'd personally file the NPB case and send a second chance offer to the next highest bidder. If that doesn't work then I'd relist.

    Also, as mentioned, money orders can actually be fine. Just make sure everything is cleared before mailing out.


    Not really. Good advice would be to accept the money order and not cause both parties a headache due to your own insecurities.

    The buyer offered to pay via a no fee "cash" method where you could go to the bank and get "cash". That is a win win and the only person at fault here is the seller who refused to accept the money order.
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,892 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In all fairness, eBay/PayPal has got everyone convinced that accepting a money order is risky, and that people are sending fake money orders all the time. I paid on eBay exclusively with postal money orders for almost a decade without a single problem, but I finally gave in because it became such a hassle.
    My 1972 Baseball and Wacky Pack Registry Sets
  • DoctorKDoctorK Posts: 868 ✭✭✭
    Link Fail


    Ebay Payment Policy


    I prefer to save every bit I can but not at the risk of having my account suspended.

  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,892 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, however if you read it completely, the only thing that's not allowed is a seller demanding a check or money order. If the customer requests it, the seller is allowed to accept it without violating an eBay policy. At least that was the setup the last time I used a money order.
    My 1972 Baseball and Wacky Pack Registry Sets
  • DoctorKDoctorK Posts: 868 ✭✭✭
    It used to be that way. At some point (not sure when) they changed it. My previous link failed but here is the pertinent section from their payment acceptance rules (the accepted categories fall primarily in Ebay Motors, Business & Industrial, and Real Estate).



    Restricted


    Bank-to-bank transfers (also known as bank wire transfers and bank cash transfers)

    Checks

    Money orders

    Online payment services: Allpay.net, CertaPay, hyperwallet.com, Fiserv, Nochex.com, XOOM

    You can only use these payment methods in certain listing categories. See the full list of categories that allow bank-to-bank transfers, checks, money orders, and online payment services.
  • SouthsiderSouthsider Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭
    Yeah, Ebay has completely made Paypal a requirement for selling. Sometime around the time they bought Paypal. I'm sure there's no connection there.



    When I first started buying through Ebay, I'd send out checks, money orders, sometimes even cash for small amounts, and it was never a problem. I don't think I got scammed once.



  • charrigancharrigan Posts: 2,293
    The timing (trying to use a MO well after PP is the norm) and the troublemaking precedent (refusing to retract the bid after being told MO wasn't an option) are both red flags that would strongly suggest to me that the best course would be to exit the transaction with this particular user, recoup fees by filing a NPB case, block the bidder in question, and relist. I usually do not bother with second chance offers because they are rarely accepted and I would feel uncomfortable relisting the item while a second chance offer was still pending.
  • 19541954 Posts: 2,905 ✭✭✭
    I think the buyer can not retract a bid within a certain time period before the auction is going to end. I remember a couple of years back I needed to back out of a transaction and was not permitted by eBay because it was too close to the auction ending.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,266 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would most definitely send a 2nd chance offer to the underbidder before relisting. Nothing to lose except a day or two of having it back on general auction again.
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